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8 December 2022
Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to 24 Years in Federal Prison for Bank Robbery and for Violating Supervised Release for Two Previous Federal Robbery ConvictionsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte today sentenced Christopher Michael Cline, a/k/a “Carisa Cline,” age 46, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, to 24 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after the defendant pleaded guilty to bank robbery. The defendant also admitted violating two terms of supervised release for previous federal bank robbery convictions.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, between January 28 and February 8, 2021, less than three months after being released from prison for a federal bank robbery conviction, Cline committed a series of bank robberies in Gaithersburg Maryland. Specifically, Cline attempted to rob a bank in Gaithersburg, Maryland on January 28, 2021, and successfully robbed a different bank in Gaithersburg the next day. Cline also robbed a third Gaithersburg bank on February 8, 2021.
As detailed in court documents, on February 23, 2000, Cline was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a 1999 bank robbery in Berwyn Heights, Maryland. On October 14, 2004, while serving the final months of that sentence at a residential re-entry facility, Cline absconded and began committing bank robberies the next day. From October 15, 2004, through November 16, 2004, Cline committed a total of 12 bank robberies and one attempted bank robbery. Cline was subsequently convicted of federal bank robbery a second time and sentenced to 188 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Cline was released from prison on November 9, 2020, and began serving the three-year term of supervised release for each of those convictions. By committing the 2021 bank robbery, Cline’s third such conviction, Cline violated the terms of supervised release for both previous bank robbery convictions.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the FBI the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey J. Izant, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Saugerties Man Sentenced to 85 Months for Receiving and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Robert Morales, age 73, of Saugerties, New York, was sentenced today to serve 85 months in prison for receipt and possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Michael Alfonso, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York.
United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also sentenced Morales to 15 years of supervised release, to begin following his term of imprisonment, and ordered him to pay a $5,000 fine and $15,000 in restitution to five of the victims depicted in the materials he possessed. Morales will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
Morales pled guilty on July 15, 2021. He admitted that between May 2014 and November 2017, he used a desktop computer equipped with a peer-to-peer file-sharing application to receive, and make available for download, child pornography. Morales also possessed child pornography on seven other devices that were seized from his residence. Morales’s desktop computer and external devices contained approximately 36 video files and 1,182 image files depicting child pornography.
This case was investigated by HSI. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Repeat Offender on Supervised Release Is Sentenced to Prison for Using Stolen Mail to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced today that Soheil Akhavan Rezaie, 39, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 57 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release for stealing mail from residential mailboxes and using the stolen information to commit wire fraud, and for violating the terms of his supervised release stemming from a 2017 conviction.
Michael C. Scherck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court records and court proceedings, beginning in 2021 through March 2022, Rezaie and others targeted neighborhoods in Charlotte and surrounding areas and stole large quantities of mail from residential mailboxes. The stolen mail included credit cards, tax forms, financial statements, personal identifying information (PII), and personal and business bank checks. As Rezaie previously admitted in court, he altered the amounts of the stolen checks or changed the names of the payees to his own and then deposited the altered checks into bank accounts he controlled. Rezaie then withdrew the funds before the victims and financial institutions had an opportunity to determine the checks were stolen. In other instances, Rezaie stole blank checks and wrote checks to himself, which he then cashed with various financial institutions. Rezaie caused more than $150,000 in loss through the fraudulent check cashing scheme. Court records also show that Rezaie used the stolen PII to create fake identification documents in the mail theft victims’ names.
Rezaie previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI and USPIS for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, is in charge of the prosecution.
Each year, the U.S. Postal Service® handles billions of letters and packages, the majority of which arrive safely at their intended destinations. According to USPIS, here are the extra steps the public can take to prevent mail theft and ensure that mail arrives safely at its destination:
- Promptly pick up mail – try not to leave letters and packages in the mailbox or at the door unattended for any length of time.
- Deposit mail close to pick up time – deposit outgoing mail into collection boxes before the last collection or inside the local postal office.
- Inquire about overdue mail – if you have not received valuable or important mail you’re expecting, contact the sender to inquire about it.
- Do not send cash – be careful about what you are sending in the mail. Avoid mailing cash and gift cards.
- Arrange for prompt pick up – if you will not be available to receive a package in person, contact the postal service to hold your package.
- Use the Hold for Pick Up option – when shipping packages, use the Hold for Pick Up option, so the recipients can pick up package at their local post office.
- Request signature confirmation – when mailing important mail, consider requesting a signature confirmation from the recipient.
- File a change of address – when moving, promptly file a change of address with the Postal Service.
To report suspected mail theft, please call USPIS at 1-877-876-2455.
Recidivist robber heads to prisonRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 43 year-old Houston resident has been sent to prison for robbery of a Family Dollar store, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Robert Trussell pleaded guilty Aug. 10.
Today, U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison ordered Trussell to serve 121 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court found Trussell to be a career offender due to his convictions for three previous robberies.
At the time of his plea, Trussell admitted to committing the robbery of a Family Dollar store on Aug. 30, 2019. He acted like a customer before he passed the victim a threatening note demanding money. The victim recalled Trussell showing her a firearm in his waistband.
Authorities identified his vehicle and conducted a traffic stop and took him into custody. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement found a firearm on the passenger in the vehicle Trussell was driving.
Trussell has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Providence Man Sentenced to Federal Prison on Conspiracy, Bank Fraud, and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man, Richard Koboi, aka Sunnyboy Taylor, 27, who organized and led a conspiracy to create and deposit approximately $330,000 worth of counterfeit checks, and who illegally possessed and then sold a firearm to a drug dealer, all while serving a state term of probation, was sentenced today to three years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
“Richard Koboi, undeterred by his prior state fraud conviction, decided to help himself to other people’s money using stolen banking information, confident that his crimes would go undetected,” remarked U.S. Attorney Cunha. “He could not have been more wrong. Thanks to superb investigative work by our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, Mr. Koboi’s campaign of criminality has ended where it belongs: with a well-earned sentence to federal prison.”
“Today’s sentencing clearly illustrates that individuals who engage in these types of illegal activities will be held accountable for their actions,” stated Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division. “Bank fraud and identity theft are not victimless crimes and individuals who attempt to commit these crimes face significant penalties as a result of their criminal activity. Postal Inspectors are ever vigilant in bringing to justice individuals who use the U.S. Mail to defraud and otherwise take advantage of the financial circumstances of innocent consumers.”
Kobio previously admitted to a federal judge that he recruited bank employees and bank account holders to assist him in obtaining stolen banking information of unsuspecting victims and businesses. Koboi used the stolen information to create counterfeit checks that he deposited into his own bank, or that he provided to other individuals who he paid to deposit the checks into bank accounts that they controlled. After depositing the checks, Koboi and others made, or attempted to make, rapid withdrawals of cash from ATMs or bank tellers.
According to court documents, while soliciting a would-be co-conspirator via Facebook messages Koboi wrote:
Okay, so basically what I do is simple. I want you to know what it is I do isn’t legal but it’s safe. This isn’t something where you have to worry about cops or your bank and credit. I do business with individuals who have good history with the[ir] banks. I make typed up or written checks from offshore 300k plus accounts. That type up or written check will be made out to you where we will then deposit it into your account. Usually it days one business day to two the most for the money to be available. Once the account shows that the money is there we will then take the steps needed to take the money out of the account. We will then spilt 50/50. No middle man or bad blood. You will still be able too [sic] use and keep your account as well as do it again in the future if you please. Let’s eat.
Additionally, law enforcement discovered a Facebook “for sale” posting accompanied by a photograph of a firearm posted by Koboi; communications between Koboi and marijuana drug dealer, arranging for the purchase and delivery of the firearm displayed in the posting; and additional photographs of the firearm stored on Koboi’s cellphone. The firearm was later recovered by Cranston Police from the residence of a different drug dealer during an unrelated investigation.
Koboi pleaded guilty on April 27, 2020, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, ten counts of bank fraud, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to thirty-six months in federal prison; three years of federal supervised release; and ordered to pay restitution totaling $31,928, the actual loss to banks attributed to Koboi’s criminal conduct.
At the time of his arrest in these matters, Koboi was serving a term of state probation, having been convicted in 2018 in state court in an unrelated fraudulent check scheme. He was sentenced to a term of 5 years – with 18 months to serve, 3 years & 6 months suspended, and 5 years of probation.
The federal prosecution of this matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ly T. Chin.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with the assistance of the FBI, United States Secret Service, ATF, Rhode Island State Police, Providence Police Department, and Delaware State Police.
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Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – John Ellis-Strayhorn, Jr., 32, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on June 3, 2020, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) officers observed Ellis-Strayhorn driving a car that had previously been reported as stolen. When officers approached the stolen car, Ellis-Strayhorn sped away in the vehicle. A pursuit ensued, reaching speeds of up to 60 miles per hour on city streets. As he fled, Ellis-Strayhorn, Jr. threw a gun out the window of the car. Police recovered the firearm from the road where Ellis-Strayhorn, Jr. had thrown it.
As the pursuit continued, police attempted to perform a pursuit-intervention technique (PIT) maneuver on Ellis-Strayhorn’s vehicle. The PIT maneuver caused Ellis-Strayhorn’s vehicle to spin, but he continued driving. The chase only ended after Ellis-Strayhorn’s vehicle collided with another car that was stopped at a red light. Ellis-Strayhorn was then arrested.
At the time of his arrest, Ellis-Strayhorn had three prior felony convictions which prohibited him from possessing firearms, including Battery on a Person Less than 14 Years Old, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon, and Dealing in Cocaine or Narcotic Drug.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division, made the announcement.
ATF investigated the case. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department provided valuable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II. As part of the sentence, Judge Sweeney ordered that Ellis-Strayhorn be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey L. Massa who prosecuted this 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.
Prattville Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearms Discovered After a Hit and Run Incident in Montgomery CountyRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Today, Daniel Cole Ahearn, 28, from Prattville, Alabama, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart. Ahearn’s prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to Ahearn’s plea agreement and other court documents, on January 13, 2021, deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office received a call reporting that a truck had struck another vehicle and then fled the scene. Thereafter, a deputy spotted a truck matching the description of the suspected hit-and-run vehicle speeding down a highway nearby and attempted to make a traffic stop. The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Ahearn, refused to stop and instead led law enforcement on a short chase that ended abruptly when Ahearn lost control of the vehicle and crashed. Two stolen handguns were found inside the truck. Ahearn is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms. Ahearn pleaded guilty to the firearms-possession charge on August 22, 2022.
