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Thursday 27 October 2022
South Florida U.S. Attorney’s Office Committed to Combatting Election CrimesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Juan Antonio Gonzalez announced today that his Office will be working closely with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington and FBI Miami to investigate and prosecute violations of federal election laws in connection with the upcoming November 8th general election.
Federal election laws prohibit the following:
- threating 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.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District is committed to prosecuting such violations.
For example, following an investigation by FBI Miami, the Office recently charged a South Florida man with threatening election workers during the August primary election. According to the charges, while at the polling station, the defendant made a statement about killing them one by one or blowing the place up. Later, he pointed his finger and thumb in a gun-like fashion towards election workers. If convicted, the defendant in case number 22-60205-CR-Ruiz faces up to five years in federal prison.
The South Florida U.S. Attorney’s Office, working closely with the FBI Miami, will respond to voting rights and election fraud concerns while the polls are open for the upcoming election. To report allegations of election fraud and other election abuses in the Southern District of Florida, contact FBI Miami at 754-703-2000.
Please note, however, that anyone in imminent or potentially imminent danger, should immediately call 911 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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South Florida Jilted Lover Who Sought Murderer Through Mail Sentenced to 84 MonthsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A 43-year-old Pembroke Pines, Florida man who used the United States postal service to solicit, plan, and pay for the murder of his former girlfriend’s new love interest was sentenced yesterday in federal court to 84 months in federal prison.
Earlier this year, Ryan Hadeed pled guilty to a charge of using the mail to commit murder-for-hire, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1958.
In September 2021, Hadeed mailed a letter to an intended hitman requesting murder services: “I need someone eliminated. I've been told you can arrange that. $10,000 All in cash and upfront. Person located in Tampa.” In that letter, and two later ones, Hadeed instructed the hitman to signal acceptance of the offer by posting marked sheets of paper on a store-front window, among other things.
On November 10, 2021, the intended hitman received a final mailing from Hadeed that included a description and pictures of the man that Hadeed wanted killed, the victim’s home address and likely travel schedule, as well as a deadline for the murder. Also inside the envelope was $10,000 cash.
Hadeed left the country on a one-way ticket the same day the hitman received the cash and pictures. During a secondary customs inspection of Hadeed when he returned to the U.S. from his international trip, additional evidence of the crime was uncovered. Law enforcement officers, who had learned of the crime, arrested Hadeed. Federal prosecutors filed a case against him in December 2021.
The intended victim, who remains alive, is romantically involved with Hadeed’s former girlfriend.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Michael E. Buckley, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), Miami Field Office; Juan A. Vargas, Acting Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Region; and Troy Walker, Special Agent in Charge, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Miami Region, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas.
HSI Miami, USPIS Miami, and FDLE investigated the case, with assistance from Florida Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph A. Cooley and Deric Zacca are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-60009.
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South Bend Man Sentenced to 171 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Quadre Gavin, 20 years old, of South Bend, Indiana was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Jon E. DeGuilio on his plea of guilty to six counts of Hobbs Act robbery and a count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Gavin was sentenced to 171 months in prison and 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, throughout September and October 2021, Gavin committed seven armed robberies of convenience stores and a gas station in the South Bend and Mishawaka areas. During each robbery, he pointed a handgun at a person and demanded money. Gavin committed these armed robberies after having been released from probation on a separate offense less than 4 months earlier.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department, the Mishawaka Police Department, and the St. Joseph County Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Six Detroiters Charged with Drug, Gun, and Money Laundering CrimesRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Six individuals were indicted for drug, gun, and money laundering crimes by a federal grand jury in Detroit, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Charles Miller, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Detroit Field Office.
Four defendants were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine between 2020 and 2022. Three of those defendants (Andre Pharr, Clifford Jones, Jr., and Jeffrey Hester-Jackson) were also charged with being felons in possession of firearms. Those three and two others were also accused of a money laundering conspiracy, that is, agreeing to engage in monetary transactions to launder drug proceeds. Finally, Pharr and Hester-Jackson were each charged with several counts alleging specific instances of money laundering.
Charged were:
ANDRE PHARR, 35, of Detroit, Michigan (drug conspiracy, felon in possession of firearm and ammunition, money laundering conspiracy, substantive money laundering offenses).
CLIFFORD JONES JR., 32, of Detroit, Michigan (drug conspiracy, felon in possession of firearm, money laundering conspiracy).
JEFFREY HESTER-JACKSON, 28, of Detroit, Michigan (drug conspiracy, felon in possession of firearm, money laundering conspiracy, substantive money laundering offenses).
MARIO AYLER, 35, of Detroit, Michigan (drug conspiracy, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute).
GABRIELLE THOMAS, 28, of Detroit, Michigan (money laundering conspiracy).
CRYSTAL HUGHES, 32, of Detroit, Michigan (money laundering conspiracy).
According to the indictment, unsealed yesterday, the drug conspiracy occurred between August 2020 and June 2022 and involved more than 400 grams of fentanyl and 500 grams of methamphetamine. The charged money laundering offenses included the transportation of large amounts of cash, the purchase of casino chips and placement of sportsbook bets, buying expensive jewelry, and leasing a luxury apartment and vehicle, all using the proceeds of drug trafficking.
The indictment alleges, among other transactions, that $51,000 in cash was seized from a checked bag belonging to Thomas; that Hester-Jackson and Pharr purchased casino chips and placed sportsbook bets totaling over $540,000 and later cashed out more than $445,000; and that members of the group spent tens of thousands of dollars on Rolex and Audemars Piguet watches and a diamond and gold chain. The government is seeking the forfeiture of more than $420,000 in cash, 25 guns, and a long list of seized jewelry.
“Major drug traffickers who sell lethal substances like fentanyl and methamphetamine in our community should know that we will not only hold them accountable for their crimes that may result in lengthy prison sentences, but we will also work tirelessly to recover their ill-gotten gains.” said U.S. Attorney Ison.
“This indictment demonstrates that we will not allow anyone to profit from poisoning our neighborhoods with fentanyl and methamphetamine,” said Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, DEA. “DEA is determined to hold accountable those trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine in our communities.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation will aggressively pursue anyone who conducts financial transactions to promote the operation of a drug trafficking organization or conceal profits generated from the sale of narcotics,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Miller, IRS-CI. “IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to working with our law enforcement partners and will follow the money of criminal activities.”
It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The defendants charged in the drug conspiracy face up to life in prison., while the defendants charged with money laundering face up to twenty years in prison. The three individuals charged with being felons in possession of firearms face up to fifteen years in prison.
The case is assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Terrence Berg. The case was investigated by agents from the DEA Detroit Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jihan Williams and Rajesh Prasad.
Six Defendants Charged in $1 Million Covid Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced today that six individuals from Benton Harbor, Michigan, have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges relating to pandemic fraud schemes they used to obtain over $1 million in COVID-19 relief, including fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance benefits and small business loans. Charged in the indictment are: Roshell Beaty (aka Roshell Clinton, Angel Clinton, and Angel Beaty), age 45, of Benton Harbor; Beaty’s son Melvin Clinton, age 21, of Benton Harbor; Beaty’s daughter Danielle Branch (aka Danielle Beaty), age 28, of Benton Harbor; Christopher Bates, age 22, of Benton Harbor; Brianna Rimpson, age 24, a resident of the Grand Rapids area who previously lived in Benton Harbor; and Beaty’s son Christopher Branch, age 27, a resident of the Atlanta, Georgia area who is from Benton Harbor.
“While many individuals and families were suffering from the financial challenges caused by COVID-19, criminals used it as an opportunity to exploit pandemic relief programs for their own financial gain, knowing they were not entitled to the funds,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “My office will continue to collaborate with state and federal partners to rigorously investigate pandemic fraud throughout the district, pursue charges against those who have committed such fraud, and seek to recover ill-gotten gains.”
The indictment alleges that, between April 2020 and December 2021, Roshell Beaty and her codefendants conspired to commit wire fraud by submitting falsified and fraudulent claims and certifications for pandemic unemployment insurance benefits, in their own names and in the names of third parties, some of whom were victims of identity theft. According to the indictment, the six codefendants submitted at least 98 false and fraudulent unemployment insurance claims and related certifications in multiple states, in the names of at least 61 different individuals. In response to those claims, the states of Michigan, Indiana, California, Illinois, and Arizona paid out more than $764,000 in pandemic unemployment insurance benefits.
Each of the six defendants is also charged with respective counts of wire fraud related to pandemic unemployment insurance fraud. Two defendants—Roshell Beaty and her son Christopher Branch—are charged with various counts of aggravated identity theft, for using the means of identification of other people without lawful authority, in connection with the unemployment insurance wire fraud conspiracy. Defendants Roshell Beaty, Melvin Clinton, Danielle Branch, and Christopher Bates are each charged with fraud in connection with emergency benefits.
