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Friday 28 October 2022
Columbia Man Sentenced to More Than Twelve Years in Prison on Second Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Thomas Lashort Bullock, 33, of Columbia, was sentenced to more than twelve years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that on September 17, 2021, deputies with the Richland County Sheriff's Department initiated a traffic stop on Bullock’s vehicle. However, as the officer approached the vehicle, Bullock pulled away and jumped the center curb into oncoming traffic in order to evade the stop. During the vehicle pursuit which followed, Bullock entered a neighborhood, where the officer observed Bullock toss a pistol out the vehicle’s driver side window. Bullock subsequently came to a stop and surrendered to officers. Bullock, who was on supervised release for a prior federal gun conviction, was in possession of a Francolin International Arms 12-gauge shotgun, a loaded Beretta 9mm pistol, and various quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and a mixture of cocaine and fentanyl, which he intended to distribute.
Bullock was detained without bond and pleaded guilty to three counts of the indictment. Bullock’s criminal history includes prior state convictions for assault and battery and burglary, as well as a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie sentenced Bullock to 135 months in federal prison to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. Bullock was also sentenced to an additional ten months of imprisonment to run consecutively for his violations of the terms of his supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein prosecuted the case.
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Cleveland Man Charged with 10 Armed Robberies in Cleveland and Shaker HeightsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Cleveland man was charged today in a 14-count indictment with the armed robbery or attempted armed robbery of 10 retail stores in Cleveland and Shaker Heights over the course of three weeks.
Lawrence Sturdivant, 32, was charged with 10 counts of interference with commerce by robbery; three counts of using, carrying or brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition.
According to court documents, from Dec. 5 to Dec. 26, 2021, the defendant is accused of robbing or attempting to rob nine Walgreens, Family Dollar and CVS stores in Cleveland and a Walgreens in Shaker Heights. In each instance, it is alleged that the defendant would enter the store and use a firearm to threaten, intimidate and coerce the cashiers into giving him money from the register drawers.
During the robberies, the defendant was on parole for an aggravated robbery conviction from 2014. As a felon, the defendant is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offenses and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum; in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Cleveland Division of Police and the Shaker Heights Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam J. Joines.
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Claremore Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Abusing an InfantRead the Press Release
A Claremore man who abused a 5-month-old infant at a home in Vinita was sentenced Friday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Chief U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Keldon Keith Summers, 28, to 12 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release.
“My office will vigorously prosecute criminals who cause harm to the most innocent in our communities- our children,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Keldon Summers’ violent abuse of an infant left the child with permanent injuries and the need for continued care. This child abuser will spend 12 years in federal prison to account for his despicable crime.”
“I am extremely proud of the collaborative effort that brought Keldon Summers to justice for his detestable crime,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “Today’s sentence ensures there is one less abuser victimizing the most innocent and vulnerable members of our communities.”
Summers previously pleaded guilty to child abuse in Indian Country. In his plea agreement, Summers admitted that in the early morning hours of Nov. 8, 2020, he was taking care of a 5-month-old while the infant’s mother was at work and during that time, he abused the infant. The child suffered bruising on his cheek down to his chin that resembled a bite mark, and bruising on his arm, his buttocks, and on his back and chest. He further suffered a swollen penis and left testicle, a fracture of his upper tibia, and extensive retinal hemorrhaging.
Additionally, the child tested positive for methamphetamine. The child had multiple seizures after being life flighted to the hospital that day. He remained in the hospital for three weeks and today requires medication, therapy, and continued care as a result of his injuries.
The FBI and Vinita Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey P. Todd and Vani Singhal prosecuted the case.
Chicopee Man Sentenced for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chicopee man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Herve Plasse, 67, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to three years in prison and five years of supervised release. On May 9, 2022, Plasse pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.
In July 2015, a search of Plasse’s residence revealed over 100 images of child pornography on his computer, including images of prepubescent girls engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Plasse admitted that he had accessed a website on an encrypted network for the purpose of viewing child pornography.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Curley of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Celina Man Charged with Creating Animal Crushing Video and Possession and Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TOLEDO - Lucas Russell Vanwoert, 25, of Celina, Ohio, was charged today in a four-count indictment with possession and transportation of child pornography, transportation of obscene materials and creating an animal crush video.
According to court documents, on August 28, 2022, Vanwoert allegedly created and intended to distribute an animal crush video. An animal crush video is defined as any photograph, motion picture, film, video or digital recording, or electronic image that depicts actual conduct in which one or more living non-human mammals, birds, reptiles, or amphibians is intentionally crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled or otherwise subjected to serious bodily injury, or bestiality and is obscene.
On September 26, 2022, authorities executed a search warrant at Vanwoert’s residence in Celina and seized several electronic devices that were later found to contain videos of child pornography, which involved prepubescent children, as well as animal crush videos.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sara Al-Sorghali and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler.
Canadian Man Charged with Travel to Engage in Sexual Contact with MinorRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Canadian man will make his initial appearance today on charges that he traveled to New Jersey for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct with a minor, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Patrick John Anthony Coderre, aka “T Ocean,” 53, of Ontario, Canada, is charged with one count of travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Coderre made his initial appearance by videoconference today before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III and was detained without bail.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Law enforcement authorities have been investigating Coderre since March 2019 for child exploitation offenses. Two undercover officers using three identities communicated with Coderre via text message, email, and the messaging platform Telegram concerning Coderre’s desire for sexual encounters with young children. On Oct. 27, 2022, Coderre traveled from Canada to New Jersey to meet the undercover officers for what he believed would be a sexual encounter with one or more children at a hotel.
The charge of travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charge. He also thanked officers of the New Jersey State Police, under the leadership of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah A. Sulkowski of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
California Man Responsible for Distributing More Than 100 Kilos of Meth to More Than 10 States Receives 26 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Joseph Willie Jr., 31, of California, was sentenced to 312 months in prison for his role as the leader of an armed, interstate methamphetamine trafficking organization known as the “Grape Street Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO).”
““We are dismantling violent drug trafficking organizations and putting their leaders behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Gangs and cartels bringing poison into Raleigh and elsewhere in Eastern North Carolina will be met with the full force of federal law enforcement, no matter where they live.”
““This was a significant investigation impacting public safety across multiple states,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “We know that local drug traffickers can contribute significantly to increased violent crime rates. To disrupt a drug trafficking network of this size has a large impact on making our communities safer in North Carolina, as well as communities across the country.”
According to court documents, evidence presented in court and other documents, the Grape Street DTO imported large quantities of highly pure—and highly addictive—crystal methamphetamine from Mexico.
The DTO then distributed the drugs throughout the United States, including Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma and Tennessee.
Willie Jr. was convicted of three counts: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 500 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine (Count One); distribution of more than 500 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine (Count Two); and conspiracy to commit money laundering by concealment (Count Three).
The investigation uncovered that from 2016 until the time of his arrest in 2020, Willie Jr. was responsible for distributing more than 100 kilograms of highly pure methamphetamine. From those sales, Willie Jr. received more than a million dollars in drug proceeds.
Tanna Nash, Willie’s Jr. wife, received an additional quarter of million dollars in drug proceeds as a part of this organization.
Between July 2020, and February 3, 2021, ATF Undercover Agents posing as a member of Willie Jr.’s inner circle made 6 controlled purchases of more than 3 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine from Willie Jr.
ATF sent the money to Nash in California. After Nash received the money, Willie Jr. sent the methamphetamine to Raleigh and Kinston, North Carolina in pound- and two-pound increments.
The organization primarily distributed the methamphetamine in Craven, Lenoir and Onslow counties. At the time of his arrest, Willie Jr. was attempting to expand into Fayetteville, North Carolina.
In August 2018, Homeland Security Investigators (Border Enforcement Security Taskforce) made three controlled purchases totaling twelve pounds of methamphetamine in Tampa, Florida, which had been sent at the direction of Willie Jr.
According to information received from ATF Memphis as a part of this investigation, Willie Jr. was a member of the Grape Street Crips, a violent street gang.
According to information obtained as a part of this three-year investigation, methamphetamine distributors in the different states including members and associates of the Grape Street Crips would contact Willie Jr. and place orders for methamphetamine to be shipped to them.
Willie Jr. would provide how to make the payments using various methods including wire transfers, peer-to-peer payment software, and national banks (deposited in one state and withdrawn by a different person in California) to avoid detection.
Willie Jr. had at least nine people in California receiving drug proceeds from other states; those proceeds were then funneled to Willie Jr.
On October 24, 2022, Tanna Nash was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 500 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine and Distribution of more than 500 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine.
This is part of Operation Fighting Jellyfish, which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, 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.
Operation “Fighting Jellyfish” was also recognized for a Special Achievement Award by the North Carolina Gang Investigators Association.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (Wilmington, North Carolina, Memphis, Tennessee and California), Homeland Security Investigations (Tampa (B.E.S.T. Unit) and California), Drug Enforcement Administration (California, North Carolina, Missouri and Ohio), the United States Marshal Service, the Craven, Duplin and Onslow County Sheriffs’ Offices and the Kinston, Goldsboro and New Bern Police Departments and the Los Angeles Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-cr-00021-FL-1.
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Bozeman man sentenced to prison for stealing Social Security benefits while acting as a fiduciaryRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Bozeman man who admitted to stealing more than $57,000 in government benefits from an elderly relative for whom he was the fiduciary was sentenced today to six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $57,329 restitution, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Ira Kyrk Westbrook, 47, pleaded guilty in July Social Security fraud.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. Westbrook was allowed to self-report to the custody of the Bureau of Prisons.
The government alleged in court documents that for approximately 16 months, from December 2019 to March 2021, Westbrook misappropriated $57,329 of an elderly relative’s Social Security Administration and Veterans Administration benefits. The victim, identified as John Doe, suffered a stroke in 2018, became disabled and was transferred to a rehabilitation and care facility, where nearly all of his expenses were covered. John Doe was declared incompetent in February 2020. Westbrook was appointed as Doe’s Representative Payee and agreed to use the Social Security funds only for Doe’s needs. Westbrook acknowledged he could face imprisonment if he misused the money.