The case was investigated by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Megan A. Kirkpatrick prosecuted the case.
Pike County Physician Convicted for Unlawful Distribution of Controlled Substances Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dr. Martin Evers, age 64, of Pike County, Pennsylvania, was found guilty on December 5, 2022, for unlawfully distributing controlled substances resulting in death, after a three-week trial before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Evers was found guilty on 71 counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances, as charged in the superseding indictment. The counts involved the unlawful distribution of oxycodone, fentanyl and methadone, all Schedule II controlled substances, and diazepam, a Schedule IV controlled substance. One of the counts of which Evers was convicted involved the unlawful distribution of oxycodone and fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 48-year-old Monroe County woman on February 11, 2019.
During the three-week trial, prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office presented the testimony from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) - Diversion Division, six pharmacists who refused to fill prescriptions issued by Evers, a Walmart Global Investigations witness who offered testimony related to Walmart’s issuance of a nationwide ban for filling all narcotic prescriptions issued by Evers, an expert on pain medicine, an expert toxicologist, an expert pathologist, a Pennsylvania State Police Officer, and a witness from the Monroe County Coroner’s Office.
Evers was an employee of the Bon Secours Charity Health System and practiced as a primary care physician in Milford, Pennsylvania. He was licensed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and authorized to prescribe controlled substances for legitimate medical purposes and in the usual course of professional practice. His medical license was suspended on September 4, 2019.
The jury found that Evers repeatedly prescribed oxycodone and other opioids outside the usual course of professional practice and not for legitimate medical purposes and as a result, addiction and death occurred.
After the jury’s verdict, prosecutors asked that Evers be immediately detained pending sentencing. Judge Mariani ordered Evers detained.
The two-year long investigation in this case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and its Diversion Division, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Olshefski and Jenny Robert prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin and other opioids. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin and opioid 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 opioid trafficking 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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Pee Dee Husband and Wife, along with other Family Members, Plead Guilty to National Pandemic Unemployment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — A Florence couple, along with family members from Florida and New York, have all pleaded guilty for their role in a nationwide unemployment fraud conspiracy. Those Defendants pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud are
- Mohammad Ribhi Farraj, 43, of Florence;
- Nariman Mahmoud Masoud, 35, of Florence;
- Marvet Masoud, 34, of Homestead, Florida; and
- Susan Masoud, 31, of Brooklyn, New York.
According to information presented to the Court, fraud schemes against unemployment benefits programs had become more prevalent after the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act provided federally-funded expanded Unemployment Insurance (UI).
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI’s) lengthy investigation included witness interviews, confidential informants, search warrants, and subpoenas. The investigation revealed that from January 2020 to February 2022, the Defendants engaged in a wire fraud conspiracy to file and receive fraudulent claims for regular UI and expanded pandemic UI benefits from New York, Florida, and South Carolina.
Specifically, the Defendants would electronically submit false UI claims to various state agencies, using the personal identifying information of others they had procured. The Defendants had the funds loaded onto prepaid debit cards issued in the names of the third parties, had the cards mailed to addresses under their control, and used the cards to withdraw cash from ATMs.
Mohammad Farraj’s and Nariman Masoud’s role in the scheme was to procure personal identifying information, create fraudulent UI applications, recruit others into the scheme, withdraw money from accounts containing UI benefits, and place that money into their bank accounts and cryptocurrency accounts. Marvet Masoud and Susan Masoud helped create fraudulent UI applications and withdrew money from accounts containing UI bene its.
The total amount of the UI fraud alone was at least $444,753.
“These Defendants callously took advantage of an unprecedented and nationwide pandemic-borne employment crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “They stole money specifically intended for out-of-work Americans trying to make ends meet, and they used that money to enrich themselves. This Office will not tolerate those who seek to get rich off the backs of hardworking taxpayers, and I commend the excellent work of the FBI in bringing this fraud ring to justice.”
“In a time where so many Americans are out of work and struggling financially, these individuals decided to fraudulently and selfishly take advantage of much needed unemployment benefits to line their pockets,” said FBI Columbia Special Agent in Charge, Susan Ferensic. “No matter how advanced the scheme, the FBI and its law enforcement partners will work to dismantle these crimes and make sure the responsible parties are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Each Defendant faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. They also face a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow any term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence the Defendants after receiving and reviewing sentencing reports prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. A fifth Defendant, Wafah Masoud, 33, of Wylie, Texas, had her case continued in order to complete a pretrial diversion program given her limited role in the scheme.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Derek A. Shoemake, who served as the Office’s Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator, and Lauren Hummel are prosecuting the case.
Pastors of defunct church plead guilty to car loan and COVID-19 fraudRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Three locals associated with Jesus Survives Ministries have admitted to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
William Dexter Lucas aka Bill Lucas, 60, and Deborah Jean Lucas, 64, both of Bryan, pleaded guilty today while Brian Corpian, 45, Houston, entered his plea Dec. 2.
All three have admitted to making false statements and using false documents regarding the church to fraudulently obtain loan proceeds. Jesus Survives Ministries is a defunct church in which all three claimed to be pastors. Bill Lucas claimed to be lead pastor.
For almost the last decade there were no church services or pastoral services through Jesus Survives Ministries. Since 2014, the three made false statements regarding their payroll at the church in submitting car loan applications for purchases of cars on which they had no intent of making payments. Both Bill and Deborah Lucas were able to obtain cars through these false applications.
Within days following the enactment of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Bill Lucas applied for multiple Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from numerous banks. In them, he made false statements and provided false documents regarding Jesus Survives Ministries. Bill Lucas falsely claimed that Jesus Survives Ministries had gross revenues of almost a million dollars in 2019. Deborah Lucas and Brian Corpian signed some of the false documents and called bank employees and the Small Business Administration regarding the status of applications.
When Bill Lucas became frustrated with bank employees’ failure to review and fund the loans quickly, he would send accusatory and intimidating text messages and emails; including, “This is war!!!!!” “I curse you, your bank and you[r] whole family,” and “You extremists think I am playing with you. You started a war and I guarantee you that you[‘re] not walking away unscathed.” Bill Lucas also posted a diatribe on the Jesus Survives Ministries website calling one of the banks, “Minions of Satan” and sent a bank employee a photograph of the bank employee’s family, indicating Bill knew the names of the bank employee’s wife and son.
The intended loss amount totals hundreds of thousands of dollars. One of the banks approved a PPP loan of $50,000 for Jesus Survives Ministries. Once they received the fraudulent proceeds, Deborah Lucas and Bill Lucas moved the money into another bank account and went on vacation to South Carolina using fraud proceeds.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted March 27, 2020, to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act included the PPP and EIDL programs for either forgivable loans or low-interest financing for small businesses.
U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge will impose sentencing May 11, 2023. At that time, all three face up and face up to 30 years in prison and a possible $1 million fine.
They were permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
Homeland Security Investigations, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Small Business Administration and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zahra Jivani Fenelon, Kate Suh and Kristine Rollinson are prosecuting the case.
Parkersburg Woman Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Toni Johnson, 58, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 27, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Johnson’s residence. Johnson admitted to possessing approximately 82 grams of fentanyl found during the search, and further admitted that she intended to distribute it.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the Parkersburg Police Department and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich prosecuted the case.
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. 2:22-cr-129.
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Paris, Tennessee Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Charles Anthony Anderson, 56, has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for production of child pornography and committing that offense as a registered sex offender. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, Anderson was convicted in Florida in 2003 of two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a minor under 12 years of age. Anderson served 60 months on community corrections in that case. As part of that case, Anderson was required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
In February 2021, Anderson asked a few people to do some cleaning and fix a security camera for him at his business in Buchanan, Tennessee. Anderson was part-owner of Mountain Top Vapors, a vape/smoke shop in Henry County. While one of them was working on the security camera, he saw a cellphone hidden on top of a China cabinet. He took the phone home with him, charged it, and powered it up to see if he could determine the owner of the phone. When he turned it on, he saw a photo of a naked prepubescent girl as the phone’s screen saver. He then went into the photo gallery on the phone and saw other images, including one which depicted the child engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Other information on the phone indicated that it belonged to Anderson. When he confronted Anderson about the images, Anderson admitted to taking the pictures. Anderson was reported to the police.
On May 5, 2021, Anderson appeared at the Henry County Sheriff’s Office. He gave a full recorded confession and admitted to taking the photos found on his phone.
Federal agents were contacted and obtained a federal search warrant to search Anderson’s phone. Images recovered from the phone corroborated Anderson's admissions and the information provided to the police.
Forensic review of Anderson’s phone identified several images that had metadata indicating that they were produced using that phone on specific dates in 2019, including the image set forth in the first count of the indictment, which was produced on September 1, 2019, and which depicted a minor victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
As noted above, Anderson was required to register as a sex offender under SORNA when he committed the offense set forth in Count 1 of the indictment on or about September 1, 2019.
On November 16, 2022, Chief Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced the defendant to a total of 25 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Henry County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Deb Ireland and Josh Morrow, who prosecuted this case for the government.
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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or [email protected]. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.
Ohio man sentenced to decade in prison for drug chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Andre Duana Bundy, of Youngstown, Ohio, was sentenced this week to 121 months of incarceration for a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Bundy, 39, pleaded guilty in March 2022 to one count of “Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine.” Bundy admitted to selling 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in August 2021 in Hancock County.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn M. Adkins and Clayton J. Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Drug Enforcement Administration Wheeling; the Drug Enforcement Administration Youngstown; and the Ohio Highway Patrol investigated. The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the Mahoning County, Ohio Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Odessa Woman Pleads Guilty to $7.9 Million in Tax FraudRead the Press Release
MIDLAND, Texas – An Odessa woman pleaded guilty today to two counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of a false tax return.
According to court documents, Rita Elia Sanchez, 45, of Odessa owned and operated an income tax preparation business, Rita’s Tax Service, from her home. Between 2016 and 2018, Sanchez willfully and knowingly helped prepare false Forms 1040 on behalf of her clients. Sanchez portrayed herself as a knowledgeable and experienced return preparer, leading her clients to believe that she knew how to maximize their deductions and tax refunds. However, Sanchez inflated and, in some cases, completely fabricated items on her clients’ income tax returns—often without their knowledge. Sanchez rarely reviewed her clients’ income tax returns with them, beyond the amount they were to receive. This calculated oversight prevented her clients from easily identifying false items on their tax returns.
