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Friday 21 October 2022
Justice Department Updates Guidelines for Victim and Witness AssistanceRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today released revised Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance. The revised guidelines update, for the first time in a decade, when and how Department employees work with victims and witnesses of crime to ensure that their voices are heard and that they are protected during criminal justice proceedings. The guidelines apply to all department employees engaged in the investigative, prosecutorial, correctional, and parole functions within the criminal justice system.
“Treating crime victims and witnesses with the dignity and respect they deserve is critical to the Justice Department’s mission. I saw that with searing clarity in my work responding to the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The revised guidelines will ensure that we continue to fulfill our obligations to victims and witnesses through an approach that is victim-centered and trauma-informed.”
In 1982, Congress directed the Attorney General to promulgate the first Attorney General guidelines, which have been revised periodically to reflect changes in the law. This update improves and expands the Department’s policies for engaging with victims and witnesses of crime throughout the criminal justice process in several key ways, including:
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Expanded scope of support for those significantly harmed by crime: The revised guidelines significantly expand support for people who are significantly harmed by a crime but still may not meet the statutory definition of “victim” contained in the Crime Victims’ Rights Act (CVRA). Under the updated guidelines, Department employees should provide services or support to those people, including information, protection, consultation, and referrals for victim services, when feasible and appropriate.
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Earlier notification and consultation: Previous versions of the guidelines provided that rights guaranteed under the CVRA were only to be afford once a defendant was charged. The revised guidelines require affording those rights as early in the criminal justice process as is feasible and appropriate. The guidelines thus provide that prosecutors should, as appropriate, notify victims of plea agreements, deferred prosecution agreements, and non-prosecution agreements before a charging document is filed.
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Additional guidance regarding vulnerable populations: In order to protect the most vulnerable victims, the update strengthens reporting requirements to ensure that Justice Department personnel promptly report suspected incidents of child abuse that they discover through the course of their official duties, regardless of whether they are legally required to do so. Also included in the update are provisions addressing the specific considerations for victims who are: American Indians or Alaska Natives (AI/AN); older or living with a disability; financially vulnerable; from an underserved population; members of marginalized communities; and persons with limited or no proficiency in English
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Updates addressing technological development: Since the guidelines were last updated 10 years ago, technology has evolved dramatically. The revised guidelines provide updates throughout to address these changes, including acknowledging the different types of harm victims may experience in cyber intrusion cases and expanding the ways the Department can use technology to identify, notify, and support victims.
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Expanded Training: To ensure that Department employees are aware of the latest support and services afforded to victims, the revised guidelines expand the category of employees to receive continuous training on the guidelines to include anyone “who in the course of their duties are expected to come into contact with victims and witnesses.”
Through these additions and others, the revised guidelines will allow those affected by crime to be heard and protected throughout the criminal justice process. The guidelines will go into effect March 31, 2023.
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Jury Convicts Syracuse Man of Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - James Mack, age 39, of Syracuse, was convicted today following a four-day jury trial for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Carla B Freedman, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Chief of Police Joseph Cecile, Syracuse Police Department.
The evidence at trial established that James Mack used his Honda Accord as a stash location for his drug trafficking operation. During a search of the defendant’s Accord in Syracuse on February 12, 2020, Syracuse Police Detectives located a hidden compartment (or “trap”) in the dashboard. From the trap, Detectives recovered over 400 grams of cocaine, over 100 grams of cocaine base, and a loaded .38 caliber revolver.
The charges of which the defendant was convicted carry a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and maximum of life, a fine of up to $8,000,000.00, and a term of supervised release of at least 8 years following the defendant’s release from incarceration. 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. Sentencing is scheduled for March 16, 2023, in Utica, New York.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Syracuse Police Department-Special Investigations Division (SPD-SID). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrian LaRochelle and Jessica Carbone as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and 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.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Oct. 17 was:
Lavanchie Patricia Goodbird, aka Lavanchie Gourneau, 30, of Wolf Point, on charges of kidnapping of individual under 18, assault resulting in serious bodily injury and assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to minor. If convicted of the most serious crime, Goodbird faces a mandatory minimum 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Goodbird was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Fort Peck Law Enforcement, Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office and Wolf Point Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-77.