The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA), which administers the joint state and federal unemployment insurance program in Michigan, partnered in the investigation. “The Michigan UIA has zero tolerance for anyone accused of breaking the public trust by stealing from fellow taxpayers. We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners at the local, state, and federal levels to bring bad actors to justice and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law,” said Julia Dale, director of the Michigan UIA. “Our investigators have helped bring charges against 90 people accused of pandemic unemployment fraud and we’re not stopping there. Rooting out fraud is a cornerstone of our ongoing reform of the agency and our commitment to providing exemplary customer service.”
In addition to charges stemming from unemployment insurance fraud schemes, five of the six defendants are charged in the indictment with varying counts of wire fraud and conspiring to commit wire fraud in connection with their alleged fraudulent receipt of loans intended to relieve small businesses of burdens and costs associated with the pandemic. Roshell Beaty and Melvin Clinton face charges for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan in the amount of $49,900, for a purported hair and nail salon belonging to Clinton, with 10 employees. The Indictment alleges that loan proceeds were used to purchase a 2017 Jaguar F-Pace SUV. Roshell Beaty, Melvin Clinton, Danielle Branch, Christopher Bates, and Brianna Rimpson are charged in connection with Paycheck Protection Program loans, totaling $258,148, for purported small businesses.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. A conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, or wire fraud, in connection with a declared major disaster or national emergency is subject to a prison term of up to 30 years and a fine of up to $1,000,000, among other penalties. A conviction for aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory prison term of two years, to be served consecutively to any other sentence(s) imposed.
The case was investigated by the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, the Office of Investigations of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Zell. The case is proceeding before U.S. District Judge Janet T. Neff.
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Shiprock woman charged with murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Maylene John made an initial appearance in federal court on a criminal complaint charging her with murder in Indian Country. John, 32, of Shiprock, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing scheduled for October 31.
As alleged in the complaint, in the early morning hours of Oct. 24, John stabbed her child in the chest. Another family member heard the child scream for help and rushed to John’s bedroom. The door was locked, so the family member kicked it open. They found the child, identified as Jane Doe, lying on the floor with a stab wound to the torso, and saw John allegedly sitting at the foot of her bed holding a knife. As the family member provided a blanket to Jane Doe to apply pressure to the wound, John allegedly put the knife to her neck, at which point the family member forced her to drop it, and the family member threw the knife out of the room.
The family member went to a neighbor’s house for help. The neighbor called for assistance while the family member returned to John’s house. John was in the bedroom with Jane Doe and would not allow the family member to enter.
When Navajo Police and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrived, John was taken into custody while EMS attempted to revive Jane Doe. At 3:42am, Jane Doe was declared dead.
The alleged murder was committed on the Navajo Nation and Jane Doe was an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, John faces up to life in prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case.
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Sewickley Woman Sentenced to 12 Years for Distributing Drugs to PrisonsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Michel Cercone was sentenced to 151 months in prison for conspiring to distribute Schedule I and II controlled substances, and to launder drug trafficking proceeds, between 2017 and 2019, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Cercone, age 48 of Sewickley, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. Cercone was also ordered to serve four years of supervised release following her prison sentence.
Cercone was convicted at the conclusion of a jury trial in December 2021. She was responsible for the distribution of at least five kilograms of cocaine, 1,000 oxycodone pills, and synthetic cannabinoid controlled substances saturated into paper which was sent into prisons in 2017 and 2018.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca L. Silinski and Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General led the multi-agency investigation that also included the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the United States Marshals Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Munhall Police Department, the Robinson Township Police Department, the McKees Rocks Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Etna Police Department, and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Scranton Man Sentenced to 18 Months’ Imprisonment for Conspiring to Straw Purchase 29 FirearmsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON –The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Gregory Dehart, age 32, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday to 18 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 2 years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for firearms offenses.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Dehart previously entered a plea of guilty to conspiring to make false statements during the purchase of 29 firearms. From December 22, 2019, to January 11, 2021, Dehart conspired with two other individuals to lie to employees at three Lackawanna County federally licensed firearms dealers, J & G Sport Center in Throop, Roll Call, LLC, in Scranton, PA, and Dick’s Sporting Goods in Dickson City, PA, as well as Piestrak’s Gun Shop, located in Luzerne County, in order to purchase a total of 29 firearms. Dehart was not the actual buyer of any of the firearms and he and his co-defendant purchased the firearms on behalf of others. Following the purchase of the firearms, Dehart would then transport the firearms to the actual buyers, who paid Dehart for the price of the firearms and a fee to making the purchases on their behalf. Of the 29 purchased firearms, three have been recovered in connection to criminal offenses in Baltimore, Maryland, and New York City.
Dehart was indicted with the following codefendants:
- Samantha Piasecki, was sentenced on June 8, 2022, to time served (137 days) to be followed by one-year supervised release for making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms, aid and abet; and,
- Mitchell Bethea, pleaded guilty on May 20, 2022, to making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms, aid and abet and is awaiting sentencing.
The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, the Pennsylvania State Police, Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office, the Scranton Police Department, and the Newport Township Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney James Buchanan and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian Gallagher 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.
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Salt River Man Sentenced to Life for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Gabriel Milford Kavoka, 39, of Scottsdale, Arizona, was sentenced Tuesday, by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to two concurrent life sentences. Kavoka, an enrolled member of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, previously pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder and Carjacking Resulting in Death.
On August 21, 2019, Kavoka hailed a taxi to Casino Arizona. When he arrived, Kavoka shot and killed the taxi driver and carjacked the taxi. He then led police on a high-speed chase through the streets of Mesa, Arizona. The chase ended when Kavoka crashed the taxi into a police vehicle.
The Salt River Police Department conducted the investigation in this case with assistance from the Mesa Police Department. The taxi service, VIP Taxi, provided invaluable assistance in collecting and providing evidence. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas C. Simon and Jennifer E. LaGrange, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-01338-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-194_Kavoka
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Sacramento Sex Offender Indicted for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Jason Michael Carlsen, 49, of Sacramento, charging him with possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in July 2022, Carlsen was found to be in possession of child pornography. At the time he possessed these images, Carlsen was on federal supervised release for a prior federal conviction for possession of child pornography.
If convicted, Carlsen faces a minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Rock Island Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – Donald Wayne Fulscher Jr., age 36, of Rock Island, was sentenced yesterday to eight years in prison following his plea to a charge of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
According to court documents, on October 30, 2021, officers attempted a traffic stop of Fulscher for minor traffic violations in Muscatine. Rather than stopping, Fulscher attempted to elude law enforcement by driving in excess of 100 mph in a marked 25 mph construction zone, running stop signs and lights, driving into oncoming traffic, and running over construction cones. Fulscher eventually drove into Illinois where he crashed in a cornfield. Officers located a loaded, nine-millimeter handgun in the vehicle and ammunition on Fulscher’s person.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office and the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office.
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. In May 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Ringleader sentenced in immigration scam that offered fake marriages for $70,000Read the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 58-year-old woman has been sentenced to federal prison for her role in at least 40 sham marriages, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Ashley Yen Nguyen aka Duyen was the group’s ringleader and also often provided a fake wedding album to help people obtain legal permanent resident status. She pleaded guilty Nov. 5, 2020.
Today, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt ordered her to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $334,605 in fines.
The court ruled that Nguyen utilized mass-marketing to facilitate the scheme by advertising it through recruiters and Facebook. Nguyen had also claimed to be an attorney who had contacts within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) so as to make the scheme appear legitimate.
At the hearing, the court heard that Vietnamese nationals would give Nguyen’s group $50,000 to $70,000 to marry a wife or husband in the United States to fraudulently obtain lawful permanent resident status. Nguyen issued routine payments of approximately $200 to those U.S. citizens who acted as recruiters in the fake immigration proceedings. Nguyen also promised the U.S. citizens who participated as spouses between $15,000 and $20,000 in installments, although few ever came close to getting the full amount.
“For more than four years, this individual raked in millions by operating one of the largest marriage fraud conspiracies in U.S. history,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson, Homeland Security Investigations in Houston. “The sham marriages and improper immigration benefits that were fraudulently secured under this criminal conspiracy wasted countless federal resources, delayed an unknown number of legitimate marriages between foreign nationals and U.S. citizens, and threatened national security by enabling individuals to remain in the country through deceit.
“As experts in investigating all types of financial crimes, IRS-Criminal Investigation (CI) special agents worked with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to put a stop to this criminal network, not just from committing tax fraud and money laundering, but from also circumventing our nation’s immigration laws said IRS-CI’s Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of the Houston Field Office. “We leverage our ability to follow the money trail in order to bring down criminal conspiracies like the one Nguyen led.”