A sentencing date has not yet been set. Sanchez faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. As part of her plea agreement, Sanchez agrees to pay the IRS $7,953,546.81 in restitution. Additionally, Sanchez is prohibited by law from preparing or filing federal tax returns for anyone other than herself. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of the IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Houston Field Office made the announcement.
The IRS CI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joe Mahoney and Monica Daniels prosecuted the case with the assistance of trial attorney Michael L. Jones of the U.S. Department of Justice Tax Division, Southern Criminal Enforcement Section detailed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
CI’s Houston Field Office encompasses the U.S. District Court’s Southern and Western districts of Texas. CI special agents work a variety of cases, emphasizing traditional tax-related crimes such as employment tax, corporate fraud, identity theft, unscrupulous return preparers and general fraud. The Houston Field Office also provides crucial support to task forces involving counterterrorism, public corruption, human trafficking, drugs and complex money laundering violations. Report tax fraud and learn more about CI by visiting https://www.irs.gov/criminalinvestigation
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Nigerian National Charged with $8 Million Computer Hacking, Wire Fraud, and Money Laundering ActivitiesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Nigerian man has been indicted for his role in computer hacking, wire fraud, and money laundering acts that defrauded companies of nearly $8 million after compromising companies’ business e-mail accounts, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Oladeji Nathaniel Adelekan, aka “Djzle,” 28, of Lagos, Nigeria, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count each of wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, conspiracy to access a protected computer in furtherance of fraud, unauthorized access of a computer with intent to defraud, and money laundering conspiracy.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Between February 2019 and April 2020, Adelekan and his conspirators enriched themselves by tricking corporate employees into transferring company funds to bank accounts that the conspirators controlled. Using phishing emails, Adelekan and his conspirators compromised the email accounts of corporate victims, including a pharmaceutical company headquartered in New Jersey and a technology firm headquartered in Oregon.
In April 2019, the conspirators sent a phishing email to an email account controlled by the pharmaceutical company. Once an employee clicked on a link in the email, the company’s email system was compromised, and the hackers diverted emails sent to the company’s compromised email account to an email account they controlled. Pulling information from the emails that they had diverted, Adelekan and his conspirators spoofed other email accounts at the pharmaceutical company and its supplier. In May 2019, using the supplier’s spoofed email account, the conspirators directed the pharmaceutical company to send a $7.5 million wire transfer to a bank in Mexico for the purported benefit of the supplier to satisfy an outstanding invoice, but which wire transfer actually went to a bank account controlled by the conspirators.
In January 2020, the coconspirators used similar tactics to obtain access to an email account of the Oregon technology firm. The hackers then diverted business emails from that email account to an email account they controlled. In April 2020, the conspirators caused an employee of the Oregon technology firm to execute a $130,000 wire transfer to a bank account in Hong Kong, another bank account controlled by Adelekan and his conspirators.
The counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud each carry a maximum potential punishment of 20 years in prison. The counts of conspiracy to commit unauthorized access of a computer and unauthorized access of a computer each carry a maximum punishment of five years in prison. The count of money laundering conspiracy carries a maximum of 20 years in prison. All of the charges carry a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross loss or gain caused by the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ari B. Fontecchio of the Special Prosecutions Division and Jamie H. Solano of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New York Man Convicted of Robbery and Firearms Offenses in Connection with 14 Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that a jury returned a guilty verdict yesterday against JUSTIN HAMPTON on robbery, armed robbery, and firearms counts. HAMPTON is scheduled to be sentenced on May 1, 2023, by U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Justin Hampton terrorized hardworking New Yorkers with his three-week spree of gunpoint robberies, brandishing a loaded firearm and stealing cash, lottery tickets, and cigarettes. A jury has now found Hampton guilty, and he faces prison time for his crimes.”
According to the superseding Indictment and the evidence at trial:
Between October 18, 2021, and November 10, 2021, HAMPTON and co-conspirators committed 14 robberies of dollar stores, convenience stores, gas stations, and restaurants. HAMPTON operated as the gunman for the robbery crew. He entered each of the commercial establishments late at night or early in the morning, brandished a firearm at employees, and demanded cash, large volumes of lottery tickets, and cigarettes. HAMPTON and his co-conspirators typically fled the scene in HAMPTON’s car and, on multiple occasions, cashed stolen lottery tickets to obtain lottery winnings shortly after the robberies.
After HAMPTON and his crew committed 12 robberies, law enforcement seized HAMPTON’s car and later recovered a gun hidden in the car’s ceiling. Despite the seizure of his car and gun, HAMPTON went on to commit two additional robberies using a motorized scooter and a pellet gun that resembled a real gun.
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HAMPTON, 34, of New York, was convicted on one count of robbery conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; two counts of robbery, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of brandishing a firearm during a robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minumum sentence of seven years in prison to be served consecutively to any other sentence; and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The statutory minumum and maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determiend by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Joint Robbery Task Force of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the New York City Police Department.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Madison Reddick Smyser, Brandon C. Thompson, and Thane Rehn are in charge of the prosecution.
New Jersey Business Owner Sentenced to Five Years of Incarceration for Defrauding over 75 Victims of More Than $2.7 Million in Nationwide Scheme to Sell Fraudulent Coronavirus Disinfectant ProductsRead the Press Release
A New Jersey man was sentenced in connection with charges stemming from his sale of more than $2.7 million worth of unregistered pesticides to numerous victims based on false representations that these products were pesticides registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and on EPA’s “List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2” that EPA deemed to be effective against SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus).
Paul Andrecola, 63, of Maple Shade, New Jersey, was sentenced to five years in prison and three years of supervised release and forfeiture of $2.74 million by U.S. District Court Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden. Andrecola had previously been charged with one count of knowingly distributing or selling an unregistered pesticide in violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), one count of wire fraud and one count of presenting false claims to the United States.
“The defendant committed a brazen fraud in the midst of a global pandemic and sought to profit from people’s fears of contracting the coronavirus,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This sentence shows that these crimes are serious and will be vigorously prosecuted by the Department of Justice.”
“Paul Andrecola’s scheme profited on the fears of the American people during the height of concerns about transmission of COVID-19,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “Our office is dedicated to protecting public health and prosecuting to the full extent of the law fraudsters who commit such egregious criminal acts.”
“Today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for perpetrating the largest pandemic fraud case related to the sale of unregistered pesticides charged nationwide,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Amon of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in New Jersey. “This case underscores EPA’s commitment to hold violators accountable for placing the public at risk by failing to ensure the integrity and safety of their products.”
FIFRA provides for federal regulation of pesticide distribution, sale and use. The purpose of FIFRA is to ensure that pesticides sold in the United States are safe, effective and bear labeling containing true and accurate information. The EPA has responsibility under FIFRA to regulate the manufacture, labeling and distribution of all pesticides shipped or received in interstate commerce.
Under FIFRA, all pesticides must be registered with the EPA before the pesticide can be sold or distributed, and no person may distribute or sell a pesticide that has not been registered with the EPA. Moreover, before pesticide products can legally make claims that they can kill a particular pathogen such as SARS-CoV-2, the claim must be authorized by EPA based on a review of data. In March 2020, at the beginning of the global pandemic, the EPA created a list of EPA-registered products that it deemed to be effective against SARS-CoV-2, titled “List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2.” The EPA has continued to update this list since its creation.
According to documents filed in this case, and statements made in court:
Andrecola, who owns and operates three companies based in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, manufactured various disinfectant products, including liquids and wipes, under the brand name “GCLEAN.” GCLEAN products were unregistered pesticides under FIFRA and none of the products were on EPA’s “List N of Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2.” Rather, Andrecola placed another company’s EPA Registration Numbers on his company’s products, and falsely marketed that his products were EPA-approved to kill Coronavirus by creating numerous false documents to support his claims. Specifically, Andrecola, or others at his behest, provided this falsified documentation to potential customers, falsely representing that various sanitizer and wipe products in the names GCLEAN and/or GC200 were EPA-registered products on EPA’s “List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2,” to persuade them to purchase the unregistered pesticide products.
From approximately March 2020 through May 2021, Andrecola used these fraudulent representations to make more than 150 sales of unregistered pesticides for a profit of more than $2.7 million. The purchasers of these unregistered pesticides included a police department in Delaware, a fire department in Virginia, a medical clinic in Georgia, a janitorial supply company in New York, a school district in Wisconsin, as well as numerous U.S. government agencies (namely, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, Moody Air Force Base, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Forest Service).
The government is represented by Trial Attorneys Adam C. Cullman and Matthew D. Evans of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason P. Garelick for the District of New Jersey, Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case, with assistance from EPA’s Office of the Inspector General, Eastern Region; the Homeland Security Investigations Newark Field Office; the Defense Criminal Investigative Service Northeast Field Office; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Northeast Field Office and the Mount Laurel Police Department.
New Braunfels Man Sentenced to Prison for Threats Against Then-Presidential Candidate Joe BidenRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A New Braunfels man was sentenced Wednesday to eight months in prison and three years of supervised release for making threats in 2019 against then-presidential candidate Joe Biden.
According to court documents, on December 11, 2019, William O. Towery, 55, of New Braunfels responded to a text message regarding a campaign rally that then presidential candidate Joe Biden was to appear. In his response, Towery said, “I’ll be there and have been practicing my sniping skills all month just for this occasion. If you will be nell [sic] near him you may want to wear something dark to hide the blood splatter.”
During the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez noted that words have consequences and words incite others to behave in ways they might not otherwise.
The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. for the FBI San Antonio Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, the San Antonio Police Department and the New Braunfels Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Roomberg and Bill Harris prosecuted the case.
