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5 December 2022
Harrison County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Robert Edward Maxwell, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Maxwell, 43, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.” Maxwell admitted to distributing fentanyl in November 2021 in Harrison County.
Maxwell faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1 million. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Greenwood Man & Greenville Woman Indicted on 10 Counts of Sex Trafficking, Conspiracy, and Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a 10-count superseding indictment against Eric Rashun Jones, a/k/a “E Dolla,” a/k/a “E,” 30, of Newberry, charging felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, human trafficking conspiracy, five counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, & coercion, and three counts of witness tampering. The grand jury also indicted a co-conspirator, Brittany Danielle Cromer, 33, of Greenville, with human trafficking conspiracy.
The superseding indictment alleges that between 2018 and 2022, Jones and Cromer recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, and sex trafficked at least five victims by force, fraud, or coercion. The indictment alleges that Jones also corruptly persuaded victims and witnesses to not speak to the police. The indictment also charges that Jones was a felon in possession of a Springfield Armory, 9mm handgun and 9mm ammunition.
Jones faces six counts that carry a mandatory minimum of 15 years in federal prison; he faces a maximum penalty of up to Life in prison. Cromer also faces up to Life in prison.
Jones was ordered detained pending trial by U.S. Magistrate Judge Paige J. Gossett after a contested detention hearing. At that hearing, the Court heard evidence that Jones was a fugitive from state law enforcement from September 2019 until his arrest in March 2022. He has remained in custody since that time. Evidence presented in Court also indicated that Jones recruited vulnerable women and obtained commercial sex from victims for his financial benefit by means of physical and sexual violence, by manipulating victims’ drug withdrawal symptoms, and by threats and fraud. Evidence was presented that some victims were tattooed with a reference to Jones’s name. Evidence also indicated that Jones threatened violence and retaliation if victims or witnesses cooperated with law enforcement.
Cromer was granted a bond pending trial with conditions designed to protect against flight risk or danger.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Greenville Police Department, Newberry County Sheriff’s Office, Newberry Police Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and Simpsonville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elle E. Klein are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Government Contractor Agrees to Pay over $500,000 to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Obsidian Solutions Group, LLC (Obsidian), located in Fredericksburg, has agreed to pay $510,991.08 to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by billing the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) for labor performed by personnel that did not meet contractual requirements.
Obsidian had a contract with DIA to provide strategic-level analytical support to advance national and Department of Defense (DOD) goals and objectives for protecting the DOD’s supply chain. The government alleged that Obsidian employed personnel who failed to meet the qualifications specified by the contract, either because the personnel lacked a required degree or the required years of relevant professional experience. As a result, according to the government’s allegations, DIA paid more for labor than could be justified by the personnel’s qualifications.
“To be scrupulous stewards of taxpayer funds, government contractors must comply with contractual requirements, particularly while continuing to charge the government for the costs associated with meeting the requirements,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber. “EDVA will continue its work to safeguard the government procurement process.”
“Protecting the integrity of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) procurement process is a top priority for the DIA Office of the Inspector General,” stated Assistant Inspector General for Investigations William B. Borden III, DIA OIG. “The Office of the Inspector General, DIA, will continue to root out fraud, waste, and abuse in DIA programs and operations as we strive to improve government funds stewardship from our civilian and contractor workforce.”
“This settlement demonstrates the continued commitment of the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and its law enforcement partners, to investigate and resolve allegations of false claims. DCIS is steadfast in its commitment to hold defense contractors accountable for employing corrupt business practices” stated, Paul K. Sternal, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, DCIS. “It is imperative that the procurement process remain free of false statements and that DoD contractors commit to providing adequately qualified personnel as specified by the contracts. A qualified workforce is the foundation of success for the DoD and DIA.”
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the DIA Office of Inspector General, the DIA Office of the General Counsel, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Clare P. Wuerker. The civil claims settled by this False Claims Act agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Gainesville Man Convicted of Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – A federal jury in Gainesville convicted Edwin Giovanny Mendoza-Verdugo, 20, of Sinaloa, Mexico, on one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, further finding Mendoza-Verdugo responsible for 40-400 grams of fentanyl, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. The guilty verdict, returned at the conclusion of a three-day trial, was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Evidence introduced during the trial revealed Mendoza-Verdugo, along with co-conspirators Helio Rolando Lopez-Elizalde and Jorge Mario Velasquez, conspired to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl pills throughout the Northern District of Florida and elsewhere. The Drug Enforcement Administration, based on a tip from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, began investigating Mendoza-Verdugo and his co-conspirators in April of 2022.
After conducting surveillance, the DEA and ACSO seized fentanyl pills, disguised as marked Oxycodone pills, as well as two pistols, from the three conspirators as part of a traffic interdiction in Alachua County, Florida. Further investigation led to the discovery of a shared hotel room where Mendoza-Verdugo and his co-conspirators stored additional fentanyl pills, an AR-15 style rifle, and multiple boxes of ammunition. Co-conspirators Lopez-Elizalde and Velasquez pled guilty prior to trial and are currently awaiting sentencing.
Mendoza-Verdugo’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 21, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor. Mendoza-Verdugo faces 10 to 60 years imprisonment, 4 years to life supervised release, and a fine of up to $5,250,000.
This conviction resulted from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney David P. Byron prosecuted the 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.
Four Men Arrested in Transnational Wire Fraud and Identity Theft ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of four indictments charging Akinola Taylor (Nigeria), Olayemi Adafin (United Kingdom), Olakunle Oyebanjo (Nigeria), and Kazeem Olanrewaju Runsewe (Nigeria), with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, filing false claims with the United States, theft of public money or property, and aggravated identity theft. Taylor, Adafin, and Runsewe, were each arrested on November 30, 2022, and Oyebanjo was arrested on December 1, 2022. Taylor, Adafin, and Oyebanjo were apprehended in London, United Kingdom, and Runswewe was apprehended in Malmo, Sweden. Each will face extradition proceedings. In conjunction with the arrests, foreign authorities conducted searches of the residences of Taylor and Runsewe.
If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud count, as well as additional penalties for the remaining counts. The indictments also notify the defendants that the United States intends to forfeit assets which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.
According to the indictments, Taylor and Runsewe obtained unauthorized access to United States businesses’ computer servers, participated in stealing from those servers the personally identifying information of United States residents and used that information to file false and fraudulent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040, United States Individual Income Tax Returns (“Form(s) 1040”) seeking income tax refunds with the IRS. Adafin and Oyebanjo assisted in the collection fraud proceeds directed to prepaid debit cards in their possession or to addresses or bank accounts they controlled or to which they had access and transferred a share of the fraud proceeds to other conspirators.
One of the places that Taylor and Runsewe had obtained unauthorized access to computer servers was the xDedic Marketplace, a website that operated for years and was used to sell access to compromised computers worldwide and personally identifiable information of U.S. residents. The xDedic administrators strategically maintained servers all over the world to facilitate the operation of the website.
The xDedic Marketplace was taken down as part of coordinated, global enforcement operations led by the FBI (Tampa Division) the IRS-CI (Tampa Field Office) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
The investigation was led by the IRS-CI Cyber Crimes Unit (Washington, D.C). Substantial assistance was provided by the IRS-CI Tampa Field Office, the FBI Tampa Division, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, IRS-CI International Operations at Mission UK and Canada, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the United Kingdom’s National Extradition Unit, the United Kingdom’s Eastern Region Special Operation Unit, the United Kingdom’s North West Regional Organized Crime Unit, and the Swedish Economic Crime Authority.
The cases will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Jones.
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.
Former Oklahoma Supervisory Correctional Officer Sentenced for Promoting White Supremacist Assault on Black Inmates and Ordering Other AbuseRead the Press Release
A former supervisory correctional officer at the Kay County Detention Center (KCDC) was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for violating the civil rights of three pretrial detainees held at the KCDC.
On April 15, 2022, a federal jury convicted Matthew Ware, 53, of willfully depriving two pretrial detainees of their right to be free from a correctional officer’s deliberate indifference to a substantial risk of serious harm and of willfully depriving a third pretrial detainee of the right to be free from a correctional officer’s use of excessive force.
“This defendant is being held accountable for abusing his position of power and authority to, among other things, facilitate an attack carried out by white supremacists on a Black inmate,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence handed down reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s actions and ensures accountability for his unlawful conduct. The Justice Department will continue to hold corrections officials accountable, including those in leadership positions, when they willfully violate the constitutional rights of detainees and inmates in their custody and control.”
“A jury found that Mr. Ware abused his position of power over the individuals in his custody,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “Today’s sentence holds him accountable for that conduct. Mr. Ware violated the laws he was sworn to uphold, betrayed the public trust and dishonored the many brave corrections officials who lawfully perform their important work each day. My office remains committed to protecting the civil rights of all Oklahomans, including those in custody.”
“The defendant disregarded the civil rights of those under his care and ultimately used his position to inflict physical harm on multiple pretrial detainees,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s sentencing clearly shows the FBI will aggressively pursue any law enforcement officer who abuses their responsibility to protect and serve.”
“The vast majority of the men and women working in correctional institutions do their jobs honorably on a daily basis. However, Mr. Ware’s disgraceful actions undermined the public’s trust and deprived the detainees of their civil rights under the U.S. Constitution,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “Rest assured, the FBI will work tirelessly alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure the civil liberties of every American are protected.”