Nguyen ran the marriage fraud organization out of the Southwest Houston area but had associates operating across Texas and in Vietnam. As part of her plea, she admitted to conspiring to engage in marriage fraud, mail fraud, immigration fraud, money laundering and making false statements in a tax return.
Nguyen’s criminal organization was responsible for organizing well over 500 sham marriages in exchange for substantial amounts of money solely for the alien beneficiary to obtain immigration benefits. The criminal organization has received over $15 million from this scheme.
Nguyen used well over a dozen recruiters of U.S. citizen spouses in the Houston vicinity and advertised via social media about the scheme in Vietnam. Many of the U.S. citizens had extensive criminal histories, gang associations and crippling drug additions.
During her plea, Nguyen acknowledged the fake spouses did not live together and did not intend to live together, contrary to documents and statements submitted to federal authorities. At her instruction, the spouses only met briefly, immediately before they obtained their marriage license or not at all. To prepare the fake spouses for their interviews with immigration officials, Nguyen and her criminal organization provided fabricated facts to the fake spouses to study and recite details to falsely establish the pair was living together and familiar with each other’s daily habits.
The criminal organization even prepared and provided fake wedding albums containing photographs to make it appear as if they had a wedding ceremony above and beyond a marriage at a courthouse.
Nguyen purchased multiple residences with the criminal proceeds. She used them as part of the scheme to either collect, distribute the proceeds and/or stage some of the rooms for the times when authorities indicated they would conduct a site inspection. The rooms were setup to appear as if they belonged to the fake spouses.
Nguyen herself also entered the United States through a sham marriage.
Nguyen will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
HSI, USCIS and IRS-CI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Laurence Goldman, Michael Day and Kate Suh are prosecuting the case.
Richland County Man Convicted at Trial of Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Richard Boggs, of Irmo, was convicted following a jury trial in federal court for five counts of tax evasion.
According to documents and evidence presented at trial, Boggs evaded $274,461 of his 2015 through 2019 individual income taxes by submitting to his employers an IRS Forms W-4 falsely stating he was exempt from federal income-tax withholding. He also did not file a 2015 through 2019 tax return, even though he was legally required to do so based on the amount of income he earned.
“The Defendant effectively stole more than a quarter million dollars from American taxpayers, and he has earned the punishment he will receive,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “I appreciate the hard work of our partners at the IRS to identify and investigate those who seek to illegally manipulate the tax system to enrich themselves.”
“The law is clear on the issue of who is required to file and pay taxes: there is no gray area on the subject,” said Donald “Trey” Eakins, IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge, Charlotte Field Office. “We should not forget that the ultimate victims in tax fraud cases are the people of the United States – those honest taxpayers who diligently file tax returns each year. This conviction sends a message that the IRS is working to make sure that all taxpayers file and pay their fair share of taxes.”
Senior United States District Judge Cameron M. Currie presided over the trial and will sentence Boggs on January 18, 2023, after receiving and reviewing pre-sentence reports prepared by the United States Probation Office. Boggs faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John C. Potterfield and Dean H. Secor are prosecuting the case.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced for Transporting Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An Oklahoma man was sentenced today to 40 years in prison for transporting child pornography that he produced of an 18-month-old infant and for being a person required to register as a sex offender who committed a felony offense involving a minor.
According to court documents, Matthew Alan McNair, 41, of Tulsa, was in Indiana in the summer of 2017 when he utilized an electronic device to take sexually explicit photographs of an 18-month-old infant. McNair took multiple sexually explicit photos of the infant on at least three different dates that summer. After taking those photographs, McNair transported the images in interstate commerce by physically taking his phone back to Oklahoma, where he was living at the time, and uploading them to his cloud account. At the time of this offense, McNair was required to register as a sex offender based upon his 1999 conviction in Illinois for Attempted Criminal Sexual Assault.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson of the Northern District of Indiana made the announcement.
“My Office is committed to holding child sexual predators and producers of child pornography like Mr. McNair accountable for their actions,” said United States Attorney Johnson. “A 40 year sentence shows that this type of criminal conduct brings severe consequences. I want to thank my dedicated prosecutors, the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Homeland Security Investigations and the other state and local law enforcement partners that brought this offender to justice.”
“The communities we serve can sleep easier knowing that predators like McNair are off our streets,” said HSI Chicago Special Agent in Charge R. Sean Fitzgerald. "HSI along with our partners will continue to aggressively investigate and root out child exploitation wherever it may be.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, along with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Tulsa Police Department Cyber Crimes Unit.
The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Austin M. Berry of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section along with Assistant United States Attorneys in the Northern District of Indiana, Emily A. Morgan and Jennifer Chang.
This case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Registered Sex Offender Sentenced for Transporting Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
An Oklahoma man was sentenced today to 40 years in prison for transporting child pornography that he produced of an 18-month-old infant and for being a person required to register as a sex offender who committed a felony offense involving a minor.
According to court documents, Matthew Alan McNair, 41, of Tulsa, was in Indiana in the summer of 2017 when he utilized an electronic device to take sexually explicit photographs of an 18-month-old infant. McNair took multiple sexually explicit photos of the infant on at least three different dates that summer. After taking those photographs, McNair transported the images on his phone back to Oklahoma, where he was living at the time, and uploaded them to his cloud account. At the time of this offense, McNair was required to register as a sex offender based upon his 1999 conviction in Illinois for attempted criminal sexual assault.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson for the Northern District of Indiana made the announcement.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), along with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Tulsa Police Department Cyber Crimes Unit, investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Austin M. Berry of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily A. Morgan and Jennifer Chang for the Northern District of Indiana prosecuted the case.
This case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Real Estate Schemer Indicted for $1.1 Million in Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A real estate investor, who was previously charged in a $600,000 wire fraud scheme, has now been indicted for multiple counts of bankruptcy fraud totaling over $1.1 million, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Sean Phillip Tissue, 37, of Social Circle, Georgia, and formerly of Rochester, Michigan, is charged in an indictment with multiple counts of concealment of assets, false oaths, false declarations, withholding recorded information, and a bankruptcy fraud scheme. Tissue is the owner of numerous companies, including Greystone Home Builders, Sycamore Homes, Sycamore Construction, Lenovo Homes, and Metro Detroit Home Solutions, On August 4, 2022, Tissue was previously charged in a criminal complaint with a wire fraud scheme whereby Tissue defrauded Israeli investors of over $600,000 in fraudulent real estate investments.
“This defendant used a number of apparently legitimate companies, sophisticated methods, and lies to defraud potential real estate investors, many from outside the United States. He then declared a fraudulent bankruptcy in an effort to avoid re-paying his victims.” said United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. “Today’s charges demonstrate our commitment to ensure the integrity of our bankruptcy system.”
“Investigating and prosecuting individuals who repeatedly make false statements to government agencies helps ensure the integrity of government processes,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “This investigation sends a message that those who commit fraud while applying for relief from the government will be held accountable by the FBI and our law enforcement partners.”
Tissue faces the following statutory maximum penalties: 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is only a formal charging document 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.
The investigation of this case is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Both the United States Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation wish to acknowledge and thank the United States Trustee’s Office for its assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Weier and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Roble are prosecuting the case.
Providence Meth Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man found by law enforcement to be in possession of more than 50 grams of crystal methamphetamine and two guns was sentenced today to five years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Sean M. Francis, 34, pleaded guilty on February 16, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to court documents, a Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation in November 2019 by members of the Rhode Island FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Rhode Island State Police High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, and the Warwick Police Department determined that Francis regularly received packages containing pound-quantities of crystal methamphetamine shipped from Arizona. Francis stored the meth in his residence and distributed the drug to others.
On November 7, 2019, the FBI Task Force and other members of law enforcement executed a court-authorized search of Francis’ residence and found multiple packages of crystal meth, totaling 51 grams; items used in the distribution of methamphetamine; a handgun, a speed loader, and 14 rounds of .357 magnum ammunition; a revolver with no serial number; and dozens of crystal meth smoking pipes and needles.
At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., sentenced Francis to 60 months in federal prison to be followed by four years of federal supervised release. The court ordered that Francis serve the first six months of his term of supervised release at a reentry facility.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra R. Hebert and Christine D. Lowell.
United States Attorney Cunha thanks the Providence Police Department for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Pinellas County Man Indicted for Hiring A Hitman to Kill WitnessesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Alexander Leszczynski (24, North Redington Beach) with one count of murder-for-hire and one count of obstruction of justice. If convicted, Leszczynski faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies Leszczynski that the United States intends to forfeit any facilitating property or assets that are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.