An investigation determined that Westbrook misappropriated his relative’s benefits by spending the money on a travel trailer, a 2019 Jeep Wrangler, groceries, restaurants, internet service and Amazon purchases, and that he incurred several $30 overdraft fees. Social media posts showed a photograph in August 2020 of Westbrook and his wife with a Jeep Wrangler and a caption that said, “Did a thing today.” After transitioning to a rehabilitation center, the VA covered all of Doe’s expenses except his clothing. Westbrook received more than $4,000 a month to be used solely for Doe’s benefit, and yet did not provide Doe with adequate clothing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the SSA, VA, Bozeman Police Department and Montana Adult Protective Services.
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Blaine Man Indicted for His Role in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Mohamed Muse Noor, aka “Deeq Darajo,” has been indicted for his role in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Noor, 37, was the president and owner of Xogmaal Media Group, a Minneapolis-based non-profit company that ran an online news outlet focused on the Somali community in Minnesota. Xogmaal Media Group was enrolled as a Federal Child Nutrition Program site under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Noor claimed that the site would be located in Minneapolis.
According to court documents, from November 2020 through 2022, Noor claimed that Xogmaal Media Group was serving as many as 1,500 children every day, seven days a week. Noor submitted fake meal counts that he signed as the site supervisor. Noor also submitted fake invoices purporting to document the purchase of food to be served at the Xogmaal Media Group site.
According to court documents, between February and June 2021, Noor claimed to have served approximately 580,000 meals to children at the Xogmaal Media Group site. Based on these fraudulent claims, Noor and his co-conspirators claimed that Xogmaal Media Group was entitled to more than $1.3 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Ultimately, Xogmaal Media Group received nearly $500,000 in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds between June and August 2021. Noor paid nearly 80 percent of these funds over to entities controlled by Abdikerm Eidleh. The memo lines of the checks written to Eidleh’s companies falsely indicated that the payments were for “supplies” and to repay loans. In reality, the money was transferred to Eidleh’s companies in order to misappropriate and launder the proceeds of the fraud scheme.
Noor, who was initially arrested and charged by criminal complaint on September 26, 2022, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Noor made his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, Matthew S. Ebert, Chelsea A. Walcker, and Joseph S. Teirab. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bethel Landscape Contractor Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TIMOTHY P. DRAPER, 55, of Bethel, was sentenced today by U.S. Circuit Judge Sarah A. L. Merriam in Bridgeport to eight months of imprisonment for tax evasion. Judge Merriam also ordered Draper to pay a $75,000 fine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Draper owns and operates T&M Lawn & Landscape, and also owns multiple residential rental properties in Bethel and Danbury. Draper failed to deposit into his business operating accounts numerous checks generated from his landscaping and rental businesses, resulting in underreporting of approximately $1.8 million in business receipts on his tax returns for the 2015, 2016 and 2017 tax years. Draper also paid personal expenses out of the business accounts and failed to categorize the payments as income to him. The underreporting of income resulted in the underpayment of more than $500,000 in income taxes for the three tax years.
Draper has paid $1,117,883.11 in back taxes, interest and penalties.
On April 18, 2022, Draper pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion.
Draper, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on January 10.
This investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Ayden Man Sentenced to 110 Months for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – An Ayden man was sentenced today to 110 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On October 12, 2021, Hia-Keem Don’ae Rice pled guilty to the charge. According to court documents, on January 10, 2019, officers with the Greenville Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Rice. When asked to step out of the vehicle, Rice sped away. Officers saw Rice throw a bag out of the car window. After Rice struck another vehicle at an intersection, the chase was cancelled for safety reasons. Officers recovered the bag Rice threw from the window, which contained a loaded .223 caliber semi-automatic pistol with a large capacity magazine, ammunition, 28 grams of marijuana, Rice’s wallet and identification card.
According to evidence presented at sentencing, Rice was also involved in a June 23, 2019 incident. Kinston Police Department officers responded to a call that Rice and another individual brandished firearms at a McDonald’s. Rice was driving when the vehicle was located and stopped. A safety search resulted in the seizure of a .380 caliber pistol and a .45 caliber pistol, both of which were found under the driver’s seat.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Greenville Police Department and Kinston Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Stephany prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-CR-00041-FL.
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Allentown Man Sentenced to 26 Months in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jonathan Livers, age 35, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced this week, to 26 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for distributing heroin.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Livers was part of a drug trafficking organization that was trafficking quantities of heroin acquired from New York City and brought to Allentown, Pennsylvania. After arriving in Allentown, members of the drug trafficking organization sold the heroin in and around Allentown as well as areas in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Livers was responsible for distributing between 40 and 60 grams of heroin.
Codefendants of Livers received the following sentences:
- Robert Birch, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams and more of heroin, and was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment followed by four years supervised release;
- Jessica Schafer, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, and was sentenced to two years’ probation with a condition requiring 6 months’ home confinement;
- Deovonie Birch, a/k/a Deovonie Johnson, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, and was sentenced to time-served (31 months and 12 days) imprisonment followed by three years supervised release with a condition requiring six months of home confinement; and,
- Dysheim Birch, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, and was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case is also 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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Additional Defendant Charged in Nationwide Identity Theft Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Fall River resident was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston yesterday in connection with a nationwide conspiracy to open fraudulent driver accounts with rideshare and delivery service companies.
Caio Felipe Oliveira Dos Santos, 27, of Brazil, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to the indictment, Dos Santos and others conspired to use stolen identities and/or falsified documents to open fraudulent driver accounts and/or rent or sell those accounts to individual drivers who might not otherwise qualify to drive for the rideshare or delivery services. The indictment further alleges that co-conspirators exploited referral bonus programs offered by the rideshare and delivery companies and used “bots” and GPS “spoofing” technology to increase the income earned from the companies. As a result of the scheme, Internal Revenue Service Forms 1099 were generated in victims’ names for income co-conspirators earned from the rideshare and delivery companies.
The indictment also alleges that Dos Santos and his co-conspirators used victims’ identifiers to apply for driver accounts with the rideshare and delivery companies, enabling Dos Santos and his co-conspirators to pass those companies’ required background checks and create driver accounts in victims’ names. At times, co-conspirators also edited victims’ driver’s license images to display photos of the drivers renting or buying the fraudulent accounts in order to circumvent facial recognition technology that the rideshare and delivery companies used as a security measure. Dos Santos and his co-conspirators allegedly obtained victims’ names, dates of birth, driver’s license information, and/or Social Security numbers from co-conspirators and other sources, including sites on the Dark Net. They also obtained driver’s license images directly from victims, by photographing victims’ licenses while completing an alcohol delivery through one of the services.
Eighteen co-conspirators were indicted in connection with the scheme in May 2021. Fifteen of those defendants have been arrested, while three remain at large. If you believe that you may be a victim of the allegations in this case, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/victim-and-witness-assistance-program/us-v-wemerson-dutra-aguiar-and-us-v-priscila-barbosa-et-al
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory minimum of two years in prison, to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed. 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 and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; National Crime Insurance Bureau; and the Concord, Lexington, Plymouth, Wilmington, Marlborough and Village of Rye Brook (N.Y.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen A. Kearney and David M. Holcomb of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud 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.
Thursday 27 October 2022
“Wolf of Airbnb” Indicted in Connection with Scheme to Defraud New York City Landlords and PPP FraudRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the indictment of KONRAD BICHER for two counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to defraud New York City landlords (the “Rental Property Scheme”) and a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $565,000 in government-guaranteed loans designed to provide relief to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, namely the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). BICHER was arrested in connection with the Rental Property Scheme in late June 2022. The case has been assigned to Judge Lorna G. Schofield.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “We allege that Bicher brazenly rented at least 18 apartments in Manhattan with the intent to ignore his lease obligations, including by operating the apartments as mini-hotels and skipping rent. When landlords sought to recover rental payments from Bicher, he lied and claimed that he could not make payments during the pendency of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, Bicher obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars in PPP money based on multiple fraudulent applications. Bicher abused Government programs and tenant protections intended to benefit New Yorkers in crisis, and he will have to answer for his conduct.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael J. Driscoll said: "As alleged, the defendant proudly executed multiple schemes to defraud both private entities and the United States government for his own personal benefit. The FBI remains committed to not only exterminating fraud in all its forms, but also to ensuring all those who abused a program designed to aid small businesses during an unprecedented global pandemic are held accountable."
As alleged in the Indictment and previously filed Complaint:[1]
Beginning in at least February 2019, KONRAD BICHER, and/or individuals working in concert with BICHER, began renting apartment units (the “Units”) in Manhattan. The Units were leased pursuant to lease agreements which required that the lessee make monthly rental payments and also included clauses that prohibited the lessee from renting the Units to third parties on a short-term basis and/or included clauses that prohibited the lessee from subletting the Units to third parties without written consent of the owner. Despite the requirement to make monthly rental payments, BICHER failed to make payments as required by the lease agreements. For many of the Units, BICHER also refused to vacate the Units after the expiration of the lease agreements. During the period of time that BICHER failed to make required rental payments, including the period of time after a lease agreement expired and the premises had not been vacated, BICHER derived income by renting the Units on a short-term basis, including by posting the Units for rent on various online marketplaces, including Airbnb, Inc. (“Airbnb”).
Between in or about July 2019 and in or about April 2022, BICHER and his associates failed to make more than $1,000,000 in payments pursuant to the Lease Agreements or, for the period of time after the expiration of the Lease Agreements, based on the estimated fair market value for the Units. During this period, BICHER caused the Units to be listed for short-term rent on Airbnb and at least one other online marketplace for short-term rentals, resulting in at least $1,170,000 in rental income to BICHER and his associates.
Throughout the course of this scheme, the lessors of the Units made numerous efforts to recover rental payments from BICHER and/or to stop BICHER from continuing to rent the Units on a short-term basis, including by initiating civil litigation against BICHER. Despite these efforts, BICHER continued to rent certain Units on a short-term basis.
During the course of the scheme, BICHER referred to himself as the “Wolf of Airbnb” and explained to media outlets that this nickname referred to the fact that he was “hungry and ruthless enough to get on top of the financial ladder” and had the “ferocity…of a wolf, because wolves are territorial, vicious, and show no mercy when provoked.”