According to court documents and the evidence introduced at trial, on May 18, 2017, Ware, while serving as the Lieutenant of the KCDC, ordered lower-ranking correctional officers to move two Black pretrial detainees, D.W. and M.M., to a cell row housing white supremacist inmates whom Ware knew posed a danger to D.W. and M.M. Later that same day, Ware gave lower-ranking officers a second order: to unlock the jail cells of D.W. and M.M., and those of the white supremacist inmates at the same time the following morning. When Ware’s orders were followed, the white supremacist inmates attacked D.W. and M.M., resulting in physical injury to both, including a facial laceration to D.W. that required seven stitches to close.
Court documents and evidence introduced at trial also revealed that, on Jan. 31, 2018, Ware, while serving as the Acting Captain of the KCDC, ordered lower-ranking correctional officers to restrain another pretrial detainee, C.D., in a stretched-out position — with C.D.’s left wrist cuffed to the far-left side of the bench and his right wrist cuffed to the far-right side of the bench — in retaliation for C.D. sending Ware a note that critiqued how Ware ran the KCDC. C.D. was left restrained in this position for 90 minutes, resulting in physical injury.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Troester, Assistant Director Quesada and Special Agent in Charge Gray made the announcement.
The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Barry for the Western District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorney Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Former Oklahoma Supervisory Correctional Officer Sentenced for Promoting White Supremacist Assault on Black Inmates and Ordering Other AbuseRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – A former supervisory correctional officer at the Kay County Detention Center (KCDC) was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for violating the civil rights of three pretrial detainees held at the KCDC.
On April 15, 2022, a federal jury convicted Matthew Ware, 53, of willfully depriving two pretrial detainees of their right to be free from a correctional officer’s deliberate indifference to a substantial risk of serious harm and of willfully depriving a third pretrial detainee of the right to be free from a correctional officer’s use of excessive force.
"This defendant is being held accountable for abusing his position of power and authority to, among other things, facilitate an attack carried out by white supremacists on a Black inmate," said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. "This sentence handed down reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s actions and ensures accountability for his unlawful conduct. The Justice Department will continue to hold corrections officials accountable, including those in leadership positions, when they willfully violate the constitutional rights of detainees and inmates in their custody and control."
"A jury found that Mr. Ware abused his position of power over the individuals in his custody," said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. "Today’s sentence holds him accountable for that conduct. Mr. Ware violated the laws he was sworn to uphold, betrayed the public trust, and dishonored the many brave corrections officials who lawfully perform their important work each day. My office remains committed to protecting the civil rights of all Oklahomans, including those in custody."
"The defendant disregarded the civil rights of those under his care and ultimately used his position to inflict physical harm on multiple pretrial detainees," said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. "Today’s sentencing clearly shows the FBI will aggressively pursue any law enforcement officer who abuses their responsibility to protect and serve."
"The vast majority of the men and women working in correctional institutions do their jobs honorably on a daily basis. However, Mr. Ware’s disgraceful actions undermined the public’s trust and deprived the detainees of their civil rights under the U.S. Constitution," said Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. "Rest assured, the FBI will work tirelessly alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure the civil liberties of every American are protected."
According to court documents and the evidence introduced at trial, on May 18, 2017, Ware, while serving as the Lieutenant of the KCDC, ordered lower-ranking correctional officers to move two Black pretrial detainees, D.W. and M.M., to a cell row housing white supremacist inmates whom Ware knew posed a danger to D.W. and M.M. Later that same day, Ware gave lower-ranking officers a second order: to unlock the jail cells of D.W. and M.M., and those of the white supremacist inmates at the same time the following morning. When Ware’s orders were followed, the white supremacist inmates attacked D.W. and M.M., resulting in physical injury to both, including a facial laceration to D.W. that required seven stitches to close.
Court documents and evidence introduced at trial also revealed that, on Jan. 31, 2018, Ware, while serving as the Acting Captain of the KCDC, ordered lower-ranking correctional officers to restrain another pretrial detainee, C.D., in a stretched-out position — with C.D.’s left wrist cuffed to the far-left side of the bench and his right wrist cuffed to the far-right side of the bench — in retaliation for C.D. sending Ware a note that critiqued how Ware ran the KCDC. C.D. was left restrained in this position for 90 minutes, resulting in physical injury.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Troester, Assistant Director Quesada, and Special Agent in Charge Gray made the announcement.
The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Barry for the Western District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorney Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Former Muncie, Indiana, Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Eleven Civil Rights and Obstruction Offenses for Assaulting Arrestees and Writing False ReportsRead the Press Release
Chase Winkle, a former officer with the Muncie Police Department, in Muncie, Indiana, pleaded guilty today to eleven civil rights and obstruction charges. Specifically, Winkle pleaded guilty to five federal civil rights offenses for assaulting arrestees, and to six obstruction offenses for writing false reports to cover up the assaults.
“Officer Winkle, the son of the former Chief of Police, confessed to repeated uses of excessive force and obstruction of justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant’s misconduct injured his victims and undermined the police department’s credibility with the community. We hope that this guilty plea sends a message that neither a badge nor familial connections will shield an officer from facing justice for his wrongdoing.”
“Today’s guilty pleas are an important step forward as we seek justice for the victims in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana. “Our office, the Department of Justice and our federal partners are firmly committed to holding law enforcement officers accountable when they violate their oaths and the civil rights of the people they were sworn to protect.”
According to court documents and statements made during the change of plea hearing, on or about Aug. 9, 2018, Winkle and another officer arrested a civilian identified as L.G. As L.G. was lying on the ground, with the other officer holding both of L.G.’s hands behind his back, L.G. directed a verbal insult towards the officers. In response to the insult, Officer Winkle, using his knee, dropped his full bodyweight down onto L.G.’s neck and head area. L.G. screamed out in pain and yelled that Winkle had crushed his face. A few moments later, Winkle deployed taser prongs into L.G.’s back and activated the taser. Officer Winkle’s use of force caused severe bodily injury to L.G., multiple facial fractures that required surgery. Following the incident, Winkle wrote a false report about what happened.
On or about June 5, 2018, Winkle participated in the arrest of two then-juveniles, N.B. and R.F. The incident began when MPD officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop of a car, but the driver did not initially stop and instead drove away from the officers. The occupants – including N.B. and R.F. – eventually jumped out of the car and ran from officers on foot. Officer Winkle and another then-MPD officer, Dalton Kurtz, engaged in a short foot chase of N.B., who eventually lay down in a yard. Kurtz found N.B, alerted Officer Winkle, and aimed his firearm and a flashlight at N.B., who was lying on his stomach with his arms extended in front of him and his hands visible and open. As N.B. lay on the ground, with his hands extended in front of him, Officer Winkle ran towards N.B. and kicked him in the head. Winkle then positioned himself near N.B.’s shoulder and delivered approximately two closed fist strikes to the back or side of N.B.’s head, and two open hand strikes to N.B.’s face. Shortly after N.B.’s arrest, Officer Winkle found R.F. in a nearby garage. Winkle ordered R.F. to show his hands and R.F. complied, holding both hands above his head. As another officer began to handcuff R.F., Officer Winkle walked up and slapped R.F. in the face. Following the incident, Officer Winkle authored a false report regarding the arrests of both N.B. and R.F.
On or about March 27, 2018, Winkle and another MPD officer responded to a call involving a complaint against a civilian, I.P. When the officers found I.P. in an alleyway, I.P. stood up and immediately put his hands up in the air with his palms open, in a position indicating surrender. Winkle ordered I.P. to get down to the ground, and I.P., with his hands in the air, began to get down to the ground. As I.P. began to lower himself to the ground, Officer Winkle kicked him in the abdomen/hip area, causing him to fall backwards into a chain link fence behind him. As I.P. tried to steady himself against the fence, Winkle delivered a second kick directly to I.P.’s head, knocking I.P. unconscious. Shortly after the arrest, Winkle wrote a false report about the incident.
On or about May 22, 2018, Officer Winkle authored a false report about the arrest of an individual identified as D.E. During the arrest, Winkle placed D.E. in handcuffs, and then struck and used a pain compliance technique on him.
On or about Feb. 17, 2019, Officer Winkle responded to the scene of a traffic stop, and he and another officer ordered the passenger, B.B. out of the car. B.B. complied and stepped out of the car, but was caught in the seatbelt. As B.B. started to pull the seatbelt off of his body, Winkle punched B.B. in the face, and officers took B.B. to the ground. After a short scuffle, B.B. was handcuffed, after which Winkle used four knee strikes to B.B.’s torso area. Officer Winkle later wrote a false report regarding the arrest.
Finally, on or about May 13, 2019, another former MPD officer, Jeremy Gibson initiated a traffic stop of a car because one of the car’s headlights was out. When the driver stepped out of the car, Gibson attempted to physically take him to the ground, and punched him several times with a closed fist in the process. As other officers attempted to secure E.M., Officer Winkle used a knee strike to the left side of E.M.’s head or upper body. Gibson delivered a knee strike to the right of E.M.’s head, causing his head to swing to the left, back toward Winkle, and Winkle delivered another knee strike to the left side of E.M.’s head. Following the arrest, Officer Winkle wrote a false report about the incident.
Winkle admitted that he knew at the time of the incidents that his uses of force against the arrestees were unjustified and unreasonable under the circumstances. He further admitted that he wrote false reports about what happened, including making false statements and material omissions, in order to influence any potential investigations into the incidents.