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New Bern Blood Gang Member Sentenced to 17 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Daquan Doral Carter, 27, of New Bern, North Carolina was sentenced today to 210 months in prison for drug trafficking and firearm charges. Carter is a validated member of the United Blood Nation street gang. On May 23. 2022, Carter pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of a Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine, Distribution of a Quantity of Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
“We are taking on violent gang members and narcotics traffickers in every corner of Eastern North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Carter wrecked his car in a dangerous high-speed chase through downtown New Bern, exceeding 100 miles per hour. Now he will hitch a ride to federal prison. Today’s sentence is a warning to violent gang members in the Eastern District of North Carolina. The Feds are here.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Carter was responsible for trafficking just under 6 kilograms of methamphetamine in and around New Bern between January 2020 and July 2021. On November 18, 2020, the New Bern Police Department seized marijuana and $15,000 in cash from Carter during a routine traffic stop. Between April and May 2021, New Bern Police officers seized marijuana and an additional $10,000 in cash from Carter. On June 23, 2021, Carter sold over an ounce of crystal methamphetamine to a confidential source. Carter was captured on an audio-visual recording conducting the transaction. On July 1, 2021, New Bern Police officers arrested Carter after finding a stolen firearm in his possession during a traffic stop. The firearm also exhibited an extended magazine. Again, on July 7, 2021, Carter sold over half an ounce of crystal methamphetamine to a confidential source. Carter was captured on an audio-visual recording conducting the transaction. On July 20, 2021, Craven County Sheriffs Deputies attempted to serve Carter with outstanding arrest warrants related to a gang-related shooting, when he fled in his vehicle and took law enforcement on a high-speed chase throughout downtown New Bern. Carter was driving in speeds of excess of 100 miles per hour before crashing his vehicle. Deputies then arrested Carter and executed a search warrant at his residence where they recovered a quantity of crystal methamphetamine and cocaine.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The New Bern Police Department, Craven County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aakash Singh prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-CR-54-BO.
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Native of Mexico Indicted on Illegal Reentry ChargeRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Juan Carlso Flores-Ramirez, age 34, of Mexico, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on a charge of illegal reentry.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Flores-Ramirez was removed from the United States on or about August 10, 2012, through Hidalgo, Texas, and it is alleged that he reentered the United States without first obtaining legal permission to do so. The indictment also alleges that on November 4, 2022, Flores-Ramirez was encountered in Juniata County, Pennsylvania.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime M. Keating is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 2 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Missoula woman sentenced to four years in prison for trafficking methamphetamineRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Missoula woman who admitted to distributing methamphetamine was sentenced to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Deva Crystal Hartsoe, 42, pleaded guilty in August to distribution of meth.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in April 2021, law enforcement made a controlled purchase of meth from Hartsoe. Hartsoe was interviewed later and admitted that she had sold meth. Co-defendant Devin Neil Farley was sentenced in November to eight years in prison for his conviction in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force, Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, Missoula Police Department, Flathead Tribal Police and Northwest Drug Task Force.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Mexican Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Fidel Cardenas-Alvarez, 46, of Michoacan, Mexico, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, by Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine, using a communication facility in the conspiracy, and for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Cardenas-Alvarez received a sentence of 144 months’ imprisonment with a five-year term of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal system. Cardenas-Alvarez will be deported by U.S. immigration authorities when he completes his sentence of imprisonment.
Beginning in December 2020, the Drug Enforcement Administration initiated an operation, which targeted a known Mexican-based Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) operating in the Omaha area. This investigation included a court authorized wiretap interception of phone calls and text messages, allowing agents to identify the scope of the conspiracy and its members. Cardenas-Alvarez was identified as a member of the DTO and was intercepted numerous times over the phone discussing drug transactions with co-conspirators. The investigation involving Cardenas-Alvarez ended on February 24, 2021, when agents executed a search warrant on Cardenas-Alvarez’s apartment and seized 21.14 pounds of methamphetamine.
Other members of the DTO that have been indicted include Tomas Lorenzo-Cruz, who is scheduled for jury trial on January 30, 2023, before Chief Judge Rossiter. Darald Sandman and Teresa Forbes have pled guilty to the conspiracy and will both be sentenced on March 3, 2023, before Chief Judge Rossiter.
This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Omaha Police Department.
Maryland man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Paul David Fairburn, of Hagerstown, Maryland, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Fairburn, 27, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Heroin and Cocaine Base.” Fairburn admitted to working with others to distribute fentanyl, heroin, cocaine base, and cocaine hydrochloride from August 2020 to June 2021 in Berkeley County and elsewhere. The combined drug weight was between 40 and 60 kilograms.
Fairburn faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Marion Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
A felon who possessed firearms pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Tyler Maus, age 30, from Marion, was convicted of one count of being a felon in possession of firearms. At the plea hearing, Maus admitted that, on December 5, 2021, he possessed four pistols after having been convicted of four felonies.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Maus remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing. Maus faces a possible maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Hiawatha Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Marion Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 22-49.
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Manchester Man Sentenced to 57 Months for Robbing Six Banks Across New Hampshire and MassachusettsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Eric Mohan, 48, of Manchester, was sentenced today to 57 months in federal prison for a string of bank robberies in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Mohan’s three-month robbery spree began on February 11, 2022, when he robbed a Triangle Credit Union in Manchester, New Hampshire using a demand note, and stealing $2070. Subsequently, Mohan twice robbed a Salem Five Bank in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, an Align Credit Union in Danvers, Massachusetts, a Northeast Credit Union in Lee, New Hampshire, and a Service Federal Credit Union in Hampton, New Hampshire. Unbeknownst to Mohan, on April 4, 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation had identified his vehicle, tracked him to Hampton, and arrested him as he was leaving the Service Federal Credit Union. While being arrested, Mohan dropped a bag containing $10,659 in currency and a demand note.
“Bank robbers, like the defendant, endanger the safety of the bank employees, the public and law enforcement officers who respond to these robberies,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “As evidenced by the diligent investigation in this case, law enforcement will prioritize apprehending bank robbers and the United States Attorney’s Office will prosecute bank robbers and seek lengthy periods of incarceration to protect the public and to deter others from committing this dangerous crime.”
“Eric Mohan is a serial bank robber who terrorized innocent bank tellers and bystanders just trying to go about their daily lives, and his actions will no doubt have a lifelong impact on those involved,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Today’s sentence should send a clear message that if you rob a bank in this state, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will find you, arrest you, and ensure you go to federal prison for a long time.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, with valuable assistance from the Tewksbury Police Department and the Danvers Police Department.
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Lynnfield Man Indicted for Alleged Scheme to Fraudulently Obtain CARES Act and PPP Loans for His Boxing GymRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynnfield man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain multiple Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act loans, including funds from the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and unemployment benefits to which he was not entitled.
Daniel Olivar, 43, was indicted on four counts of wire fraud. Olivar was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston this afternoon.
According to the charging documents, Olivar was the owner of Sonny’s Boxing and Fitness, Inc. in Middleton. It is alleged that, since at least 2019, Olivar engaged in a scheme to defraud and to obtain CARES Act business loans, by filing false and fraudulent applications with the United States Small Business administration (SBA). This included an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) from the SBA and a PPP loan. In addition, Olivar allegedly filed a claim for unemployment benefits with the State of Massachusetts, falsely claiming that he was laid off from Gold’s Gym. As a result, it is alleged that from January 2020 until at least May 2021, Olivar received unemployment benefits from the state of Massachusetts.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan of Rollins’ Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Luzerne County Man Charged with Covid-Relief Fraud, Credit Card Fraud, and Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Reynard Lewis, age 29, formerly of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, was charged on December 6, 2022, by a federal grand jury with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, identification and access device, and false statement offenses.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Lewis and his coconspirators used stolen identities to create forged identification documents and credit and debit cards. The conspirators used those forged items and stolen identities to open bank accounts, apply for lines of credit, and obtain retail merchandise. The conspirators also used the stolen identities to apply for multiple COVID-19 pandemic relief loans issued under the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), including by submitted false federal tax documentation. The conspirators allegedly received over $100,000 in pandemic stimulus funds.
The PPP is designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded by the March 2020 CARES Act, PPP funds are offered in forgivable loans, provided that certain criteria are met, including use of the funds for employee payroll, mortgage interest, lease, and utilities expenses.
Lewis previously was charged in a criminal complaint and arrested on September 16, 2022. He has remained in detention since his arrest. Lewis’s alleged coconspirator, Robert Brownstein, age 51, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was previously charged in a criminal information with wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and the Pottsville Bureau of Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the most serious offenses is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The aggravated identity theft offenses carry a mandatory two-year sentence of imprisonment that is to run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Lubbock Man Sentenced to 35 years in Federal Prison for East Texas Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas - A Lubbock man has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for trafficking drugs through the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Mark Anthony Calzadias, 48, pleaded guilty on Dec. 20, 2021, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering and was sentenced to 420 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant.
According to information presented in court, between 2017 and 2018, seven incidents associated with the Calzadias Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) resulted in the seizure of 10 kilograms of cocaine and $1,664,620 in U.S. currency. A joint investigation revealed that Mark Anthony Calzadias, Michael Calzadias, and Thomas Calzadias were the main sources of supply for the drugs, including cocaine, which were imported from Mexico, and transported from the Rio Grande Valley through the Eastern District of Texas to St. Louis, Missouri; Danville, Virginia; Greenville, South Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; Fort Meyers, Florida; and other areas in the United States. Over the course of the conspiracy, the Calzadias DTO was responsible for the transportation of over 1,000 kilograms of cocaine. The investigation resulted in the seizure of $1.6 million in U.S. Currency.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ernest Gonzalez.
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Lodge Grass man sentenced to five years in prison for burglaryRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Lodge Grass man who admitted to breaking into a woman’s house on the Crow Indian Reservation and sexually abusing her in 2020 was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Joe Claren Tate Reed, 32, pleaded guilty in August to burglary.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that on July 18, 2020, Reed was drinking with the victim, identified as Jane Doe, and others. In the early morning, Doe was taken home and put to bed because of alcohol intoxication. Reed then broke into Doe’s home and sexually assaulted her. Doe reported the assault to Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement and got a medical exam. Reed consented to giving a buccal swab. The results found Reed’s DNA on swabs taken from Doe’s exam. Reed initially denied having sex with Doe. When confronted with the DNA results, Reed claimed he attempted to have consensual sex with Doe, but she passed out, so he stopped.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lori Harper Suek and Thomas K. Godfrey prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
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Lincoln Man Sentenced 18+ Years for MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Tommy L. Meyer, 43, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 7, 2022, in federal court in Lincoln. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Meyer to 224 months in prison for one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine with a prior serious drug felony. Meyer faced a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence because of a prior conviction for delivery/possession with intent to deliver an exceptionally hazardous drug in Lancaster County District Court. The court also entered a final order of forfeiture for $18,451 currency. After serving his sentence, Meyer will be placed on supervised release for 10 years. There is no parole in the federal system.