In addition, between at least in or about April 2021 until in or about July 2021, BICHER engaged in a scheme to obtain Government-guaranteed loans through a loan program of the United States Small Business Administration designed to provide relief to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, namely the PPP. In furtherance of this scheme, BICHER submitted at least four applications for PPP loans on behalf of at least three entities and obtained over $565,000 in loan proceeds. These PPP applications contained fraudulent documents and false information. For example, in connection with the PPP applications, BICHER submitted tax documents which were purportedly filed with the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”). These documents were falsified, in that the entities seeking PPP loans had not actually filed the purported tax returns with the IRS, and BICHER has not otherwise reported the purported income to the IRS. In connection with one of the PPP applications, submitted on behalf of NY Approved Rentals, BICHER submitted a copy of a 2019 income tax return which was purportedly filed with the IRS and was signed by a particular accountant (“Accountant-1”) located in the state of Florida. In truth and fact, NY Approved Rentals did not file a tax return of any kind in 2019, and BICHER only requested that Accountant-1 prepare a tax return for NY Approved Rentals after BICHER was asked to provide a copy of the tax return in connection with the PPP loan.
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BICHER, 31, of Hialeah, Florida, is charged with two counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. The two counts of wire fraud each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The charge for aggravated identity theft carries an additional mandatory consecutive two-year sentence.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Weinberg is in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and Complaint and the description of the Indictment and Complaint set forth in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Wormleysburg Man Re-Indicted for Stealing Construction Materials from New U.S. Courthouse in HarrisburgRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christopher Gontaryk, age 47, of Wormleysburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on one count of theft of government property.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that between March 6, 2022 and March 14, 2022, Gontaryk stole and then retained construction materials belonging to the United States from the site of the U.S. Courthouse being constructed near the intersection of Reily Street and North 6th Street in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Gontaryk was previously indicted in January 2022 for committing a similar offense—stealing construction materials from the U.S. Courthouse construction site—on October 11, 2021. He pleaded guilty to the October 2021 offense in May 2022, and he is currently awaiting sentencing.
In March 2022, Gontaryk’s bail was revoked, and he was ordered to be detained after being arrested for committing the new offense.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for theft of government property is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The defendant may also face an enhanced penalty because this offense was committed while he was on pretrial release for the earlier charge. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Worcester Man Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for Hobbs Act ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced yesterday for his role in an attempted robbery of a Rockland-based glassware dealer.
Grace Katana, a/k/a “King Grace,” 31, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 64 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On June 7, 2022, Katana was convicted by a federal jury of conspiring to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, commonly referred to as Hobbs Act robbery. Katana was indicted in July 2019 with co-defendants Junior Melendez, Shaun Walker and Keith Johnson.
In March 2019, Katana conspired with Melendez, Walker and, allegedly, Johnson to rob the home of a high-end glassware dealer in Rockland. From March 18, 2019 through March 25, 2019, intercepted communications of a cellphone used by Melendez revealed that Katana and his co-conspirators had planned an armed home invasion and robbery of the Rockland residence.
During the afternoon of March 25, 2019, the four men traveled over 60 miles from Worcester to Rockland in two vehicles. Katana and Melendez first scoped out the robbery target location, a residence which at that time was occupied by a female resident. Katana and Melendez then proceeded to a nearby hardware store and purchased a two-foot iron crowbar, a screwdriver and razor blades. Law enforcement monitoring the defendants converged on the four men in the parking lot of the hardware store – disrupting the attempted robbery. In addition to the items just purchased at the hardware store, a loaded .380 firearm was seized from one of the vehicles.
Melendez and Walker previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and are scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 29, 2022, and Nov. 15, 2022, respectively. Johnson has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent; and Rockland Police Chief John R. Llewellyn made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg A. Friedholm and Kristen M. Noto of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Woman Sentenced to Probation for Offering Illegal Silicone Augmentation InjectionsRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A Caguas woman, 55, was sentenced today to one year probation, $10,000 fine, and $1,393.75 of restitution for offering illegal buttock injections to prospective clients at Belleza Vital Spa Inc. d/b/a Belleza Vital Estetic (“BVE”), a business she operated in Caguas, Puerto Rico.
According to court documents, Debra Esteves-Meléndez, who was not a licensed physician or other medical practitioner, offered buttock injections to prospective clients at Belleza Vital Estetic and made false statements to her clients as to the safety of the material that she was injecting with the intent to defraud and mislead. The products the defendant injected into her clients were purchased and shipped from Colombia to Puerto Rico.
In or about September 2021, Esteves-Meléndez possessed material at BVE which was tested by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and determined to contain polydimethylsiloxane, or silicone oil, a medical device under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA).
“Injecting illegal material such as liquid silicone without the involvement of a medical professional endangers consumers and violates the law,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work closely with the FDA to investigate and prosecute the illegal dispensing of misbranded material and unauthorized drugs.”
“Liquid silicone injected into individuals’ bodies can cause serious harm and even death, and FDA has not approved any such product for body contouring,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin C. Fielder, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office. “We will continue to aggressively pursue and bring to justice those who endanger consumers by offering this hazardous procedure in order to enrich themselves.”
The Food and Drug Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Erbe, Chief of the Financial Fraud and Public Corruption Section prosecuted the case.
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Waterloo Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting Woman with a FirearmRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man, who is a felon and shot a firearm at a residence after assaulting a woman, was sentenced October 26, 2022, to ten years in federal prison.
Trivansky Tyrique Swington, age 29, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison sentence after a jury found him guilty of possession of a firearm by a felon on February 9, 2022.
Evidence at the trial and sentencing showed that in February 2021, Swington was at a party in Waterloo. Swington and three others left the party and got into a vehicle. Swington then assaulted one of the women in the vehicle. Swington scratched at the woman, pulled her hair out, and held a gun to her head. The woman and other people inside the vehicle were able to get out. Swington then punched another woman in the face. Swington took off down the street on foot. A few moments later, he turned around and fired at least two shots at the residence where the party was being held. A three-year-old child was inside sleeping at the time. Officers were able to locate Swington a few blocks away. They also used a police K-9 to locate the firearm, which Swington had tried to bury in the snow. Swington has ten prior convictions including convictions for assault, harassment, and conspiracy to commit robbery.
Swington was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Swington was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term and pay a $100 special assessment fee. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United State Attorneys Ashley Corkery and Devra Hake. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) through a cooperative effort of the Waterloo Police Department, FBI Safe Streets Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-2033.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Washington Parish Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JAKARI BROWN, a/k/a “Jakari Lemar,” age 24, a resident of Bogalusa, Louisiana, pled guilty on October 25, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry to a superseding bill of information which charged him with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, on April 25, 2019, BROWN, a convicted felon, possessed an Iberia Firearm (HiPoint) Model JPC, .40 caliber pistol that he used during a shootout near the corner of Hickory and South Columbia Streets in Bogalusa. BROWN was again found to be in possession of a gun on December 27, 2021, when police discovered a Smith & Wesson Model SW9VE, 9 millimeter pistol under the driver’s seat in the vehicle BROWN was driving.
The maximum punishment BROWN faces for each offense is ten years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Benjamin Myers and Maurice Landrieu.
Warren County Man Used Stolen Mail, Multiple Schemes to Commit FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Four people from Warren County, Missouri were indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Wednesday and accused of using stolen mail and a series of schemes to commit fraud.
Elijah Briggs, 41, of Warren County, was indicted on three counts of bank fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count each of possession of stolen mail and possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices. Holly Naylor, 39, Jessica Kirkpatrick, 42, and Reuben Kim, 34, were each indicted on two counts of bank fraud. All but Kirkpatrick are in custody.
From Jan. 31, 2019 through at least 2021, Briggs obtained the personal information, including checking account information, of multiple victims by stealing outgoing or delivered mail from their mailboxes, the indictment says.
He then used a series of schemes to steal money, the indictment says. Briggs altered stolen checks to make them payable to himself or others, opened bank accounts and credit accounts with the stolen information and accessed victims’ accounts online to steal money and change their contact information, the indictment says.
Brigs also attempted to cash a legitimate payroll check to himself multiple times and used information on the check to create fake checks payable to and cashed by Naylor and Kim, the indictment says.
Finally, Briggs created fraudulent and counterfeit checks using stolen banking information that Naylor, Kim and Kirkpatrick then cashed, the indictment says.
"This investigation exposed a broad scope of fraudulent activities that showed a brazen disregard for the victims,” said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Katherine Greer. “These are not petty crimes that can be easily recovered from, but instead could result in a lifetime of negative financial and emotional turmoil for the victims. HSI and our law enforcement partners will continue our work to combat financial crimes and to dismantle any organization that support it.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Warren County Sheriff’s Department, the St. Charles Police Department, the St. Peters Police Department, and the Wentzville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Klocke prosecuted the case.
Virginia man pleads guilty to assault of a federal officer and destruction of government propertyRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Richard Tyler Hunsinger has pleaded guilty to assault on a federal officer and destruction of government property stemming from his use of a homemade explosive device during a protest which threatened the lives of two federal officers during the summer of 2020.
“The citizens of this district have the right to peacefully protest,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “But those who exploit peaceful protests by committing acts of violence, like throwing Molotov cocktails into buildings where law enforcement agents are working, and destroying government property, must be held accountable.”
“Anyone who assaults a law enforcement officer or destroys government property is dangerous and an extreme threat to public safety,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will not tolerate protesters who turn violent and destructive and will aggressively pursue individuals that undermine the rule of law. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured during Hunsinger’s act of terror.”
“Finding, arresting and prosecuting violent criminals, like Hunsinger, who target law enforcement officers is one of the most important operations there is,” said Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “We are thankful for the hard work done by all of the agencies involved in this case and hope that this sentence serves as a warning to anyone else thinking of committing such heinous acts.”
“The Atlanta Police Department respects every citizen’s right to protest, and we will do everything in our power to protect those rights. However, when a citizen decides to destroy government property, threaten other human beings with bodily harm and use explosive devices during a protest, their actions become criminal and therefore they must be held accountable. We hope this sends a strong message to others, that if you commit these types of acts during a protest, we will find you, and you will be arrested and prosecuted.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: On July 23, 2020, Hunsinger began organizing a protest titled “Rally Against Fascism.” The event was scheduled to occur at the Atlanta-Field Office of the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (the “DHS building”).
On July 25, 2020, at approximately 11:30 p.m., a crowd gathered at the DHS building for the rally and protested outside a fenced area in front of the building. Hunsinger and others, wearing dark clothing and face coverings, breached the fences and began vandalizing the building.