Winkle is one of four Muncie Police Department officers who were indicted in April 2021 in a 17-count superseding indictment for their roles in using excessive force against arrestees and/or attempting to cover up the misconduct. A fifth Muncie police officer, Dalton Kurtz, previously entered a pre-indictment guilty plea on Aug. 4, 2021, to one count of misprision of felony for concealing and failing to report inappropriate use of force by Officer Winkle during the arrest of N.B. On May 13, 2022, Officer Jeremy Gibson also pleaded guilty to civil rights and obstruction charges for assaulting E.M. and writing a false report about the incident. The remaining two officers are scheduled to stand trial in January 2023.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Myers and Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI conducted the investigation.
Trial Attorneys Katherine G. DeVar and Mary J. Hahn of the Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Blackett for the Southern District of Indiana are prosecuting the case.
Former Clerk for Chicago Transit Authority Retirement Plan Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $350,000 in Plan FundsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former clerk for the Retirement Plan for Chicago Transit Authority Employees has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly fraudulently obtaining more than $350,000 in Plan funds.
AYANNA NESBITT created and obtained approval for fraudulent payment requests of various retirement benefits, including death benefits and pension contribution refunds, to purported CTA retirees or their beneficiaries, according to an indictment returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The payment requests contained false and fraudulent representations about the purported recipients’ identities and entitlement to the payments, the indictment states. Nesbitt either accepted the fraudulently obtained funds in accounts she controlled or else had the money paid to others and then transferred to Nesbitt, the charges allege.
From 2019 to 2021, Nesbitt fraudulently created approximately 43 false payment requests, defrauding the Plan of approximately $356,934, the indictment states.
The indictment charges Nesbitt, 50, of Chicago, with five counts of wire fraud. Arraignment is set for Dec. 8, 2022, at 1:30 p.m., before U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and John S. Morales, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher K. Veatch.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each count of wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to a Violation of the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DANTE BOWMAN, age 23, a resident of Florida, pled guilty on November 30, 2022 before United States District Court Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to a one-count indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute five hundred grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, following a traffic stop on Interstate-10, law enforcement officers located approximately 3.1 pounds of methamphetamine within locked canvas bags hidden in the spare tire area of a vehicle rented by BOWMAN.
BOWMAN is scheduled to be sentenced on March 1, 2023. BOWMAN faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, at least five (5) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman.
Ecuadorian National Sentenced to over 16 Years for Trafficking Cocaine on the High SeasRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell has sentenced Jose Luis Pinargote-Baquerizo (37, Ecuador) to 16 years and 4 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute over 2,700 kilograms of cocaine. Pinargote had pleaded guilty on August 23, 2022.
According to court documents and information offered in open court, between June and September 2017, Pinargote conspired to traffic over 2,700 kilograms of cocaine by three different vessels through the Eastern Pacific Ocean (photographs directly below). These cocaine-laden vessels left the shores of Tumaco, Colombia, with a destination of Mexico. On these three drug trafficking ventures, Pinargote hired six Ecuadorian mariners who set sail from Colombia to Mexico, paying them in U.S. dollars for their participation. Pinargote often kept a portion of this payment as a fee. He also provided logistical support for transporting the mariners from Ecuador to Colombia, arranging and paying for their transportation and hotels. Pinargote personally shepherded these mariners from Ecuador to Colombia, and on one occasion accompanied them directly into Tumaco, Colombia.
On August 8, 2019, in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, Pinargote was found on board a cocaine-laden vessel (1,029 kilograms) by the Colombian Navy (photograph directly below). Pursuant to an outstanding provisional arrest warrant, Pinargote was sent to a Colombian jail to await extradition to the United States.
On August 24, 2020, while awaiting extradition to the United States, Pinargote was inadvertently released from a Colombian jail. However, on February 6, 2022, he was interdicted in the Eastern Pacific Ocean on board a self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) vessel by the Colombian Navy, this time with 3,764 kilograms of cocaine on board (photograph directly below).
Pinargote was again arrested pursuant to the outstanding provisional arrest warrant, sent back to jail in Colombia, and extradited to the United States on March 2, 2022. In total, Pinargote is responsible for trafficking over 7,500 kilograms (or 17,000 pounds) of cocaine, which is worth approximately $225,000,000 USD.
This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard and the Panama Express Strike Force, a standing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force comprised of agents and analysts from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. Substantial assistance was also provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs. The Narcotics and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché’s Office in Colombia also assisted in facilitating the extradition. 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.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Pardo.
Dr. Victor Savinov Pays $50,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Unlawful KickbacksRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Dr. Victor Savinov, a medical doctor who practices and resides in the Eastern District of Michigan, has agreed to pay the United States $50,000 to resolve allegations that in 2009 he received remuneration in exchange for referring Medicare patients to third-party-owned home health agencies, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto, United States Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General.
The allegations arose from a lawsuit filed in 2009 by whistleblowers, Ruqiayah Madany and John Collins, under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the False Claims Act, private citizens can bring suit on behalf of the government for false claims and potentially share in any recovery. After the United States conducted its own investigation, it intervened and commenced litigation in the qui tam case in 2014. The original qui tam complaint named over 30 defendants, and the United States has either settled with or obtained judgments against most of those defendants. In March 2022, the Court granted the United States summary judgment against two defendants and awarded the United States nearly $40 million in damages and penalties.
This settlement resolves allegations that Dr. Savinov received kickbacks in the form of a credit card payment, free office space, and free use of a medical assistant in exchange for his referral of Medicare patients to home health agencies. The United States contends that the claims for payment were rendered false because they were tainted by Dr. Savinov’s receipt of unlawful kickbacks, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute, 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b). The whistleblowers will receive $11,000 in connection with this settlement.
“The Anti-Kickback Statute was designed to ensure doctors make medical decisions based on the best interest of their patients,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “Kickbacks threaten to corrupt that decision-making process, and our Office is prepared to pursue anyone who fails to abide by the rules that safeguard the integrity of the Medicare program.”
“The payment of kickbacks to induce referrals can undermine the trust in our nation’s providers and result in costly reductions to our federal health care programs," said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of
Inspector General. “We will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners to ensure the appropriate use of taxpayer dollars as well as pursue medical providers engaging in improper financial relationships.”
The matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys John Postulka and John Spaccarotella from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
The case is docketed as United States ex rel. Madany and Collins v. Petre, et al., No. 09-cv-13693. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.Connecticut Man Sentenced to 27 Months of Imprisonment for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Jorge Torres, 23, of Hartford, Connecticut, was sentenced to 27 months of imprisonment today in United States District Court by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III. Torres previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Judge Sessions also ordered that Torres serve three years of supervised release after he serves his term of imprisonment.
According to court records, on December 21, 2021, Torres was arrested in the town of Orleans in the Northeast Kingdom while he was traveling northbound on Interstate 91 in possession of about 1500 bags of fentanyl, several grams of crack cocaine, and a loaded 9mm handgun. Prior to his arrest, Torres had sold fentanyl on several occasions to one or more persons cooperating with law enforcement. Torres was detained following his arrest and had been in custody since that time. This was Torres’ first criminal conviction.
This matter was investigated by the Vermont State Police Narcotics Investigation Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Newport, Vermont Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Drescher was the prosecutor. Torres was represented by Lisa Shelkrot, Esq., of Burlington.
Columbia Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Derek Taft Evans, 45, of Columbia, was sentenced to 1o years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that on June 15, 2020, a Richland County Sheriff’s Deputy stopped a Chrysler 200 driven by Evans for speeding. In a subsequent search of the Chrysler, law enforcement recovered a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun, approximately 36 grams of crack cocaine and 3.8 grams of fentanyl from the Chrysler’s center console. Additional investigation showed Evans was involved in trafficking multiple controlled substances, including heroin, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Evans to 120 months imprisonment, to be followed by a four-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by Richland County Sheriff’s Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Flynn prosecuted the case.
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Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Prison for His Role in Selling HeroinRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who was involved in the distribution of heroin was sentenced today to more than 6 years in federal prison.
Sammie Truman Williams, age 37, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 22, 2022 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that in 2017 and 2018, Williams and other individuals worked together to sell heroin in the Cedar Rapids area. In January 2018, investigators conducted a wiretap investigation of a phone operated by Williams. Multiple people called the phone to arrange heroin deals. Williams would set up the deal, but an accomplice would deliver the heroin. In total, Williams was responsible for the distribution of over 100 grams of heroin.
Williams was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Williams was sentenced to 77 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Williams 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 Attorney Ashley Corkery and Special Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Drug Enforcement Administration Cedar Rapids Resident Office, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-06.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
California Man Indicted for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Long Beach, California, man for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.
Jamaul Carter, a/k/a Mud, a/k/a Mudd Roll, age 34, was indicted in October of 2022. He appeared before Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on November 30, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in custody and/or a $10,000,000 fine, a lifetime of supervised release, and a $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between September of 2021 and November of 2022, the defendant conspired with others to knowingly distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine in South Dakota, on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation.
The charge is merely an accusation and Carter is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Carter was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has been set for January 31, 2023.
Convicted Felon Arraigned for Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo announced today that PATRICK CHARLES SCHUTZ, 38, of Casper, Wyoming was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms at an arraignment hearing on November 29, 2022, before United States Magistrate Judge Michael Shickich and pleaded not guilty to the charges. A trial has been set for January 23, 2023.
If convicted, Schutz faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Jonathan C. Coppom is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 22-CR-00132
Cheyenne Man Charged with Being a Felon in Possession of an Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo announced today that MICHAEL LANGLEY 26, of Cheyenne, Wyoming was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, at an arraignment hearing on November 29, 2022, before United States Magistrate Judge Michael Shickich and pleaded not guilty to the charges. A trial has been set for January 17, 2023.