According to the indictment, in approximately August and September 2022, Leszczynski, while using a facility of interstate or foreign commerce, promised to pay an individual to kill two people, identified as Victim 1 and Victim Two. The indictment also alleges that, during that same time period, Leszczynski corruptly endeavored to influence, obstruct, and impede the due administration of justice in a judicial proceeding pending before United States District Court: namely, the trial of the criminal case of United States of America v. Alexander Leszczynski, Case Number 8:22-cr-155-MSS-SPF, in the Tampa Division of the Middle District of Florida.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale.
Phoenix Man Sentenced to 188 Months for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Robert Allen Yost, 61, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced on October 21, 2022, by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps, to 188 months in prison for child exploitation offenses. Yost previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Sex Traffic Children and Production of Child Pornography, as well as Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit. Upon release from prison, Yost will be placed on lifetime supervised release with sex offender conditions and will be required to register as a sex offender.
In March 2020, United States Border Patrol agents initially encountered Yost smuggling undocumented noncitizens along State Route 80, when a search of his phone revealed child exploitation content. During his guilty plea on January 18, 2022, Yost admitted that he had exchanged pictures and videos depicting child sexual abuse with other people via text messages and the internet. He also admitted that he asked another individual to send sexually explicit images of a child in that individual’s custody and offered methamphetamine in exchange for sexual access to the child. The intended sexual activity with the child did not take place due to other intervening circumstances.
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carin Duryee and Jared Kreamer Hope, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-02523-JGZ-JR
CR-20-02370-JGZ-JR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022- 192_Yost# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Pass Christian Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Pass Christian, Mississippi man pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
According to court records, on March 29, 2022, Michael Dedeaux was stopped for a traffic violation near West North Street and Fitzpatrick Avenue in Pass Christian. The traffic stop led to the seizure of 442 grams of methamphetamine.
Dedeaux will be sentenced on January 27, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and $5M fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Orlando Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Producing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Thomas Zayas (46, Orlando) to 35 years in federal prison for enticing a minor child to produce sexually explicit videos and for possessing that material. Zayas was also ordered to serve a 15-year term of supervised release, register as a sex offender, and forfeit his smartphones. Zayas had pleaded guilty on July 26, 2022.
According to court documents and evidence presented during the sentencing hearing, in approximately July 2021, Zayas, posing as a teenage boy, used a messaging application to contact a 12-year-old child. After the child grew tired of Zayas’s romantic advances, she stopped communicating with Zayas. Zayas then contacted the child again, this time posing as the sister of the teenage boy. Zayas threatened to physically hurt the child for ending the “relationship” with the fictional brother, and as a result, the child agreed to continue a friendship with the original persona. In order to scare the child and prove that Zayas knew who the child was, where she lived, and where she went to school, Zayas sent the child a photo of the child’s apartment complex and a yearbook photo of the child from the child’s middle school. Zayas then requested several nude images and videos of the child performing sexual acts, and he instructed the child on what to do in the images and videos. Initially the child refused, afraid that Zayas would post the photos on the internet to harm the child. After promising not to use the images to harm the child, the child eventually sent Zayas sexually explicit videos and photos. The demands from Zayas continued, and when the child did not comply with Zayas’s requests, Zayas became hostile, and threatened to expose the child with the nude videos and images the child had previously sent.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) was made aware of Zayas when a school resource officer was contacted by a parent who received via text message a collage depicting sexually explicit photos of the child. OSCO investigators were able to trace the aliases to Zayas through phone records, and with the help of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General, also discovered evidence of an order for flowers, which Zayas had delivered to the child’s middle school, from his work-issued laptop.
“It’s heartbreaking to learn about the repeated abuse and trauma these young victims endure at the hands of sexual predators like Mr. Zayas,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge David Walker. “The FBI Child Exploitation Task Forces are steadfastly committed to protecting the innocent and making sure child sexual abusers are brought to justice.”
“The sentence imposed today serves as a stark warning to all VA employees that you will be held accountable for using government resources to further crimes and that the full force of the VA OIG will be employed to bring to justice anyone who preys on children,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners with whom we will continue to work to safeguard our communities from such predators.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the United States Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Firearm and Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Angel Rivas, 37, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for distribution of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Rivas to 27 months’ imprisonment on the drug charges and a consecutive 60 months’ imprisonment on the firearm charge, for a total sentence of 87 months. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
On April 11, 2020 during a controlled buy in Omaha, a confidential source, equipped with audio and visual recording devices, purchased a defaced TC-22 handgun from Rivas. On May 14, 2020, the confidential source bought a defaced Springfield XD ACP.45 handgun and methamphetamine from Rivas.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Aaron Andrew Dement, 43, of Munroe Falls, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to attempted enticement of a minor.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 16, 2021, Dement used a dating-chat website to contact an individual he believed to be a minor female. Dement admitted to sending the minor female a photo of his genitals and a video of himself engaging in sexual activity. Dement also asked the minor female to send him a photo of her genitalia.
On October 2, 2021, Dement contacted the minor female again and asked her to send him a sexually explicit photo of herself and a sexually explicit voice message. Dement sent the minor female another sexually explicit video of himself. Dement further admitted that from October 7, 2021 until December 13, 2021, he continued to attempt to persuade, induce, entice or coerce the minor child to engage in sexual activity while sending her sexually explicit images of himself, through online chats and text messages.
Dement is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Dement must also register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Violent Crime Against Children (VCAC) Task Force.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:22-cr-20 and 2:22-cr-199.
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Office Manager for Chicago Medical Practice Sentenced to a Year in Federal Prison for Fraudulently Writing Opioid PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An office manager for a Chicago medical practice has been sentenced to a year in federal prison for fraudulently writing opioid prescriptions.
ROSEMARY MAYS worked for a medical practice on the South Side of Chicago. From 2009 to 2016, Mays conspired with another individual to write more than 3,000 fraudulent prescriptions for hydrocodone, oxycodone, and other controlled substances. Mays used a prescription pad belonging to a doctor in the practice and wrote the prescriptions in her own name and the names of dozens of unsuspecting friends and family members who had not been treated by the doctor and had no legitimate medical need for the controlled substances. Mays and her co-conspirator then caused friends and family members to fill the fraudulent prescriptions at pharmacies in the Chicago area and provide the opioids to Mays and the co-conspirator. After the fraudulent prescriptions were filled, some of the controlled substances were sold throughout the Chicago area for a profit.
Mays attempted to conceal the scheme by creating fake patient profiles for the individuals whose names she put on the fraudulent prescriptions to make it seem as if the individuals had been treated by the doctor and prescribed the opioids. In reality, they were not patients of the doctor and had not been prescribed any medications by the doctor.
Mays, 47, of South Holland, Ill., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to dispense and distribute a controlled substance outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose or practitioner license. U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland imposed the year-and-a-day prison sentence Wednesday in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Robert J. Bell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the DEA Chicago Field Division; John Morales, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Mario Pinto, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Chicago Regional Office.
“Defendant was the key player in a multi-year criminal conspiracy,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Rothblatt argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Defendant abused the trust of a doctor with whom she worked to write thousands of fraudulent prescriptions for dangerous and addictive opioids.”
Obion County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of Firearms, Silencers, and Machine GunsRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Bobby Joe Brown, 42, of Obion County, Tennessee has been sentenced to 30 months in
federal prison for unlawfulpossession of firearms, silencers and machine guns. United States
Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today.According to information presented in court, on August 7, 2018, officers with the Union City Police
Department and agents with the 27th Judicial Drug Task Force and the Tennessee Bureau of
Investigation received information that the defendant, Bobby Joe Brown, had previously sold three
guns, one of which was stolen. Officers went to Brown's residence in South Fulton to speak with him
regarding the stolen gun. Brown agreed to speak with the officers, and he also allowed them to
search his home.During the search, officers found a small mill/drill combo machine that appeared to have been used
on multiple occasions to mill and drill aluminum. Officers also observed an 80% lower receiver
lying on top of a workshop table, multiple books on fully automatic firearm and suppressor
manufacturing, and a plastic tote on the floor that contained several different lengths of black
painted pipe that was threaded on either end, along with flashlight tubes and freeze plugs.