While the DHS building was occupied by at least two federal employees, Hunsinger smashed at least four windows of the front entry of the structure and then lit and threw a Molotov cocktail into the building through a smashed glass door. At the same time, other individuals utilized rocks, cinder blocks, modified fireworks, more Molotov cocktails, and additional materials, to cause extensive damage to the building totaling more than $46,000.00.
Richard Tyler Hunsinger, 29, of Fairfax, Virginia, pleaded guilty to assault on a federal officer in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 111(a)(1) and (b), and destruction of government property, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1361. Sentencing is scheduled for January 24, 2023, at 10:30 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security with assistance from the Atlanta Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Carrico is prosecuting this case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
United States Attorney Adair F. Boroughs Appoints District Election OfficerRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA -- United States Attorney Adair F. Boroughs announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Potterfield will lead the efforts of her Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. Assistant U.S. Attorney Potterfield has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of South Carolina, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Boroughs said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Boroughs stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, Assistant U.S. Attorney/DEO Potterfield will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (803)-929-3092.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (803) 551-4200.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
United States Attorney Boroughs said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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U.S. Attorney’s Statement Relating to the November 8, 2022 General ElectionRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) David E. Hollar will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSA Hollar has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Northern District of Indiana, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election related complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Johnson said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process. AUSA/DEO Hollar will be on duty while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 219-937-5500 to handle election complaints during early voting as well as on election day.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The local FBI field office can be reached (24/7) by the public at 317-595-4000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam announced today that Criminal Division Chief Bruce D. Brandler, Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSA) Michael Consiglio, Geoffrey MacArthur, and James Buchanan will lead the efforts of this Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election.
Criminal Chief Brandler has been appointed to oversee and lead the District’s Election Day Program. AUSAs Consiglio, Buchanan, and MacArthur will serve as the District Election Officers (DEO) for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in our Harrisburg, Scranton, and Williamsport Offices. In that capacity they are responsible for overseeing the handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said U.S. Attorney Karam. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Karam stated that: “The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. Fair elections depend in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, our DEOs will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. AUSA/DEO Consiglio can be reached by the public at the Harrisburg Office number: 717-221-4482; AUSA/DEO Buchanan can be reached at the Scranton Office number: 570-348-2800; and AUSA/DEO MacArthur can be reached at the Williamsport Office number: 570-326-1935.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 215-418-4000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Recognizes Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement for Outstanding AchievementsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. Attorney Dena J. King hosted the Western District’s Excellence in the Pursuit of Justice award ceremony, to recognize law enforcement personnel from local, state and
federal law enforcement agencies for their significant contributions to the mission of the Department of Justice, and for their commitment to protecting the people of the Western District of North Carolina.
“It is an honor to recognize the remarkable men and women in law enforcement for going above and beyond the call of duty to protect our communities and to hold wrongdoers accountable for their actions,” said U.S. Attorney King. “A career in law enforcement is not for the faint of heart. Those who wear the badge understand what it means to live a life of service, despite the significant dangers and challenges that come with the job. I congratulate the recipients for this well-deserved recognition. I am grateful for their outstanding efforts to ensure public safety and for serving the people of the Western District of North Carolina with integrity and excellence.”
The following law enforcement professionals were recognized in the Outstanding Case category, for their work as an investigative team and their exemplary performance in cases handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office:
United States v. Rodney Allison
Johnathan R. Austin - Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office/DEA
Nathan Ball – Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office
Michael W.C. Beam – DEA
Melody J. Cox – HIDTA/DEA
Sonia Escobedo – Asheville Police Department/DEA
Andrew N. Fournier – Asheville Police Department
Brett L. Foust – Asheville Police Department
Steven Hendricks – Asheville Police Department
Brett T. Maltby - Asheville Police Department
Christopher M. Plowucha – Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation “COVID CHAOS”
Nathan DeWeese – Haywood County Sheriff’s Office
Christopher B. Green – ATF
Brian A. Leopard – Swain County Sheriff’s Office/DEA
Mark Mease – Haywood County Sheriff’s Office
Micah P. Phillips – Haywood County Sheriff’s Office/ATF
Michael J. Reagan – Haywood County Sheriff’s Office/DEA
Andrew G. Scripture – DEA
Jay Stoller – Haywood County Sheriff’s Office
Alan C. Townsend – ATF
United States v. Shane Swimmer
Travis Brooks – Cherokee Indian Police Department
Daniel S. Iadonisi - Cherokee Indian Police Department
Mary Lambert – Cherokee Indian Police Department
Eugene J. Vinson – FBI
United States v. Michael Moore
Alvis E. Bergs –HSI
Andrew J. Greer - HSI
Illegal Firearms Interdiction
Seth M. Berger – ATF
Andrew J. Collier – Federal Air Marshal Service
Kelly M. Harrison – HSI
Christopher C. McMaster – FBI
United States v. Elijah Gorla
Jacob R. Guffey – FBI
William S. Hairston, Jr. – ATF
Rebecca T. Russell – Watauga County Sheriff’s Office
The following law enforcement professionals were recognized in the Outstanding Team Performance category:
Queen City Regional Border Enforcement Security Taskforce – “QCR-BEST”
Ronald Bollinger – North Carolina Department of Public Safety/HSI
Stephen Brown – Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department/HSI
Kirk Bynoe - Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department/HSI
Jonathan Cerdan - Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department/HSI
Daniel Johnson – Huntersville Police Department/HSI
Kyle Lang – Mint Hill Police Department/HSI
Daniel S. Leal – HSI
Michael E. Morizio – HSI
Kevin Osuch – Matthews Police Department/HSI
Courtney Roanhorse – HSI
Josh Smith – Stallings Police Department/HSI
The following recipients were selected to receive the Outstanding Individual Performance award for their exemplary contributions to multiple cases prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office:
Randy Berkland – United States Postal Inspection Service
Zackery T. Hagler – Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department/FBI
Christopher P. Morgan – DEA
Jason D. Whitt – FBI
This year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office recognized Mr. Holrick L. Foster with the Outstanding Citizen Award for his contribution in a case prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and presented Adams Outdoor Advertising with the Outstanding Community Service award for partnering with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to promote the Office’s Think Again initiative.
U.S. Attorney King thanked the awardees for their distinctive efforts and their dedication to pursuing justice while working together to build public trust and keep our communities safe.
U.S. Attorney Names District Election Officer to Oversee the Handling of Complaints of Election Fraud and Voting Rights Abuses in the November 2022 General ElectionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Khasigian will serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of California in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the November 8 general election. The DEO is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington, DC.
In addition, Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Scott will serve as the National Security Cyber Specialist (NSCS) and is tasked with preparing for and responding to digital election threats.
Counties in the Eastern District are: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lassen, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba.
U.S. Attorney Talbert said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted. The Department of Justice will always act appropriately to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open through Election Day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights concerns during the voting period that ends on November 8, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, DEO Khasigian will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at: (916) 554-2700 and (916) 554-2723.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The FBI can be reached by the public in the Eastern District of California at (916) 746-7000 or at tips.fbi.gov.
Individuals with complaints related to possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can call the Justice Department’s toll-free telephone line at: 800-253-3931, and also can submit complaints through a link on the department’s website at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston is Committed to Protecting the Fairness and Integrity of the Electoral Process in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSA Kummerfeld has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of Texas, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
U.S. Attorney Featherston said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
U.S. Attorney Featherston stated, “The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to vote can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Kummerfeld will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public in Tyler at (903) 590-1400; in Beaumont at (409) 839-2538; in Plano at (972) 509-1201; and in Sherman at (903) 868-9454. Please advise the receptionist that your call relates to a voting matter.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The Dallas FBI field office can be reached by the public at 972-559-5000. The Houston FBI field office can be reached by the public at 713-693-5000. The FBI can be reached by the public in the Eastern District of Texas at the following telephone numbers:
Beaumont – (409) 832-8571
Frisco – (214) 705-7000
Lufkin – (936) 637-3834
Sherman – (903) 892-8754
Texarkana – (870) 773-3382
Tyler – (903) 592-4301
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
U.S. Attorney Featherston said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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Two men sentenced in $3M drug trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – Two men who illegally resided in Edinburg have been ordered to federal prison for their role in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 128 kilograms of cocaine and five kilograms of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Victor Hugo Gil-Martinez, 28, pleaded guilty Jan. 3, while Rodrigo Aguilar-Rosas admitted his guilt March 22.
Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez sentenced both Gil and Aguilar to each serve 210 months in federal prison. Not U.S. citizens, both men are expected to face removal proceedings following their imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard evidence that in addition to receiving and storing narcotics from Mexico, both men also participated in the transport of currency and ammunition back south to Mexico. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Gil and Aguilar illegally entered the United States for the sole purpose of working in the drug trafficking organization.
On Sept. 27, 2021, law enforcement conducted a search of an Edinburg residence and located approximately 39 vehicle batteries. Upon opening the batteries, they discovered a total of 128 kilograms of cocaine and five kilograms of meth.
Both Gil and Aguilar admitted to receiving the narcotics-filled batteries from other individuals who smuggled them into the United States from Mexico. The men would store the narcotics-filled batteries at the residence, remove the narcotics and then transport the narcotics to other individuals across the Rio Grande Valley.
At the time of the search, authorities also located approximately $142,000 in United States currency. The bulk currency was wrapped and packaged destined to be transported to Mexico.
The total narcotics seized has an estimated street value of $3,217,500.
Both men have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Hidalgo County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Hidalgo County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.
Two men indicted for using excessive force as Pike County law enforcement officersRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two men were charged with civil rights crimes related to the use of excessive force during their employment with the Pike County Sheriff’s Office.
Last week, a federal grand jury indicted Jeremy C. Mooney, 47, of Piketon, and William Stansberry, Jr., 46, of Chillicothe. That indictment was unsealed today at the defendants’ initial appearances in federal court.
According to the indictment, Mooney and Stansberry violated the victim’s constitutional rights on November 18, 2019, while the victim was in the custody of the Pike County Sheriff’s Office.
Mooney and Stansberry are both charged with crimes related to Mooney’s use of force. According to the indictment, Mooney repeatedly used pepper spray and struck the victim, while the victim was restrained and not posing a threat. The indictment charges that Mooney’s conduct involved the use of a dangerous weapon and resulted in bodily injury.