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Oct. 19 was:
Brian Kole Hofferber, 34, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute meth and fentanyl and possession of firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. If convicted of the most serious crime, Hofferber faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug crime and a mandatory minimum five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm crime. Hofferber was detained pending further proceedings. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and FBI’s Western Transnational Organized Crime Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-77.
Shaylene Jo Suchy, 35, of Seattle, Washington, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Suchy faces a mandatory minimum five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Suchy was detained pending further proceedings. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-114.
Appearing on Oct. 18 was:
Travis Alan-Cody Pair, 38, a transient, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Pair faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Pair was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-110.
Marshall Daniel Dammann, 19, of a transient, on charges of robbery affecting commerce and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. If convicted of the most serious crime, Dammann faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the robbery crime and a mandatory minimum seven years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, on the firearm crime if found to have brandished a gun. Dammann was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-116.
Ben Michael Williamson, 38, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Williamson faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least four years of supervised release on the drug crime and a mandatory minimum five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other crime, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the crime of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Williamson was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI’s Western Transnational Organized Crime Task Force and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-100.
Markel Dean Brown, 60, of Sidney, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute meth and distribution of meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Brown faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Brown was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-103.
Jesse Lee Hopkins, 38, a transient, on charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. If convicted of the most serious crime, Hopkins faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine and five years of supervised release on the bank fraud crime and a mandatory minimum two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release on the aggravated identity theft crime. Hopkins was detained pending further proceedings. Homeland Security Investigations and the Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-108.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Independence Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for distributing child pornography over the internet, including to an undercover federal agent, whom he believed to be a 13-year-old girl.
Thomas E. Andries, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Andries to a lifetime of supervised release following incarceration.
On Sept. 8, 2021, Andries pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography over the internet.
Andries admitted that he sent a Kik message to an FBI Child Exploitation Task Force officer in Salt Lake City, Utah, who was posing as a 13-year-old girl in an online undercover capacity, on Feb. 12, 2019. Andries sent the undercover officer two videos of child pornography.
On May 14, 2019, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Andries’s residence and seized his cell phone. Andries admitted that he received child pornography via Kik Messenger and saved the files to his cell phone. Investigators found approximately 20 photos and 48 videos of child pornography on the cell phone, including young children and toddlers.
Investigators also found three images and 12 videos of child pornography in Andries’s Google Photos collection, and approximately 97 videos and 38 images of child pornography in his Dropbox account. Included in the Dropbox collection were pornographic images of toddlers and child bestiality.
Andries admitted to engaging with Kik groups who discussed the sexual abuse of children and exchanged child pornography files. He also admitted he exchanged his child pornography files within his group in order to receive additional files from other Kik users.
According to court documents, Andries told investigators that he communicated with three minor females via Kik beginning in 2018. He admitted to sending at least one of the minors, who lived in the United Kingdom, child pornography.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force and the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
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 www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Honduran National Indicted for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that IVAN MARTINEZ-ESTRADA, “a/k/a “Julio Martinez-Estrada”, a/k/a “Julio Martinez”, age 51, was charged in a one-count indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the indictment, IVAN MARTINEZ-ESTRADA (“MARTINEZ ESTRADA”) reentered the United States after he was previously deported on February 13, 2017. If convicted, MARTINEZ-ESTRADA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of up to $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of up to one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. He faces sentencing enhancement of 20 years because of prior felony convictions.
U. S. Attorney Duane Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K. D. Guice, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.
Gang Member/Rapper Sentenced to 6 Years on Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Daquan Tyreek Funchess-Johnson, 26, of Sumter, was sentenced to six years in federal prison after earlier pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Evidence presented to the court showed that in November 2019, officers with the Sumter Police Department were aware that Funchess-Johnson, a gang member and rapper who performed under the name “Lil Quan the CEO,” had outstanding warrants from Orangeburg County and was scheduled to perform at a local Sumter nightclub. Officers began surveillance and located Funchess-Johnson at approximately 3 a.m. outside a convenience store as he was headed back to his vehicle. Officers detained Funchess-Johnson on the outstanding warrants and located a loaded Ruger .45 caliber firearm concealed underneath his jacket in his vehicle.
