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Monday 24 October 2022
Barrio Azteca Gunmen Who Committed Consulate Murders in Ciudad Juarez Sentenced to Life in PrisonRead the Press Release
The Barrio Azteca gunmen directly responsible for the March 2010 murders in Juarez, Mexico of a U.S. Consulate employee, her husband, and the husband of another U.S. Consulate employee were sentenced to life in prison today.
“The gunmen who viciously shot and killed Leslie Enriquez, Arthur Redelfs, and Jorge Salcido Ceniceros will now deservedly spend the rest of their lives in prison,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This prosecution demonstrates the Department’s commitment to combating violent transnational criminal organizations and holding accountable those who may harm Americans, whether at home or abroad. I want to thank the Mexican Government for its cooperation that helped lead to this just result, including extraditing both defendants to the United States to be prosecuted for their heinous crimes.”
On Feb. 3, Jose Guadalupe Diaz Diaz, aka Zorro, 43, of Chihuahua, Mexico, and Martin Artin Perez Marrufo, aka Popeye, 54, also of Chihuahua, were found guilty of all 11 counts after a 13-day jury trial in the Western District of Texas, El Paso Division. The jury found Diaz and Marrufo guilty of conspiracy to commit racketeering, narcotics trafficking, narcotics importation, money laundering, and murder in a foreign country; three counts of murder in aid of racketeering; and three counts of murder resulting from the use and carrying of firearms during and in relation to drug trafficking.
“The victims in this case were coming from a child’s birthday party when they were misidentified as targets by members of Barrio Azteca and gunned down in a senseless act of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff for the Western District of Texas. “I am incredibly proud of the work our office and our law enforcement partners, including international law enforcement, have done to bring some sense of justice to the victims’ families.”
Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that on March 13, 2010, Diaz and Marrufo served as gunmen on the hit teams that murdered U.S. Consulate employee Leslie Enriquez, her husband, Arthur Redelfs, and Jorge Salcido Ceniceros, the husband of another U.S. Consulate employee. The victims were targeted by the hit teams after leaving a child’s birthday party in Juarez because they were mistaken initially for rival gang members. Diaz shot and killed Enriquez and Redelfs. Marrufo shot and killed Ceniceros.
The defendants were sentenced to life in prison on 10 counts and 240 months of imprisonment on the remaining count. Three of the life in prison sentences will run consecutive to the sentences imposed on all other counts. Both defendants were also sentenced to five years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution.
“Today’s sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to fighting the senseless violence that transnational criminal organizations continue to inflict on the American people, wherever they reside,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “It was important that justice be served, not only for the victims, Leslie Enriquez, Arthur Redelfs, and Jorge Salcido Ceniceros, but also their families. The FBI appreciates the collaborative efforts of our local, state, federal, and international law enforcement partners in ensuring all those responsible were held accountable.”
“Today’s sentencing serves as a testament to DEA’s commitment, alongside our law enforcement partners, to bring to justice those responsible for the heartbreaking murder of innocent members of our U.S. mission abroad,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “The men and women of the DEA will stop at nothing to pursue those that use violence and intimidation to further drug trafficking schemes.”
As proven at trial, Barrio Azteca is a transnational criminal organization engaged in, among other things, money laundering, racketeering, and drug-related activities in El Paso, Texas, among other places. The gang allied with other drug gangs to battle the Sinaloa Cartel, at the time headed by Joaquín “Chapo” Guzman, and its allies for control of the drug trafficking routes through Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. The drug routes through Juarez, known as the Juarez Plaza, are important to drug trafficking organizations because it is a principal illicit drug trafficking route into the United States.
A total of 35 defendants were charged in the third superseding indictment and are alleged to have committed various criminal acts, including the 2010 Juarez Consulate murders in Juarez, Mexico, as well as racketeering, narcotics distribution and importation, retaliation against persons providing information to U.S. law enforcement, extortion, money laundering, murder, and obstruction of justice. Of the 35 defendants charged, all have been apprehended. Of those apprehended, 28 have pleaded guilty, three (including Diaz and Maruffo) have been convicted by a jury following trial, one committed suicide before the conclusion of his trial, and three are awaiting extradition from Mexico.
Diaz was extradited from Mexico on Nov. 13, 2019, and Maruffo was extradited from Mexico on Jan. 18, 2020. The extraditions were the result of close coordination between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement authorities, who have cooperated in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
Acting Deputy Chief Jay Bauer of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Trial Attorney Christina Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Spitzer for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Office of Enforcement Operations provided significant assistance in this case.
The FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force located at the Texas Anti-Gang Center in El Paso, FBI Albuquerque Field Office, DEA Juarez, and DEA El Paso investigated the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; the U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Federal Bureau of Prisons; U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; Texas Department of Public Safety; Texas Department of Criminal Justice; El Paso Police Department; El Paso County Sheriff’s Office; El Paso Independent School District Police Department; Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission; New Mexico State Police; Dona Ana County, New Mexico, Sheriff’s Office; Las Cruces, New Mexico, Police Department; Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility; and Otero County Prison Facility New Mexico provided valuable assistance.
Ahead of Election Day, U.S. Attorney Leary Names District Election OfficersRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) Will Keyes and Todd Swanson will lead the efforts of the office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming Nov. 8 general election. AUSA Keyes and Swanson have been appointed to serve as the District Election Officers (DEO) for the Middle District of Georgia, and in that capacity are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Leary. “The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
“The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Leary. “In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, our designated District Election Officers will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Keyes and Swanson can be reached by calling 478-621-2698.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by calling 770-216-3000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
“Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate,” said U.S. Attorney Leary. “It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
22-Year-Old Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder of U.S. Border Patrol AgentRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Rey David Marquez-Jimenez, 22, of Mexico, previously pleaded guilty to one count of Attempted Murder of a Federal Officer on October 20, 2022. Sentencing is scheduled for January 12, 2023, before United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps.
On January 26, 2022, near Hereford, Arizona, Marquez-Jimenez tackled a United States Border Patrol (USBP) agent as the agent attempted to handcuff another individual. Marquez-Jimenez punched the agent several times and tried to pull the agent’s firearm from his holster. When the firearm came out of the holster, Marquez-Jimenez tried to point it at the agent. He then got on top of the agent and attempted to slash and stab him with a knife. The agent gained control of the knife, and Marquez-Jimenez fled on foot before being apprehended by other USBP agents.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Marquez-Jimenez faces a sentence of 60 to 108 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Houston, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00175-TUCJGZ-LCK
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-189_Marquez-Jimenez# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Friday 21 October 2022
Yankton Man Sentenced to over 12 1/2 Years on Fentanyl Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that a Yankton, South Dakota man convicted of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance was sentenced on October 17, 2022, by District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Ronald D. Minniefield, a/k/a “Zareef Al-amin,” a/k/a “Chicago,” a/k/a “Black,” a/k/a “King,” a/k/a “KO,” 52, was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Minniefield was indicted for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance by a federal grand jury in June of 2021. He pleaded guilty on April 15, 2022.
Minniefield and his co-conspirators knowingly and intentionally combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed together, with others known and unknown, to knowingly and intentionally distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Minniefield was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Waterloo Man who Threatened to Kill Victim Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who threatened to pistol whip and kill a victim while displaying a firearm was sentenced today to more than four years in federal prison.
Durango Ken Castile, age 48, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after May 26, 2022 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Information from sentencing showed that Castile was released from prison on parole in August 2021. Thereafter, Castile was abusive towards the victim for several months, which culminated in Castile threatening to pistol whip and kill the victim while he was holding a firearm. At the plea hearing in this case, Castile admitted that he possessed a firearm on or about January 3, 2022, after previously being convicted of a felony offense.
Castile was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Castile was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Castile is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kyndra Lundquist and Lisa Williams. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Waterloo Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-2007.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Uniontown Man Sentenced to Prison for Murder-for-Hire PlotRead the Press Release
AKRON – Scott Allen Renninger, 53, of Uniontown, Ohio, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams to six years in prison and was ordered to pay $17,520 in restitution after he pleaded guilty to attempting to arrange a murder-for-hire plot.
“Engaging in a plot to kill or harm another is a threat to our way-of-life,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler. “This defendant went to great lengths in an attempt to facilitate the murder of an innocent person and now he will face the consequences of his actions.”
"Thwarting carefully crafted plots to carry out violent crimes are a priority of the FBI," said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen. "The cold and callous nature of a scheming individual is a threat to not only the victim of the action, but also the community. The FBI will continue to work tirelessly to find and investigate criminals or their network intent on causing harm to others."