Stansberry is charged with violating the victim’s constitutional rights by willfully failing to intervene to prevent Mooney’s conduct. The indictment alleges that Stansberry - who held a supervisory position at the sheriff's office at the time – was aware that Mooney was using unreasonable force and did not intervene, despite having an opportunity to do so.
If convicted, both men face a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division; and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Trial Attorney Cameron A. Bell from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Two North Shore Men Arrested for Controlled Substance ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Reading man and a Saugus man have been arrested in connection with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Charles Brennick Bates, 31, of Reading, and Aaron Lenardis, 36, of Saugus, were each charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Following initial appearances on Oct. 25, 2022 and Oct. 26, 2022 in federal court in Boston before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell, the defendants were detained pending a further hearing set for Oct. 31, 2022 at 2 p.m.
“These charges are yet another example of my office’s efforts to address the near constant stream of illegal drugs flowing into our communities. We must reduce and ultimately eliminate overdose deaths,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Swallowing a deadly drug can have the same fatal outcome as injecting one. The only difference is that, with the recent spike in counterfeit pill distribution, someone may not even know that they’re taking a deadly narcotic.”
“Fentanyl and methamphetamine are causing tremendous damage to our community,” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. “Those who distribute these drugs within fake prescription pills are endangering the safety of the citizens of Massachusetts. The DEA will continue to work each day alongside our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who are responsible for distributing fentanyl and other deadly drugs. We won’t stop until they are brought to justice”.
According to the charging documents, in August 2022, federal law enforcement opened an investigation into Bates after he ordered 50 kilograms of an orange binding agent commonly used to make counterfeit Adderall pills. During subsequent surveillance, Bates was allegedly observed transporting a large, heavy item that appeared to be a pill press to Lenardis’ residence in Saugus. It is alleged that on Sept. 3, 2022, Bates called a confidential source asking for instruction on how to change a “punch” on a TDP5 machine. A punch is the component that can stamp letters onto pills and a TDP5 machine is a large pill press.
During a search of Lenardis’ residence in Saugus on Oct. 25, 2022, investigators recovered an industrial pill press, 14 firearms, several bins of loose orange and white powder and “M30” stamps commonly used to manufacture counterfeit pills, counterfeit Adderall suspected to contain methamphetamine and oxycodone pills suspected to contain fentanyl.
The charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least 3 years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to one million dollars. 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.
U.S. Attorney Rollins and DEA SAC Boyle made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is 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.
Two Former Pike County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Deputies Indicted for Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury indicted two former Pike County, Ohio, sheriff’s deputies on civil rights crimes for using excessive force during their employment with the Pike County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the indictment, Jeremy C. Mooney, 47, of Piketon, and William Stansberry Jr., 46, of Chillicothe, violated the victim’s constitutional rights on Nov. 18, 2019, while the victim was in the custody of the Pike County Sheriff’s Office. Mooney allegedly used pepper spray repeatedly while the victim was restrained and not posing a threat. Separately, Mooney also allegedly struck the victim while the victim was restrained. The indictment charges that Mooney’s conduct involved the use of a dangerous weapon and resulted in bodily injury.
Stansberry is charged with violating the victim’s constitutional rights by willfully failing to intervene to prevent Mooney’s conduct. As alleged, Stansberry was aware that Mooney was using unreasonable force and did not intervene, despite having an opportunity to do so.
If convicted, both men face a maximum of 10 years imprisonment on each count, a fine of up to $250,000 and a three-year term of supervised release.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio and Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Cincinnati Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate for the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Cameron A. Bell from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Two Former Directors of Public Works Sentenced for Accepting BribesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The former Director of Public Works of the Municipality of Guayama, Puerto Rico, and the former Director of Public Works of Cataño, also in Puerto Rico, were sentenced this week to two years and two years and 6 months in prison, respectively, for their involvement in separate bribery schemes in which they received cash payments in exchange for approving invoice payments for an asphalt and paving company.
According to court documents, Ramón Conde-Meléndez, 56, was the Director of Public Works in the municipality of Guayama from 2013 until 2022. In 2019 and 2021, Conde- Meléndez agreed to receive and received cash payments from an individual (Individual A) in exchange for certifying that the asphalt and paving company (Company A) completed asphalt projects in the municipality. The certification was required for the approval of invoices for payments from the municipality of Guayama to Company A. In 2019 and 2021, Conde- Meléndez received kickback payments, equaling $1 per each square meter of asphalt removed by Company A, which totaled more than $15,000. In addition to the term of imprisonment, he was sentenced to two years of supervised release. In May 2022, Conde- Meléndez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery.
According to court documents, Pedro Marrero-Miranda, 54, was the Director of Public Works in the municipality of Cataño from 2017 until 2021. In 2019, 2020, and 2021, Marrero-Miranda agreed to receive and received cash payments from Individual A and another individual (Individual B) in exchange for the distribution of asphalt removal projects by the municipality of Cataño to Company A, and the certification of invoices for payments from the municipality of Cataño to Company A. Specifically, Marrero-Miranda received multiple kickback payments equaling approximately $1 for each square meter of asphalt removed by Company A in the municipality of Cataño, which totaled more than $40,000. In addition to the term of imprisonment, he was sentenced to three years of supervised release. In June 2022, Marrero-Miranda pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico; Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Special Agent in Charge Joseph González of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the cases.
Trial Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico prosecuted the cases.
These cases are part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matters, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the District of Puerto Rico for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts. See United States v. Félix Delgado-Montalvo, 21-463 (RAM); United States v. Oscar Santamaria-Torres, 21-464 (RAM); United States v. Raymond Rodríguez, 21-465 (RAM); United States v. Mario Villegas-Vargas, 21-468 (FAB); United States v. Luis Arroyo-Chiques, 21-485 (SCC); United States v. Eduardo Cintron-Suarez, 22-151 (SCC); Jose Luis Cruz-Cruz, 22-276 (SCC); United States Jose Bou-Santiago, 22-379 (ADC).
Additionally, federal grand juries recently indicted several former officials with bribery related to municipal contracts, and those cases are still pending. See United States v. Ángel Pérez-Otero, 21-474 (ADC); United States v. Radamés Benítez-Cardona, 21-475 (PAD); United States v. Javier García-Pérez, 22-185 (ADC); and United States v. Reinaldo Vargas-Rodríguez, 22-186 (PAD).
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Former Directors of Public Works Sentenced for Accepting BribesRead the Press Release
The former Director of Public Works of the Municipality of Guayama, Puerto Rico, and the former Director of Public Works of Cataño, also in Puerto Rico, were sentenced this week to two years and two years and 6 months in prison, respectively, for their involvement in separate bribery schemes in which they received cash payments in exchange for approving invoice payments for an asphalt and paving company.
According to court documents, Ramon Conde-Melendez, 56, was the Director of Public Works in the municipality of Guayama from 2013 until 2022. In 2019 and 2021, Conde-Melendez agreed to receive and received cash payments from an individual (Individual A) in exchange for certifying that the asphalt and paving company (Company A) completed asphalt projects in the municipality. The certification was required for the approval of invoices for payments from the municipality of Guayama to Company A. In 2019 and 2021, Conde-Melendez received kickback payments, equaling $1 per each square meter of asphalt removed by Company A, which totaled more than $15,000. In addition to the term of imprisonment, he was sentenced to two years of supervised release. In May 2022, Conde-Melendez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery.
According to court documents, Pedro Marrero-Miranda, 54, was the Director of Public Works in the municipality of Cataño from 2017 until 2021. In 2019, 2020, and 2021, Marrero-Miranda agreed to receive and received cash payments from Individual A and another individual (Individual B) in exchange for the distribution of asphalt removal projects by the municipality of Cataño to Company A, and the certification of invoices for payments from the municipality of Cataño to Company A. Specifically, Marrero-Miranda received multiple kickback payments equaling approximately $1 for each square meter of asphalt removed by Company A in the municipality of Cataño, which totaled more than $40,000. In addition to the term of imprisonment, he was sentenced to three years of supervised release. In June 2022, Marrero-Miranda pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico; Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the cases.
Trial Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico prosecuted the cases.
These cases are part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matters, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the District of Puerto Rico for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts. See United States v. Félix Delgado-Montalvo, 21-463 (RAM); United States v. Oscar Santamaria-Torres, 21-464 (RAM); United States v. Raymond Rodríguez, 21-465 (RAM); United States v. Mario Villegas-Vargas, 21-468 (FAB); United States v. Luis Arroyo-Chiques, 21-485 (SCC); United States v. Eduardo Cintron-Suarez, 22-151 (SCC); Jose Luis Cruz-Cruz, 22-276 (SCC); United States Jose Bou-Santiago, 22-379 (ADC).
Additionally, federal grand juries recently indicted several former officials with bribery related to municipal contracts, and those cases are still pending. See United States v. Ángel Pérez-Otero, 21-474 (ADC); United States v. Radamés Benítez-Cardona, 21-475 (PAD); United States v. Javier García-Pérez, 22-185 (ADC); and United States v. Reinaldo Vargas-Rodríguez, 22-186 (PAD).
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Former Coast Guard Employees Sentenced in Test-Fixing CaseRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that former United States Coast Guard employees DOROTHY SMITH and ELDRIDGE JOHNSON were sentenced today for engaging in a bribery scheme at a U.S. Coast Guard exam center.
United States District Court Judge Barry W. Ashe sentenced SMITH, age 67, to five years imprisonment for the crime of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Judge Ashe sentenced JOHNSON, age 70, to concurrent sentences of six years imprisonment for Bribery and five years for Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee. After completing their prison terms, the defendants will be placed on supervised release for three years.
The defendants had been employed at a Mandeville, Louisiana Coast Guard exam center known as Regional Exam Center (REC) New Orleans, which 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. SMITH was a credentialing specialist and JOHNSON was an examination administrator.
As admitted during her plea of guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, SMITH accepted bribes to fix exam scores in a scheme that began prior to April 2012. Mariners participating in SMITH’S scheme would usually not appear for the examinations. SMITH would create Coast Guard records and data entries to make it appear to the Coast Guard that the mariners had appeared and tested. SMITH would make up passing scores and enter them in a Coast Guard computer system. SMITH would then send emails to a Coast Guard office falsely stating that the mariners had passed the examinations and should receive the desired licenses. While SMITH would at times directly interact with credential applicants (for example, by soliciting bribes from them when they came to the exam center), she primarily relied on intermediaries. By using intermediaries, SMITH typically avoided having any contact with the mariners to whom she sold passing scores.