The investigation showed that the firearm had previously been reported stolen from a gun store in 2017. A ballistics analysis through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) linked the firearm to shell casings recovered from two separate shooting incidents in Sumter in July 2019. Additionally, during the sentencing hearing, the court heard evidence that Funchess-Johnson, while in jail, recruited and paid a passenger in the vehicle to make a statement taking ownership of the firearm in an attempt to exonerate Funchess-Johnson. His plan did not succeed.
Funchess-Johnson is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon his prior felony convictions. He has prior state convictions for possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of cocaine, cruelty to children, unlawful carrying of a weapon, and false information to police.
United States District Judge Donald Coggins sentenced Funchess-Johnson to 72 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. In imposing the sentence, the court noted that this was not Funchess-Johnson’s “first rodeo” since he had been convicted of unlawful carrying of a firearm twice before in state court.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Sumter Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey D. Haynes prosecuted the case.
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Fountain Inn Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison on Second Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina --- Dishannon Matthew Luther Workman, 28, of Fountain Inn, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Workman, who was on supervised release for a prior federal gun conviction, was in possession of a .380 Ruger pistol and marijuana when he was stopped by an officer of the Fountain Inn Police Department on June 17, 2020. Workman was released on a state bond but was sought by federal authorities for violation of his supervised release. On October 8, 2020, Workman was located at a car wash and taken into custody following a brief struggle. The arresting officers discovered a loaded .38 caliber revolver in his pocket and additional marijuana in the trunk of his car.
Workman was detained without bond and pleaded guilty to an information charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks sentenced Workman to 96 months in federal prison to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Workman’s criminal history includes prior state convictions for assault and battery, burglary, and larceny, as well as a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Fountain Inn Police Department, and the Greenville Police Department.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Schoen prosecuted the case.
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Fort Myers Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing A Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Re’Shod Peter Jontavious Larry (28, Fort Myers) to seven years and eight months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Larry to forfeit the firearm and ammunition used in the offense. Larry had pleaded guilty on June 15, 2022.
According to court records, on November 16, 2021, officers from the Fort Myers Police Department (FMPD) stopped a vehicle for a routine traffic infraction. Larry was the front-seat passenger in the vehicle. After a certified police narcotics-detection dog alerted to the odor of illegal drugs in the vehicle, officers searched the vehicle and found a small baggie containing cocaine residue on the seat where Larry had been sitting. They also recovered a Smith and Wesson handgun from under the front-passenger seat, and a loaded high-capacity magazine from the glovebox directly in front of the front-passenger seat. FMPD personnel were later able to positively identify a latent palmprint lifted from the loaded magazine as belonging to Larry. At the time, Larry was a convicted felon who had only recently been released from prison for selling fentanyl. As a convicted felon, Larry is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Fort Myers Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.
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.
Former St. Louis County Employee Admits Pandemic Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former St. Louis County, Missouri employee on Friday admitted hatching a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief funds in exchange for kickbacks.
Anthony “Tony” Weaver Sr. pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Court Judge Stephen R. Clark to four felony counts of wire fraud. Weaver was the “change management coordinator” at the St. Louis County jail at the time of his indictment in May and previously served as the administrative assistant to a former St. Louis County Council member.
Weaver admitted approaching a man who owned several small businesses in St. Louis County
with a scheme to fraudulently apply for grants from the county’s Small Business Relief (SBR) Program, shortly after that program began in May of 2020. The program used federal CARES Act money to help small businesses deal with the cost of closures due to pandemic-related stay-at-home orders.
Weaver approached the businessman, identified in court as “John Smith,” on May 6, 2020 and said his former boss on the council, identified as “Jane Doe,” needed to know the names of Smith’s businesses so she could approve them for a grant. Weaver said he would fill out applications for the maximum grant of $15,000 for each of Smith’s six businesses, adding that Doe’s office is “going to do what I tell them to do.”
Weaver then filled out the applications, falsely claiming that the businesses were closed and had to lay off employees during the pandemic. Weaver concealed the fact that Smith had at least 25% ownership in all six businesses because an owner was only allowed to apply for one grant. Weaver also promised on multiple occasions to split any resulting grants with Smith. Weaver discussed ways to conceal the fact that he was filling out the applications to prevent discovery of the scheme and any resulting kickbacks from Smith.