According to court documents, from October to November 2020, Renninger met with an individual and discussed offering the individual money in exchange for the murder of a victim.
Court documents state that Renninger and the individual had frequent contact and that Renninger provided the individual with a photograph of the victim, license plate information and other materials that disclosed the victim’s residence. On one occasion, Renninger stated to the individual that they needed to figure out a way to communicate, possibly using disposable phones and confirmed his desire to make the victim “disappear.”
During subsequent meetings, Renninger and the individual again discussed the plot and agreed upon a price of $20,000 in exchange for the murder.
Renninger was arrested at his residence, without incident, on Nov. 17, 2020. The victim was unharmed.
Renninger pleaded guilty on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, to one count of use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire.
This case was investigated by the Cleveland FBI and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian M. McDonough and Brad J. Beeson.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Points of Contact for Election Fraud and Voting Rights ConcernsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) Michael F. Perry and Joshua R. Rosenthal will lead the efforts of the Northern District of New York in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the November 8, 2022 general election. AUSAs Perry and Rosenthal have been appointed to serve as the District Election Officers (DEOs) for the Northern District of New York, and in that capacity are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department headquarters in Washington, D.C.
United States Attorney Freedman said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSAs Perry and Rosenthal will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. They can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: 315-448-0913 (AUSA Perry) and 518-431-0389 (AUSA Rosenthal).
In addition, the FBI will have Special Agents available in each Field Office and Resident Agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The local FBI Field Office can be reached by the public at 518-465-7551.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
United States Attorney Freedman said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
In the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces District Election Officers for November General ElectionRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSA) Ava R. Dustin and Megan R. Miller have been appointed as District Election Officers (DEO) to lead the Northern District of Ohio efforts in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election.
AUSA Ava R. Dustin will serve as the DEO for the Western Division of the Northern District of Ohio, and AUSA Megan R. Miller will serve as the District Election Officer for the Eastern Division. AUSAs Dustin and Miller are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
“The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy,” said Baeppler. “We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the right to vote can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSAs Dustin and Miller will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. They can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers:”
AUSA Ava R. Dustin (Western Division): (419) 259-6376
AUSA Megan R. Miller (Eastern Division): (216) 622-3600
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at: (216) 522-1400
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg Appoints Election Officer for the Middle District of FloridaRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Roger B. Handberg announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Frank Talbot will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSA Talbot has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Middle District of Florida, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
U.S. Attorney Handberg said, “Every citizen should be free to vote without interference or discrimination and to have their vote counted in a fair and free democratic process. Similarly, those officials and staff charged with the responsibility of facilitating that process should be free to exercise their duties without fear of intimidation, threats, or violence. The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the electoral process. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Frank Talbot will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (904) 301- 6284.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. Local FBI field offices can be reached by the public at (813) 253-1000 (Tampa/Orlando Division) or (904) 248-7000 (Jacksonville Division).
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss Announces Election Officer for November 2022 General ElectionRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – United States Attorney David C. Weiss announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Claudia Pare will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSA Pare has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Delaware, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated that, “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to vote can freely exercise that right if they choose to do so, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Pare will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: (302) 573-6277.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (302) 658-4391.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
U.S. Attorney Weiss said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.S. Attorney Appoints District Election Officer for November 8 ElectionRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – United States Attorney Zachary A. Myers announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Tiffany J. Preston will lead the efforts of her office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSA Preston has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Southern District of Indiana, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of Election Day complaints relating to voting rights concerns, threats of violence against election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington. The Southern District of Indiana is comprised of the southern sixty counties in the state.
U.S. Attorney Myers said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Myers stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. To respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Preston will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 317-226-6333.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 317-595-4000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can also be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
United States Attorney Myers said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.S. Attorney Announces the Appointment of District Election Officer to Monitor Elections in West TennesseeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced today that Assistant United States
Attorney (AUSA) Scott Smith will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice
Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election.
AUSA Scott Smith has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Western
District of Tennessee, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the district’s handling
of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or
staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.United States Attorney Ritz said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or
discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election
officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence.
Our office and the Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of
the election process.”The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and
intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and
election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s
longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and seeks to ensure public confidence in the
electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to
report possible federal election law violations.Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or
staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying, and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering
vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without
their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they
can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other
acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate oftheir choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be
assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or
inability to read or write in English).United States Attorney Ritz stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy.
We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and
that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of
voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such
complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Smith will be on duty in this
District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone
numbers: 901-544-4231 and 901-969- 2962.”In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency
throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on
election day. On November 7, 2022, 8am-4pm, and on Election Day, Tuesday, November 8, 2022,
6am-8pm, the local FBI field office will be available to the public at 901-747-9506. During the
broader election cycle, the local FBI field office can be reached 24/7 by the public at
901-747-9650.Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the
Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at
https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
United States Attorney Ritz said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the
assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information
about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of
Justice.”Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911
immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary
jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
###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.
U.S. Attorney Announces New Procedures for Reporting Environmental ViolationsRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Michael A. Bennett, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky, announced today that his office, to advance environmental justice, has implemented a new procedure for members of the public to report environmental violations. Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
U.S. Attorney Bennett has implemented this public reporting procedure as part of the Department of Justice’s Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy. This Strategy seeks to provide “timely and effective remedies for systemic environmental violations and contaminations and for injury to natural resources in underserved communities that have been historically marginalized and overburdened, including low-income communities, communities of color, and Tribal and Indigenous communities.”
“Our plentiful natural resources are part of what makes the Commonwealth such a special place to live and work,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “We are committed to protecting these natural resources and the health and safety of all citizens in this district—including those who have historically been ignored or marginalized—from pollution and contamination.”
Members of the public who have concerns about environmental violations in the Western District of Kentucky can now report them to the U.S. Attorney’s office by email at [email protected]. The Office’s public reporting procedures are in addition to other methods of reporting environmental concerns to the federal government, such as the online portal maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations. Additional information about the district’s efforts to advance environmental justice may be found on the district’s website at https://justice.gov/usao-wdky/programs/envjustice.
In furtherance of the Department of Justice’s Comprehensive Strategy, U.S. Attorney Bennett has appointed Assistant United States Attorney A. Matthew Weyand as Environmental Justice Coordinator for the Western District.
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U.s. Attorney’s Office Takes Part in Justice Deparment’s Wide Range Efforts to Protect Older AdultsRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – The United States Justice Department recently announced the results of its efforts over the past year to protect older adults from fraud and exploitation. During the past year, the Justice Department and its law enforcement partners tackled matters that ranged from mass-marketing scams that impacted thousands of victims to bad actors scamming their neighbors. Substantial efforts were also made over the past year to return money to fraud victims. Today, the Department also announced that it is expanding its Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force to amplify efforts to combat scams originating overseas.
“We are intensifying our efforts nationwide to protect older adults, including by more than tripling the number of U.S. Attorneys’ offices participating in our Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force dedicated to disrupting, dismantling and prosecuting foreign-based fraud schemes that target American seniors,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This expansion builds on the Justice Department’s existing work to hold accountable those who steal funds from older adults, including by returning those funds to the victims where possible.”
“Fraud targeting our seniors is especially reprehensible,” said U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith from the District of the Virgin Islands. “These scams harm the financial stability of a vulnerable group typically with limited income and resources. My office will aggressively prosecute fraud schemes that impact seniors in the territory, and we will pursue every possible avenue to recover financial losses for any victims.”
During the period from September 2021 to September 2022, Justice Department personnel and its law enforcement partners pursued approximately 260 cases involving more than 600 defendants, both bringing new cases and advancing those previously charged. Most recently during this past year, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands recovered fraudulently obtained disaster relief funds obtained by a defendant who falsely represented himself as the owner of a home severely damaged by Hurricane Irma. The home was actually owned by the defendant’s elderly relative.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands also engages in outreach to raise awareness about elder-targeted scams and exploitation. This past year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office hosted a presentation at a local financial institution to increase elder fraud awareness. This coming year, the Office will continue to raise awareness about elder fraud schemes by addressing seniors through a variety of community organizations.
The Justice Department also highlighted three other efforts: expansion of the Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force, success in returning money to victims and efforts to combat grandparent scams. The Department announced that, as part of its continuing efforts to protect older adults and bring perpetrators of fraud schemes to justice, it is expanding the Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force by adding 14 new U.S. Attorney’s Offices. Expansion of the Strike Force will help to coordinate the Department’s ongoing efforts to combat largest and most harmful fraud schemes that target or disproportionately impact older adults.