If convicted, Langley faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Cheyenne Police Department. Assistant United States Jonathan C. Coppom is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 22-CR-00133
Buffalo Charity CEO Pleads Guilty to Tax ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jacqueline Mines, 66, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy to a misdemeanor charge of willful failure to file an income tax return, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno, who is handling the case, stated that in 2006, Mines founded a charitable organization named Helping Families and Children in America (HFCA), serving as president and CEO between 2006 and continuing through at least 2018. Mines maintained a checking account in the name of HFCA at Citizens Bank. In the calendar year 2018, she used approximately $61,477 from the account to pay personal expenses. In addition, in the calendar year 2018, Mines received $23,001 in Social Security income. As a result, and taking into account the $12,000 standard deduction, Mines’ gross taxable income in 2018 was approximately $72,478.00. However, she failed to file a federal income tax return or pay any federal income tax for the 2018 taxable year. The total amount of tax loss to the United States, including interest and penalties, is $18,842.71.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 5, 2023, before Judge McCarthy.
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Brothers and Associates Sentenced in Interlocking Family-Led Drug Trafficking ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Two sets of brothers and six associates in two family-led drug trafficking conspiracies were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Victoria A. Roberts in federal court last week. Jamilie Ledesma of Detroit and his brother Jason Ledesma of Inkster, leaders of a major drug trafficking organization in metro-Detroit, were sentenced to 155 months and 120 months, respectively, in federal prison, for conspiring to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. In addition, Curtis Wood of Detroit was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison for his leadership role in a related drug trafficking conspiracy that involved his brother, Kevin Wood of Detroit, who was sentenced to 75 months for his role in the drug trafficking conspiracy.
“Our office will vigorously pursue drug dealers who traffic cocaine and other drugs into our community,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “I commend the excellent work of the federal law enforcement agents who stop individuals who seek to destroy the lives of our friends, neighbors, and loved ones.”
Ison was joined in the announcement by Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
According to court records, the Ledesma brothers’ drug trafficking organization supplied kilogram quantities of drugs to the Wood brothers’ organization, which distributed the drugs in the metro-Detroit area. The family-led Ledesma and Wood organizations used couriers, vehicles, stash houses, distributors, and various methods to transport and distribute drugs. The case was investigated by the DEA and the FBI and resulted in the seizure of over 12 kilograms of narcotics (including cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl), more than $400,000 in cash, dozens of firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and a bullet-proof vest.
Also sentenced in the case were:
- Michael Reynolds of Detroit was sentenced to 60 months for conspiring to distribute cocaine.
- Patrick Harris-Walker of Romulus was sentenced to 60 months for conspiring to distribute cocaine.
- Darius Barnes of Ecorse was sentenced to 50 months for conspiring to distribute cocaine.
- Jerome Bray of Dearborn Heights was sentenced to 30 months for using a communication facility in facilitating the commission of a violation of the Controlled Substances Act.
- Gregory Barnes of Ecorse was sentenced to 18 months for using a communication facility in facilitating the commission of a violation of the Controlled Substances Act.
- And, Deviunda Morris of Detroit was sentenced to time served for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
- Uriel Galvan-Maciel, a Mexican national, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute controlled substances and has yet to be sentenced.
This case was investigated by the DEA and FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Smith, Trevor Broad, and Paul Kuebler.
Bonner Springs Man Sentenced for Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 27 years in prison for engaging in sexual acts with a child and taking nude pictures and videos of the child.
According to court documents, in September 2022, Joshua Courtney, 35, of Bonner Springs pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and four counts of possession of child pornography.
Acting on cybertips submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, law enforcement agents found dozens of pornographic images in Courtney’s Google photos. Courtney admitted to investigators to taking nude photos of a 10-year-old child, filming while he engaged in sexual acts with the child, and sending these materials to others. He also admitted receiving child pornography of other children on his cell phone.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the U.S. Secret Service investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Faiza Alhambra 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."###
Berwick Man Sentenced to 66 Months’ Imprisonment for Possessing Firearms as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Cody Drumheller, age 28, of Berwick, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 2, 2022, to 66 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann for possessing firearms as a convicted felon.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, in July 2021, Drumheller possessed a stolen 9mm handgun and two sawed-off 12-gauge shotguns, in Berwick, Pennsylvania. Drumheller is prohibited from possessing firearms based on prior convictions.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Amarillo Man Pleads Guilty to Use of WMDRead the Press Release
An Amarillo man who set off a bomb in his backyard, stashed a suicide vest in his alleyway, and privately plotted to blow up a local high school pleaded guilty today to a weapons of mass destruction (WMD) charge, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Erfan Salmanzadeh, a 33-year-old naturalized citizen of the U.S. born in Iran, pleaded guilty on Monday to use and attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction.
According to plea papers, Mr. Salmanzadeh admitted to law enforcement that he used homemade triacetone triperoxide (TATP) to blow up an Xbox in his back yard on July 26, 2021. At the time, he claimed he wanted to see how much damage such an explosion would cause.
He further admitted that after law enforcement arrived at the home to investigate the explosion – which was reported by neighbors who heard the blast – he flushed a gallon-sized jar of TATP powder down the toilet and concealed a suicide vest and a nail bomb in a dumpster in his alleyway:
According to plea papers, bomb technicians collected residual TATP – an extremely unstable explosive that reacts violently to friction and shock – from the defendant’s porcelain toilet bowl. They also discovered TATP residue on a white PVC pipe hidden in his bedroom closet. Officers recovered the suicide vest, which contained several sewn pockets filled with red cylindrical taped tubes labeled “dynamite,” and nail bomb from the dumpster.
Law enforcement later reviewed his electronic devices, including a video Mr. Salmanzadeh recorded on July 22, 2021, threatening to blow up a local high school.
“We are going to blast the school,” he said in Farsi, before displaying the nail bomb filled with shrapnel, the suicide vest filled with pipes labeled dynamite, a suitcase filled with container labeled explosives, and a backpack filled with bottles labeled explosives to the camera.
Officers uncovered several other videos showing Mr. Salmanzadeh conducting test explosions and several journals that contained notes and formulas related to the production of explosives.
In plea papers, Mr. Salmanzadeh admits he used the internet to conduct all the research he needed to construct TATP and WMD. He also admitted he used the internet to purchase a plane ticket to California on July 28, 2021, to avoid detection by law enforcement after a bombing.
“Armed with internet research, this defendant was able to create homemade explosives capable of wreaking mass casualties – casualties he dreamed of inflicting on innocent high schoolers,” said U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “Without vigilant neighbors who reported the sound of the explosion to authorities and immediate law enforcement intervention, this may have ended in tragedy. Instead, the community is a little bit safer today as this defendant is being held accountable for his criminal activity.”
“The FBI’s top priority continues to be preventing a terrorist attack in the United States. The defendant had a device with the potential to cause significant damage and harm innocent people, and we would like to thank our partners at the Amarillo Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Randall County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations for their collaboration on this investigation," said FBI Dallas Acting Special Agent in Charge James Dwyer.
Mr. Salmanzadeh now faces up to life in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Amarillo Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the North Texas Joint Terrorism Taskforce, Homeland Security Investigations, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Randall County Sheriff’s Office, and the Amarillo Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Haag and Josh Frausto are prosecuting the case with assistance provided by the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
2 December 2022
West Haven Man Guilty of Role in Scheme to Steal City's COVID-19 Relief FundsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a jury in Hartford federal court has found JOHN TRASACCO, 50, of West Haven, guilty of conspiracy and fraud offenses. The trial before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams began on November 21 and the jury returned the guilty verdicts this afternoon.
According to the evidence presented during the trial, Michael DiMassa was a Connecticut State Representative who was also employed by the City of West Haven, most recently serving as the Administrative Assistant to the City Council. In April 2020, the State of Connecticut was allocated money by the U.S. Department of the Treasury through the Coronavirus Relief Fund (“CRF”), which was established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) for the purpose of helping local governments pay costs incurred in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. From July 2020 through September 2021, the City of West Haven received approximately $1,150,257 in financial assistance from this fund. DiMassa, who was authorized to approve the designated relief funds for the reimbursement of COVID-related expenditures incurred by West Haven, conspired with others to steal these funds and other West Haven funds through the submission of fraudulent invoices, and subsequent payment, for COVID relief goods and services that were never provided.
The investigation revealed that DiMassa conspired with Trasacco through the submission of fraudulent invoices from L & H Company and JIL Sanitation Services, two companies controlled by Trasacco, to West Haven for goods and services, including thousands of units of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), HVAC maintenance at multiple municipal locations, COVID supplies for the Board of Education, and cleaning services for various municipal and school buildings, including one school building that had been vacant and abandoned for several years. Trasacco’s companies received approximately $431,982 through this scheme.
The jury found Trasacco guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. Each charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
Trasacco, who had been released on a $100,000 bond, was remanded to custody at the conclusion of today’s court proceedings pending his ability to meet his increased bond requirements.
On November 1, 2022, DiMassa pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud, admitting that he defrauded the City of West Haven of more than $1.2 million through this scheme and two other schemes. He awaits sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General for Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ray Miller and David Sheldon.
Individuals with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Wallingford Attorney Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that MARK CARBUTTI, 48, of Wallingford, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to tax evasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Carbutti is an attorney specializing in personal injury law. For the 2013 through 2017 tax years, Carbutti reported approximately $585,025 in income taxes owed to the Internal Revenue Service as a result of his legal practice and certain rental income. During that time period and thereafter, Carbutti made only limited payments of his taxes due and owing, and interest and penalties accrued as a result of his non-payment.