Weaver ultimately failed to obtain any fraudulent grants for Smith, but told Smith he’d been paid $300 as a kickback for obtaining a grant for someone else.
Weaver is scheduled to be sentenced January 25, 2023. Each wire fraud charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is prosecuting the case.
Former Owner of Long Island Commercial Check Cashing Companies Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, John Drago, the former owner/operator of several check cashing businesses on Long Island, was sentenced to 4 years in prison for illegally structuring financial transactions and payroll tax evasion. The proceeding took place before United States District Judge Gary R. Brown. In addition to his prison sentence, Judge Brown ordered Drago to forfeit $253,000 and to pay restitution of approximately $593,000. Drago pleaded guilty to fraud charges in September 2021. As a result of his plea, Drago was required to surrender his check cashing licenses, his federal money services business registrations and he is barred from applying for any such licenses or registrations in the future.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI) announced the sentence.
“Drago operated his check cashing business as a haven for tax cheats like himself, concealing over $9.5 million from the federal government,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that significant consequences follow business owners who place greed above public good.”
Mr. Peace expressed his thanks to the New York State Department of Financial Services for their assistance.
"Drago used his seemingly legitimate check cashing business to defraud the government while lining his pockets. Over several years, he used his employees do his dirty work and, at his request, they cashed checks in a way to avoid IRS reporting requirements, concealing more than $9.5 million in check cashing transactions. His scheme to make some extra cash has now resulted in him spending time behind bars, where he will no longer have any pockets to be lined," said Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-CI.
According to court filings and facts presented at the plea and sentencing proceedings, Drago owned and operated check cashing businesses on Long Island, including Kayla Check Cashing Corp., North Island Check Cashing Corp., South Island Check Cashing Corp., East Island Check Cashing Corp., Bay Shore Check Cashing Corp. and Brentwood Check Cashing Corp. (collectively, the “Kayla Companies”). Financial institutions are required to file a Currency Transaction Report (CTR) for each cash transaction in excess of $10,000. In addition, a CTR is required to be filed by the financial institution when multiple checks, the total value of which exceeds $10,000, are cashed in a single day.
From January 2010 to October 31, 2013, Drago instructed employees to cash multiple checks in excess of $10,000 in a single day for certain customers without filing required CTRs. In addition, to avoid the required CTR filings, Drago directed employees to deposit and cash checks that had been submitted together on a single day in amounts in excess of $10,000. Drago also instructed employees to tell certain customers who presented individual checks in amounts exceeding $10,000 to return with multiple checks in amounts that were less than $10,000 to avoid the reporting requirement for such financial transactions. As a result of Drago’s scheme, more than $9.5 million in check cashing transactions were concealed from the IRS.
Between April 1, 2012 and July 31, 2013, Drago paid overtime wages and commissions to employees of the Kayla Companies in cash and failed to inform the IRS of the payment of these cash wages. Drago falsely underreported to the IRS the gross wages paid to his employees to avoid paying the full amount of Federal Insurance Contribution Act taxes that the Kayla Companies owed. In addition, as part of his plea, Drago agreed to pay restitution to the IRS for evading personal income taxes between 2010 and 2013. Overall, Drago’s payroll and personal tax evasion cost the IRS approximately $590,000.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Burton T. Ryan, Jr., Bradley T. King and Madeline O’Connor are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JOHN DRAGO
Age: 58
Central Islip, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-394 (S-1) (GRB)
Former Kerry Inc. Manager Pleads Guilty in Connection with Insanitary Plant Conditions Linked to 2018 Salmonella Poisoning OutbreakRead the Press Release
A former quality assurance director for food manufacturer Kerry Inc. pleaded guilty today to charges related to the manufacture of a breakfast cereal linked to a 2018 outbreak of salmonellosis, or Salmonella poisoning.
Ravi Kumar Chermala, 47, pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor counts of causing the introduction of adulterated food into interstate commerce. Chermala, Kerry’s Director of Quality Assurance until September 2018, oversaw the sanitation programs at various Kerry manufacturing plants, including a facility in Gridley, Illinois, that manufactured Kellogg’s Honey Smacks breakfast cereal for Kerry’s customer, the Kellogg Company. In pleading guilty, Chermala admitted that between June 2016 and June 2018, he directed subordinates to not report certain information to Kellogg’s about conditions at the Gridley facility. In addition, Chermala admitted that he directed subordinates at the Gridley facility to alter the plant’s program for monitoring for the presence of pathogens in the plant, limiting the facility’s ability to accurately detect insanitary conditions.