In the past year, the Justice Department has notified over 550,000 people that they may be eligible for remission payments. Notifications were made to consumers whose information was sold by one of three data companies prosecuted by the Department and were later victims of “sweepstakes” or “astrology” solicitations that falsely promised prizes or individualized services in return for a fee. More than 150,000 of those victims cashed checks totaling $52 million, and thousands more are eligible to receive checks. Also notified were consumers who paid fraudsters perpetrating person-in-need scams and job scams via Western Union.
Additionally, the Justice Department has identified and contacted over 300,000 consumers who may be eligible for remission. Since March 2020, more than 148,000 victims have received more than $366 million as a result of a 2017 criminal resolution with Western Union for the company’s willful failure to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program and its aiding and abetting of wire fraud. The Department also pursued cases against the perpetrators of “grandparent scams,” otherwise known as “person-in-need scams.” These scams typically begin when a fraudster, often based overseas, contacts an older adult and poses as either a grandchild, other family member or someone calling on behalf of a family member. Call recipients are told that their family member is in jeopardy and is urgently in need of money. When recently sentencing one of eight perpetrators of a grandparent scam indicted under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, a federal judge described such scams “heartbreakingly evil.” The Department is working with government partners and others to raise awareness about these schemes.
Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcements efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professional who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting or connect them with agencies, and provide resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available. More information about the Justice Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov.
Some of the cases that comprise today’s announcement are charges, which are merely allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Thomson Penitentiary Inmates Sentenced to Additional Prison Terms for Assaulting Other InmatesRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — Two inmates at the United States Penitentiary in Thomson, Ill., have been sentenced to additional prison terms for assaulting other inmates.
GEORGE RICHARD GAUNT, 34, was sentenced to 14 years in prison, to be served consecutively to the federal sentence he is currently serving for robbing multiple banks.
KELLY BRYAN SCHNEIDER, 29, was sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison, to be served consecutively to the sentences he is currently serving for murder and hate crime in the U.S. Bureau of Prisons and the State of Idaho.
Gaunt and Schneider each pleaded guilty to federal assault charges. U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard imposed the additional sentences this week after hearings in federal court in Rockford.
The sentences were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Ashley T. Johnson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincenza L. Tomlinson.
Gaunt and Schneider admitted in plea agreements that on Aug. 9, 2019, they punched, kicked, and stomped on an inmate’s body and head multiple times, causing serious injuries and loss of consciousness. The pair continued to strike the inmate while he was defenseless and in a protective posture. Schneider admitted that he attempted to bite off the inmate’s ear and continued to strike the inmate until correctional staff intervened.
Gaunt and Schneider assaulted another inmate on Aug. 23, 2019. In that attack, the pair punched, kicked, and stomped on the inmate’s body and head multiple times, causing serious injuries and loss of consciousness. Gaunt and Schneider continued to strike the inmate while he was defenseless.
Gaunt and Schneider admitted in their plea agreements that neither of the victims provoked the attacks in any way.
Two Texas Men Convicted of Bribing City OfficialsRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted two Texas men yesterday for conspiring to pay bribes to two city commissioners in Weslaco, Texas, in connection with millions of dollars in city contracts.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Richard Quintanilla, 57, of Weslaco, and former Hidalgo County Commissioner Arturo C. Cuellar Jr., 68, of Hidalgo County, agreed with others to bribe two Weslaco City Commissioners, John Cuellar and Gerardo Tafolla, in exchange for official actions favorable to engineering companies seeking large contracts with the city.
From approximately March 2008 through December 2015, one of the participants in the scheme received approximately $4.1 million from two engineering companies and shared nearly $1.4 million with Arturo Cuellar. Arturo Cuellar also used a company he controlled to facilitate the payment of approximately $405,000 in bribes to his cousin, John Cuellar, which were disguised as legitimate legal expenses. In exchange for these payments, John Cuellar took several official actions to benefit the companies, including helping to award a $38.5 million contract to rehabilitate Weslaco’s water treatment plant. Quintanilla also facilitated the payment of other bribes to Tafolla.
John Cuellar pleaded guilty in August 2019 to conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and has not yet been sentenced. Tafolla pleaded guilty in April 2019 to federal program bribery and has not yet been sentenced.
Arturo Cuellar was convicted of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, four counts of honest services wire fraud, federal program bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, 26 counts of money laundering, and 26 counts of using a facility in interstate commerce to facilitate unlawful activity. Quintanilla was convicted of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, four counts of honest services wire fraud, federal program bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and seven counts of money laundering.
Arturo Cuellar and Quintanilla each face up to 20 years in prison on the top count. Sentencing has been scheduled for Jan. 18, 2023. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jennifer Lowery for the Southern District of Texas; Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. of the FBI San Antonio Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Houston Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI San Antonio Field Office and IRS-CI Houston Field Office investigated the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Marco A. Palmieri and Trial Attorney William J. Gullotta of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto Lopez Jr. for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case. Deputy Chief of PIN Peter M. Nothstein and former PIN Trial Attorneys Erica O’Brien Waymack and Jessica C. Harvey assisted in the prosecution.
Two Men Arrested on Federal Charges Alleging They Shot Guard During Armored Truck Armed Robbery Earlier this WeekRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Two men were arrested this morning on federal robbery and firearms offenses that allege they robbed an armored car on Monday and shot a guard several times in the leg.
Gregory James, 47, of San Pedro, and Lamond Akins, 30, of Compton, were arrested pursuant to a federal criminal complaint that charges them with Hobbs Act robbery and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Both men are expected to make their initial court appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
On Monday morning at approximately 11:20, a Loomis guard was ambushed by two armed suspects after working on ATMs at a Bank of America branch in Harbor City. According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, surveillance video from the scene and from James’ residence link the two defendants to the robbery.
Furthermore, “Akins is also the registered owner of a black Chevy Malibu, which is consistent with the vehicle used during the robbery,” the affidavit states. “Cell phone records for James’s cell phone place him in the location of the October 17, 2022, robbery at the time of the robbery.”
During the incident, the robbers ambushed the guard and both opened fire, striking him in the leg several times. According to the affidavit, the robbers stole $140,000, as well as the guard’s firearm.
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Hobbs Act robbery offense alleged in the complaint carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, and the firearms offense carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI are conducting the investigation in this matter. The Gardena Police Department provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
Two Defendants Convicted of Armed Robbery at Aqueduct RacetrackRead the Press Release
Earlier today, a federal jury in Brooklyn convicted Lafayette Morrison of Hobbs Act robbery and conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery in connection with the March 7, 2020 armed robbery of more than $280,000 in cash from Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Queens. Morrison and co-defendant Lamel Miller were also convicted of brandishing a firearm, and Morrison of obstruction of justice. Miller pleaded guilty to the robbery in September 2022. When sentenced, the defendants each face minimum sentences of seven years’ imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment. The verdict followed a five-day trial before United States District Court Judge Ann M. Donnelly.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, John B. DeVito, Special Agent-in-Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Field Division (ATF), and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the verdict.
“Their armed robbery of Aqueduct Racetrack played out like a Hollywood movie heist, but with a bad ending for the defendants who now face steep prison sentences,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s verdict proves once again that it is a losing bet to commit a violent crime and think that you will outrun the law.”
“This should serve as a warning to those who believe that armed robbery will be tolerated by the law enforcement community and the public,” said ATF Special Agent-in-Charge DeVito. “The men and women of ATF, and our NYPD partners in the ATF Strategic Pattern Armed Robbery and Technical Apprehension (SPARTA) Group, are at work daily to investigate and arrest those who believe they can prey on New Yorkers without consequence. Thanks to the NYPD’s Queens Robbery Squad and U.S. Attorney's office for the outcome of this case.”
“This violent robbery plot, featuring a racetrack security guard who betrayed his duty, showed a callous disregard for several victims,” said NYPD Commissioner Sewell. “Thanks to our joint law enforcement efforts, those responsible will now bear the consequences of their despicable acts. I want to thank our NYPD officers, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, the ATF’s New York Field Division, and everyone involved in this case for their exceptional work.”