Between December 2014 and May 2019, Carbutti received at least 12 notices from the IRS advising him of his tax amounts due and instructions on how to pay his overdue taxes. When the IRS levied certain personal bank accounts used by Carbutti, he closed those accounts and evaded the payment of taxes, interest, and penalties by writing checks from his law firm’s operating account payable to his paralegal, which subsequently were converted to cash and deposited into the bank accounts of limited liability companies (“LLCs”) that Carbutti had created in association with his real estate holdings. Carbutti also took substantial additional cash withdrawals from his law firm bank accounts and redeposited the monies in the LLCs bank accounts. Between approximately 2013 and 2019, Carbutti paid approximately $600,000 in personal expenses from the LLCs bank accounts, including expenditures for gambling at casinos, restaurants, vacations and the purchase of a BMW automobile.
Carbutti pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for March 2.
Carbutti has agreed to pay the IRS $750,180 in back taxes, interest and penalties.
This investigation has been conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Hosts Community Event as Part of DOJ’s United Against Hate InitiativeRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona held its first United Against Hate event yesterday, at the First Institutional Baptist Church in Phoenix, Arizona. The event provided an opportunity for an informative and interactive discussion with community leaders from the Phoenix African-American community. Approximately 60 invited guests and community leaders attended the event, focused on establishing a dialogue and increasing community understanding and reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents.
The event, planned as the first in a series, is part of the Department of Justice’s United Against Hate initiative. The program seeks to help local community members have a better understanding of hate crimes and how to report them to law enforcement. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland recently announced the nationwide launch of the initiative and the District of Arizona had previously been chosen as one of the original 16 cohorts to help launch the program.
“Upholding the civil and constitutional rights of all Arizonans lies at the very core of the Justice Department’s mission,” said Gary Restaino, U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona. “I am honored that my office was selected as part of the first wave to launch this initiative. My office is deeply committed to working with community members and leaders, our law enforcement partners, and other organizations to combat hate crimes.”
Yesterday’s event featured a panel discussion comprised of community leaders, moderated by DOJ’s Community Relations Service. The panel discussion allowed attendees to hear directly from leaders in the community, who shared their thoughts, concerns, and experiences with hate crimes and incidents. The event also included presentations from the FBI, the Phoenix Police Department, and members of the United States Attorney’s Office. Presenters provided interactive presentations, video clips, and hypotheticals to highlight the difference between hate crimes and incidents, emphasize the importance of reporting unlawful acts of hate, and explain the role that local and federal law enforcement play in hate crime and incident investigations.
The District of Arizona will hold additional United Against Hate events in the coming months to engage with communities across the state. These events will further encourage collaboration, support hate crimes prevention efforts, and encourage more Arizonans to report hate crimes and hate incidents.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-218_United Against Hate Event
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Two Men Charged with Violent Armed Robbery of Bank on Martha's VineyardRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men have been charged in federal court in Boston in connection with the Nov. 17, 2022 armed bank robbery of the Rockland Trust bank in Tisbury, Mass.
Miquel Antonio Jones, 39, of Edgartown, and Omar Odion Johnson, 32 of Canterbury, N.H., were charged with one count each of armed bank robbery. The defendants are currently in state custody on related charges and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, on the morning of Nov. 17, 2022, three masked and armed individuals forced their way into the rear door of the Rockland Trust bank in Tisbury. All three individuals were wearing dark colored clothing and matching white masks that resembled an elderly man with exaggerated facial features. According to witnesses, each of the individuals were allegedly carrying what appeared to be semi-automatic handguns. The video surveillance also showed that one of the individuals was carrying what appeared to be a walkie-talkie. Once inside the bank, one of the individuals allegedly held a gun to the head of one of the bank employees and forced him to open the bank’s vault. It is further alleged that the individuals entered the vault and took approximately $39,100, then bound the employees with duct tape and plastic zip ties, demanded access to one of their vehicles, and left the premises in an employee’s car.
A short time after the robbery, law enforcement located the stolen car in a parking lot approximately 2.3 miles from the bank and determined that, minutes after the robbery, the individuals allegedly left the parking lot in another vehicle.
According to the charging documents, following an investigation by law enforcement, Jones and Johnson were identified as suspects. It is alleged that subsequent searches by law enforcement resulted in the recovery of three $100 bills and clothing consistent with the individuals’ in Jones’ car; a black handgun from Johnson’s home; and paperwork reflecting both a money transfer to Jamaica in the approximate amount of $700 and cash deposits in the amount of $4,100 made at a bank in Connecticut in Johnson’s car.
Additionally, according to the complaint affidavits, during a search of the Tisbury farm used by a local landscaping company which employs Jones, a glove, paper money band, zip tie and multiple rubber band – items consistent with the bank robbery – were recovered. During the search, investigators observed an area that appeared to have had a recent fire, and found burned pieces of nylon, white metal plastic consistent with a white mask, burned walkie-talkie pieces, an antennae, batteries and pieces of metal consistent with a duffle bag zipper. Within a few feet of the burned area two semi-automatic handguns loaded with 9mm ammunition were discovered buried inches under the ground. These items, including the handguns, were consistent with items possessed by the robbers during the robbery of the Rockland Trust bank.
On Nov. 19, 2022, Jones was arrested on state charges of accessory after the fact and was later charged with armed and masked bank robbery in Edgartown District Court on Nov. 28, 2022. He is in state custody. On Nov. 25, 2022, a criminal complaint and warrant were issued by the Edgartown District Court charging Johnson with the Nov. 17, 2022, masked and armed robbery of the Rockland Trust bank. Johnson was located and arrested in New Haven, Conn., and is currently in state custody awaiting arraignment in the Edgartown District Court. The investigation remains active and ongoing.
The charge of armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Cape & Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Tisbury Police Chief Chris Habekos; West Tisbury Police Chief Matt Mincone; Edgartown Police Chief Bruce R. McNamee; Chilmark Police Chief Jonathan Klaren; Oak Bluffs Police Chief Jonathan Searle; Aquinnah Police Chief Randhi P. Belain; Canterbury (N.H.) Police Chief Michael Labrecque; and New Haven (Conn.) Police Chief Karl Jacobson made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and the United States Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan C. Cleary and Kenneth G. Shine of Rollins’s Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Former Mississippi Department of Corrections Officials Indicted for Excessive Force Against an InmateRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Mississippi returned an indictment that was unsealed yesterday charging two former Mississippi Department of Corrections officials with deprivation of rights under color of law.
According to court documents, both Jessica Hill, a correctional officer at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility (CMCF), and Nicole Moore, a CMCF case manager, used excessive force against an inmate, including the use of dangerous weapons and resulting in bodily injury.
On July 11, 2019, Hill and Moore, while aiding and abetting each other and others, willfully deprived L.C. of the right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment. The indictment alleges that Hill struck L.C. with a cannister and punched L.C., and that Moore kicked L.C., while L.C. was not resisting.
If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca for the Southern District of Mississippi, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Jackson Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda Haynes for the Southern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Females Plead Guilty to Distribution of FentanylRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – YOLANI ASUCENA ENORADO-LEIVA, age 24, a resident of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, and LETICIA NICACIA DOS SANTOS, aka “La China,”, age 18, who is a Brazillian national, pled guilty on November 29, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry to participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(b)(1)(B) and 846. YOLANI ASUCENA ENORADO-LEIVA also pled guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of her drug trafficking activities, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, the Department of Homeland Security been investigating the narcotics trafficking activities of a Mexican national who was located in Mexico. The investigation revealed that this individual had couriers within the Eastern District Louisiana distributing fentanyl pills. Two of those couriers were identified as YOLANI ASUCENA ENORADO-LEIVA AND LETICIA NICACIA DOS SANTOS, aka “La China.” During this investigation, LEIVA was also arrested by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s office regarding a shooting in which she was involved. When she was arrested, the deputies located firearms and additional drugs on her person.
For the drug charges, both YOLANI ASUCENA ENORADO-LEIVA and LETICIA NICACIA DOS SANTOS, aka “La China” face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of forty years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, at least three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. For the gun violation YOLANI ASUCENA ENORADO-LEIVA will face an additional sentence of five years up to life in prison. Any sentence imposed in connection with this count must be served consecutively to the sentence in the drug count. She will also face an additional fine of up to $250,000.00, not more than three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee for each count.
This case was investigated by the Special Agents of the Department of Homeland Security and the Deputies of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu
Texas Man Charged with Threatening Doctor Affiliated with the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education CenterRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Texas man was arrested and charged today in connection with threatening a Boston doctor providing care to members of the transgender community.
Matthew Jordan Lindner, 38, of Comfort, Texas, was charged with one count of transmitting interstate threats. Lindner was arrested this morning and will make an initial appearance in the Western District of Texas this afternoon. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
“Death threats instill fear and terror in their targeted audiences. The conduct alleged here is not protected free speech. The words used here do not amount to someone simply expressing their discontent or engaging in a heated debate. Mr. Lindner’s alleged conduct – a death threat – is based on falsehoods and amounts to an act of workplace violence. The victim, a Doctor caring for gender nonconforming and transgendered patients, should be able to engage in this meaningful and necessary work without fear of physical harm or death. And although the Doctor is clearly a victim, Mr. Lindner’s threat is rooted in a hatred of the LGBTQIA+ community and the families, friends and people that love and support them. They are victims too,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “There used to be a respite and safe haven from harm or attack in our schools, churches, hospitals and courthouses. We used to extend that decency and respect to even our fiercest adversaries. Sadly, those days appear to be gone. The Department of Justice has pledged to protect the rights of the gender nonconforming and transgendered community, which includes the health care providers who render care and support. This office will vigorously investigate and prosecute individuals who engaged in hate crimes, including threats. Today’s charges show that we will scour the country to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people in Massachusetts. Hate has no place here.”