One of Smith’s intermediaries was former Coast Guard employee Beverly McCrary, who pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Ashe on December 8, 2022. McCrary had her own network of intermediaries, which included mariners Alexis Bell, Micheal Wooten, and Sharron Robinson, who each pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and who collectively admitted to having obtained 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 in the scheme, Alonzo Williams, received a 40-month sentence for Conspiracy to Defraud the United States.
JOHNSON pleaded guilty to two crimes—one count of Bribery and one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States. The Bribery conviction relates to JOHNSON’S conduct as an examination administrator at REC New Orleans. Beginning no later than 2011 and continuing until around the time of his January 2018 retirement, JOHNSON engaged in a scheme to receive bribes from mariners who had applied for licenses. JOHNSON offered and sold various forms of improper assistance including reporting false information to the Coast Guard and, more commonly, selling examination questions and answers to mariners before they took the tests. JOHNSON recruited mariners by approaching them when they appeared at REC New Orleans and by calling their telephone contact numbers listed in United States Coast Guard records.
JOHNSON’S conspiracy conviction relates to him having acted as an intermediary for SMITH after his Coast Guard retirement. JOHNSON recruited mariners to engage in SMITH’S scheme in various ways, including by soliciting mariners who had bribed him when he was a Coast Guard employee and by encouraging those mariners to refer others to JOHNSON.
In addition to the three former Coast Guard employees and the four intermediaries 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 the case presided over by Judge Ashe while others were charged in a separate case assigned to United States District Court Judge Eldon E. Fallon, who sentenced the last of these defendants, Derrick Ward, to probation and community service in August 2022.
The wide range of fraudulently obtained licenses 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.
“These former Coast Guard exam center employees risked public safety for personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Evans. “Today’s sentencings hold them accountable for their egregious breaches of trust.”
“Credentialed mariners are entrusted with the safety and security of commercial vessels, and the vast majority are dedicated, safety-conscious individuals who work hard to earn their professional credentials and endorsements. By enabling a group of mariners to circumvent the Coast Guard’s credentialing protocols through fraud, these individuals undermined our credentialing system and threatened our waterways,” said Rear Admiral Wayne R. Arguin, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy. “These sentences demonstrate the tireless efforts of the Coast Guard and Department of Justice, and ensures the United States’ Marine Transportation System remains one of the safest in the world. We are confident this ruling sends a strong message that the U.S. government will not tolerate these types of acts and will vigorously take action against such misconduct.”
U.S. Attorney Evans commended the work of the Coast Guard Investigative Service Gulf Region. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon is in charge of the prosecution.
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Two California Drug Traffickers Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced today that two California men have been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin from California to Oregon.
Jack Scott Lewis, 36, of Los Angeles, was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. Previously, on June 6, 2022, Lewis’s accomplice, Michael Panoosi, 56, also of California, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, in December 2019, detectives from the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team (DINT) began investigating Panoosi, a California-based drug dealer, for transporting large quantities of methamphetamine from California to Oregon for distribution and sale in Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, and Lane Counties. Investigators learned that Panoosi would transport several dozen pounds of methamphetamine on each trip from California and was known to use a driver to transport and deliver drugs. Panoosi had multiple prior drug convictions.
On October 11, 2020, Panoosi, Lewis, and another person were seen driving in Northern California toward Oregon. DINT detectives stopped and searched the group’s vehicle in Douglas County and found 46 pounds of methamphetamine and one pound of heroin. The detectives found more methamphetamine and three handguns in Lewis’s backpack. Two of the guns were loaded, two had obliterated serial numbers, and one had a high-capacity magazine. Another handgun and drug packaging material were found in Panoosi’s backpack.
On October 15, 2020, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned indictments charging Lewis and Panoosi with possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On March 8, 2022, Panoosi pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Later, on June 6, 2022, Lewis pleaded guilty to the same charge.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and DINT. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey S. Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Formed in October 1989, the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team is a special investigative unit formed to combat illegal narcotics activity in Douglas County. DINT member agencies include Douglas County, including the Douglas County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices, the Oregon National Guard, Oregon State Police, and Roseburg Police Department.
Tuscaloosa Man Sentenced to Seven Years on COVID-19 Program Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a Tuscaloosa man for defrauding the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Felix A. Rivera-Esparra.
Chief U.S. District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler sentenced Quincy T. Doss, age 41, to 60 months in prison for the underlying PPP loan fraud and an additional 24 months for having committed the offense while on supervised release for other unrelated federal crimes. Doss will serve his terms consecutively, resulting in a total custodial sentence of 84 months followed by three years of supervised release. Doss pleaded guilty to wire fraud in June 2022.
According to the plea agreement, between April 2021 and November 2021, Doss submitted false and fraudulent PPP loan applications and received two separate PPP loans totaling more than $220,000. In the loan applications, Doss falsely represented that his business was in operation and had employees for whom it paid salaries, that the funds would be used to retain workers, and that the information provided in the loan applications was true and accurate.
“The defendant defrauded a program intended to assist small business owners and their hard-working employees who suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “My office remains committed to investigating, prosecuting, and seeking stiff custodial sentences for those who took advantage of a national crisis to line their own pockets.”
“Greed drove Doss to enrich himself by defrauding a government program intended to provide relief and ease the pain of COVID-19 economic restraints on working Americans,” Acting SAC Rivera said. “The sentence handed down today should serve as a message that the FBI and our partners will not relent in holding accountable those who exploit the PPP and other federal programs for personal gain.”
FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan “Jack” Harrington prosecuted the case.
Throughout the country, federal, state, and local law enforcement are on high alert to investigate reports of individuals and businesses engaging in a wide range of fraudulent and criminal behavior related to coronavirus assistance programs. For more information about these scams visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
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.
Tulsa Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for a Shooting Outside a Tulsa NightclubRead the Press Release
A Tulsa man who committed a shooting outside of a Tulsa nightclub in August 2021 was sentenced Thursday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci Jr. sentenced Jaden Perez, 22, to 10 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. This sentence will run consecutive to an active State of Oklahoma sentence.
“A fundamental mission of the U.S. Attorney’s Office is to work in partnership with local, tribal, state, and federal law enforcement to deliver justice for victims harmed by violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson “Jaden Perez showed a blatant disregard for the safety of others when he fired his gun in the direction of a crowd, and as a result, will serve 10 years in federal prison. ”
Jaden Perez previously pleaded guilty to carrying, using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Perez admitted to firing a handgun at a security guard and injuring him on Aug. 21, 2021, at a nightclub in southeast Tulsa.
In his plea agreement, Perez admitted that he got into a fight with a security guard as the nightclub was closing. After the fight ended, he returned to his friend’s car to retrieve two firearms, a Kimber .45 caliber pistol and a Taurus 9mm caliber pistol. Perez then ran across the parking lot firing multiple times at security guards and other bystanders, ultimately hitting one security guard who returned fire and struck Perez multiple times.
During the shooting, the security guard felt a pain in his chest when he was struck. Upon examination, EMSA found that he suffered bruising to his chest from an apparent strike by a bullet fragment.
Perez fled the scene immediately afterwards. Tulsa police officers responding to the shooting conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Perez’s friend shortly after the incident and found Perez in the back seat bleeding from gunshot wounds. Perez was transported by ambulance to St. Francis Hospital for treatment.
Perez is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, and the crime occurred on the Muscogee Nation Reservation..
The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang prosecuted the case.
Tulsa Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for his Role in the Shooting of a Man on a BicycleRead the Press Release
A man who drove a vehicle while his codefendant leaned out the window and shot and killed a man was sentenced Thursday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Chief U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Jacob Bruce Banks, 22, to 10 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Banks previously pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to first degree murder in Indian Country.
“Oklahomans should not have to fear being gunned down in their own communities,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “My office will bring to justice those individuals who commit violent acts in northeastern Oklahoma as well as those who help cover up their crimes. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will work to curb violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for all citizens.”
Banks admitted that on April 12, 2021, he was driving a car with codefendant Devon Blevins in the passenger seat when Blevins leaned out the car’s window with a pistol, sat on the door frame, aimed his pistol and shot a man riding a bicycle. Banks said he saw the victim, Maurice Burgess, fall to the ground when one of the rounds struck and killed him.
Banks then drove Blevins away from the murder scene and back to his residence He later helped dispose of the murder weapon to hinder the investigation into the murder. At Blevins’ trial, prosecutors argued that Blevins motive for killing the bicyclist was simply to impress members of the Savage Boys street gang in an effort to gain membership.
On Sept. 22, 2021, a federal jury found Blevins, 29, of Tulsa, guilty of first-degree murder in Indian Country and causing death by using and discharging a firearm during the commission of first degree murder. Blevins was sentenced to life in federal prison on Oct. 20, 2022. See the press release here.
The Tulsa Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan H. Heatherman and Michael F. Harder prosecuted the case.
Torrington Man Charged with Assaulting 5 Federal Officers with His Car in BridgeportRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned an indictment charging DENNIS LEE WAITERS, 32, of Torrington, with assaulting five federal law enforcement officers.
The indictment was returned on October 5 and Waiters was arrested today. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and is detained pending a detention hearing that is scheduled for October 31.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on June 15, 2021, members of the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and Bridgeport Police Department investigating gang-related violence and the potential for a retaliation shooting attempted to stop a car Waiters was driving in Bridgeport. The law enforcement vehicles had activated their lights and sirens, and officers exiting the vehicles wore vests bearing the letters “FBI” and “POLICE.” Instead of stopping, Waiters drove into the federal law enforcement officers and their vehicles, crashing into three different law enforcement officers’ vehicles and into a civilian motorist. One officer fired into Waiters’ car as it headed toward the officer, causing the car to veer into another law enforcement vehicle and, ultimately, to crash into a pole. When Waiters’ car stopped, a passenger in the car attempted to flee the scene, leaving behind a semiautomatic pistol in the car, but was apprehended.
The indictment charges Waiters with assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment 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 the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale.
Tilton Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Jared Stottlar, 43, of Tilton, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking offense, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 8, 2019, law enforcement obtained a search warrant to search Stottlar’s truck and found two firearms, $54,000, drug packaging materials, and over 500 grams of methamphetamine. A search of Stottlar’s bedroom also uncovered six additional firearms and more drug packaging materials.