As proven at trial, at approximately 10 p.m. following the Gotham Day stakes races at Aqueduct, Miller and a co-conspirator held up at gunpoint several racetrack employees – including Morrison, who was employed as a racetrack security guard – as they were transporting more than $284,000 in cash earnings to a vault. Miller and the co-conspirator emerged from their hiding spot in a stairwell and confronted the employees at gunpoint, taking the cash and employees’ cell phones, and forcing the employees into a closet. Miller and the co-conspirator then went to a hotel where they divided up the robbery proceeds; they each took $100,000 and gave the remaining $84,000 to Morrison who had posed as a victim during the robbery, but who was actually the robbery crew’s “inside man,” providing information in advance about where and when the money would be transported to the vault. When interviewed by federal law enforcement officers after the robbery, Morrison repeatedly lied to officers, including by claiming to be a victim of the crime and misidentifying a photograph of his childhood friend, Miller.
Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew R. Galeotti and Rachel A. Bennek are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Anna November.
The Defendants:
LAMEL MILLER
Age: 39
Queens, New YorkLAFAYETTE MORRISON
Age: 39
Jamaica, QueensE.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 20-CR-216 (AMD)
Three arrested in connection with ten kilos of fentanyl pills trafficked in Whatcom CountyRead the Press Release
Seattle – Two men were arrested in Bellingham, Washington, and a third was arrested in North Carolina, in connection with distribution of more than 75,000 fentanyl pills, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Guillermo Vieyra Salas, 22, and Jaime Alonso Hernandez-Hernandez, 41, appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle yesterday. A third defendant, identified as Manuel Lugo, was arrested in Wilmington, North Carolina and will appear in U.S. District Court there on Monday October 24, 2022.
Pills seized“Taking these fentanyl-laced pills off the street is a top priority for federal law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “In this case, the defendants were allegedly able to order up thousands of pills worth more than $100,000. Keeping these potentially deadly pills out of our community is a win.”
“There have been far too many deaths in Whatcom County attributable to fentanyl overdoses,” said Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo. “We were pleased to join forces with our federal partners to disrupt the criminal enterprises that are bringing this deadly menace into our community.”
According to records filed in the case, in August 2022, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) learned of a drug trafficking network that was bringing fentanyl pills to Western Washington from Mexico. In August 2022, agents, acting in an undercover capacity, purchased an initial batch of 2,000 fentanyl pills. In September, the agents put in a request for 75,000 pills for $112,000. The deal was set for September 28,2022, near the Bellingham airport. While one co-conspirator was delivering the drugs to one location, two other men met with undercover agents at a coffee shop where the undercover agents briefly showed the two men what appeared to be $112,000 in cash.
“Those who peddle fentanyl-laced pills do so with extreme indifference to the people they might kill, all in the name of profits,” said Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “We will continue to work exhaustively with our law enforcement partners to protect the communities which we serve from the scourge of fentanyl and the devastation it causes.”
All three men were arrested this week and are charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Because of the quantity of drugs involved, the men face a mandatory minimum of ten years, and up to life, in prison.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yunah Chung.
Pills SeizedThree Men Sentenced for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Wallace Smith, age 32, of Las Vegas, Nevada, Jolie Brown, age 40, of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Andres Garcia-Grajeda, age 33, of New Oxford, Pennsylvania, were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for drug trafficking.
Smith was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment, Brown was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment, and Garcia-Grajeda was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment. Defendants previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms and more of cocaine and 400 grams and more of fentanyl.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on April 11, 2021, Smith, Brown, and Garcia-Grajeda were arrested outside the Hampton Inn in Hanover, Pennsylvania. At the time of the arrests, Smith was wheeling a luggage cart holding bags which contained over 81 kilograms of cocaine and 5 kilograms of fentanyl from his hotel room into Grajeda’s vehicle. A search of Brown’s hotel room discovered over $823,000 in drug proceeds. Smith and Brown had driven the drugs to Adams County from California in a tractor trailer and were dropping them off to Grajeda for distribution.
This case 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 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.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin and fentanyl traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin and fentanyl related offenses.
The convictions were the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Behe and Scott Ford prosecuted the case.
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Taos business owner sentenced to prison for failure to pay taxes withheld from employee paychecksRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Diane Mariani, 67, of Taos, New Mexico, was sentenced on Oct. 19 to three months in prison and nine months on home detention for willful failure to collect or pay over tax. The Court further ordered Mariani to pay $203,137 as restitution for the Internal Revenue Service, and to pay an additional $150,000 fine. Mariani pleaded guilty on May 18.
Until 2015, Mariani was co-owner, operator and treasurer of Taos RPM LLC, and beginning in 2015 Mariani, was co-owner, operator, and treasurer of Mountain Resort Management, Inc., in Taos, New Mexico. Mountain Resort Management did business as Snakedance Condominiums, Bumps Market and Hondo Restaurant. Mariani was responsible for paying employees of Snakedance Condominiums and Mountain Resort Management and knew she had a duty to withhold federal income taxes, Social Security taxes, and Medicare taxes – collectively referred to as “trust fund taxes” – from employee paychecks. She also knew that she had a duty to report those taxes on a quarterly basis and to deposit those taxes on a regular basis.
From the first quarter of 2015 through the fourth quarter of 2018, Mariani withheld at least $203,137 in trust fund taxes from the employees she paid. Mariani willfully failed to pay those taxes to the IRS.
Upon completion of her prison and home detention sentence, Mariani will be subject to three years of supervised release.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy Peña prosecuted the case.
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Tampa Man Sentenced for Firearms Charges After Brandishing Gun at DriverRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday has sentenced Karey Tyrone Taylor II (42, Tampa) to 5 years and 11 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The court also ordered Taylor to forfeit a firearm and magazine that were used in the offense. Taylor had pleaded guilty on May 13, 2022.
According to court documents, on January 2, 2021, Taylor brandished a firearm at a victim while she was driving on East Fowler Avenue in Tampa. The victim pulled into a nearby carwash, and Taylor confronted her. Standing face-to-face, Taylor told the victim that if he had known or seen that she was “all that,” then he would not have pulled a gun on her. The victim then told employees at the car wash what had happened, and an employee called the police.
Officers from the Tampa Police Department responded and interviewed the victim. The officers also located an SUV matching the description of Taylor’s vehicle. They found Taylor in the driver’s seat and detained him. While searching the vehicle, the officers found a black Taurus .45 caliber handgun with one round of ammunition in the chamber and 14 rounds in the magazine. A DNA sample later obtained from Taylor for comparison indicated that Taylor’s DNA matched DNA found on the handgun.
Taylor had previously been convicted of a felony offense, including possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and distribution of controlled substances in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as the Tampa Police Department. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement assisted with the DNA analyses. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Risha Asokan and Patrick Scruggs.
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.
Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Aiding in Filing of False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Thomas Johnson has pleaded guilty to one count of aiding in the filing of false tax returns. Johnson faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, for tax years 2014, 2015, and 2016 Johnson worked as a tax preparer for a tax preparation business at its office location in Seffner. In order to maximize the refunds that the IRS would have to pay his clients, Johnson prepared fraudulent Forms 1040 which falsely reported fictitious amounts for educational expenses on behalf of his clients. Many other tax returns that he prepared for clients contained fictitious information as to the Schedule C portion of the returns reflecting profit/loss from the operation of businesses. The inclusion of those types of false items helped to fraudulently inflate the refunds that the taxpayers would receive.
The indictment charged Johnson with aiding in the filing of numerous such false tax returns. The tax loss attributable to the single false tax return to which he pleaded guilty is nearly $14,000. The tax loss for other tax returns that Johnson had a role in preparing, and which contained similar false statements, is approximately $188,940. Johnson also caused large tax losses from many other tax returns which contained false education credit entries.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Tampa Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing A Firearm While Confronting Citizens on Downtown RiverwalkRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Meccos Donta Allen (38, Tampa) with unlawful possession of a firearm. If convicted, Allen faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison.
Prosecutors alleged in open court that on July 29, 2022, Allen confronted multiple citizens along Tampa’s Riverwalk. In one instance, Allen approached a couple sitting on a swing. The couple departed, returning to their nearby residence, and Allen followed them and pointed a gun at them as they entered their complex. In a second incident, Allen confronted another couple that were sitting on a bench on the south end of Tampa’s Riverwalk. During this confrontation, Allen allegedly pointed his gun at one victim and groped another. Officers from the Tampa Police Department responded to the area and made contact with Allen, who fled on foot as the officers approached. While fleeing, Allen dropped a Glock pistol.
The indictment alleges that at the time of the incident, Allen had prior felony convictions for battery, delivery of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school, possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, and delivery of cocaine. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan. The forfeiture will be handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne C. Nebesky.
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.