Officers also located several firearms, including handguns and rifles, along with many AR-15 parts,
including assembled upper and lower parts kits used to fully assemble AR-15 lower receivers. One
gun, a Dan Wesson .357 revolver, was found in a closet wrapped in a latex glove. That gun was
reported stolen in 2008 from Obion County.Officers also located a total of four completed suppressors, and one partially completed
suppressor, one lightning link, and one drop-in auto sear (the latter items are devices that are
used to turn semi-automatic AR-15 rifles into fully automatic weapons). Officers seized all items
related to Brown's manufacturing of firearms, along with a small amount
of methamphetamine and other assorted drug paraphernalia found throughout the home.Brown admitted to making homemade silencers and machine guns. He said he conducted on-line research and had books to assist him in making the machine guns and silencers and did not think it was
illegal to do so. Brown further admitted that he bought and used methamphetamine regularly.On April 15, 2022, Brown pled guilty to the 15-count indictment in this case charging him with
various firearms-related violations.On October 14, 2022, Chief United States District Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Brown to 30
months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the
federal system.Although Brown was not a convicted felon at the time he possessedthe firearms and other related
items in this case, and had very little documented criminal history, the Court determined that a 2
1/2-year prison sentence was warranted here, particularly because of the number of firearms and
other related items possessed by Brown, the fact that Brown had manufactured silencers and had
converted some of the firearms to fully automatic weapons, and because Brown was an active user of
methamphetamine while he manufactured and possessed these items.This case was investigated by the Union City Police Department, the 27th Judicial Drug Task Force,
the TBI and the ATF.United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow, who
prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
###For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or [email protected]. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.
Nurse at St. Louis County Hospital Admits Fraudulently Obtaining FentanylRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A nurse at a St. Louis County, Missouri hospital pleaded guilty to a federal felony Thursday and admitted fraudulently obtaining fentanyl for her own use.
Lindsay J. Maupin, 31, of Cape Girardeau, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark to one count of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. Maupin, a registered nurse, admitted that from Jan. 18, 2020 to Feb. 2, 2020, while working at Mercy Hospital South in St. Louis County, she fraudulently obtained fentanyl from a Pyxis machine for her own use on multiple occasions.
Maupin is scheduled to be sentenced February 2. The charge is punishable by up to four years in prison.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Sestric prosecuted the case.
North Georgia businessman sentenced to prison for dumping hazardous wasteRead the Press Release
ROME, Ga. - Amin Ali has been sentenced for disposing of hazardous waste without a permit after dumping hundreds of drums in a chicken house in North Georgia.
“Ali abused the North Georgia environment by illegally dumping hundreds of drums of waste,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “The environmental laws are designed to keep Georgia’s natural beauty available and safe for future generations and this office will work to enforce those laws.”
“This sentence serves as a reminder that if you choose to undermine environmental regulations by illegally dumping hazardous waste, you will be held accountable for your crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Chuck Carfagno, of EPA CID Southeast Area Branch. “EPA and its state partners worked together to address the environmental problems and bring the defendant to justice.”
“This case demonstrates how local, state, and federal agencies work together to uphold and enforce laws designed to protect human health and the environment. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division appreciates and would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the women and men who collectively held the responsible party accountable for his actions and developed plans to remediate this release. Such blatant violations of our environmental laws pose serious risk to the surrounding community and to the natural resources of the State of Georgia and must be redressed,” said Sara Lips, Director of Communications and Community Engagement, Georgia DNR Environmental Protection Division.
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) addresses the problem of hazardous waste transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal. The RCRA is designed to protect human health and the environment by requiring the proper and safe management of hazardous waste – from the creation through the disposal of the waste material. The RCRA prohibits the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste without a permit issued under the statute. The RCRA also prohibits the transportation of hazardous waste to a facility that lacks a permit to accept hazardous waste.
The defendant, Amin Ali, owned and controlled Goldstar Investment Group LLC, 7 Days Property Management Inc., and Rock Springs Farming LLC. Through these entities, he owned property in Dalton, Georgia (a warehouse formerly owned by a chemical company) and in Rock Springs, Georgia (a farming property containing several old chicken houses).
In August 2021, Ali possessed more than 100 drums and other containers of chemicals, including many containing hazardous waste, moved from the Goldstar property to the Rock Springs property. The drums were discarded in one of the old chicken houses, with some of the drums left in an open trench to be buried. Some of the contents of the drums spilled and leaked into the surrounding soil.
Subsequent testing of the drums and soil revealed the presence of benzene, lead, and chromium. In addition, the contents of the drums were reactive and ignitable.
After being alerted through a call to emergency services, Catoosa County, Georgia, Sheriff, Catoosa County Code Enforcement, Catoosa County Fire, Georgia Environmental Protection Division Emergency Response, Georgia Environmental Protection Division Hazardous Waste Management Section, and EPA Emergency Response responded to the scene. Ultimately, the cost of the clean-up exceeded $500,000.
Amin Ali, 56, of Dalton, Georgia, has been sentenced to two months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release and ordered to pay a $25,000 fine and restitution in the amount of $32,596.93. Ali was convicted on June 22, 2022, after he pleaded guilty to the charges.
Working with our U.S. Department of Justice partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia seeks to secure environmental justice for all communities, to ensure that everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to a healthy environment in which to live, learn, play and work. U.S. Attorney Buchanan encourages residents to contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office via email at [email protected] when also contacting local, state, or federal agency hotlines or websites to report environmental, health and safety concerns. Notifying our Office helps us protect the community from harmful violations of federal health & safety laws. For more information, see https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/environmental-justice.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division Law Enforcement Unit.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Huber prosecuted the 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.
North Bay Village City Commissioner Who Pretended to be Law Firm’s Paralegal to See Lover at ICE Detention Center Convicted of Federal CrimeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Julianna Clare Strout, 36, has been convicted of lying to get into a federal immigration detention center in Miami to see her romantic partner. Strout has served as a North Bay Village City Commissioner since November 2018. Her term expires this November.
Strout pled guilty to a federal information charging her with attempting to enter, and entering, a federal facility using fraud and false pretenses.
In October 2021, Krome Service Processing Center (Krome) temporarily suspended social visits due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Legal visits, however, were permitted.
Three times in October 2021, Strout entered Krome by lying to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials about her reason for visiting. Strout told officials that she worked as a paralegal for a particular law firm and that she needed to visit a detainee to have legal documents signed. In addition, Strout presented officials with a letter on the law firm’s letterhead.
In fact, the law firm never authorized Strout to use its letterhead or visit Krome on its behalf. Strout had never worked for the law firm. Instead, she was romantically involved with the detainee.
On one occasion, after initially being denied entry, Strout presented to officers at Krome her North Bay Village Commissioner badge, explained that she was a public official, and asked to enter Krome on that basis.
Immediately following the guilty plea, Strout was sentenced to one-year probation and 50 hours of community service.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Garrett J. Ripa, Field Office Director, ICE, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Miami Field Office, and Robert M. DeWitt, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
ICE, ERO Miami and FBI Miami investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Daya Nathan is prosecuting it.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-20428-Williams.
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New York Man Sentenced to Five Years’ Imprisonment for Monroe County Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Michael Muse, age 44, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced on October 26, 2022, by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to five years’ imprisonment for armed bank robbery.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Muse previously entered a guilty plea before Judge Mannion and admitted to committing an armed robbery of the ESSA Bank, located in Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County, on September 16, 2021. During the robbery Muse pointed what appeared to be a firearm (later discovered to be an air pistol) at the bank tellers. Muse stole approximately $9,031 in the robbery.
The charge resulted from an investigation conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara 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.
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New Jersey Man Convicted of $40M Securities Claims FraudRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Joseph Cammarata, 48, of Monmouth Beach, NJ, was convicted after trial for his participation in a securities fraud claims scheme with two co-defendants from New York and New Jersey.
In November 2021, the defendant was charged by Superseding Indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud (Count One), wire fraud (Counts Two through Five), money laundering conspiracy (Count Six), and two counts of money laundering (Counts Eleven and Twelve), along with co-defendants David Punturieri, 42, of Staten Island, NY, and Erik Cohen, 41, of Manalapan, NJ. According to the Superseding Indictment, the defendants were the principals of Alpha Plus Recovery, a claims aggregator firm based in Old Bridge, New Jersey. Defendants Punturieri and Cohen previously pleaded guilty to similar charges.
As the evidence presented at trial showed, Cammarata and his co-defendants used Alpha Plus Recovery to make false and fraudulent claims, including claims made in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, to the proceeds of securities fraud class action, and SEC enforcement action, settlements. They falsely claimed that corporate clients of Alpha Plus Recovery had purchased shares of securities that were the subject of the lawsuits and enforcement actions. In reality, the clients, which were entities actually controlled by the defendants, had not purchased the subject securities. To substantiate the false claims, the defendants created fraudulent brokerage and other financial documents to provide to claims administrators. Cammarata and his co-defendants then transferred the fraudulently obtained funds into accounts they controlled, stealing a total of over $43 million between 2014 and 2021.