Stottlar is scheduled to be sentenced on February 6, 2023.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Tilton, Franklin, and Sanbornton Police Departments. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth R. Aframe.
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Tigard Woman Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Distributor of Foreign-Sourced Medical DevicesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Tigard, Oregon woman pleaded guilty and was sentenced today for failing to register with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as a distributor of hyaluronic acid injectables she purchased online from Korea.
Yasemin Zafar, 42, was sentenced to 12 months’ probation and a $1,000 fine.
“U.S. consumers rely on the FDA to ensure that their medications and medical devices are safe and effective,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert M. Iwanicki, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI) Los Angeles Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who threaten the health of consumers by evading FDA requirements.”
According to court documents, sometime in 2018, Zafar began selling hyaluronic acid, a medical product used as a filler for cheek augmentation, without registering with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as required by federal law. Zafar knew the products she sold were regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Specifically, in September 2018, Zafar sent messages noting that eBay kept removing her products because they required a prescription and she did not know if the products, which came from Korea, were approved by the FDA. Zafar’s actions intentionally circumvented the FDA’s regulatory authority.
On July 12, 2022, Zafar was charged by criminal information with failing to register as a medical device distributor. Today, before her sentencing, Zafar waived indictment and pleaded guilty to the single charge.
This case was investigated by the FDA-OCI. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Three Fresno Residents Indicted as Part of a Counterfeit Check Cashing RingRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — An eight-count indictment, returned on Oct. 20, 2022, has been unsealed, charging Fresno residents Jeffrey Michalk, 43; Steve Gomez, 40; and Michael Dugan, 48, with conspiracy, theft of public money and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, from June 2020 through at least January 2022, the defendants worked together to cash counterfeit U.S. Treasury checks throughout the Central Valley. These checks were cashed at various locations and were often written to appear to be in the names of other individuals. The defendants combined to cash or cause to be cashed at least 295 counterfeit Treasury Checks worth over $500,000 during this window.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandre Dempsey is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy charge, a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the theft of money charge, and a mandatory minimum consecutive two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charges. 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Three Fentanyl Dealers Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judges Thomas Barber and Virginia Covington have sentenced Marvin “MJ” Mitchell (36, St. Petersburg) to 15 years in federal prison, Christopher Hughes (44, Clearwater) to 8 years in federal prison, and Emma Leifer (26, Clearwater) to 6 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine.
According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, between April and June 2019, Mitchell rented and operated several rooms at the Express Inn motel in Clearwater. Mitchell then directed his conspirators, Hughes and Leifer, to sell fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine out of those rooms around the clock. The sale of these narcotics led to dozens of drug overdoses at the Express Inn and the surrounding area. On June 17, 2019, law enforcement executed search warrants at the Express Inn and discovered fentanyl, heroin, crack cocaine, used syringes, cash, and a drug ledger.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pinellas Park Police Department, with assistance from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and the Pasco and Pinellas County Medical Examiner’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Three Defendants Sentenced in Multi-State Racketeering Conspiracy Involving Forced Labor of Mexican Agricultural H-2A WorkersRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Three defendants were sentenced today for their roles in a federal racketeering conspiracy that victimized over a dozen Mexican H-2A workers who had worked in the United States harvesting fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products between 2015 and 2017.
U.S. District Court Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell for the Middle District of Florida sentenced Christina Gamez, 43, to 37 months in prison; Efrain Cabrera Rodas, 32, a citizen of Mexico, to 41 months in prison; and Guadalupe Mendes Mendoza, 45, to eight months home detention and a $5,500 fine to be paid over 24 months supervised release. Judge Honeywell also ordered Cabrera to pay nearly $25,000 and Gamez to pay over $9,000 in restitution to the victims.
“These defendants exploited their victims’ vulnerabilities and immigration status, promising them access to the American dream but then turning around and confiscating their passports and threatening arrest and deportation if they did not endlessly toil away for their profit,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting those who use deception, isolation, intimidation, coercion and control to exploit their victims for compelled labor, and to ensuring that they are stripped of any profits so that the victims can rightfully use restitution proceeds to rebuild their lives.”
“Using coercive, deceptive, and fraudulent practices to exploit individuals’ immigration status to engage in a pattern of forced labor for financial gain is appalling,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Thanks to the diligent work by our human trafficking task force partners, this criminal enterprise was stopped in its tracks.”
“For their own personal enrichment, Christina Gamez and her co-defendants illegally conspired to victimize Mexican H-2A workers who came to the United States to participate in the harvest of fruits and vegetables,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Miami Field Office. “Their actions are unconscionable. The FBI and our partners will continue to pursue those in the agricultural industry who exploit vulnerable workers.”
According to court documents, the defendants each conspired to operate and manage Los Villatoros Harvesting LLC (LVH) – a farm labor contracting company that brought large numbers of temporary, seasonal Mexican workers into the United States on H-2A agricultural visas – as a criminal enterprise engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity. The enterprise’s racketeering activity included subjecting LVH’s H-2A workers to forced labor, harboring many of LVH’s H-2A workers for financial gain, committing fraud in foreign labor contracting and submitting fraudulent visa related documents to the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Labor.
Cabrera worked as a recruiter, manager and part-time supervisor for LVH. Cabrera successfully recruited approximately 40 workers to work for the criminal enterprise. He charged them fees of between $1,000 to $2,000 prior to coming to the United States to work for LVH, lied to them by telling them that LVH would reimburse them after their arrival in the United States, and misrepresented how much money LVH would pay them for their harvesting work. Cabrera understood that the workers had gone into heavy debt to pay the fees he had charged them, and that he and his coconspirators could use those debts to coerce the workers into continuing to work for LVH. Cabrera also understood that coconspirators in the enterprise confiscated workers’ passports for the purpose of discouraging the workers from fleeing so that they would continue laboring for LVH. Cabrera also threatened workers with arrest and deportation if they attempted to escape from the company.
Gamez worked as a bookkeeper, manager and supervisor for LVH. Gamez committed several overt acts in furtherance of the criminal enterprise. She confiscated the workers’ passports and knowingly submitted fraudulent payroll documents to LVH’s payroll company to make it possible for LVH to pay its workers only a very small fraction of the pay they were entitled to under their contracts for the many hours of physically demanding work they had done. She threatened workers with deportation if they did not continue to labor for LVH. Later, in an effort to mislead Department of Labor employees, she falsified payroll records and participated in preparing falsified reimbursement receipts and distributing them to H-2A workers.
Mendes worked as a supervisor and manager for LVH. In order to conceal aspects of the criminal enterprise from investigators, Mendes made false statements to federal investigators.
Earlier this year, the defendants pleaded guilty for their roles in the enterprise. Gamez and Cabrera each pleaded guilty to conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, and Mendes pleaded guilty to conspiring to obstruct a federal investigation.
The owner of LVH, co-defendant Bladimir Moreno, 55, also pleaded guilty last month to his role in the scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 28. Moreno faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The court will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. As part of his plea agreement, Moreno has agreed to pay more than $173,000 in restitution to the victims.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
The Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, investigated the case. The Task Force received assistance from the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Colorado Legal Services Migrant Farm Worker Division, Legal Aid Services of Oregon Farmworker Program and Indiana Legal Services Worker Rights and Protection Project.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilyssa Spergel for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Avner Shapiro, Maryam Zhuravitsky and Matthew Thiman of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Three Defendants Sentenced in Multi-State Racketeering Conspiracy Involving Forced Labor of Mexican Agricultural H-2A WorkersRead the Press Release
Three defendants were sentenced today for their roles in a federal racketeering conspiracy that victimized over a dozen Mexican H-2A workers who had worked in the United States harvesting fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products between 2015 and 2017.
U.S. District Court Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell for the Middle District of Florida sentenced Christina Gamez, 43, to 37 months in prison; Efrain Cabrera Rodas, 32, a citizen of Mexico, to 41 months in prison; and Guadalupe Mendes Mendoza, 45, to eight months of home detention and a $5,500 fine to be paid over 24 months of supervised release. Judge Honeywell also ordered Cabrera to pay nearly $25,000 and Gamez to pay over $9,000 in restitution to the victims.
“These defendants exploited their victims’ vulnerabilities and immigration status, promising them access to the American dream but then turning around and confiscating their passports and threatening arrest and deportation if they did not endlessly toil away for their profit,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting those who use deception, isolation, intimidation, coercion and control to exploit their victims for compelled labor, and to ensuring that they are stripped of any profits so that the victims can rightfully use restitution proceeds to rebuild their lives.”
“Using coercive, deceptive and fraudulent practices to exploit individuals’ immigration status to engage in a pattern of forced labor for financial gain is appalling,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Thanks to the diligent work by our human trafficking task force partners, this criminal enterprise was stopped in its tracks.”
“For their own personal enrichment, Christina Gamez and her co-defendants illegally conspired to victimize Mexican H-2A workers who came to the United States to participate in the harvest of fruits and vegetables,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Miami Field Office. “Their actions are unconscionable. The FBI and our partners will continue to pursue those in the agricultural industry who exploit vulnerable workers.”
According to court documents, the defendants each conspired to operate and manage Los Villatoros Harvesting LLC (LVH) – a farm labor contracting company that brought large numbers of temporary, seasonal Mexican workers into the United States on H-2A agricultural visas – as a criminal enterprise engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity. The enterprise’s racketeering activity included subjecting LVH’s H-2A workers to forced labor, harboring many of LVH’s H-2A workers for financial gain, committing fraud in foreign labor contracting and submitting fraudulent visa related documents to the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Labor.
Cabrera worked as a recruiter, manager and part-time supervisor for LVH. Cabrera successfully recruited approximately 40 workers to work for the criminal enterprise. He charged them fees of between $1,000 to $2,000 prior to coming to the United States to work for LVH, lied to them by telling them that LVH would reimburse them after their arrival in the United States, and misrepresented how much money LVH would pay them for their harvesting work. Cabrera understood that the workers had gone into heavy debt to pay the fees he had charged them, and that he and his co-conspirators could use those debts to coerce the workers into continuing to work for LVH. Cabrera also understood that co-conspirators in the enterprise confiscated workers’ passports for the purpose of discouraging the workers from fleeing so that they would continue laboring for LVH. Cabrera also threatened workers with arrest and deportation if they attempted to escape from the company.