Tallahassee Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking of A MinorRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Tyron Columbia Watson, 39, of Tallahassee, Florida was sentenced to Life in federal prison for two counts of Sex Trafficking of a Minor Under the Age of 14. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Watson’s sentence was the result of a three-day federal jury trial resulting in a guilty verdict on April 27, 2022, finding Watson guilty on two counts of Sex Trafficking of a Minor Under the Age of 14.
“This sentence is yet another example of the unwavering commitment to the protection of our most vulnerable, and it should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would attempt to harm them,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Through concerted efforts like Operation Stolen Innocence we will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who prey upon our children.”
“We are grateful to see justice prevail for the victim in this case,” said Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell. “Watson’s sentencing is a testament to the judicial system’s tireless efforts to hold accountable those who break the law and reiterate to the community that human trafficking will not be tolerated.”
“This sentence recognizes both the horror of the crime and the incredible work of the investigative and prosecution team,” said State Attorney Jack Campbell. “Too often, we think that sexual trafficking only happens in other parts of the world. Through the tireless efforts of the investigators and prosecutors, we literally saved the life of a child held in sexual slavery on the streets of Tallahassee. We must all recognize that she was not alone, and we shall bring freedom to such victims and justice to their oppressors.”
“Operation Stolen Innocence has produced a torrent of prosecutions of child predators who destroy the hopes of successful futures for our children,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa Special Agent in Charge John Condon. “This life sentence is a testament to the partnership, dedication, and commitment of the investigators from HSI, the Tallahassee Police Department, and the Northern District of Florida U.S. Attorney’s Office who aggressively fight to dismantle the sexual exploitation of children in Florida. We are obviously all in on this fight.”
He will also be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to all sex offender conditions.
This conviction was the result of a collaborative investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations as part of Operation Stolen Innocence, a multi-agency coordinated effort by the United States Marshals Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Office of State Attorney, Second Judicial Circuit, to combat human trafficking in the Tallahassee area. First Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Spaven and Special Assistant United States Attorney Khari James prosecuted this case.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Stephen K. Bannon Sentenced to Four Months in Prison on Two Counts of Contempt of CongressRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Stephen K. Bannon was sentenced today to four months of incarceration and ordered to pay a fine of $6,500 on two counts of contempt of Congress stemming from his failure to comply with a subpoena issued by the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 breach of the United States Capitol.
Bannon, 68, was found guilty by a jury on July 22, 2022, of one contempt count related to his refusal to appear for a deposition and another count related to his refusal to produce documents in response to a subpoena from the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. The verdict followed a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
On Sept. 23, 2021, the Select Committee issued a subpoena to Bannon. In its subpoena, the Select Committee said it had reason to believe that he had information relevant to understanding events related to Jan. 6, 2021. The subpoena required him to appear and produce documents to the Select Committee on Oct. 7, 2021, and to appear for a deposition before the Select Committee on Oct. 14, 2021. Bannon refused to appear to give testimony as required by subpoena and refused to produce documents in compliance with a subpoena.
Bannon, formerly a Chief Strategist and Counselor to the President, has been a private citizen since departing the White House in 2017. He was indicted on the contempt charges on Nov. 12, 2021.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Springfield, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Possession and Distribution of HeroinRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man, Tyrell Harris, 29, of the 2000 block of MacArthur Boulevard, was sentenced on October 18, 2022, to concurrent sentences of 57 months’ imprisonment for distribution of heroin and 120 months’ imprisonment for possession of 100 grams or more of heroin with intent to distribute.
At the sentencing hearing in front of U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough, the government presented evidence that, when officers attempted to arrest Mr. Harris at his residence on an unrelated arrest warrant for firearms charges, they found approximately 240 grams of heroin inside, in addition to other evidence related to drug sales.
Harris was indicted in May 2019 and pleaded guilty in June 2022.
The statutory penalties for distribution of heroin are up to 30 years in prison, up to a $2,000,000 fine, not less than 6 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment. The statutory penalties for possession of 100 grams or more of heroin with intent to distribute are up to life in prison, up to a $8,000,000 fine, not less than eight years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment.
The Springfield Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
South Bend Woman Sentenced to 132 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Frances Bianco, 43 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty on her plea of guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Bianco was sentenced to 132 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, law enforcement performed a traffic stop involving Bianco that led to the seizure of over 50 grams of methamphetamine and a firearm. Her criminal history revealed she has three prior felony convictions and was on bond at the time the stop occurred.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of the St. Joseph County Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank E. Schaffer
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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Second Alien Smuggling Coordinator Pleads Guilty to Bribing Former Border Patrol AgentRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On October 6, 2022, Omar Natalio Martinez Fontes, 51, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bribery and Alien Smuggling. Sentencing is scheduled for December 20, 2022, before United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps.
Fontes paid former United States Border Patrol (USBP) agent Carlos Passapera thousands of dollars in cash bribes for smuggling undocumented noncitizens into the United States between June 2019 and January 2020. Another alien smuggling coordinator involved in the conspiracy, Luis Alfredo Quintero-Gonzalez, previously pleaded guilty for his role in bribing Passapera in case CR 21-01529-TUC-JGZ-MSA. Quintero-Gonzalez is scheduled to be sentenced on December 2, 2022, before Judge Zipps.
According to court documents, Fontes coordinated and conspired to coordinate the illegal entry of undocumented noncitizens by acting as the middleman between Passapera and the individuals seeking illegal passage into the United States. While working as a USBP agent, Passapera would receive communication from Fontes and then pick up the undocumented noncitizens along the U.S.-Mexico border near Lukeville, Arizona. Passapera would then smuggle the individuals through Border Patrol checkpoints and deliver them to locations within the Phoenix area. Throughout the conspiracy, Fontes and Passapera smuggled at least 13 undocumented noncitizens into the United States. In exchange for his role in the conspiracy, Passapera received approximately $104,000 in bribery payments from Fontes.
A conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Bribery and Alien Smuggling carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Passapera was charged separately for his involvement in the conspiracy in case CR 20-01706-JGZ-MSA and has pleaded not guilty. Passapera’s case is set for trial on April 3, 2023, before United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Southern Arizona Corruption Task Force, and the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General. The Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Section of the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00792-JGZ-MSA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-187_Fontes# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Sarasota Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Federal Prison for Running $80 Million “Oasis” FOREX Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Michael J. DaCorta (57, Sarasota) to 23 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, money laundering, and filing a false income tax return. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $2,817,876.16, a portion of the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. A federal jury had found DaCorta guilty on May 4, 2020.
According to testimony and evidence presented during the 13-day trial, from November 2011 through April 18, 2019, DaCorta ran an investment company named Oasis International Group, Ltd. (“OIG”). DaCorta and his co-conspirators persuaded at least 700 victims to invest in OIG through promissory notes and other means, causing victims’ losses exceeding $80 million. DaCorta, who had effectively been banned from conducting foreign exchange trading (“FOREX”) by agreement with the National Futures Association, induced victims to invest in OASIS by falsely representing to victim-investors that OASIS was reaping enormous profits by being a “market maker” and collecting “spread” on voluminous FOREX trades. DaCorta also pitched the opportunity as essentially risk free and OASIS as well-collateralized. In reality, OASIS was not making markets and had no true revenue. The “spread” earnings were being paid on each trade by OASIS back to OASIS in order to create the illusion of revenue, which was published to investors on fictious account statements and an online portal. The OIG investor portal showed the “spread” credits but concealed catastrophic underlying trading losses.
DaCorta and his conspirators used the balance of the victim-investors’ funds to make Ponzi-style payments to perpetuate the scheme and to fund lavish lifestyles. For example, the evidence showed that DaCorta used victim-investors’ funds to purchase a Maserati and Range Rovers for his family members, a country club membership, multiple million-dollar homes in Florida, college tuition for family members, flights on private jets, and lavish trips to Europe and the Cayman Islands. DaCorta also under-reported his income on his 2017 federal income tax return, claiming a negative income and receiving a tax refund.
“Mr. DaCorta guaranteed his more than 700 clients an “oasis” of an investment, when in reality all they got was a dust bowl of empty promises,” said Brian Payne, IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge. “Today’s significant prison sentence ordered by the court should offer some measure of justice to all of those impacted by the destructive wake of Mr. DaCorta’s greed and indifference.”
“Mr. DaCorta surrendered to greed and swindled millions of dollars from honest, hard-working Americans,” said FBI Tampa Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Walker. “Today’s sentencing confirms the FBI’s commitment to hold heartless fraudsters accountable for their actions and ensure justice is served.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the National Futures Association, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s Criminal Prosecution Assistance Group, and the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachelle DesVaux Bedke and David W.A. Chee, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Murray.