On May 19, 2021, the Lincoln Metro Fugitive Task Force was attempting to locate Meyer for a warrant. An officer saw Meyer’s vehicle pull into an alley side parking of a building and Meyer began running from the area. Shortly thereafter he was arrested, and officers found $900 in currency on his person. Officers then conducted an inventory search of his vehicle. Officers found $512 in currency, a digital scale, and a baggie containing about 12.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine in the vehicle’s console. In the driver’s side back seat, officers found a backpack with $17,039 in currency, a brick of suspected methamphetamine weighing 17.9 ounces, a bag with 9.4 ounces of suspected methamphetamine, a Ziplock bag with 1.5 ounces of suspected methamphetamine, and another bag containing .5 ounce of suspected methamphetamine. Officers also found another scale in the back seat.
Behind a subwoofer in the trunk of the vehicle, officers found a concealed compartment that contained 9 more bricks of suspected methamphetamine, which weighed in total 9.4 pounds.
The suspected methamphetamine was sent to the lab for testing. Testing determined that the methamphetamine was 100% pure.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force and the Lincoln Metropolitan Fugitive Task Force.
Leader of Baltimore Eight Tray Gangster Crips Sentenced to More Than 37 Years in Federal Prison for Racketeering and Drug Conspiracy Charges, Including Three Homicides and Three Non-Fatal ShootingsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Trayvon Hall, a/k/a “Tru,” and “G Tru,” age 31, of Baltimore, yesterday to 454 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for racketeering and drug conspiracy charges, related to his activities as the leader of the Eight Tray Gangster (ETG) Crips gang in Baltimore. Judge Bennett also sentenced ETG Crips member Marcus Williams, a/k/a “Gangsta C,” and “GC,” age 34, of Baltimore to 87 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, on the same charges.
The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
The ETG Crips were a violent subset of the Crips gang that originated in California in the 1970s, eventually operating on the streets and in correctional facilities in Maryland beginning in the 2000s. For many years, the ETG Crips controlled the drug trade in particular territories in Baltimore City, including the area around the intersection between West Baltimore Street and South Hilton Street in West Baltimore (the “Baltimore Hilton neighborhood”), the area around the intersection between West Lexington Street and North Fremont Avenue (the “Lexington Terrace neighborhood”), and the area around the intersection between Frankford Avenue and Sinclair Lane in North Baltimore (the “Frankford Sinclair neighborhood”). The ETG Crips members from the Baltimore Hilton and Lexington Terrace neighborhoods referred to themselves as the Baccwest ETG Crips—modeling themselves after the Baccwest ETG Crips in Los Angeles—and ETG Crips members from the Frankford Sinclair neighborhood called themselves the Nutty North Side ETG Crips. The two groups worked together for common criminal purposes.
According to their guilty pleas, Trayvon Hall was the leader of the Baccwest ETG Crips in Baltimore, referred to as the “G” of the gang and Williams was a member of the gang. In about 2013, Hall flew to California to meet with West Coast leaders of the ETG Crips and gain their official approval for his Baccwest ETG Crips set in Baltimore. The Baccwest ETG Crips operated street-level drug distribution “shops” primarily in the Baltimore Hilton neighborhood, the Lexington Terrace neighborhood and the Franklin Sinclair neighborhood, distributing heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana. Non-members of the gang who attempted to sell drugs in the ETG Crips’ territories were targeted for violence by ETG Crips members.
The ETG Crips used social media websites to assert their claim to drug territories, intimidate rival gangs and witnesses against gang members, and to enhance the status of the ETG Crips and of individual members within the gang. Members of the ETG Crips posted photos and rap videos to social media websites flaunting weapons and threatening to kill those who stood in the way of the gang. By participating in criminal activities in furtherance of the gang, particularly violent acts directed by the ETG Crips leadership, ETG Crips members earned respect from fellow members and maintained or advanced their position within the gang.
As detailed in the plea agreements, Hall his co-defendants, including Williams, conspired to distribute and distributed drugs, including heroin and crack cocaine, and committed robberies to earn money for the enterprise. From May 2016 through November 2016, Hall and other ETG Crips conspired to murder members of the Black Guerilla Family (BGF) gang who operated a rival drug shop in the Lexington Terrace neighborhood. During a conversation with fellow gang members on May18, 2016, Williams agreed to “take the lead in a drill” that night to shoot BGF members by approaching the basketball court at Lexington Terrace from “behind,” catching the BGF members unaware. On June 23, 2016, ETG Crips members attempted to murder two BGF gang members, instead shooting two victims who were in the area at the time. On July 18, 2016, Hall murdered BGF member Albert Pittman, shooting him to death in the 4800 block of Midline Road. On November 11, 2016, in the 800 block of West Lexington Street, Hall opened fire on members of the rival BGF gang, killing BGF member Shyheim Brown and wounding two other victims. Immediately afterward, Hall sent an unindicted co-conspirator a series of text messages about the shooting, saying he had “Jus bashed the monkeys” (a derogatory term for members of BGF), and they “Wasn’t exspecting [sic] me be out early lmGCao [laughing my Gangster Crip ass off].”
Further, from July 2017 through July 2019, Hall and other members of the ETG Crips conspired to murder members of the Abington Avenue drug trafficking organization, whose territory the ETG Crips had taken over. Hall directed the ETG Crips to use violence to retaliate against anyone who refused to respect the boundaries of their newly claimed turf. Hall admitted that on July 6, 2018, he opened fire on members of the Abington Avenue organization who were playing dice in the unit block of Abington Avenue, killing Steven McKnight and wounding an additional victim. During a recorded telephone call on July 28, 2017, Williams used coded language to discuss the murder of ETG Crips member, Mitch Finney, with a fellow ETG Crips member and co-defendant, advising him that Finney’s murder was in retaliation for the murder of a BGF member from Abington Avenue.
According to his plea agreement, Hall and other ETG members conspired to murder an individual who they believed had cooperated with law enforcement and threatened a witness who testified against a fellow gang member in a state murder trial. On April 13, 2019, a newly recruited gang member drove ETG Crips members through the unit block of Abingdon Avenue while they shot at Victim 15 using a 9mm caliber firearm and a .45 caliber firearm. Victim 15 was hit in the shoulder but survived. An hour later, Williams sent a co-conspirator a screenshot of a news article about the shooting.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the ATF, the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter J. Martinez and Kim Y. Oldham, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty for His Part in a Nationwide Telemarking Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS- A Kansas City man has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection to a $300 million nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme that targeted elderly and vulnerable victims announced, U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, from 2000 through February 2020, Russell Jason Rahm, 52, participated in a telemarketing fraud scheme involving fraudulent magazine subscription sales. Rahm was the owner and Chief Executive Officer of several Kansas-based companies involved in the fraudulent scheme, including Subscription Ink Co. and Millennium Marketing. As part of the scheme, Rahm’s companies, along with other companies, used fraudulent sales scripts to defraud victim-consumers, many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable, out of hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The fraudulent sales scripts were designed to induce consumers, through a series of lies and misrepresentations, into making large or repeat payments. Rahm’s companies also handled collections for those victim-consumers who did not pay or who challenged the resulting charges as fraudulent. Rahm’s companies received, reviewed, and responded to complaints from victim-consumers to state Attorney General’s offices and the Better Business Bureau.
According to court documents, Rahm and his companies also provided sales leads and handled order management, billing, and collections for other companies involved in fraudulent magazine sales in exchange for a percentage of the revenue received from victim-consumers.
Rahm and his companies defrauded thousands of victims and collected approximately $103 million from victims as a result of this fraudulent scheme.
In total, 60 defendants were charged, in multiple indictments, for their roles in this scheme that targeted more than 150,000 elderly and vulnerable victims out of $300 million.
Rahm pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in U.S. District Court before Judge John R. Tunheim. A sentencing hearing has not been scheduled yet.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, Melinda A. Williams, and Matthew S. Ebert are prosecuting the case.
Jury Convicts KC Man of Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been convicted by a trial jury of the armed robbery of a Family Dollar store with the assistance of the store’s assistant manager.
Delshawn Lemons, 27, was found guilty on Wednesday, Dec. 7, of one count of robbery and one count of possessing a firearm during a crime of violence.
Co-defendants Veronika Rodriguez, 26, and Bobby J. Booker, Jr., 25, both of Kansas City, Mo., have pleaded guilty to their roles in the robbery.
Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Lemons stole $3,102 at gunpoint from the Family Dollar store at 4401 E. 50th Terrace in Kansas City, Mo., on June 8, 2020.
Rodriguez, who was an assistant manager at the store, was counting the money drawer to close up for the night when Lemons and Booker, who were both armed with handguns and wearing masks, walked into the store. They held two store employees at gunpoint while Rodriguez put all the money in a bag. Lemons and Booker then left the store.
Rodriguez told investigators that Lemons, who knew she was closing the night of the robbery, had approached her about robbing the store and promised her a share of the robbery proceeds.
Rodriguez also told investigators that Lemons had approached her about setting up other men for him to rob.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for three and a half hours before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Nanette K. Laughrey, ending a trial that began Tuesday, Dec. 6.
Under federal statutes, Lemons is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Marquez and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. Baker. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Operation LeGend
Operation LeGend is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in Kansas City, Mo., in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Jury Convicts Former Federal Prison Warden for Sexual Abuse of Three Female InmatesRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted former prison warden Ray J. Garcia of seven counts involving sexually abusive conduct against three female victims who were serving prison sentences and one count of making false statements to government agents.
Garcia, 55, of Merced, California, was initially charged with sexual abuse of an inmate on Sept. 24, 2021. A federal grand jury issued a superseding indictment on Aug. 23, 2022, charging Garcia with three counts of sexual abuse and four counts of abusive sexual contact against three female inmates. The criminal acts were alleged to have occurred from December 2019 to July 2021. The superseding indictment also charged Garcia with one count of making false statements to a government agency during the investigation of the criminal acts.
Today, a jury convicted Garcia of all counts.
“Today’s guilty verdict is one important step in our ongoing efforts to root out sexual misconduct within the Bureau of Prisons,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “It also delivers justice to the victims in this case, who were repeatedly subjected to the defendant’s egregious sexual abuse and gross exploitation of power. As this verdict illustrates, the Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting cases of criminal misconduct by Bureau employees and to holding accountable all who violate their duty to protect those in their custody.”
“The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that FCI Dublin’s former warden, whose responsibility was not only to assure the care and welfare of individuals incarcerated at his institution but also to demonstrate to employees that unethical and illegal conduct from prison officials would not be tolerated, used his authority instead to prey sexually upon female inmates under his control,” said U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds. “The jury heard the evidence of these despicable acts, and its guilty verdicts hold the former warden accountable for his crimes. I thank the DOJ OIG and the FBI for their hard work on this case and the jury for its service and attentiveness to the evidence we presented.”