Gamez worked as a bookkeeper, manager and supervisor for LVH. Gamez committed several overt acts in furtherance of the criminal enterprise. She confiscated the workers’ passports and knowingly submitted fraudulent payroll documents to LVH’s payroll company to make it possible for LVH to pay its workers only a very small fraction of the pay they were entitled to under their contracts for the many hours of physically demanding work they had done. She threatened workers with deportation if they did not continue to labor for LVH. Later, in an effort to mislead Department of Labor employees, she falsified payroll records and participated in preparing falsified reimbursement receipts and distributing them to H-2A workers.
Mendes worked as a supervisor and manager for LVH. In order to conceal aspects of the criminal enterprise from investigators, Mendes made false statements to federal investigators.
Earlier this year, the defendants pleaded guilty for their roles in the enterprise. Gamez and Cabrera each pleaded guilty to conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, and Mendes pleaded guilty to conspiring to obstruct a federal investigation.
The owner of LVH, co-defendant Bladimir Moreno, 55, also pleaded guilty last month to his role in the scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 28. Moreno faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The court will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. As part of his plea agreement, Moreno has agreed to pay more than $173,000 in restitution to the victims.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
The Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, investigated the case. The Task Force received assistance from the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Colorado Legal Services Migrant Farm Worker Division, Legal Aid Services of Oregon Farmworker Program and Indiana Legal Services Worker Rights and Protection Project.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilyssa Spergel for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Avner Shapiro, Maryam Zhuravitsky and Matthew Thiman of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Terrebonne Parish Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DERECK CELESTIN, JR., age 37, a resident of Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, pled guilty on October 25, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan to a two-count indictment which charged him with distribution of methamphetamine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(A), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, a DEA investigation revealed that CELESTIN was a methamphetamine distributor in Terrebonne Parish. Drug Enforcement Administration agents arranged two controlled purchases of methamphetamine from CELESTIN. On July 13, 2021, agents coordinated the purchase of 48.73 grams of methamphetamine from CELESTIN. On August 9, 2021, agents arranged the purchase of 130.35 grams of methamphetamine from CELESTIN.
CELESTIN is scheduled to be sentenced on February 14, 2023.
For Count 1, CELESTIN faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, up to forty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000, and at least four years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. For Count 2, CELESTIN faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. For both counts of the indictment, CELESTIN faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Terrebonne Parish Sherriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers.
St. Paul Man Pleads Guilty to His Role in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has pleaded guilty to his role in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Abdul Abubakar Ali, 40, admitted that from December 2020 through January 2022, he knowingly and willfully conspired with others to participate in a fraudulent scheme to obtain and misappropriate millions of dollars in federal child nutrition program funds that were intended as reimbursements for the cost of serving meals to underprivileged children.
According to his guilty plea, Ali used a non-profit entity called Youth Inventors Lab as a shell company to carry out his scheme. Ali and his co-conspirators enrolled Youth Inventors Lab in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. After enrolling in the program, Ali and his co-conspirators immediately began submitting claims for reimbursement for purportedly serving meals to hundreds or thousands of children a day. In support of these fraudulent claims, Ali and his co-conspirators prepared and submitted fake invoices purporting to document the purchase of food from a vendor, S & S Catering. But S & S Catering did not provide Youth Inventors Lab any meals and Youth Inventors Lab did not serve any meals.
According to his guilty plea, Ali submitted fake invoices from his company, Bilterms Solutions, to Youth Inventors Lab. The invoices were for purportedly providing technology services, which Ali and Bilterms Solutions did not actually perform. The purpose of the invoices was to hide the source of the funds Ali was receiving for participating in the fraud. Ali received approximately $82,000 from Youth Inventors Lab. Ali also received payments through Bilterms Solutions from co-conspirators made through another company, Franklyn Transportation. Those payments were made to Ali for his participation in the fraud scheme. Ali received $47,000 from Franklyn Transportation.
In total, Youth Inventors Lab claimed to have served over 1.3 million meals between December 2020 through June 2021 and fraudulently received $3,029,786 in reimbursements from Feeding Our Future.
Ali pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, Chelsea A. Walcker, Matthew S. Ebert, and Joseph S. Teirab. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison on Drug/Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS –U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Thursday sentenced a St. Louis man who was involved in a gun deal that turned into a police chase to five years in prison.
Treyvon Perry, 20, pleaded guilty in July to one count of conspiracy to possess and discharge a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
On August 21, 2019 agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives watched as Perry’s co-defendant, Michael Joseph Monroe, 25, sold a 9mm pistol for $325 to someone near the Dellwood Market. Perry was in the passenger seat of the car, a black Audi A6 with heavily tinted windows and an Illinois temporary license tag.
Investigators then learned that shortly before the gun deal, the passenger of a black Audi A6 matching the description of Monroe’s car fired multiple shots at another car on westbound Highway I-270 near Old Halls Ferry Road. The shooting victim’s vehicle was hit six times, including three times directly underneath the left driver’s side door. The victim was not injured.
Police located the Audi, and Monroe fled, reaching speeds in excess of 100 mph in a chase that lasted about 12 miles before he crashed.
Police found fentanyl in the possession of Perry and fentanyl, cocaine base, oxycodone and a mixture of other drugs in the car, as well as a single bullet.
Perry admitted conspiring with Monroe to possess and discharge a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Monroe, 25, pleaded guilty in September to one count of conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He is scheduled to be sentenced December 20.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul D’Agrosa prosecuted the case.
St. Louis County Woman Admits Role in Romance, Work-At-Home ScamsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A woman from St. Louis County has admitted participating in romance and work-at-home scams and agreed to repay $95,350 to seven victims.
As part of a civil consent decree approved by U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White Wednesday, Sharon Nickl, 83, admitted that between Sept. 21, 2020 and May 20, 2021, she received U.S. Postal Service and commercial package deliveries of more than $690,000 that had been sent from individuals she did not know. The money was sent from victims who believed they were assisting their online paramours or had been hired to work from home.
Nickl, a victim herself of a romance fraud scheme, began participating after she depleted her own financial accounts and the proceeds from the sale of her home. Nickl then began operating as a “money mule” by transferring the money she received to the person she thought was her own online paramour by using bitcoin machines and purchasing gift cards and prepaid debit cards.
Nickl was not criminally charged.
According to U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming, “As in every case brought to the attention of the U.S. Attorney’s office, we consider a variety of factors when determining whether to employ civil, criminal, or administrative remedies in addressing romance fraud schemes. Because Nickl had minimal law enforcement contact prior to her receipt of money from others, did not benefit personally from the scheme and became engaged in the scheme through her online paramour, this office and Nickl requested entry of a civil consent decree that required Nickl to adhere to conditions that included making restitution to the identified victims, submitting to computer monitoring and supervision by the Federal Pretrial Services Office and participating in an online support group for romance fraud victims.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is handling the case.
South Georgia physician sentenced to prison after admitting conspiracy to illegally distribute drugsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Coffee County, Ga., physician has been sentenced to five years in federal prison after he admitted to participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed massive amounts of addictive controlled substances from pain management and addiction clinics.
Dr. Wallace Steven Anderson, 68, of Douglas, Ga., was sentenced to 60 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Unlawfully Distribute and Dispense Schedule IV Controlled Substances, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker also fined Anderson $35,000 and ordered him to serve a period of supervised release after completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
As part of his plea agreement, Anderson forfeited more than $200,000 in cash and three vehicles, and agreed to pay a total of $46,378.61 in restitution that includes paying the funeral expense for one individual who fatally overdosed on drugs provided through the conspiracy.
“Dr. Anderson betrayed his oath and betrayed his medical credentials to illegally dole out significant amounts of addictive drugs, including opioids, fueling our communities’ addiction crisis while lining his pockets,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “We commend our law enforcement partners for their stellar efforts in shutting down this white-coated dope-dealer.”
Anderson was the owner of Steve Anderson, PC, and Steve Anderson Behavioral Health, both located in Douglas, Ga. In pleading guilty, Anderson admitted that from Feb. 1, 2016, to Sept. 30, 2020, his nominal pain management and addiction facilities distributed alprazolam, temazepam, and clonazepam “not for legitimate medical purpose and not in the usual course of professional practice” by providing pre-signed refill prescriptions prior to patient examinations.
The investigation of the practice determined that the conspiracy issued nearly 160,000 prescriptions for controlled substances while ignoring numerous “red flags” indicating that the prescriptions were not issued for legitimate medical purposes.
Two employees at the clinics, Bridgett Stephanie Taylor, 55, of Broxton, Ga., a Nurse Practitioner who worked under Anderson, and Wandle Keith Butler, 57, of Douglas, a Physician Assistant who worked under Anderson, were sentenced in August 2022 after each pled guilty to Conspiracy to Unlawfully Distribute and Dispense Schedule IV Controlled Substances. Judge Baker sentenced Taylor to 48 months’ probation and fined her $20,000, while Butler was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,296.29 in restitution.
“Americans rely on physicians and other healthcare providers to help their patients and to ‘do no harm.’ This pill-peddling physician and his co-conspirators violated the law and betrayed the responsibilities of their profession by unlawfully dispensing highly-addictive controlled substances,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The law enforcement community is committed to stopping unscrupulous medical professionals from harming patients.”
“This case serves as an important reminder that health care professionals have a duty to prescribe medication responsibly to ensure the well-being of patients under their care. Failing to do so can endanger patients and undermines critical, ongoing public health measures to address the illegal distribution of opioids,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our agency, working with our law enforcement partners, will continue to hold bad actors accountable.”
“Our job as law enforcement is to seek out those responsible for supplying poison, from the street-level dealers to the professional dealers in lab coats. Years of negligence from three medical professionals causing destruction and pain has come to an end with the sentencing of Dr. Anderson.,” said Jeff Davis County Sheriff Preston Bohannon. “Jeff Davis County, Coffee County, Bacon County and other surrounding counties have witnessed the wave of destruction in our communities. I personally want to thank our county investigators that were involved in this case for an outstanding job, and the federal agencies for trusting our work and integrity. I’d like to congratulate the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and all other agencies involved for a successful case. I pray that the families impacted by this can finally have some closure and peace.”
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Savannah Resident Office; IRS Criminal Investigations; and Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General; and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew A. Josephson and Bradford C. Patrick, with assistance from the office’s Asset Forfeiture Unit.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.