Salem Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Decade-Long Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Salem, Mass. real estate developer was sentenced to four years in prison today in connection with a decade-long mortgage fraud scheme involving at least two dozen loan transactions, totaling $6.5 million, that resulted in more than $3.8 million in losses to lenders.
George Kritopoulos, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to four years in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. The judge reserved determination on an order of restitution. On May 27, 2022, Kritopoulos was convicted by a federal jury of one count of conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud, six counts of bank fraud, one count of aiding the preparation of a false income tax return and one count of obstruction of justice.
Kritopoulos was originally charged in September 2018 along with co-defendants Joseph Bates III and David Plunkett. Bates pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution and two counts of bank fraud in October 2018 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 1, 2022. Plunkett pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of aiding in the submission of false tax returns in February 2019 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 14, 2022.
From 2006 through 2015, Kritopoulos, Bates and others engaged in a scheme to defraud banks and other financial institutions by causing false information to be submitted to those institutions on behalf of borrowers – people recruited to purchase properties – located primarily in Salem. The properties were usually multi-family buildings with two-to-four units, which the conspirators then converted into condominiums. Kritopoulos recruited new borrowers to purchase the individual condominium units, which were also financed by mortgage loans obtained by fraud.
The false information submitted to lenders included, among other things, representations concerning the borrowers’ employment, income, assets and intent to occupy the property. Specifically, the false employment information included representations that borrowers were employed by entities that were, in fact, shell companies “owned” by Kritopoulos and were used to advance the fraudulent scheme. The employment information also included false representations about the income that the borrowers received from the entities, when, in fact, the borrowers received little or no income from them. Kritopoulos brought newly recruited borrowers to Plunkett, who then prepared tax returns that contained false and inflated income. Some of those tax returns were submitted to lenders in support of the fraudulent loan applications.
Since the borrowers did not have the financial ability to repay the loans, in all but two instances among 21 properties, they defaulted on their loan payments, resulting in foreclosures and losses to the lenders.
In addition, Kritopoulos sought to obstruct the federal criminal investigation into the mortgage fraud scheme by encouraging Bates and Plunkett to make false statements and create false documents he hoped would make the companies appear to have been legitimate.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Boston Office; and Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Northeastern Regional Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Salem Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Victor A. Wild, of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit, and Brian M. LaMacchia, of Rollins’ Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit prosecuted the case.
Statement by U.s. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff Regarding the November 2022 General ElectionRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Today United States Attorney Ashley C. Hoff announced that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Matthew Devlin will lead the efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022 general election. AUSA Devlin has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Western District of Texas. In that capacity he is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints about voting rights, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said United States Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
“The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the right to vote can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice,” stated United States Attorney Hoff. “To respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and possible election fraud during the upcoming election and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Devlin will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number (512) 687-0818.”
In addition, the FBI will have personnel available in each field office throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and/or other election abuses occurring on Election Day. The FBI San Antonio Field Office can be reached by the public at (210) 225-6741. The FBI El Paso Field Office can be reached by the public at (915) 832-5000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
United States Attorney Hoff further stated that, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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Repeat sex offender sentenced to ten years in prison for possession of images of child rape and abuseRead the Press Release
Seattle – A registered sex offender, who was on state probation following a ten-year prison sentence for molesting a young boy, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. John Wesley Stewart, 56, was arrested in May 2018, in Des Moines, Washington, when officers with the Washington State Department of Corrections found him with unauthorized electronic devices. The devices had more than 200 images of child rape and abuse. U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez imposed lifetime supervised release to follow this prison term.
“Mr. Stewart has repeatedly demonstrated that he cannot safely live in the community and will continue to victimize children.” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “This ten-year sentence and lifetime of federal supervision are aimed at protecting the community.”
According to records filed in the case, in 2007, Stewart was prosecuted for molesting a young boy left in his care. Prior to being charged with that crime, Stewart had served as a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician and paramedic in Whatcom County. He had also served as a foster parent. Following his 2007 conviction for rape of a child and possession of child pornography, Stewart was incarcerated until 2016. He was placed on state probation for life. Within six months of completing sex offender treatment, he was caught with hundreds of images of child sexual abuse.
In asking for the ten-year sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “Child pornography offenses are, by their nature, horrific. Those who collect and share images and videos of children being raped and tortured further a market that thrives on the sexual abuse of children. The collection of this material drive demand for new material and normalize horrific acts of sexual exploitation. And it subjects victims of child abuse to perpetual re-victimization, knowing that the digital record of their worst moments forever travels the globe to satisfy the sexual appetite of child predators.”
Stewart has been ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to the known victims pictured in the images on his devices.
The case was investigated by the Washington State Department of Corrections and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson.
Quincy, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Quincy, Illinois, man, Daniel Kramer, 50, of the 100 block of Earel Camp Road was sentenced on October 18, 2022, to 120 months’ imprisonment for possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, 60 months’ imprisonment for possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and 120 months’ imprisonment for possession of a firearm by a felon. The 120-month sentences were ordered to run concurrently with each other while the 60-month sentence was ordered to run consecutively to the 120-month sentences.
At the sentencing hearing in front of U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough, the government presented evidence that Kramer had sold methamphetamine to a source working with law enforcement multiple times before officers with the Illinois State Police, West Central Illinois Task Force, and Quincy Police Department served a search warrant on his residence. During the search, officers found 300 grams of actual methamphetamine and 11 firearms. Kramer, a convicted felon, admitted he possessed all 11 firearms.
Kramer was indicted in December 2021 and pleaded guilty in June 2022.
The statutory penalties for possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute are up to life in prison, not more than a $10 million fine, lifetime supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment. The statutory penalties for possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime are up to life in prison (consecutive), not more than a $250,000 fine, not more than 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment. The statutory penalties for possession of a firearm by a felon are not more than 10 years in prison, not more than a $250,000 fine, not more than 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; the West Central Illinois Task Force; and the Quincy Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
Psychologist Convicted of Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a licensed Illinois psychologist of defrauding Medicare over the course of several years by causing the submission of fraudulent claims for psychotherapy services he never provided.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Renato F. Duarte, aka Ren Duarte, 63, of Chicago, caused the submission of fraudulent Medicare claims from July 2016 through June 2019 for psychotherapy services purportedly provided to nursing home patients in Chicago and surrounding areas. Duarte’s scheme included fraudulently billing for in person services on dates that Duarte was traveling outside of the country and fraudulently billing for psychotherapy purportedly provided to patients who were deceased.
Duarte was convicted of four counts of health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 18, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch, Jr. for the Northern District of Illinois; Acting Special Agent in Charge Ashley T. Johnson of the FBI Chicago Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Chicago Regional Office made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case, which was brought as part of the Chicago Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.
Trial Attorneys Steven Scott and Thomas D. Campbell of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 24 federal districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $19 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Prior Convicted Felon Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Produce Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Andrew Joseph Vinyard, 43, of Ypsilanti, was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in federal prison on charges of attempted production of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Vinyard was sentenced by United States District Judge Laurie Michelson following his guilty plea in June of this year.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge James A. Tarasca of the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Detroit Division (FBI).
According to court documents, in November of 2019, Vinyard began offering two fourteen-year-old victims "modeling opportunities" and money in exchange for sex. In response to the concerns of the victims’ parents, an undercover officer posing as a female student at the same school as the minor victims, contacted Vinyard via his Instagram account. After being told that the undercover officer was 14 years old, Vinyard offered to purchase the undercover officer a new phone in exchange for sex acts and for the undercover officer taking sexually explicit photos with the phone. Vinyard also offered the undercover officer $500 to get together and get high on cocaine so he could "take her virginity" and take sexually explicit photographs of her. Vinyard requested multiple photos and videos of the undercover officer engaging in sexual activity. Vinyard also solicited live video texts of the undercover officer so Vinyard could direct the undercover officer to perform sex acts on herself.
“Today’s sentence reaffirms our office’s commitment to protecting the most vulnerable and defenseless members of our community – children,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “It is our hope that a 25-year sentence sends a message to the defendant, and the community at large that we will continue to root out this type of evil in our society and pursue stiff sentences for defendants like this who repeatedly prey on the young.”
“Protecting children from dangerous, serial child predators like Andrew Vinyard is a priority for our office," said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Detroit Field Office. "His repeated attempts to lure and exploit children are deplorable and our young people are safer with him behind bars. I am proud of the FBI, our law enforcement partners, and the concerned parents that came forward to hold this man accountable."