“A jury has found that Cammarata and his partners at Alpha Plus manipulated complicated financial transactions for years in order to steal over $40 million,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “They committed fraud on top of fraud, filing claims on behalf of clients that didn’t exist and doctoring false financial documents to support those fraudulent claims, and their theft took money from the pockets of deserving claimants. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the investigators and prosecutors on this case, all three defendants have now been brought to justice.”
“Year after year, Joseph Cammarata and his partners stole millions from legitimate victim investors entitled to class action settlement funds,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Cammarata used the funds to support his lavish lifestyle, including the use of private jets, the purchase of expensive homes, luxury cars, and yachts, and even the maintenance of a private island in The Bahamas. As investigators closed in, Cammarata doubled down on his lies in order to perpetuate the fraud. What Cammarata didn’t know was that Special Agents from the FBI and Postal Inspectors were methodically building a case based on his emails and phone calls where he and his business partners conspired to lie to claims administrators. This conviction sends a message to all sophisticated white collar criminals that no one is beyond the reach of the FBI and our law enforcement partners.”
“A jury in Philadelphia found Joseph Cammarata guilty of defrauding thousands of investors of settlement monies those investors were owed,” said Raimundo Marerro, the Acting Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division of the Postal Inspection Service. “Since 2014, Mr. Cammarata used the United States Mail system to submit fraudulent claims to settlement administrators and receive over $43 million in fraudulent payments from these settlement administrators. By doing so, he and his co-conspirators deprived legitimate claimants of monies they should have received. I want to thank the agents and prosecutors for their efforts following this case through trial and once again reminding people that stealing money through the U.S. Mail is a crime.”
“This conviction reflects IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents’ continued resolve to investigate and prosecute those who violate federal fraud and money laundering laws,” said Tammy Tomlins, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Newark Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively uncover and disrupt criminals who conspire to perpetrate sophisticated schemes to steal millions.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, and the Securities and Exchange Commission, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Ignall and Paul G. Shapiro.
Minneapolis Man Pleads Guilty to Violent Carjacking Conspiracy Targeting Uber and Lyft Drivers, Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has pleaded guilty to pulling a gun on an FBI agent and to his role in a violent carjacking ring that targeted Uber and Lyft drivers, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between September and October 2021, William Charles Saffold, 20, and his co-conspirators engaged in a series of violent carjackings and armed robberies, targeting Uber and Lyft drivers. As part of the scheme, members of the conspiracy lured victim-drivers to particular locations under the guise of picking up or dropping off passengers. When the victim-drivers arrived, members of the conspiracy brandished firearms and demanded the cell phones and wallets of the victim-drivers. Members of the conspiracy forced the victim-drivers at gunpoint to unlock their cell phones and provide passcodes. The conspiracy members then transferred money, via Cash App or other applications, from the accounts of the victim-drivers to the accounts of members of the conspiracy. Members of the conspiracy then carjacked the victim-drivers at gunpoint. To intimidate and force compliance, members of the conspiracy struck, pistol whipped, and threatened to kill the victim-drivers.
According to court documents, on May 11, 2022, while attempting to execute an arrest warrant, an FBI agent approached Saffold, who immediately drew a pistol and pointed it at the agent before fleeing on foot.
Saffold pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Katherine M. Menendez to one count of conspiracy to use, carry, and brandish firearms during and in relation to crimes of violence and one count of assault on a federal officer. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minneapolis Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez are prosecuting the case.
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Mexican National Arrested for Alleged Fraud Scheme in Which He Impersonated an IRS Employee and Filed False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Mexican citizen—who entered the U.S. illegally—made his initial appearance yesterday for fraudulently soliciting thousands of dollars from victims in exchange for filing false tax returns. The defendant falsely claimed that he was an IRS officer who could obtain large amounts of money from the IRS, if the victims paid him to apply to a fictitious IRS program.
Francisco Ivan Velazquez (52) is charged by superseding indictment with three counts of wire fraud, two counts of impersonation of officer or employee of the United States, and five counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. The superseding indictment was filed on August 30, 2022 and unsealed when the defendant made his initial appearance.
According to allegations contained in the superseding indictment, from March 2016 through March 2018, Velazquez told the victims that he was an IRS employee and was able to secure large monetary refunds for them from the IRS. He falsely claimed that such funds were available from a purported IRS program which allowed people who had previously lost a home to foreclosure to recoup money by applying to the IRS and filing certain documents. Velazquez advised victims that in exchange for a fee he would submit an application for them to recover the funds. Velazquez would then prepare and file false tax returns and other documents with the IRS claiming that the victim had federal tax withholdings in excess of $100,000, and fraudulently claiming that the victim qualified for an income tax refund in excess of $100,000.
If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud, and three years for each count of filing a false tax return and for each count of impersonating an officer or employee of the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada; Special Agent in Charge Albert Childress of the IRS Criminal Investigations; and J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration made the announcement.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Tax Division Trial Attorney Thomas W. Flynn and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric C. Schmale are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Merced County Doctor Indicted for Multimillion Dollar Disability Insurance Fraud Scheme, Money Laundering, and Unrelated Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — On Oct. 20, 2022, a federal grand jury charged Sohail Mamdani, 46, of Los Banos, with mail fraud and money laundering in connection to a disability insurance fraud scheme, and unlawful use of a DEA registration number and fraudulently obtaining possession of a controlled substance, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
The California Employment Development Department (EDD) runs a Disability Insurance program that offers worker-funded benefits to people who meet certain requirements and have had those requirements verified by their physician or medical practitioner. Mamdani was a medical doctor operating a clinic called Walk-In Medical Clinic in Los Banos.
According to court documents, between February 2020 and March 2022, Mamdani submitted over 6,000 initial claims to EDD for disability insurance payments despite having never seen or treated the majority of the claimants. As part of the fraud, Mamdani would charge the purported patient a fee for both the initial disability claim and any supplemental claims. In addition, in order to avoid federal reporting requirements, Mamdani structured financial transactions. The investigation reveals potential intended losses to EDD of up to $99 million dollars with potential actual losses of over $53 million.
Mamdani is separately charged with unlawfully using another doctor’s DEA registration number for the purpose of unlawfully obtaining controlled substances. Additionally, Mamdani wrote a number of fraudulent prescriptions in the names of other individuals in order to obtain controlled substances himself.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the California Employment Development Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandre Dempsey and Michael Tierney are prosecuting the case.
If convicted of mail fraud, Mamdani faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or up to twice the gross gain or gross loss caused by the fraud. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to twice the value of property involved in the transactions or up to $500,000 if convicted of the money laundering charges. He also faces a maximum statutory penalty of four years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the drug related 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 defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Man Sentenced to 149 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Commit ArsonRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Rafael García-Sánchez was sentenced to 12 years and five months in prison for conspiracy to commit arson in furtherance of wire fraud and wire fraud, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case.
According to court documents, from May until July 2016, defendants Rafael García-Sánchez, Jean Gabriel García-Charbonier, and Jesús Torres-Lazzu, a.k.a. “Bimbo,” conspired to set a fire to commit insurance fraud through wire communications. The conspirators agreed to set the physical premises of Organización Pro Ayuda a Personas con Impedimentos (OPAPI) in Río Grande, PR on fire for the purpose of collecting insurance proceeds, and in furtherance of this scheme, García-Sánchez caused items to be sent and delivered by wire in interstate commerce.
Rafael García-Sánchez solicited assistance from Jean Gabriel García-Charbonier, Jesús Torres-Lazzu, and Christian Aponte-Charbonier to set on fire the physical premises of OPAPI and then file a fraudulent insurance claim with Universal Insurance Company. Christian Aponte-Charbonier (now deceased), set fire to OPAPI with the assistance of his brother Jean Gabriel García-Charbonier, and Jesús Torres-Lazzu , causing damage to the premises and their contents. While starting the fire, Christian Aponte-Charbonier suffered major burns and died from his injuries on July 10, 2016. García-Sánchez, aided and abetted by others, filed a fraudulent claim for $250,000.00 with Universal Insurance Company in connection with the damages at OPAPI in Río Grande.
On July 11, 2016, Jean Gabriel García-Charbonier falsely reported to agents of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) that Christian Aponte-Charbonier sustained his burn injuries while working with an electric generator at the premises of OPAPI Casa Dorada in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, a story that he concocted with Rafael García-Sánchez and Raúl García-Sánchez. After reporting this false information, García-Charbonier accompanied agents of the PRPB to the premises of OPAPI Casa Dorada, where they encountered a staged accident scene with a fire-damaged electric generator.