“Garcia exploited his authority, sexually abused three inmates, repeatedly lied to try to cover up his crimes, and fostered a culture of abuse at FCI Dublin. The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General will continue to bring to justice any BOP employee who abuses inmates,” said Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz.
“Today, a jury convicted Ray J. Garcia of abusing his position at FCI Dublin to sexually abuse three female victims who were incarcerated and placed in his care. He betrayed his responsibility and the public’s trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp of the FBI San Francisco Field Office. “The FBI is committed to protecting the civil rights of all victims, and hold accountable individuals in positions of trust who violate those rights under the color of law.”
Trial evidence showed that Garcia was employed as an associate warden and later as the warden of the Federal Correctional Institute in Dublin, Calif. (FCI Dublin), an all-female low security federal correctional institution. All three of the victims were incarcerated and serving their prison sentences at FCI Dublin under the custodial, supervisory and disciplinary authority of Garcia when the crimes occurred.
The jury convicted Garcia of three counts sexual abuse and one count of sexually abusive contact against an inmate referred to as Victim 1. Trial evidence showed that Garcia’s sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact against Victim 1 began in December 2019 and extended through March 2020. During this time period, Garcia would encounter Victim 1 in and around the prison visitation room, including in an attached bathroom and an inmate changing stall. In these areas, Garcia would engage in sexual contact with Victim 1.
Garcia was also convicted of two counts of abusive sexual contact with Victim 2, both acts occurring in the time period of January to July 2021. Trial evidence showed that the acts occurred in a warehouse within the prison grounds and also in Victim 2’s prison cell. These areas, generally out of the immediate view of others, were where Garcia would engage in abusive sexual contact with Victim 2.
The jury also convicted Garcia of abusive sexual contact with Victim 3 during the period of March to September 2020. Garcia engaged in this sexual contact of Victim 3 in the prison’s electrical shop.
The jury lastly convicted Garcia of making false statements to a government agency on July 22, 2021. On that date, Garcia was interviewed by government law enforcement agents during the investigation of his sexual conduct with inmates. Evidence at trial showed that Garcia falsely claimed he had never asked inmates to be undressed for him at a specific time and that had he never touched an inmate inappropriately. Trial evidence showed that Garcia had already asked multiple inmates to undress for him and had also touched Victim 1, Victim 2 and Victim 3 in a sexual manner.
Garcia was convicted of three counts of sexual abuse of a ward, and each count carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. The jury convicted Garcia of four counts of abusive sexual conduct, and each count carries a maximum term of two years imprisonment. The jury also convicted Garcia of making false statements to a government agency, which carries a maximum sentence of eight years' imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who presided over the trial, set a sentencing date for March 8, 2023. Garcia remains out of custody pending his sentencing hearing.
Deputy Attorney General Monaco, U.S. Attorney Stephanie, Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz and Special Agent in Charge Tripp made the announcement.
DOJ-OIG and the FBI are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly Priedeman and Andrew Paulson for the Northern District of California, with the assistance of Madeline Wachs, Leeya Kekona and Sara Slattery are prosecuting the case.
Jury Convicts Former Federal Prison Warden for Sexual Abuse of Three Female InmatesRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – A federal jury convicted former prison warden Ray J. Garcia of seven counts involving sexually abusive conduct against three female victims who were serving prison sentences and one count of making false statements to government agents.
“Today’s guilty verdict is one important step in our ongoing efforts to root out sexual misconduct within the Bureau of Prisons,” said U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “It also delivers justice to the victims in this case, who were repeatedly subjected to the defendant’s egregious sexual abuse and gross exploitation of power. As this verdict illustrates, the Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting cases of criminal misconduct by Bureau employees and to holding accountable all who violate their duty to protect those in their custody.”
“The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that FCI Dublin’s former warden, whose responsibility was not only to assure the care and welfare of individuals incarcerated at his institution but also to demonstrate to employees that unethical and illegal conduct from prison officials would not be tolerated, used his authority instead to prey sexually upon female inmates under his control,” said United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds. “The jury heard the evidence of these despicable acts, and its guilty verdicts hold the former warden accountable for his crimes. I thank the DOJ OIG and the FBI for their hard work on this case and the jury for its service and attentiveness to the evidence we presented.”
“Garcia exploited his authority, sexually abused three inmates, repeatedly lied to try to cover up his crimes, and fostered a culture of abuse at FCI Dublin. The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General will continue to bring to justice any BOP employee who abuses inmates,” said Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz.
“Today, a jury convicted Ray J. Garcia of abusing his position at FCI Dublin to sexually abuse three female victims who were incarcerated and placed in his care. He betrayed his responsibility and the public’s trust,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. “The FBI is committed to protecting the civil rights of all victims, and hold accountable individuals in positions of trust who violate those rights under the color of law.”
Garcia, 55, of Merced, Calif., was initially charged with sexual abuse of an inmate on September 24, 2021. A federal grand jury issued a superseding indictment on August 23, 2022, charging Garcia with three counts of sexual abuse and four counts of abusive sexual contact against three female inmates. The criminal acts were alleged to have occurred from December 2019 to July 2021. The superseding indictment also charged Garcia with one count of making false statements to a government agency during the investigation of the criminal acts.
Today, a jury convicted Garcia of all counts.
Trial evidence showed that Garcia was employed as an Associate Warden and later as the Warden of the Federal Correctional Institute in Dublin, Calif. (FCI Dublin), an all-female low security federal correctional institution. All three of the victims were incarcerated and serving their prison sentences at FCI Dublin under the custodial, supervisory, and disciplinary authority of Garcia when the crimes occurred.
The jury convicted Garcia of three counts of sexual abuse and one count of sexually abusive contact against an inmate referred to as Victim 1. Trial evidence showed that Garcia’s sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact against Victim 1 began in December 2019 and extended through March 2020. During this time period, Garcia would encounter Victim 1 in and around the prison visitation room, including in an attached bathroom and an inmate changing stall. In these areas, Garcia would engage in sexual contact with Victim 1.
Garcia was also convicted of two counts of abusive sexual contact with Victim 2, both acts occurring in the time period of January to July 2021. Trial evidence showed that the acts occurred in a warehouse within the prison grounds and also in Victim 2’s prison cell. These areas, generally out of the immediate view of others, were where Garcia would engage in abusive sexual contact with Victim 2.
The jury also convicted Garcia of abusive sexual contact with Victim 3 during the period of March to September 2020. Garcia engaged in this sexual contact of Victim 3 in the prison’s electrical shop.
The jury lastly convicted Garcia of making false statements to a government agency on July 22, 2021. On that date, Garcia was interviewed by government law enforcement agents during the investigation of his sexual conduct with inmates. Evidence at trial showed that Garcia falsely claimed he had never asked inmates to be undressed for him and that had he never touched an inmate inappropriately. Trial evidence showed that Garcia had already asked multiple inmates to undress for him and had also touched Victim 1, Victim 2, and Victim 3 all in a sexual manner.
Garcia was convicted of three counts of sexual abuse of a ward in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2243(b), and each count carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. The jury convicted Garcia of four counts of abusive sexual conduct in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2244(a)(4), and each count carries a maximum term of two years imprisonment. The jury also convicted Garcia of making false statements to a government agency in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2), which carries a maximum sentence of 8 years imprisonment. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
United States District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who presided over the trial, set a sentencing date for March 8, 2023, at 2 p.m. Garcia remains out of custody pending his sentencing hearing.
U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds, DOJ Inspector General Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp made the announcement.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly Priedeman and Andrew Paulson, with the assistance of Madeline Wachs, Leeya Kekona, and Sara Slattery. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DOJ OIG and the FBI.
Jury Convicts Fayetteville Man of Lying to FAARead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Noah Felice, 71, was convicted yesterday of lying to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) following a two-day jury trial in the United States District Court in Syracuse, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Christopher A. Scharf, Special Agent in Charge, Northeastern Region of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General and Christopher F. Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Field Office of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General.
During the trial, evidence was presented that proved that in September 2017, Felice submitted to the FAA an application for an airman medical certificate, which is a certificate demonstrating that a pilot is medically fit to fly an aircraft. On the application, Felice stated that he had no history of criminal convictions and was not receiving medical disability benefits. In fact, Felice had four prior misdemeanor convictions, two of which were for lying about his criminal history on state and local forms. Felice also was receiving several thousand dollars a month from the Department of Veterans Affairs because he had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 19, 2023, in Syracuse, New York, at which time the defendant faces a term of imprisonment of up to 5 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General and the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Sutcliffe and Paul Tuck.
Jasper County Youth Coach Indicted on Federal Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas– A Silsbee man has been indicted on federal child exploitation charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Adam Dale Isaacks, 39, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on Dec. 7, 2022, charging him with six counts of transportation of a minor for sexual activity.
According to prosecutors, in 2020 and 2021, Isaacks was a youth coach and president of the Evadale Little League Baseball organization and a trusted member of the community. During this time, Isaacks is alleged to have transported minors from Texas to other states for sporting and camping events with intent to engage in sexual activity with the minor.
If convicted, Isaacks faces from 10 years to life in federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is being investigated by the FBI, the Sabine County Sheriff’s Office, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, and the San Augustine County Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
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Jamaican Man Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Federal Prison for Obstructing His DeportationRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced an unidentified Jamaican man, who was charged as “John Doe,” to four years and three months in federal prison for obstructing his deportation from the United States. A federal jury had found Doe guilty on February 15, 2022.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Doe was first encountered by immigration authorities in January 1985 in Miami when he attempted to enter the United States from Jamaica by claiming to be a U.S. citizen named Freddie Davis. When authorities determined that he was not a U.S. citizen, he was allowed to voluntarily return to Jamaica. Doe attempted to enter the country again the next month in West Palm Beach, claiming to be a citizen of the Bahamas and using a fraudulent Bahamian passport in the name of Joseph Gordon. This ruse was discovered, and he was deported to Jamaica.
Sometime later, at an unknown place and time, Doe successfully entered the United States illegally. He was encountered by immigration authorities in Dallas in September 1988, after serving a prison sentence. Doe said then that his name was Joseph Gordon and at first said that he was a U.S. citizen born in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, but later said that he was a citizen of the Bahamas. An immigration judge subsequently ordered him to be deported to Jamaica, but he was not deported at that time.