The case was investigated by the officers of the Huron Township Police Department and special agents of the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eaton Brown.Parsons Man & Woman Each Sentenced to the Statutory Maximum of 60 Years for Sex Crimes Against ChildrenRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man and a Kansas woman were both sentenced to 60 years in prison for committing sexual crimes against children after prosecutors requested the statutory maximum for each count, to run consecutive to each other.
In June 2022, Dustin Strom, 26, of Parsons pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child (production of child pornography).
In July 2022, Thommie-Lyn Stansky, 28, of Parsons pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child (production of child pornography).
According to court documents, Strom and Stansky admitted that while living together as a romantic couple in February 2021, Strom expressed to Stansky his sexual interest in children. Stansky then created an image of herself sexually abusing a four-year-old victim and another image of herself sexually abusing a two-year-old victim. She shared these images with Strom. Strom also created images of himself sexually abusing the two -year-old and the four-year-old victims.
In August 2021, a social media platform reported Strom to law enforcement after some images were sent to other people via the Internet. Federal agents examining Stansky and Strom’s cell phones and social media accounts found communications between them in which they discussed the sexual abuse of children and child pornography.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly Gordon and Jason Hart prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."###
Orlando Man Sentenced to over Six Years in Federal Prison for Money Laundering Conspiracy After Being Stopped While Transporting over $1 Million in CashRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Senior U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew has sentenced Jason Pagan-Reyes (40, Orlando) to six years and six months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. Pagan-Reyes had pleaded guilty on June 21, 2022, and is currently serving a drug-related state prison sentence.
According to court documents, Pagan-Reyes was part of a conspiracy to deliver $1 million in drug proceeds to a money laundering organization that would launder the money back to the Dominican Republic. Pagan-Reyes was in contact with a courier for that organization who was, in reality, an undercover officer. On July 11, 2020, while driving to meet with the undercover officer, a trooper from the Florida Highway Patrol stopped Pagan-Reyes’s minivan in Polk County for a variety of traffic offenses. After a police dog alerted to the odor of narcotics in the vehicle, law enforcement recovered $1,000,495 in two large bags. A search of Pagan-Reyes’s cellphone revealed communications consistent with both drug trafficking and money laundering.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Florida Highway Patrol. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
New York Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Distributing Child Sex Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A New York resident has pleaded guilty and been sentenced in federal court to 72 months’ incarceration and 10 years of supervised release on his conviction of distribution of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today. The Court ordered Keppel to pay a $5,000 special assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 and $2,000 under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Grant Keppel, age, 23, of Williamsville, NY.
According to information presented to the court, on Nov. 11, 2019, Keppel, while residing in New York, participated in an online group dedicated to discussing the sexual exploitation of minors and offered for sale a link containing hours of video depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. Keppel then sold the link to an undercover Federal Bureau of Investigation-Pittsburgh Agent who was investigating the online sexual exploitation of minors. As part of its investigation, the FBI discovered that Keppel had amassed a very large collection of child sexual abuse material in online cloud accounts.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Pittsburgh, as well as FBI-Buffalo and its Child Exploitation Task Force, including the New York State Police, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Keppel.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Mexican National Extradited from Mexico to the United States to Face International Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Jaime Gonzalez Duran, a Mexican national, made his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia today to face international drug charges.
According to allegations contained in court documents, between 2000 and February 2010, Gonzalez Duran, aka Hummer, 46, was a high-ranking member of the Zetas, an international drug trafficking organization allied with the Gulf Cartel. Together, the Zetas and the Gulf Cartel, known collectively as “The Company,” were a violent, transnational drug trafficking organization based in Mexico that was engaged in the manufacture, distribution, and importation of ton quantities of cocaine and marijuana from Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Panama, and elsewhere into the United States. Gonzalez Duran was also the “plaza boss” for the Mexican cities of Reynosa and Miguel Aleman, controlling the Zetas drug-trafficking activities in those areas of operation.
A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned a fourth superseding indictment against Gonzalez Duran on May 9, 2013. In October 2015, Gonzalez Duran was served with the provisional arrest warrant requesting his extradition to the United States. Gonzalez Duran remained detained in Mexico pending his extradition. He was extradited from Mexico to the United States on Oct. 20, 2022.
Gonzalez Duran is charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana intending and knowing that those substances would be imported into the United States. If convicted, Gonzalez Duran faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The DEA’s Houston Division Office is investigating with assistance from the DEA’s Mexico Country Office.
Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich, Melanie Alsworth, and Janet Turnbull of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Office of Enforcement Operations provided significant assistance in this matter.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Sentenced for Possessing a Gun After Being Convicted of Felony and Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Nicholus Leavy, 37, has been sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for illegally
possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony and domestic violence. Kevin G. Ritz, United
States Attorney, announced the sentence today.According to the information presented in court, the charges stemmed from an incident that occurred
on May 7, 2021 at "Our Bar," a night club on Jackson Avenue in Memphis. Security guards denied
Nicholus Leavy entry into the club because he was carrying a gun, was intoxicated, and had been in
a verbal altercation with a patron. When security guards asked Leavy to leave the club, he became
irate and made threats to “shoot up the club.” Leavy got in his car and circled the block. As he
drove towards the club, Leavy turned off his headlights, rolled down the window, continued making
threats at the guards, and raised a black pistol. Officers recovered a pistol from the driver's
side door of Leavy's car. The gun was loaded with 1 live round in the chamber and 8 live rounds in
the magazine.Leavy had prior convictions for a felony and domestic assault. As a result of his convictions,
Leavy is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms.On October 13, 2022, United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Leavy to 90 months in
federal prison with three years of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal
system.This case was investigated by Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Memphis Police Department, and
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is
a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce
gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department
launched a gun violence 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.Assistant United States Attorney Raney Irwin and Special Assistant United States Attorney Nathan
Vrazel prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
###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.
Man Charged for Smuggling 238 Pounds of Methamphetamine Across the U.S.-Mexico BorderRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Juan Alberto Gomez-Antimo, 25, of Mexico, was charged by criminal complaint on October 17, 2022, for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Importation of Methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico.
The complaint alleges that on October 14, 2022, Gomez-Antimo, entered the United States through the San Luis Port of Entry where Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 222 packages hidden in his car. The packages contained a white crystal-like substance that tested positive for methamphetamine. The combined weight of the packages was over 238 pounds.
A conviction for each charged offense carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: MJ-22-02702-JFM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-188_Gomez-Antimo# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Lutcher Man Sentenced to for Failure to Report International Travel as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that WILLIE WALKER, age 56, was sentenced on October 14, 2022 by Chief United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to a probationary term of five years for failure to report international travel as a sex offender under the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents, WALKER was convicted in Washington State in 2002 of a sex offense that required him to register as a sex offender for life. In addition to registering as a sex offender, WALKER was also required to timely notify law enforcement at least 21 days prior to any travel outside of the United States. In February 2020 and April 2021, WALKER traveled to Ethiopia without informing law enforcement of either trip in violation of SORNA.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Marshals Service for their investigation of the matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Spiro G. Latsis and Rachal Cassagne are in charge of the prosecution.
Louisville Federal Grand Jury Returns Three Indictments Charging Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned three indictments this week separately charging three local men with fentanyl trafficking and firearms offenses.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburg Division, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Chief Erika Shields of the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department, and Chief Richard Sanders of the Jeffersontown Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictments and court records:
Eddie Leo-David Price, age 39, was charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted, he faces a minimum of 10 years and maximum sentence of life in prison.
Keivon M. Albritton, age 25, was charged with four counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. If convicted, he faces a minimum of 5 years and maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
Leangelo D. Sullivan, age 43, was charged with two counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. If convicted, he faces a minimum of 5 years and maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
According to criminal complaints, both Albritton and Sullivan distributed counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. The tablets being sold by both men were round, blue pills imprinted with an M and a 30. These pills are counterfeit in that they are being sold illicitly as oxycodone when in fact they contain fentanyl which is increasingly linked to overdoses among users.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
The DEA, the USPIS, the ATF, the Kentucky State Police, the Louisville Metro Police Department, the Jeffersontown Police Department, and the Shively Police Department are investigating the cases.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa Ford and Frank Dahl.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Local Magician Arrested for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Sutton, Mass. man who has worked as a magician for over 20 years, performing for children as young as kindergarten age, was arrested today on a child pornography charge.
Scott Jameson, 45, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. Jameson was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston at 4 p.m. this afternoon.