“Today, the FBI arrested Matthew Lindner for allegedly harassing and threatening to kill a physician at the Fenway Institute solely because she was caring for gender nonconforming children. While everyone has a right to express their opinion, they don’t have a right to use or threaten violence against individuals who do not share their same set of beliefs,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “No one should have to live in fear of violence because of who they are, what kind of work they do, where they are from, or what they believe. This case is unfortunately one of many others that illustrates FBI Boston’s commitment to thwarting potential violent incidents motivated by hate and bias and holding the individuals behind them accountable.”
According to the charging documents, in August 2022, inaccurate information spread online regarding procedures at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) for the transgender community. It is alleged that on Aug. 31, 2022, Lindner called the Boston-based National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center and left a threatening voicemail targeting one of the Center’s affiliated doctors. In that voicemail, Lindner allegedly said: “You sick motherf*****s, you’re all gonna burn. There’s a group of people on their way to handle [victim]. You signed your own warrant, [victim]. Castrating our children. You’ve woken up enough people. And upset enough of us. And you signed your own ticket. Sleep well, you f******, c***.”
In August 2022, U.S. Attorney Rollins announced the creation of the “End Hate Now” hotline - 1-83-END-H8-NOW (1-833-634-8669) - for reporting hate-based incidents or potential criminal activity. Massachusetts residents and visitors are encouraged to call the hotline to report concerning or troubling incidents of hate, potential hate crimes, or concerns regarding individuals believed to be espousing the hate-filled views or actions we learn of far too often in the wake of mass shootings and/or acts of hate-based violent extremism. Callers are encouraged to leave their contact information but may remain anonymous. At this time, the hotline is available in English, Spanish, Cantonese and French.
The charge of transmitting interstate threats provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Rollins and FBI SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian A. Fogerty of Rollins’ Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Suburban man indicted for complex fraud and crypto money laundering schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 36-year-old Sugar Land resident has been taken into custody on charges he fraudulently obtained and laundered more than $500,000, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Xiaofei Chen is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Y. Ho at 2 p.m.
The 10-count indictment, returned Nov. 30 and unsealed upon his arrest today, alleges Chen used a fraudulent power of attorney to gain access to the victim’s checking account. Chen then allegedly arranged for $520,000 to be fraudulently wired out of the account.
According to the charges, Chen converted the fraud proceeds into Bitcoin before moving it across multiple cryptocurrency exchanges to conceal his scheme. In addition, Chen allegedly used the victim’s identity to access and open accounts. The indictment further alleges Chen then used the stolen money to fund his lifestyle and luxury purchases, including two brand new vehicles.
Chen is charged with multiple counts of wire fraud, money laundering, engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity and aggravated identify theft.
If convicted, Chen faces up to 30, 20 and 10 years, respectively, for each of the counts of wire fraud, money laundering and engaging in monetary transactions using the proceeds of his crimes. Each count of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two years which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christian Latham and Belinda Beek are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
St. Louis County Man Indicted on Drug, Machine Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri has been indicted on drug and machine gun charges.
The indictment charges Zavion McGee, 18, with four felonies: possession of at least 50 grams of methamphetamine, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of one or more firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes and possession of a machine gun.
The indictment and a motion seeking to have McGee held in jail until trial say the charges stem from two incidents. On Oct. 29, 2022, McGee was in the passenger seat of a vehicle that crashed after fleeing from police. McGee had multiple guns near him and police found over 440 grams of methamphetamine and 6 grams of fentanyl in the vehicle.
On Nov. 29, 2022, McGee was in possession of a fully automatic Glock handgun, defined under federal law as a machine gun, the court filings say. During a search of his home on that date, investigators seized suspected fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin, a double drum magazine for a Glock pistol and $8,101 in cash, the detention motion says. The search warrant was related to a series of burglaries in the St. Louis area, and McGee already faces state charges including burglary.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI.
Savage Life Boys Gang Member Sentenced to Federal Prison on Racketeering ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – A Davenport man, Darion Daquan Gardner, age 27, was sentenced on November 29, 2022 to 450 months in prison for Assault With a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering, Causing Death Through Use of a Firearm, and Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering. The sentence was imposed consecutively to two previous federal sentences Gardner is currently serving. Following his imprisonment, Gardner was ordered to serve five years of supervised release. Gardner pleaded guilty in July 2022.
In 2016 and 2017, as a member of Savage Life Boys (SLB), a Davenport-based street gang, Gardner was involved in multiple shootings, including at a dice game in December 2016, and at the Hotel Davenport in February 2017. On December 16, 2016, Gardner and other SLB members robbed and physically assaulted another male, including pistol-whipping him. SLB members also shot at the male’s vehicle as the male and an associate fled the area.
On February 12, 2017, at a concert at the Hotel Davenport, Gardner and several other SLB members started a physical altercation with an individual they believed had disrespected their gang. During the altercation, Gardner fired several shots, striking and killing one male and striking and injuring another.
Gardner committed these acts with the intent to maintain or increase his position in the gang.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal stated “This dedicated and long-term investigation highlights our commitment with local law enforcement to combatting violent crime. The families and friends of the victims in this investigation continue to feel the pain that acts of gun violence can inflict. We will continue to pursue every available law enforcement tool and partnership towards the common goal of community safety.”
Davenport Police Chief Jeff Bladel said “We are incredibly proud of the collaborative efforts and dedication and persistence to bring closure for the victims and justice for those responsible in the 2017 homicide and several other shootings. This case is a great example of the incredible partnership the Davenport Police Department has with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and their commitment to justice for our community and the victims of violent crime.” The Peoria, Illinois Police Department assisted in the investigation.
Rockland Man Indicted for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rockland man was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in Boston on charges of distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Donald J. Caruso, 41, was indicted on one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Caruso was previously arrested and charged on Nov. 7, 2022.
According to the charging documents, in early-November 2022, Caruso used an online communication platform to send an undercover agent links to videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. A forensic examination of devices seized from Caruso’s residence allegedly revealed images and videos depicting CSAM.
The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigation’s in New England; Rockland Chief of Police Nicholas Zeoli; and Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit 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 documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Rochester Pawn Shop Owner Going to Prison for Selling Millions of Dollars Worth of Stolen GoodsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Thomas Nary, 40, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of transportation of stolen goods in interstate commerce, was sentenced to serve 46 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. Nary was also ordered to pay a $3,128,363 money judgment for selling and shipping over $6,000,000 worth of stolen goods.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who handled the case, stated that Nary owned and operated Rochester Pawn & Gold (RPG), a pawnshop located on Dewey Avenue in Rochester. Between January 2015 and November 2019, Nary purchased stolen goods and merchandise from individuals, known as boosters, that he knew were engaged in unlawful shoplifting from Rochester area retail stores. Many of the boosters were addicted to drugs and used the money the money they received from Nary to buy drugs. This resulted in a number of overdoses of the individuals who sold to Nary.
The stolen items were taken from various stores, including Lowes, Home Depot, Target, Walmart, and Wegmans, and then sold to RPG for a fraction of the true retail value. Nary then listed the stolen goods for sale on eBay and Amazon, including to buyers located outside of New York State. The goods were advertised as “New” or “New-In-Box” and priced below retail value, although the price was well in excess of what Nary paid those that stole the items. Nary sold and shipped more than $6,000,000 worth of stolen goods to buyers.
Co-defendants Eric Finnefrock and Ralph Swain, who were both previously convicted and are awaiting sentencing.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Office; the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith; the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter; and the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood. Additional assistance was provided by the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office.
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Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Treyvon Pankey, 21, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 17, 2022, Pankey sold approximately 27 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a Beckley residence. Pankey admitted to the transaction and also admitted to selling approximately 44 grams of methamphetamine and an AR-15, .223-caliber semi-automatic rifle to a confidential informant at a Beckley residence on March 8, 2022.
On June 8, 2022 law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Beckley residence where Pankey was staying. Officers found a quantity of fentanyl, a digital scale, and a Glock model 41, .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol. Pankey admitted to officers that he possessed the firearm and had been selling approximately 3.5 grams of methamphetamine daily from January 22, 2022, until his arrest on June 8, 2022. Pankey further admitted that he sold approximately 3.5 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” daily for an unknown period of time.
Pankey is scheduled to be sentenced on March 24, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Isabell and Alex Hamner prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-116.
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Poway Men Sentenced in Fentanyl Overdose Death of FirefighterRead the Press Release
For Further Information, Contact: Assistant U. S. Attorneys Maritsa A. Flaherty (619) 546-6964 and Larry Casper (619) 546-6734
SAN DIEGO – Justin Gale Mata and Everett Justin Curtis, both residents of Poway, were sentenced in federal court today to 180 months and 151 months in prison, respectively, for supplying the fentanyl that led to the fatal overdose of Brian M. Parrish, a Cal Fire firefighter.
In their plea agreements, the defendants admitted that they knowingly supplied the fentanyl that led to Parrish’s death.
In imposing the fifteen year sentence on defendant Mata, U.S. District Judge Cynthia A. Bashant noted his criminal record and explained that she needed to “worry about protection of the public” in light of the ongoing opioid crisis and Mata’s dealing of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs.