Raúl García-Sánchez was charged with one count of accessory after the fact for assisting the other defendants in staging an accident scene involving a fire-damaged electric generator at the premises of OPAPI located in Yabucoa, and ultimately pled guilty to misprision of a felony. Jean Gabriel García-Charobonier and Jesús Torres-Lazzu also pled guilty and served terms of imprisonment because of their role in the scheme.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Christopher A. Robinson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF Miami Field Division made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Alum prosecuted the case.
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Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Corwin Cordell Garrett, age 46, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 24 months in prison to be followed by 6 years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, for distributing heroin.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Garrett was intercepted during a DEA wire investigation communicating with coconspirators regarding drug trafficking of heroin in the Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania area. Garrett also sold heroin to a confidential informant who was working with agents as part of the investigation. Garrett was responsible for distributing between 80 and 100 grams of heroin.
Garrett was indicted with the following codefendants:
- John Hawk, a/k/a “Righteous,” was sentenced on July 26, 2022, to time-served to be followed by six years supervised release for aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute heroin;
- Al-Salaam I. Hale, a/k/a “Billz,” pleaded guilty on April 14, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams of heroin and distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin and is awaiting sentencing; and,
- Alsherik Ramadam Moate, pleaded guilty on May 14, 2021, to distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin and is awaiting sentencing.
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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Logan County Man Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Raymond Dugan, 55, of Logan, was sentenced today to four years and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for accessing with the intent to view prepubescent child pornography. Dugan must also register as a sex offender.
A federal jury found Dugan guilty following a one-day trial. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on June 11, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Dugan’s residence. Officers obtained the search warrant for Dugan’s residence after tracing an Internet Protocol (IP) address that had been used to access a website on the dark web known to share child sexual abuse and exploitation material.
Officers seized several electronic devices during the search, including a laptop computer. An analysis by the West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory Digital Forensics Unit (DFU) revealed 1,237 images of child pornography on the laptop. Some of the images depicted prepubescent minors subjected to sadistic and masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.
“There can be no tolerance under the law for anyone who exploits or preys upon children,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory Digital Forensics Unit (DFU). I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Julie White and Nowles Heinrich and the trial team for the successful prosecution of this case.”
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence.
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-127.
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Lavaca Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
FORT SMITH – A Lavaca, Arkansas, man plead guilty today to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Healthcare Fraud and one count of Money Laundering. The Honorable Judge Mark E. Ford presided over the hearing in the United States District Court in Fort Smith.
In the plea agreement, Billy Joe Taylor, 43, admitted that from approximately November 2017 through approximately May 2021, he and his co-conspirators submitted and received payment for thousands of Medicare claims totaling millions of dollars for lab tests that had never been ordered by the referring medical provider or performed for the benefit of the beneficiary listed on the claims. The fraudulent claims were submitted on behalf of five clinical labs during the time that they were owned or controlled by Taylor and his co-conspirators, namely, Vitas Laboratory LLC in Barling, Arkansas, Corrlabs LLC in Southern Pines, North Carolina, Nations Laboratory Services LLC in Tecumseh, Oklahoma, Beach Tox LLC in Torrance, California, and Imaginus Diagnostic Laboratory LLC in Spiro, Oklahoma. More than $130 million in Medicare claims were submitted by these labs during the time they were owned or controlled by Taylor and his co-conspirators and Medicare paid approximately $38 million on these claims.
Taylor’s sentencing is expected to take place in approximately four months. Taylor faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the crimes he plead guilty to. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The FBI, Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elser of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas, and Trial Attorney D. Keith Clouser of the Department of Justice National Rapid Response Strike Force are prosecuting the case.
This case was initiated in coordination with the Health Care Fraud Unit’s COVID-19 Interagency Working Group, which is chaired by the National Rapid Response Strike Force and organizes efforts to address illegal activity involving health care programs during the pandemic.
Larimer Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a Gun and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has pled guilty on a charge of possessing a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Cameo Witherspoon, age 33, formerly of the City’s Larimer neighborhood, pleaded guilty before Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on July 6, 2021, an officer with the Monroeville Police Department initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle due to an expired registration in Monroeville, PA. The driver, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, failed to immediately stop, and when he did, he quickly exited the vehicle to dispute the stop.
While interacting with law enforcement, the driver lied about his identity, misrepresented where the vehicle’s registration was located, locked and unlocked the vehicle three times, and dumped the contents of the glovebox onto a fanny pack within the vehicle. The officer then requested a K-9 unit, and the drug dog alerted to the presence of narcotics. Subsequently, law enforcement had the vehicle towed and applied for a search warrant. During the resulting search, law enforcement recovered a loaded handgun from the fanny pack in the vehicle.
Following the driver’s arrest, law enforcement determined that the driver was the defendant, Cameo Witherspoon, and that Witherspoon had an active warrant for a parole violation. As described in the Indictment, Witherspoon has multiple prior felony convictions in the Court of Common Pleas, County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. For example, on May 31, 2013, Witherspoon pled guilty to robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 90-180 months. Under federal law, convicted felons are prohibited from the possession of firearms and ammunition.
Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for 10:00 am on March 2, 2023. The law provides for a term of imprisonment of not more than ten years, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not more than three years and/or a special assessment of $100. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court remanded Witherspoon to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Monroeville Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Cameo Witherspoon.
Laplace Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LENDELL WALLACE, age 38, a resident of LaPlace, Louisiana, pled guilty on October 13, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier to a two-count indictment which charged him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute tramadol and possession with intent to distribute tramadol in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(E), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, 800 dosage units of tramadol were seized from WALLACE’s residence pursuant to a search warrant. The investigation revealed that on multiple occasions WALLACE had tramadol mailed to his home from Singapore. He then distributed and conspired with others to distribute the tramadol.
WALLACE is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 2023. The maximum punishment WALLACE faces for each offense is five (5) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, at least one (1) year of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case was investigated by St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, and United States Customs and Border Protection. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers.
Lancaster County Woman Sentenced for Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Sally Schrom, age 67, of Mountville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo to two years of probation for stealing government funds. The probation term includes six months of home detention, and Schrom was also ordered to pay $59,587 in restitution.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Schrom previously admitted that following her aunt’s death in April 2017, Schrom unlawfully received and used federal military retirement benefits and federal civilian retirement benefits that were paid to her aunt through November 2019. The benefits totaled over $73,000. The government previously reclaimed approximately $13,000 in benefits that Schrom unlawfully obtained.
The case was investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Defense Finance Accounting Service, and the Manheim Township Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.
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La Mesa man charged for threatening to burn public water utility buildingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Shane Watkins was charged by criminal complaint with making interstate threats. Watkins, 36, of La Mesa, New Mexico, made an initial appearance in court on Oct. 26 and will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing scheduled for Oct. 31.
According to the complaint, Watkins allegedly made telephone calls on Sept. 16, 2021, and June 29, 2022, to the Lower Rio Grande Public Water Works Authority (LRGPWWA) threatening to burn the LRGPWWA. On Sept. 17, 2021, LRGPWWA received a message from an email account associated with Watkins. The email message contained threats similar to those Watkins allegedly made by telephone.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Watkins faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Mark Standridge is prosecuting the case.
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Kingston Man Sentenced for Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jayson Thompson, age 31, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on October 26, 2022, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to a time served (14 months) period of incarceration for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Thompson previously admitted that on September 10, 2021, in Luzerne County, he was in possession of a loaded Taurus G2S .40 caliber pistol, knowing that he had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Thompson also admitted that the Taurus pistol had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce. Thompson had been in custody since his arrest on September 10, 2021.
The matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kingston Police Department, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan 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.
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Kentucky Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Officers During Jan. 6 Capitol BreachRead the Press Release
Defendant Sprayed Fire Extinguisher at Officers,
Illegally Entered Capitol Office, Tore Open a Box, Went Through PapersMemphis, TN – A Kentucky man pleaded guilty today to assaulting law enforcement officers with a
dangerous weapon – a fire extinguisher - during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His
actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to
ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.Nicholas James Brockhoff, 21, of Covington, Kentucky, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to
assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers with a dangerous weapon.According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Brockhoff illegally entered the Capitol grounds,
joining a mob on the West side of the Capitol. At approximately 2:32 p.m., he threw an object from
his position on the West Terrace towards law enforcement officers. During the confrontation with
law enforcement officers, he also discharged the contents of fire extinguishers on multiple
occasions and from at least two different locations. Each time he did so, law enforcement officers
dispersed, interfering their ability to control the crowd.Additionally, during the afternoon, while very close to the Lower West Terrace tunnel, Brockhoff
obtained a helmet belonging to an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He wore
the helmet like a trophy throughout the afternoon, including when he entered a Senate Conference
room of the Capitol from a broken window. Brockhoff moved into a hallway and then helped kick a
door leading to the entry into another conference room. From inside the conference room, while
still wearing the MPD helmet, Brockhoff tore open a box and went through papers in the office. He
eventually left the Capitol through a broken window.Brockhoff was arrested on May 27, 2021, in Counce, Tennessee. He is to be sentenced on March 24,
2023. He faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and potential financial penalties. A
federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing
Guidelines and other statutory factors.This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the
Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance
was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky and the U.S.
Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Brockhoff as
#255 on its seeking information photos, the FBI’s Louisville Field Office and its Covington,
Kentucky Resident Agency, and the FBI’s Memphis Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by
the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division, the Metropolitan Police Department, the
U.S. Capitol, and the Hardin County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Department.In the 21 months since Jan.6, 2021, more than 880 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50
states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 270 individuals charged
with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
###For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or [email protected]. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.
Jury convicts Browning man of sexually abusing childrenRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A federal jury today convicted a Browning man of sexually abusing two children approximately 20 years ago on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Following a two-day trial that began on Oct. 25, a jury found Michael James Burke, 43, guilty of two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and abusive sexual contact as indicted. Burke faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Chief Judge Morris set sentencing for March 9, 2023. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Burke was detained pending further proceedings.
“I am pleased the jury held Burke accountable for repeatedly sexually abusing two young girls over an extended period of time. Our office is determined to protect children from sexual predators and will aggressively prosecute those who harm them. I thank our prosecution team, the FBI, and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services for their diligent work on this case,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that Burke committed numerous sexual acts against victims Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2 over an extended period of time in Browning on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Burke sexually abused Jane Doe 1 between 2000 and 2003 and Jane Doe 2 between 1999 and 2002. Both victims were under the age of 12 at the time. The victims ultimately disclosed the sexual abuse to officials in 2017.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services.
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Jury Convicts Wendell Man of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal jury convicted Lionel Robinson, 43, of Wendell, North Carolina for two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. Robinson faces up to life in prison at sentencing which is scheduled for January of 2023.
“This conviction is a result of the coordinated collaboration of multiple local law enforcement agencies working together with their federal partners to take a dangerous criminal off the street,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “I am proud of the work of the investigative team to bring this defendant to justice.”
From January 2019 until March 2019, an armed robber committed several robberies throughout North Carolina. The robber, sometimes with an accomplice, targeted Aldi stores in Lexington, Rocky Mount, Fayetteville, Winterville, Indian Trail, and Kernersville. The robber would ring the back doorbell to the Aldi pretending to be a delivery driver. When an employee would answer the door, the robber would force his way into the business, holding the employee at gunpoint. During each robbery, the suspect was in full disguise, which included masks, gloves, and reflective vests. During the investigation, law enforcement identified Lionel Robinson as a potential suspect and executed a search warrant at his residence on May 7, 2019. During the search, law enforcement recovered evidence relevant to the robbery investigations, and they also recovered a large quantity of ammunition. Lionel Robinson is a convicted felon and armed career criminal who is prohibited from possessing ammunition.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the jury’s verdict. The Rocky Mount Police Department, Fayetteville Police Department, Greenville Police Department, Lexington Police Department, Kernersville Police Department, Union County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chad Rhoades and Yasir Sadat prosecuted and tried 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. 5:21-cr-00017-BO-1.
Iowa City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City man, Sean White Hood, age 32, was sentenced on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, to 72 months in prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Following his imprisonment, Hood was ordered to serve three years of supervised release.
On July 24, 2021, Iowa City police officers were dispatched to an apartment complex on a report of shots fired. The investigation determined that there had been two shootings: one at the apartment complex and one across the street. Hood assaulted co-defendant Ka’leck Bolden at the apartment complex, and Bolden shot Hood in retaliation. Hood ran across the street, obtained a firearm from a third-party, and fired several shots toward the apartment complex. A bystander vehicle was struck twice by Hood’s gunfire. Hood discarded his loaded firearm in bushes nearby. Hood pleaded guilty on June 23, 2022.
In August 2022, Bolden, age 24 of Cedar Rapids, received a 100-month sentence for Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa City Police Department investigated the case.
Iowa City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – Tyler Dean Kadolph, age 25, of Iowa City, was sentenced yesterday to 97 months in prison following his plea to a charge of Possession of Child Pornography.
According to court documents, an investigation into someone recording women in a locker room at the University of Iowa Field House led officers to Kadolph, who was employed at the Field House at the time. Officers executed a search warrant on Kadolph’s phone related to that investigation and located child pornography. Officers also learned that Kadolph had created a fake Instagram account pretending to be a minor female and requesting to exchange nude photographs.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigation by the University of Iowa Police Department, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa City Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
In 24 Hours, Armed Man Shoots at Two Strangers as He Carjacks Them on Detroit’s West SideRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit man has been indicted for two separate carjackings within a 24-hour period on Detroit’s west side wherein he fired shots at both of his victims, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The indictment charges Jamiel Carothers, 33, with carjacking and attempted carjacking of two strangers at a liquor store and a gas station on Detroit’s west side on October 9 and 10, 2022. On October 9, Carothers is alleged to have pointed a loaded gun at a stranger at Detroit Wine & Liquor and demanded the keys to his car. After the victim complied, Carothers ordered the victim back in the car at gunpoint and demanded that he empty his pockets, while threatening to kill him. When Carothers stopped the car at a stop sign, the victim fled and escaped, but not before the accused fired off a shot, missing the victim as he fled.
The second attempted carjacking took place on October 10, 2022, at a Sunoco gas station on West Chicago Road near M-39. At gunpoint, Carothers attempted to get the car keys from a woman after she had stopped at the gas station. However, despite Carothers holding the gun to her head and threatening to shoot her, she pushed the gun aside and fled into the gas station. As she fled, Carothers fired off four shots at her, missing each time.
In the indictment, the grand jury charges Carothers with carjacking, attempted carjacking, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and felon in possession of ammunition. Carothers faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison.
“My office is committed to using all of our resources to combat violent crime in our community, particularly targeting those who use firearms to commit that violence,” U.S. Attorney Ison said.
“The FBI and our law enforcement partners have focused significant resources on the most violent offenders in Detroit, and carjacking subjects are among them,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “Armed carjacking is one of the most serious violations of public safety, making people feel vulnerable in their own neighborhoods, and we remain committed to working alongside the Detroit Police Department to curb these violent offenses and bringing the perpetrators to justice.”
An indictment is only a formal charging document 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.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Detroit Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rosemary Wummel Gardey.
Hudson County Felon Convicted of Possessing Heroin, Cocaine, and Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey, man was convicted of possessing a loaded firearm, and possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances on three different occasions, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Clarence Gaffney, 36, of Jersey City, was convicted on Oct. 26, 2022, following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court on three counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of possession of firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
On Oct. 5, 2019, during a motor vehicle stop, Gaffney possessed heroin and cocaine in his underwear and shoe. On Dec. 26, 2019, after law enforcement officers observed Gaffney selling drugs on MLK Drive and arrested him, heroin and cocaine were recovered from his jacket sleeve. On Feb. 21, 2020, during a motor vehicle stop, a search of Gaffney’s vehicle revealed heroin hidden in a fuse compartment on the driver’s side and a Glock 22 .40 caliber firearm loaded with 11 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition found inside a fuse compartment on the passenger side.
The firearm charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The drug charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited members of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson; special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the Direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews; the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction Director James Shea;, and Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez, with the investigation leading to the conviction.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassye Cole and Megan Linares of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
Honduran National Is Sentenced to 15 Years for Possession of A Firearm by an Illegal AlienRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Edin Anael Solis-Rodriguez, 23, a Honduran national residing in Charlotte, was sentenced to 15 in prison late yesterday, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of two firearms by an illegal alien, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court records and court proceedings, on August 28, 2020, CMPD officers responded to a call for service at a restaurant located on South Boulevard in Charlotte. Officers were told that restaurant employees had observed a male customer with a firearm in the back of this pants. CMPD officers found the customer, Solis-Rodriguez, at the bar and confirmed that he had a loaded firearm.
According to filed court documents, on the night of November 14, 2021, CMPD officers were dispatched to the Taco Bar restaurant, located at 6400 Old Pineville Road in Charlotte, in reference to a shooting. When CMPD officers arrived at the scene, they observed a male victim on the ground that had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement determined that Solis-Rodriguez shot the victim. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Solis-Rodriguez’s residence and found the firearm that Solis-Rodriguez used to shoot the victim.
On June 7, 2022, Solis-Rodriguez pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. Solis-Rodriguez has a prior criminal history for illegally entering the United States and he is not permitted to possess firearms or ammunition.
Solis-Rodriguez is currently in custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Spaugh, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.