In June 2018, after completing a prison sentence in Florida, Doe was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Miami, this time using the name Ricardo Jones, the name under which he was convicted. Because Doe’s true identity could not conclusively be determined, the Jamaican authorities told ICE they needed more information to verify that he was a Jamaican citizen. Over the next several months, ICE and Jamaican authorities attempted to determine Doe’s true identity but were unsuccessful. Doe was repeatedly warned that he could be prosecuted if he continued to obstruct his deportation.
On January 18, 2019, Doe was scheduled for an interview with the Jamaican consulate, but he refused to speak to them. When an ICE officer asked him his name, he responded “Only God knows my name.” Later that month, Doe was transferred to ICE custody in Baker County. In March 2019, ICE again attempted to obtain a travel document to deport Doe to Jamaica. The Jamaican consulate once again informed ICE that it could not issue a travel document for Doe, because there was no conclusive evidence that Doe was a citizen of Jamaica. ICE scheduled Doe for a phone interview with the Jamaican consulate on April 9, 2019, but he refused to leave his dormitory for the interview. Another interview was scheduled for April 17, 2019, Doe went but refused to provide any information. He advised that his name was Ricardo Jones but would not provide any other information.
On June 20 and July 23, 2019, ICE conducted recorded interviews of Doe to again attempt to obtain biographical information that might allow him to be identified. During these interviews, after stating that his name was Freddie Davis, Doe refused to provide any other information, saying that ICE already had all of the information they needed.
In addition to the identities discussed above, Doe has also used the names Dave Davis, Patrick Melbourne, Frank Douglas, and Danny Brooks while he has been illegally present in the United States.
“This individual has a violent and egregious criminal history of non-compliance with many U.S. laws,” said ERO Miami Field Office Director Garrett Ripa. “His extensive criminal past is a threat to public safety. The men and women of ERO Miami will continue to focus on protecting our nation against individuals who are a threat to our communities.”
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
Houston Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking in East TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas - A Houston man was sentenced to federal prison for trafficking drugs through the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Jaime Garcia-Sanchez, 20, pleaded guilty on July 14, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to 52 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone. Co-defendant, Daniel Corona Avalos, a Mexican national, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison on Dec. 1, 2022.
According to information presented in court, on March 4, 2022, Garcia-Sanchez and Avalos were stopped by law enforcement on Hwy 59 in Nacogdoches. During a consent search of the vehicle, law enforcement officers located 16 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside the vehicle’s bumper. Garcia-Sanchez and Avalos were trafficking the drugs through the Eastern District of Texas to Chicago for further distribution. They were indicted by a federal grand jury on April 6, 2022 and charged with drug trafficking violations.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Nacogdoches Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Anderson.
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Hot Springs Woman Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
HOT SPRINGS – A Hot Springs woman was sentenced today to 84 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in Hot Springs.
According to court documents, Debra Ellen Hulsey, age 48, was identified by law enforcement to be distributing methamphetamine in Hot Springs, Arkansas area.
Between the months of August 2020 and January 2021, investigators were able to conduct multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Hulsey.
On March 19, 2021, a search warrant was executed at Hulsey's residence. The search resulted in investigators locating approximately 17.7 grams of a mixture or substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine and nine (9) firearms.
Hulsey was arrested and an interview was conducted at the Hot Springs Police Department. Hulsey stated that she first began distributing methamphetamine around 2007 and that she had been distributing, on-average, approximately three (3) to four (4) pounds of methamphetamine per week for the last year prior to her arrest.
The methamphetamine seized and purchased was subsequently submitted to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) laboratory for additional testing.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Hot Springs Police Department, the 18th East Judicial District Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations Little Rock, and the 18th East Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney’s Office investigated the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Daniels and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Achorn prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as 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.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
High-Ranking Aryan Circle Gang Leader and Member Sentenced on Racketeering-Related ViolationsRead the Press Release
Two members of the Aryan Circle were sentenced this week for crimes they committed as part of their roles in the white supremacy prison gang.
William Glenn Chunn, aka Big Head, 40, of Conroe, Texas, was sentenced yesterday to life imprisonment for Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) violations stemming from his leadership in the organization. On Nov. 26, 2021, he was convicted by a jury in the Eastern District of Texas of racketeering conspiracy for an attempted murder he ordered relating to a violent stabbing. On Oct. 3, he was also convicted by a jury in the Southern District of Mississippi of Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering (VICAR) Attempted Murder and is awaiting sentencing in that case.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Aryan Circle is a race-based and violent prison gang with hundreds of members operating throughout the country, both inside and outside of prisons. The Aryan Circle enforces its rules and promotes discipline among its members, prospects, and associates through threats, intimidation, and acts of violence including, but not limited to, acts involving assault and murder. Members are required to follow the orders of higher-ranking members without question.
Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Chunn is one of the highest-ranking Aryan Circle leaders in the nation. He used his leadership role to order violent stabbings against rival gang members and other victims, as well as to seek out and retaliate against those he believed were cooperating with law enforcement.
In another case, Mitchell Farkas, aka Lifter, 52, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was sentenced on Dec. 5 to 30 years in prison for VICAR Attempted Murder and related charges stemming from his role in a separate violent prison stabbing he committed on behalf of the Aryan Circle. On Aug. 10, he was convicted by a jury in the Eastern District of Kentucky. Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Farkas, along with another Aryan Circle member, stabbed an inmate at USP Big Sandy in Martin County, Kentucky, who the Aryan Circle believed had violated gang rules. As a result, the victim permanently lost vision in one eye.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston for the Eastern District of Texas, and U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier, IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky made the announcement.
The cases were investigated by the following agencies: the ATF; DEA; BOP; Texas Department of Public Safety; Houston Police Department-Gang Division; Montgomery County (TX) Precinct One Constable’s Office; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Texas Department of Criminal Justice; New Jersey Department of Corrections-Special Investigations Division; Indiana State Police; Fort Smith (AR) Police Department; Arkansas Department of Corrections; Arnold (MO) Police Department; Jefferson County (MO) Sheriff’s Department; St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department; St. Louis County Police Department; Indiana Department of Corrections; Carrollton (TX) Police Department; Montgomery County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Travis County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Tarrant County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Evangeline Parish (LA) Sheriff’s Office; Smith County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; McCurtain County (OK) Sheriff’s Office; Montgomery County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Liberty County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Harris County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Mercer County (NJ) Prosecutor’s Office; Evangeline Parish (LA) District Attorney’s Office; and the Sebastian County (AR) District Attorney’s Office. The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces provided valuable assistance.
Trial Attorney Rebecca Dunnan of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Rapp for the Eastern District of Texas, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Rosenberg for the Eastern District of Kentucky prosecuted the cases.
Herkimer County Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Bath Salts with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jordan Burks a/k/a Justin Burts, age 32, of Ilion, New York, pled guilty today to possessing 860 grams of the drug commonly called “bath salts” with the intent to distribute it, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo Field Office.
Burks admitted that on January 12, 2022, he possessed at his home approximately 454 grams of alpha-Pyrrolidinohexiophenone, three digital scales, and $19,393 in cash. Burks admitted that he intended to sell the bath salts. He further admitted that between October 2021 and January 2022, law enforcement seized 5 packages containing additional bath salts that were supposed to be delivered to his apartment.
Burks pled guilty before United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby. Sentencing is scheduled for April 20, 2023. Burks faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and a term of supervised release of between 3 years and life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by HSI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner.
Hampton Man Pleads Guilty to Laundering $739,000 of Pandemic BenefitsRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man pleaded guilty today to laundering hundreds of thousands of dollars in disaster-related loan benefits made available in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to court documents, between May 2020 and May 2021, Richard J. Rosser, II, 49, obtained disaster-related loan benefits in the form of Small Business Administration (SBA) sponsored Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. These programs, initiated and expanded under the Cares Act, were designed to provide support to small businesses for expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rosser owned and operated a construction business, Richard’s General Services (RGS), in Hampton. He submitted false disaster-related loan applications for his business. He grossly inflated the number of employees of RGS and its average monthly payroll. Rosser also provided fabricated tax returns to substantiate the false representations made in the loan applications. When the loans were funded, Rosser used the funds for personal expenditures, including withdrawing, transferring to personal accounts, and writing checks to himself cumulatively.
Rosser submitted three false applications for disaster-related loan benefits. In all, Rosser obtained approximately $1,164,999 by fraud, at least $739,000 of which he laundered in transactions in excess of $10,000.
Rosser pleaded guilty to engaging in a monetary transaction in criminally derived proceeds and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 20, 2023. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and Darrell J. Waldon, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Mack Coleman is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-cr-91.
Grand jury indicts former deportation officer with federal crimes related to sexually assaulting immigrant victimsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Federal agents arrested a former ICE deportation officer Wednesday evening on federal charges claiming he abused his position to coerce sex from victims under his supervision in the Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program.
Andrew Golobic, 51, of Cincinnati and Mason, Ohio, is scheduled to appear in federal court at 1:30pm today in Cincinnati. His case was unsealed this morning.
A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment on Wednesday charging Golobic with sex trafficking by means of force, fraud or coercion, depriving individuals of their civil rights while acting under color of law, tampering with witnesses and obstructing a federal investigation.
According to the indictment, Golobic sexually assaulted at least two females under his supervision in the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program. ATD allows certain asylum seekers and other immigrants who ICE had determined posed a low risk to public safety to remain in their communities while their immigration cases were pending.
Golobic was employed as a deportation officer with ICE from 2006 to 2020 and was assigned to the ICE office in Blue Ash, Ohio. He was assigned to the ATD program from approximately 2015 to 2020.
In his role, Golobic supervised immigrants with vulnerable backgrounds including those fleeing violence, exploitation and sexual assault. The defendant was given discretion over the degree of freedom and movement afforded to participants under his supervision. He had the authority to decide the type of monitoring, frequency of reporting and level of supervision, as well as the authority to recommend that ATD participants who violated conditions of the program be detained or deported.
If convicted as charged, Golobic faces a potential maximum penalty of life in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and John R. Pias, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General (DHS-OIG) ask any individuals who believe they may be a victim of Golobic’s alleged conduct to contact the FBI.
Members of the public with information concerning the allegations can call the dedicated tip line at 513-979-8353 or email [email protected]. Members of the public can also report potential incidents of law enforcement misconduct to the U.S. Attorney’s Office using the civil rights referral form available on https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdoh or by emailing [email protected].