On January 30, 2021, Curtis and Parrish exchanged text messages regarding the purchase of fentanyl to be acquired from Mata. Curtis picked up Parrish and the two drove to a casino to meet Mata. While at the casino, Curtis facilitated the drug deal. Ultimately, Mata supplied the fatal fentanyl and Parrish subsequently overdosed on the fentanyl. Parrish died early the following morning.
The victim’s family described Parrish in court records as a loving, funny, “nature boy.” Parrish’s father said he was “born smiling.” The loss of Parrish has left a “hole” in the hearts of his entire family, according to his mother, including his parents, his sisters, his three children, and grandchild. Likewise, Parrish’s girlfriend called him “the light” of her life. At sentencing, Parrish’s mother noted that, as a firefighter, her son “ran into danger when others would run away.” Parrish’s fire captain told the court that Parrish “was a great firefighter” who “loved what he did” and “what the job represented.”
“Brian Parrish dedicated himself as a firefighter to combatting California’s deadly wildfires, and his loss is tragic for his family and the entire community,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will relentlessly pursue justice for victims like Brian, and continue to hold dealers accountable under federal law when their drugs result in death. If you are a dealer – find a different business – you will be caught and no money you make from fentanyl is worth the hard time you will spend in a federal prison cell.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and agents from DEA’s Overdose Response Team, which was created to address drug overdose deaths in San Diego, for their excellent work on this case.
“The DEA and our law enforcement partners continue to aggressively pursue people who are supplying drugs in our community,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Shelly S. Howe. “If a dealer provides drugs that cause someone to die, we will be laser focused on bringing them to justice.”
A third co-defendant in the case, Ashley C. Cohen, pleaded guilty to conspiring with Mata, her boyfriend, to distribute fentanyl. Cohen, who was not implicated in the death of Parrish, was previously sentenced to 41-months.
U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman praised prosecutors Maritsa Flaherty and Larry Casper as well as the agents from DEA’s Overdose Response Team that was created to address drug overdose deaths in San Diego, for their efforts on these cases.
For those who suffer from addiction, please know there is help. Call the Crisis line at 888-724-7240; it’s always open.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 21-CR-2063-BAS Everett Justin Curtis Age: 48 Poway, CA Justin Gale Mata Age: 41 Poway, CA Ashely Chyanne Cohen Age: 28 San Diego, CASUMMARY OF CHARGES
Mata - Distribution of Fentanyl – Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1)
Maximum penalty: Forty years in prison; five year minimumCurtis - Distribution of Fentanyl – Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prisonINVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
San Diego Police DepartmentPeoria Man Convicted of Drugs, Weapons OffensesRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A federal jury returned guilty verdicts on December 1, 2022, against Harold U. McGhee, 48, of the 700 block of East LaSalle Street, in Peoria, Illinois, for the following offenses:
- Count 1: Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine
- Count 2: Possession with Intent to Distribute 28 Grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing Cocaine Base
- Count 3: Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine
- Count 4: Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin
- Count 5: Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
- Count 6: Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking
- Count 7: Felon in Possession of a Firearm
- Count 8: Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking
Sentencing for McGhee has been scheduled for March 15, 2023, at the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.
During the jury trial before U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm, the United States presented evidence that officers obtained a search warrant in February 2022 for McGhee’s house, car, cell phones, and his person. In the dining room of the house, officers found three bags of crack cocaine totaling 177 grams, a bag containing 60 grams of powder cocaine, a digital scale, sandwich bags, and plastic gloves. In a kitchen cabinet, officers found 442 grams of methamphetamine; 40 grams of a substance containing heroin, fentanyl, and Xylazine; and another digital scale. In McGhee’s living room, officers found $6,770 in cash. In McGhee’s basement, officers found other tools of the drug trade like blenders, a cocaine press, and a vacuum sealer. Under McGhee’s bed, officers found a loaded Glock 9 mm handgun with an extended magazine. The gun had been reported stolen in Evansville, Indiana, in 2019. McGhee admitted that the drugs in the house were his. He also admitted that the gun belonged to him and that he received it as payment for two or three grams of heroin that he sold to someone in about February 2021.
At the time of his arrest, McGhee was on federal supervised release for a 2016 conviction for conspiracy to possess heroin with intent to distribute. He has multiple other prior felony convictions, including for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and aggravated battery.
McGhee remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
In aggregate, McGhee faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years and up to life in prison. Each of the counts individually carries the following possible penalties:
- Count 1: 10 years to life imprisonment; up to a $250,000 fine; and a five-year to life term of supervised release.
- Count 2: Five to 40 years’ imprisonment; up to a $250,000 fine; and a four-year to life term of supervised release
- Counts 3-5: Up to 20 years’ imprisonment; up to a $250,000 fine; and a three-year to life term of supervised release
- Counts 6, 8: Not less than five years’ imprisonment for each count, consecutive to all other counts; maximum fine of $2 million; and not less than a five-year term of supervised release
- Count 7: 15 years to life imprisonment; up to a $250,000 fine and up to a three-year term of supervised release
The case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Peoria Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration – Springfield Resident Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Keith Hollingshead-Cook and Ronald L. Hanna represent the United States in the prosecution.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Kenneth Blair, III, 42, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard to a term of 292 months’ imprisonment following his convictions for distribution of methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. After he completes his prison sentence, Blair will also serve five years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
In November 2021, Investigators with the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force received information that Blair was distributing methamphetamine in Lincoln and Omaha. Investigators, working with a cooperating individual, arranged for a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Blair. On November 11, 2021, Blair sold the cooperating individual about two pounds of methamphetamine in Omaha.
A week later, on November 18, investigators executed a search warrant at Blair’s residence in Omaha. Blair was arrested, and investigators recovered five pounds of methamphetamine, $19,100 cash, and a loaded handgun during the search.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force, the Nebraska State Patrol, and the Omaha Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Civil Rights CrimeRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Bruce A. Quinn, 66, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today for Interference with Federally Protected Activities, a civil rights violation. United States District Court Magistrate Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Quinn to four months’ imprisonment and one year of supervised release. Quinn previously pleaded guilty to this charge on September 7, 2022.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 18, 2020, Keith Kirksey, a 63-year-old black man employed by the Oriental Trading Company in La Vista, Nebraska, arrived for his shift and went to an industrial floor scrubber. Kirksey discovered that an 8-to-12-inch piece of orange twine, deliberately twisted and knotted into the shape of a noose, had been left on the seat of the equipment. Kirksey was the only black employee trained to use the scrubber. Kirksey was extremely distraught by the small noose; he was crying and shaking, and he later told investigators that he was scared by the noose, believing it to be a death threat directed at him.
“Federal courts have long recognized the noose as one of the most vile symbols in American history”, said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Individuals, like this defendant, who use a noose to convey a threat of violence at a workplace will be held accountable for their actions.”
After the sentencing, FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowal said, “Bruce Quinn used an ugly historical symbol to intimidate a co-worker. This case highlights the FBI’s mission to aggressively investigate civil rights crimes and bring to justice those who victimize someone because of the color of their skin.”
“We are grateful for Sgt. Matt Barrall’s efforts to identify the suspect and his collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office which brought a successful conclusion to the case,” said Sarpy County Sheriff Jeff Davis.
Acting U.S. Attorney Russell added, “I appreciate the excellent work of the investigators from the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This is a serious matter and their efforts, along with my staff and the Civil Rights Division of the DOJ, brought justice for the victim of this criminal act.”
This case was investigated by the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lecia Wright and Trial Attorney Cameron Bell of the Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
Mississippi Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crime for Cross BurningRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced that a Mississippi man pleaded guilty in federal court to a hate crime for burning a cross in his front yard with the intent to intimidate a Black family.
According to court documents, Axel C. Cox, 24, of Gulfport, admitted to violating the Fair Housing Act when he used threatening and racially derogatory remarks toward his Black neighbors and burned a cross to intimidate them. Cox stated that he gathered supplies from his residence, put together a wooden cross in his front yard and propped it up so his Black neighbors could see it. Cox then doused the cross with motor oil and lit it on fire. Cox admitted that he burned the cross because of the victims’ race and because they were occupying a home next to his.
“Burning a cross invokes the long and painful history, particularly in Mississippi, of intimidation and impending physical violence against Black people,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to prosecute those who use racially-motivated violence to drive people away from their homes or communities.”
“The collaboration among the Gulfport Police Department, the FBI, the Civil Rights Division and our office brought this defendant to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca for the Southern District of Mississippi. “We will continue to work with and for the good people of Mississippi to eradicate such racist intimidation.”
“Individuals in our communities should be free from threats and intimidation,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to bring to justice anyone who violates the federal laws designed to ensure civil rights are protected.”
Sentencing is scheduled for March 9, 2023. Cox faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney LaMarca, Assistant Director Quesada and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement.
The Gulfport Police Department and the FBI Jackson Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Cabell Jones and Trial Attorney Noah Coakley II of the Civil Rights Division Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
For more information and resources on the department’s efforts to combat hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.
Mission man pleads guilty for receiving more than 100 pornographic files of children as young as threeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 34-year-old man has admitted to receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
As part of his plea, Esteban Luna-Caudillo admitted to receiving files containing child pornography from May 10, 2019, through May 18, 2022, by utilizing an online-based cloud storage account. Luna-Caudillo also admitted that a portion of the files he received depicted prepubescent children engaged in sexually-explicit conduct.