“Food safety professionals cannot conceal potentially dangerous problems from customers or government regulators,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who engage in such conduct.”
“Today’s announcement reinforces that if an individual violates food safety rules or conceals relevant information, we will seek to hold them accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Lynda M. Burdelik, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Chicago Field Office. “The health of American consumers and the safety of our food are too important to be thwarted by the criminal acts of any individual or company.”
In June 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that an ongoing outbreak of salmonellosis cases in the United States could be traced to Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal produced at Kerry’s Gridley facility. In response, Kellogg’s voluntarily recalled all Honey Smacks manufactured at the plant since June 2017. The CDC eventually identified more than 130 cases of salmonellosis linked to the outbreak, with illness onset dates beginning in March 2018. The CDC did not identify any deaths related to the outbreak.
Salmonellosis can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps that last several days in healthy adults. Absent prompt treatment, salmonellosis can cause severe dehydration and even death in infants, young children, the elderly, transplant recipients, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
Chermala pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge Jonathan E. Hawley in Peoria, Illinois. The sentencing date is scheduled for Jan. 30, 2023. Further information about the case will be posted to the department’s Information for Victims in Large Cases website at https://www.justice.gov/largecases.
The matter is being investigated by the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Cody Matthew Herche and Senior Trial Attorney James T. Nelson of the Department of Justice, Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch.
For more information about the enforcement efforts of the Consumer Protection Branch visit the branch’s website at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
Former Dallas County, Alabama, Deputy Sheriff Indicted for Sexual Assault, Kidnapping and Lying to InvestigatorsRead the Press Release
A former deputy sheriff with the Dallas County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office was charged in an indictment unsealed in the Southern District of Alabama for sexually assaulting and kidnapping a woman while he was on duty, and for misleading state investigators.
According to the indictment, on Jan. 30, 2020, Joshua Davidson, 32, while on duty as a Dallas County Deputy Sheriff, kidnapped and sexually assaulted a woman in his custody. Davidson is also charged with making a misleading statement to investigators regarding his conduct related to the sexual assault and kidnapping. If convicted, Davidson faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello for the Southern District of Alabama and Special Agent in Charge Paul W. Brown for the FBI Mobile Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Mobile Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Arrington for the Southern District of Alabama and Trial Attorneys Maura White and MarLa Duncan of the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Florida man pleads guilty for his role in international health care fraud schemeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Nagaindra Srivastav has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and kickback charges for his role in selling fraudulent doctors’ orders to his co-conspirators, who used the orders to obtain at least $25 million in fraudulent payments from Medicare.
“Srivastav and his co-conspirators targeted our most vulnerable citizens to line their pockets with taxpayer money,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our office is committed to finding and prosecuting those who exploit telemedicine and use it as a platform for their criminal schemes.”
“Healthcare fraud touches every corner of the United States. Srivastav’s actions cost taxpayers at least $25 million dollars,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “His criminal conduct was driven by personal greed. This guilty plea will serve as a reminder to others that the FBI and its law enforcement partners will investigate and prosecute individuals illegally exploiting healthcare technology for their own riches.”
“Health care fraud is not a victimless crime and those who defraud federal health care programs carelessly waste valuable taxpayer dollars and contribute to the rising cost of health care,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles, at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG remains committed to investigating and holding accountable perpetrators of health care fraud.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Srivastav was the owner of B2B Apps Solutions (“B2B”), a Florida-based company. Through B2B, Srivastav and his co-conspirators created and operated an internet-based platform that individuals and businesses in the health care industry used for the purchase and sale of physician orders for Durable Medical Equipment (“DME”), such as ankle, back, knee, or leg braces.
Through B2B, Srivastav paid and received remuneration for the referral of federal health care business. To accomplish this, Srivastav created a website, RepsHub, in which DME companies and others uploaded potential DME-patient information, called “leads,” which were generally obtained through telemarketing campaigns targeting beneficiaries for whom DME products could be billed. In addition, and in conjunction with his selling of physician orders, Srivastav also offered and sold leads, which he obtained through call centers controlled by himself and his co-conspirators.