According to the criminal complaint filed today, in February 2022, federal authorities were contacted by Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE), a Cambodian Non-Governmental Organization founded to prevent child sexual abuse and exploitation, to report that Jameson possibly engaged in inappropriate behavior with minors in Cambodia. According to the report, Jameson was allegedly observed improperly interacting with a young Cambodian boy at a park . Additionally, according to the report, two pre-teen Cambodian boys informed APLE employees that Jameson allegedly slept with them in their bed on more than one occasion but they did not report any sexual abuse.
Federal authorities in the United States were notified that Jameson, a dual citizen of the United States and Ireland, had again travelled to Cambodia on Aug. 28, 2022. Upon his return to the United States on Oct. 19, 2022, Jameson was stopped at Logan Airport. During a search of Jameson’s belongings, agents located a video which appears to have been produced during his most recent trip to Cambodia, depicting the genitals of a young boy, 5-7 years old, who appears to be of Asian descent. A separate device contained over 100 images of apparent child pornography, including an image depicting a boy approximately 8-10 years old, nude from the waist down.
During a subsequent interview with law enforcement, Jameson stated that he has worked as a magician for over 20 years, regularly performing at libraries and private and family events across New England usually for children as young as kindergarten age and up to the eighth grade.
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to a lifetime 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.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Sutton Police Chief Dennis J. Towle made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by United States Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigation and the Sutton and Littleton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lincoln Man Sentenced to More Than 26 Years for Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Blake Ruel, 35, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Ruel to a total of 322 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Ruel will serve an eight-year term of supervised release.
On May 11, 2021, an officer with the Omaha Police Department stopped Ruel’s vehicle in Omaha after officers conducting surveillance in Lincoln and Omaha observed Ruel engage in what they believed to be drug distribution activity. A police K9 alerted to the presence of narcotics in Ruel’s vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and located what was later determined to be more than 104 grams of methamphetamine as well as a handgun. Ruel had prior felony convictions for terroristic threats and possession of controlled substances with intent to deliver.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and Omaha Police Department.
Lecanto Man Sentenced to More Than 16 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Jason Ronald Santore (26, Lecanto) to 16 years and 8 months years in federal prison for possession and distribution of child sex abuse material. Santore had pleaded guilty on June 3, 2022.
According to testimony and court documents, Santore used the internet to transmit videos depicting the sexual abuse of children to a cooperating defendant. Based on these transmission, federal agents obtained search warrants for Santore’s residence, electronic devices, and online storage accounts. Agents located thousands of images and videos of child sex abuse material on Santore’s online accounts, many of which depicted the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
Lead defendant in pill-production conspiracy sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: The final defendant of four conspirators in an industrial-level pill-production operation is joining his mother and two other defendants in federal prison after all admitted participating in an operation that used pill presses to package and distribute methamphetamine.
Albert Bynoe, a/k/a “Chino,” a/k/a “Bossman Chino,” 35, of Tucker, Ga., was sentenced to 92 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, Methamphetamine, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Bynoe to serve three years of supervised release after completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Multiple law enforcement agencies worked together to identify and dismantle this operation that created and distributed massive numbers of doses of illegal drugs in our neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Taking these meth merchants off the streets makes our communities safer.”
Three other defendants previously were sentenced:
- Bynoe’s mother, Cynthia Dessaure-Outlaw, 58, of Grovetown, Ga., was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by 12 months of supervised release after pleading guilty to Unlawful Transport of Drug Paraphernalia;
- Darnee Cooper, a/k/a “Lafayette,” a/k/a “Lafayette Bandz,” 34, of Columbia, S.C., was sentenced to 88 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; and,
- Nicholas Butler, 42, of Augusta, was sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute.
In 2020, investigators from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration discovered that Dessaure-Outlaw was unlawfully purchasing large-scale pill press machines and kilogram quantities of chemical binding agents from several companies, some of which were located in foreign countries such as China and the United Kingdom. Investigators learned that Bynoe asked Dessaure-Outlaw, his mother, to order these machines in the name of her non-functional limited liability company so he could sell the machines and pills for profit.
In 2021, agents searched Bynoe’s residence in Decatur, Georgia and his rented storage unit in Tucker, Ga., seizing methamphetamine, a pill press machine, pill molds in the shape of a joker and seashells, firearms, drug paraphernalia, and cash. A September 2021 federal indictment charged Dessaure-Outlaw and Bynoe in the operation, along with Cooper, Butler and other members of the conspiracy.
“CBP Savannah will continue its strong collaboration with our partner agencies to safeguard the American public from the manufacture and distribution of illicit drugs,” said Scott Huntley, Assistant Port Director for Customs and Border Protection Savannah.
“This defendant has been removed from the streets and will now spend well-deserved time in prison,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The poisonous fake pills he manufactured and sold can no longer harm would-be users. DEA and its law enforcement partners are committed to protecting citizens from dangerous drugs.”
“We are committed to working with our partners to get dangerous drugs out of our communities,” said Michael Register, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “Illegal and unidentified pills on the streets pose a danger to public health. Thank you to the men and women working each day to bring these violators to justice.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection National Targeting Center, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team, the Dekalb County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew A. Josephson and Jeremiah L. Johnson.
Lackawanna County Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Yasin Abdul-Mattin, age 50, of Scranton, pleaded guilty on October 20, 2022, before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to the charge of convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Abdul-Mattin is a previously convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. During his guilty plea, Abdul-Mattin admitted that on January 20, 2022, he possessed a loaded 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition. The charges stem from an incident in which members of the Scranton Police Department conducted a traffic stop of Abdul-Mattin’s vehicle on Luzerne Street in Scranton and found him in possession of that loaded 12-gauge shotgun.
The charges against Abdul-Mattin resulted from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and the Scranton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian Gallagher are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Under federal law, for the firearms charge, Abdul-Mattin faces a maximum sentence of ten years, a term of supervised release 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.
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KC Man Pleads Guilty to $4.1 Million Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a $4.1 million drug-trafficking conspiracy, which is linked to two murders, and which distributed 520 kilograms of methamphetamine in the metropolitan area.
Gerald Lee Ginnings, 42, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays and admitted that between Jan. 1, 2018, and October 1, 2018, he participated with others in conspiracies to distribute methamphetamine and launder drug proceeds, and to possessing a firearm in relation to a drug-trafficking crime, and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Ginnings was responsible for distributing, or assisting to distribute, at least five kilograms of methamphetamine. Proceeds of the drug-trafficking conspiracy were used to pay living expenses, buy assets, and to purchase additional drugs for distribution. Ginnings and other co-conspirators used cash during the conspiracy to conceal the true nature of the proceeds from drug distribution.
Ginnings was arrested on June 28, 2018, and again on Sept. 27, 2018. During those arrests, law enforcement officers seized over 50 grams of methamphetamine and a Kel-Tec 9 mm handgun, which Ginnings obtained by trading for methamphetamine.
The drug-trafficking organization with which Ginnings was associated was responsible for two murders. In August 2018, James Hampton was beaten, kidnapped, and transported from St. Louis, Mo., to Kansas City in the trunk of a car. Conspirators also kidnapped Brittanie Broyles, a woman who was with Hampton when he was seized and who witnessed his beating and kidnapping. Ginnings was not with co-conspirators in St. Louis or on the trip from St. Louis to Kansas City.
On Aug. 6, 2018, Hampton’s car and body were discovered burning in Bates City, Mo. On Aug. 8, 2018, Broyles’s body was recovered by the Super Flea in the Northeast area of Kansas City. She had been murdered by two gunshots to her head. Investigators learned that Ginnings, in exchange for being forgiven a $5,000 drug debt, was involved in burning Hampton’s car. Ginnings was also involved in transporting Broyles after she was brought to Kansas City, during which time someone shot her twice in the head and she died.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony crime to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Ginnings has at least three prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle.
Ginnings is among 22 co-defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case.
Ginnings must pay a money judgment not to exceed $4,160,000, which represents the proceeds he received from the drug-trafficking conspiracy, as determined by the court at the time of his sentencing. That forfeiture amount is based on the unlawful distribution of more than 520 kilograms of methamphetamine, based on an average price of $8,000 per kilogram.
Under federal statutes, Ginnings is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 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. Attorneys Bruce Rhoades and Robert M. Smith. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Sni Valley Fire Department, the Jackson, Lafayette, Buchanan, and Phelps County, Mo., Sheriff’s Departments, the FBI, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the St. James, Mo., Police Department.