At the time of his arrest, Luna-Caudillo provided his phone to law enforcement. Within the phone, federal agents found over 100 videos of minor children who ranged in age from approximately three to 12 years old engaged in illicit sexual activity with adults.
U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has set sentencing for Feb. 16, 2023. At that time, Luna-Caudillo faces a mandatory minimum of five and up to 20 years in federal prison.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Milton Man Arrested for Federal Child Sex Crimes Committed in FijiRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jason R. Moore, 42, of Milton, Florida, has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint. Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge today after Moore made his initial appearance in federal court in Pensacola.
The criminal complaint alleges that Moore engaged in “Illicit Sexual Conduct in Foreign Places” from March 2013 through February 2016. Specifically, Moore is alleged to have engaged in these crimes in the Republic of Fiji.
Moore was arrested by Special Agents from the Department of Homeland Security and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on Friday in Santa Rosa County.
Moore was ordered detained and will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service.
The case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the New York State Police. If you have any relevant information involving Jason R. Moore and his contact with minors, and would like to speak with an investigator, please contact Homeland Security Investigations and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement at 850-595-2100 - Attn: Special Agents Ed Vincent/Vanessa Carmona/Andrew LaFlam.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg and Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation by a sworn affiant that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to due process, to include a fair trial, during which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
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.
Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Kevin Glenn, 38, of Detroit, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Glenn admitted that he sold approximately 3.4 grams of what he believed to be heroin to a confidential informant in Beckley on May 21, 2020. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory later confirmed the controlled substance contained heroin and fentanyl. Glenn further admitted to possessing $32,020 in drug proceeds when he was detained by law enforcement in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 20, 2020.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess and Alex Hamner prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-116.
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Meth Trafficker Found Guilty at TrialRead the Press Release
A drug trafficker who retrieved methamphetamine from a stash house in Dallas was convicted at trial this week, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Omar Jorge Valle Estrada and his coconspirators were first charged in August 2021. On Thursday, a federal jury found Mr. Estrada guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to evidence presented at trial, law enforcement conducting surveillance at a stash house on Holcomb Road in Dallas observed Mr. Estrada drive up to the residence in a white Chevy Malibu.
Two men emerged from inside the home carrying duffel bags, which they placed in Mr. Estrada’s passenger seat.
After he departed the home, law enforcement pulled him over for operating with an expired registration and discovered 120 pounds of crystal methamphetamine inside the duffel bags.
Codefendants Angel Cabrera and Joaquin Salinas – who admitted they were concealing millions of dollars of methamphetamine inside boxes of cauliflower – pleaded guilty prior to trial.
Mr. Estrada now faces up to life in federal prison. Mr. Salinas received a life sentence; Mr. Cabrera received a sentence of more than 21 years.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Dallas Police Department, the Hickory Creek Police Department, the Fort Worth Police Department, and the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Leal and John Kull prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Member of Brockton Drug Crew Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of a violent Brockton drug crew pleaded guilty yesterday to fentanyl distribution and firearm charges in federal court in Boston.
Placido Pereira, 36, of Brockton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl; three counts of distribution of fentanyl; one count of possession with the intent to distribute marijuana; one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; and one count of possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for April 5, 2023. Pereira was indicted along with three co-conspirators in November 2019.
“Mr. Pereira has had many previous encounters with the criminal legal system, yet continues to engage in illegal activity. Most recently, he distributed fentanyl – a deadly synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroine and up to 100 times stronger than morphine – into the Brockton community and surrounding neighborhoods. Although his criminal record strictly forbids him from doing so, Mr. Pereira also possessed a firearm to further his drug trafficking activities. Now, he is a federally convicted felon,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “We will continue to target all necessary federal resources into combatting the flow of opioids and narcotics into our state and making sure those with a substance use disorder get the treatment they need.”“Pereira and his co-conspirators ran a drug trafficking enterprise that distributed deadly fentanyl in communities across southern Massachusetts, continuing the insidious expanse of the opioid crisis in our neighborhoods. Pereira’s record already shows multiple convictions related to his involvement in drug trafficking and today he adds several more. HSI is proud to work closely with our partners across the state to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and keep drugs off our streets,” said Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England.
Law enforcement began investigating a violent Brockton-area drug crew that distributed large quantities of fentanyl throughout southeastern Massachusetts. The drug crew ran a fentanyl delivery service that encompassed all of Brockton as well as neighboring cities. Specifically, drug users/customers placed orders for fentanyl by contacting a cellphone maintained and shared by crew members, which included Pereira, Djoy Defrancesco, Jason Miranda and, allegedly, his brother Natalio Miranda, who worked together to deliver the fentanyl order. In September and October 2019, an undercover law enforcement officer made six purchases of fentanyl from members of the crew.
A search of Pereria’s Brockton home in October 2019 resulted in the seizure of a loaded firearm with an obliterated serial number, over $5,000 in cash, digital scales, marijuana packaged for sale and the cell phone used by members of the crew to distribute fentanyl.
According to court records, in 2017, Pereira was convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute marijuana and was sentenced to three years in prison. In 2010, Pereira was arrested on drug trafficking charges at Logan Airport as he returned to the United States from Cape Verde and was later sentenced to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute cocaine base.
On Sept. 14, 2022, Jason Miranda pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 18, 2023. Defrancesco was sentenced in June 2021 after previously pleading guilty.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute marijuana provides for a maximum term of imprisonment of 5 years, supervised release for at least 2 years, and a fine of $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Rollins; HSI SAC Millhollin; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez; Brian Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz made the announcement. Assistance was provided by the East Bridgewater, West Bridgewater, Whitman and Bridgewater State University Police Departments as well as the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Pohl of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Transporting Five AliensRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Alexander Guillen-Tamayo, age 32, of Lanham, Maryland, pled guilty today to unlawfully transporting five citizens of Mexico.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Acting Chief Patrol Agent Keith Hoops, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector.
Guillen-Tamayo admitted that on a date prior to October 8, 2022, he was contacted by an individual who asked him to drive to Champlain, New York, to pick up aliens and drive them back to Maryland. On October 8, he drove to Champlain from his home in Maryland, and picked up five Mexican citizens unlawfully present in the United States. The defendant’s vehicle was subsequently stopped near Plattsburgh, New York. He admitted that he planned to drive his passengers to Maryland, and that he expected to be paid approximately $3,000.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 4, 2023 before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. Guillen-Tamayo faces up to 10 years in prison, a 3-year term of post-release supervision, and a fine up to $250,000. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by United States Border Patrol and the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone.
Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft, Social Security and Passport FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to stealing the identity of a United States citizen to fraudulently obtain a United States passport.
Arciliano Gregorio Arias Suarez, 64, pleaded guilty on Nov. 30, 2022 to one count of aggravated identity theft, one count of false representation of a Social Security number and one count of passport fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Feb. 28, 2023. Arias Suarez was arrested and charged in June 2021 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2021.
In January 2016, Arias Suarez submitted a U.S. passport application at a post office in Lawrence in the name of a United States citizen from New York. In support of the fraudulent passport application, Aris Suarez submitted copies of a Massachusetts driver’s license and a New York birth certificate, both in the victim’s name. Later, in May 2019, Aris Suarez submitted a license renewal application at the Lawrence Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) in the name of the same victim and provided the RMV with a copy of a U.S. passport, a Massachusetts driver’s license and a Social Security card all in the victim’s name.
The charge of misrepresentation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. The charge of passport fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey to 92 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine.
Kiefe Martel Boyce (43), also known as “69,” pleaded guilty in January 2022 to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute heroin, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on January 25, 2021, a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer stopped Boyce who was driving a car with stolen license plates. As officers searched Boyce’s car, they found 2.6 grams of heroin, 105.3 grams of methamphetamine, and a .38 caliber revolver. Boyce is prohibited by law from possessing firearms and ammunition due to prior felony convictions, including possession of a stolen vehicle; possession of controlled substance; attempt pandering; attempt possessing, receiving or withholding stolen goods; attempt burglary; and unlawful possession of a controlled substance not for purpose of sale (Marijuana), all in Clark County, Nev.
U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Miller of HSI Las Vegas made the announcement.
HSI Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Cowhig prosecuted the case.
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Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Prison for Distributing Fentanyl-Laced Counterfeit PillsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS — A Las Vegas man was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon to 10 years in prison for distributing counterfeit pills that contained fentanyl – a powerful synthetic opioid – that resulted in the overdose death of another person.
Daniel Anguiano (43) pleaded guilty in June 2021, to distribution of a controlled substance, specifically fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl.
According to court documents, Anguiano distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills — containing fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl — to an individual who died after consuming the counterfeit pills.
Fentanyl is classified as Schedule II controlled substances, and acetyl fentanyl is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid drug that is approximately 80-100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. A few milligrams of fentanyl, which is equivalent to a few grains of table salt, may be deadly. Acetyl fentanyl is an analog of fentanyl that is 10-15 times more potent than morphine.
U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams for the DEA made the announcement.
The DEA investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Sokolich prosecuted the case.
According to the CDC, 107,622 Americans died of drug poisoning in 2021, with 66 percent of those deaths involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
In November, DEA issued a Public Safety Alert of a sharp nationwide increase in the lethality of fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills. The DEA Laboratory has found that, of the fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills analyzed in 2022, six out of ten now contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl. Through its One Pill Can Kill campaign, the DEA is working to alert the American public of the dangers of fake prescription pills. The only safe medications are ones prescribed by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. Any pills that do not meet this standard are unsafe and potentially deadly.
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