Assistant United States Attorneys Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo and Ashley N. Brucato are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Gang member, purported rapper sentenced to federal prison for COVID-19 relief fraudRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Chatham County gang member with a violent criminal history has been sentenced to prison and ordered to pay back the federal government after admitting to COVID-19 relief funding fraud.
Brandon Lamar Williams, a/k/a “NH Skilo,” 30, of Savannah, was sentenced to 60 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Wire Fraud, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr. also ordered Williams to pay restitution of $46,522 and to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Brandon Williams is a multi-time felon who scammed money from American taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Perhaps he can contemplate more honest future endeavors while he’s being held accountable behind bars.”
As described in court documents and proceedings, Williams, who performs under the name NH Skilo, in mid-2021 provided false information in loan applications to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for economic assistance under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act’s Paycheck Protection Program. Williams obtained more than $40,000 from a lender participating in the program.
A member of the Crips criminal street gang, Williams has a long, violent criminal history that includes possession of illegal guns and drugs, with multiple prior sentences to state and federal prison.
“The Office of Inspector General continues to identify and bring to justice wrongdoers who seek to utilize falsified information to illegally benefit from SBA programs,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “OIG remains committed to rooting out bad actors and protecting the integrity of SBA programs every day. I am continually grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its leadership and dedication to shining a light on darkness wherever it may be.”
“The sentence Mr. Williams received represents the seriousness of his crime and serves to deter individuals who choose to circumvent federal and local laws for personal gain,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, along with assistance from the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted for the United States by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Fugitive Sex Offender Found in Fayetteville Sentenced for Failing to RegisterRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A Rhode Island man was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for failing to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, Jerry Noel Diaz, 25, was charged with one count of Failing to Register as a Sex Offender. Diaz pled guilty to the charge on June 1, 2022.
In 2014, Diaz was convicted of felony First Degree Child Molestation after forcibly raping an 11-year-old victim in Rhode Island. As part of the child molestation conviction, Diaz received a lifetime registration requirement under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). In 2020, Diaz failed to register in Rhode Island, was arrested, released on bond, and instructed to report to probation. Diaz did not report to probation, instead choosing to flee, eventually making his way to North Carolina. In April 2021, a lead was sent to the Carolinas Regional Task Force and, on April 15, 2021, after confirming that he had failed to register in North Carolina, Diaz was apprehended while hiding in the closet of a residence in Fayetteville. After being arrested, Diaz admitted to having been in the Fayetteville area for more than 5 months and stated that he had been working with a youth group at a local church.
Michael Easley, Jr. U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The U.S. Marshals Service, Eastern District of North Carolina, Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service, District of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Stephany prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-CR-00395-FL.
Four Now Face Charges in St. Louis County Taxi Driver’s Shooting DeathRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Four teens from St. Louis County, Missouri are now facing federal charges in the fatal shooting of a cab driver in Hazelwood in April.
Tywon Harris, now 19, Coron Dees, 19, and Jeremiah Allen, 18, were indicted in federal court in June on a robbery charge and a charge of aiding and abetting the commission of a murder.
Trishawn Jones, who was 17 at the time of the shooting and turned 18 a few weeks later, was added in a superseding indictment Wednesday and now faces the same charges. Harris and Dees were 18 at the time of the shooting.
Allen is also facing a charge of being an accessory after the fact.
The indictment accuses all four of involvement in the shooting death of Dewight Price, a driver for St. Louis County Cab, on April 24, 2022.
“Violent juvenile criminals are not beyond the reach of the federal criminal justice system. As the St. Louis area sees an increase in juveniles committing violent crime, they should know the United States Attorney’s Office will be here to investigate and prosecute them,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming. “Trishawn Jones is being accused of killing 54-year-old Dewight Price during a robbery less than three weeks before Jones turned 18, and after Price turned over all his money. I believe prosecuting a violent felony involving a gun under the juvenile system would not provide a range of punishment commensurate with this crime.”
In federal court, prior to indicting a juvenile, the U.S. Attorney’s Office must file charges under the Juvenile Delinquency Act and seek a court order to prosecute the juvenile as an adult.
A detention motion filed Wednesday says Harris used a fake name and address to hire a cab to take the teens to St. Louis County from downtown St. Louis following a party. During the ride, Harris redirected the cab to Hazelwood Central High School and planned the robbery with the other three teens, the motion says. When they arrived at the school, Dees and Jones demanded Price’s cash. After Price turned over the money, he tried to get out of the cab. Harris opened his door and struck Price with it, knocking Price to the ground. Jones then shot and killed Price, the motion says.
The robbery charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,00 fine or both. The aiding and abetting murder charge carries a potential penalty of 10 years to life in prison and the same fine. The accessory charge is punishable by up to 15 years in prison, a fine of $125,000 or both.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI.
Four Charged in Connection with Labor Trafficking, Forced Labor, and Immigration Offenses at Williamsburg Laundry FacilityRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A 33-count indictment was unsealed today charging four people with joining together to defraud and commit offenses against the United States, including human trafficking of individuals from Central America, benefiting from forced labor, money laundering, and various other immigration-related offenses, such as harboring undocumented non-citizens.
According to allegations in the indictment, Ana Patricia Landaverde, 47, of Williamsburg, Jeffrey Dean Vaughan, 64, of Williamsburg, and George William Evans, 68, of Midlothian, engaged in a conspiracy to harbor, transport, and benefit from the employment of undocumented noncitizens at their commercial laundry business, Northstar Holdings of Virginia LLC, d/b/a Magnolia Cleaning Services, LLC. Between the first quarter of 2018 and the first quarter of 2022, the business’s wage records reflect approximately 121 employees with alleged invalid or mismatched Social Security Numbers and wage payments of more than $1.2 million to these employees.
The fourth unnamed defendant is alleged to have acted as an illegal supplier of fraudulent identification documents. Prospective employees without proper documentation to work in the United States were allegedly referred to this defendant to purchase a counterfeit permanent resident card and social security card.
As further set forth in the indictment, Landaverde, Vaughan, and Evans also allegedly engaged in human trafficking of labor from Central America and benefitting from forced labor. One victim is alleged to have been brought to the United States when she was only 13 years old and forced to work nights while also attending school during the day. Allegations also include another victim being made to work under threats of deportation, physical violence, and other misuse of law and process. This same victim was made to pay rent to live in the commercial laundry facility where she lacked access to a kitchen, shower, or bath.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security; Troy Springer, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington, DC Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; Michael McGill, Special Agent-in-Charge, Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General; and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian J. Samuels and D. Mack Coleman are prosecuting the case.
This investigation was conducted by the Hampton Roads Human Trafficking Task Force, a collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental organizations, working together to combat human trafficking in the Hampton Roads Region.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-cr-92.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Fortune Telling Fraud Scheme Leads to Prison for OrchestratorsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A family curse, fortune telling, and swindling a victim out of more than $3 million lands orchestrators in prison.
Michael Paul Guzman, 42, was sentenced to 38 months in prison and Samantha Stevens, 51, was sentenced to 30 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles for orchestrating a fortune telling fraud scheme and money laundering.
According to court documents, Stevens was portraying herself as a psychic/fortune teller in 2012 when she met a victim in Miami. Stevens gained the victim’s trust and convinced her that a curse had been placed on her and her family. Stevens claimed she needed to perform rituals on large sums of money in order to lift the curse. Failure to do so—the victim was led to believe—would result in harm to her and her family.
Stevens and Guzman spent the victim’s money on vehicles, property, and casino gambling. The relationship between Stevens and the victim lasted several years. During this time, the victim was persuaded to give up more than $3 million. The scheme came to an end in 2016 when Stevens cut off communication with the victim after she no longer could pay for the rituals. Once Stevens severed the relationship, the victim contacted federal law enforcement.
In addition to the prison sentence, the defendants must pay $3.198 million in restitution to the victim.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
IRS-CI, Miami Field Office, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Haggerty prosecuted it and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Stone is handling asset forfeiture.
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.
Former Willmar Attorney Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn.– A former attorney from Willmar has been sentenced to 18 months in prison, followed by one-year of supervised release and required to pay a $20,000 fine for fraudulent concealment of bankruptcy assets, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on November 3, 2015, Gregory Ronald Anderson, 63, a former attorney, prepared and filed a voluntary bankruptcy petition on behalf of his client, James Alan Rothers. Upon the filing of the petition, Anderson knew that Rothers’ assets, wherever located, became property of a “bankruptcy estate” to be used to pay Rothers’ creditors. Anderson also filed a set of Rothers’ bankruptcy schedules in which Rothers was required to disclose, under penalty of perjury, the full extent and value of all Rothers’ assets as of November 3, 2015. As Rothers’ bankruptcy attorney, Anderson had to certify that the petition filed with the bankruptcy court was true and accurate.
Prior to the bankruptcy filing, Anderson created fake liabilities to create the appearance that Rothers was insolvent when, in fact, Rothers could easily have paid all his creditors. Specifically, Anderson arranged to have a fictitious lawsuit filed against Rothers, and then instructed Rothers to default in that lawsuit. This created a judgment of approximately $608,000 against Rothers to further the appearance that he was insolvent. Anderson also created documents that made it appear that an Iowa company had loaned $240,000 to Rothers and that Rothers had to repay this loan. This loan was fabricated and created to bolster the appearance of Rothers’ insolvency.
Nevertheless, when Anderson filed Rothers’ bankruptcy petition on November 3, 2015, he certified that he had no knowledge that the information in Rothers’ schedules was incorrect. But, despite this certification, Anderson knew about the above-outlined efforts to make Rothers appear insolvent. Anderson also knew that Rothers had purposefully failed to disclose on his bankruptcy schedules $100,000 in gold coins, $686,000 on deposit in bank accounts for two companies, and $455,484 in uncashed checks. In fact, Anderson helped Rothers open one of the concealed bank accounts and received portions of his legal fees from the other.
Anderson was sentenced on December 7, 2022, in U.S. District Court by Judge Eric C. Tostrud. On August 8, 2022, Anderson pleaded guilty to one count of fraudulent concealment of bankruptcy asset. Anderson’s plea agreement also required his voluntary disbarment from the practice of law.
On November 7, 2019, James Alan Rothers pleaded guilty to one count of fraudulent concealment of bankruptcy assets in U.S. District Court before Judge Susan Richard Nelson. Rothers will be sentenced at 10:30 a.m. on December 13, 2022.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing and former Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. MacLaughlin prosecuted the case.