Srivastav purchased the physicians’ orders that he sold to his customers from purported telemedicine companies based in the Philippines and Pakistan. These orders lacked medical necessity, and Srivastav was notified on numerous occasions that the purported authorizing physician had not actually spoken with the patient, signed the order, or prescribed the braces. Although Srivastav never personally submitted claims to Medicare or any other health care program, he is responsible for at least $25 million in federal health care program reimbursement.
Sentencing for Nagaindra Srivastav, 58, of Tampa, Florida, is scheduled for January 19, 2023, at 10:30 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. O'Neal is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Fentanyl Dealer Receives Enhanced Prison Sentence for Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – Senior U.S. District Judge Anne Conway has sentenced Deonte Lee Barber (40, Rockledge) to 11 years and 8 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl. Barber had pleaded guilty on February 3, 2022.
According to court documents and evidence produced at the sentencing hearing, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) utilized a confidential source to make controlled purchases of fentanyl from Barber. In total, Barber distributed 167 grams of fentanyl. During the course of the conspiracy, agents discovered that Barber had supplied C.M. with fentanyl on November 4, 2021, which resulted in C.M.’s death. Police were summoned to C.M.’s home in Rockledge after his mother called 911 crying that she had found her son deceased. Located in close proximity to C.M.’s body were a plastic pen with burnt residue on it and a pink plastic baggie with a brown powdery substance, later determined to be fentanyl. At the sentencing hearing, the Brevard County Associate Medical Examiner testified that C.M. died of an overdose in connection with his ingestion of fentanyl. C.M.’s blood analysis revealed that he had more than double the lethal amount in his system necessary to cause death.
Law enforcement established that Barber was the person who had sold the fentanyl to C.M. Testimony and exhibits showed that Barber communicated with C.M. by text message just prior to his death to arrange the fentanyl sale. Agents also uncovered additional evidence to corroborate that Barber had delivered the fentanyl to C.M. at his home just a few hours before C.M. was found dead. After C.M.’s death became known, Barber notified and warned other customers of the drug’s potency.
On December 2, 2021, DEA agents executed a search warrant at Barber’s storage unit, where he stored his drugs. Agents located drugs, scales, and a large number of pink baggies, identical to the one found next to C.M.’s body.
At the conclusion of the sentencing hearing, the judge agreed with the government that Barber’s distribution of fentanyl had caused C.M.’s death and granted the United States’ motion for an enhanced sentence.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Rockledge Police Department, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the Cocoa Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Beatriz Gonzalez and Michael P. Felicetta.
Felon Sentenced for Possessing Destructive DevicesRead the Press Release
A man who had gasoline-filled destructive devices, commonly called Molotov cocktails, in his home on May 19, 2021, was sentenced today to more than two years in federal prison.
Melchizedek Robin Hayes, age 39, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 10, 2022 guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, specifically three destructive devices.
In a plea agreement, Hayes admitted he had previously been convicted of prior burglary and multiple domestic abuse crimes. On May 19, 2021, Hayes had three Molotov Cocktails in his home, when Cedar Rapids Police Department officers responded to a call for emergency service and found them.
Hayes was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Hayes was sentenced to 26 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hayes is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Reinert and Ashley Corkery. This case was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-00069.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Northshore Man for Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – A federal grand jury in New Orleans, Louisiana returned a four-count indictment on October 20, 2022 charging a man for violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act.
According to court documents, CODY SHAUGHNESSY, age 38, is charged in Counts 1, 2 and 3 with distribution of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B). In Count 4, SHAUGHNESSY is charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).
If convicted, SHAUGHNESSY faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, at least 4 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
According to the indictment, SHAUGHNESSY distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine during August and September 2022. SHAUGHNESSY also possessed with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on August 25, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Hammond Police Department, and the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman.
Federal Court Shuts Down New York Area Tax Return Preparation BusinessRead the Press Release
A federal court in the Eastern District of New York has permanently barred Brooklyn-based defendants Maria Cuervo and Danays Enterprises & Travel, Inc. from operating a tax return preparation business, including from their store located at 2786 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, New York. Defendants consented to the permanent injunction. The judgment entered by the Court also requires Cuervo to disgorge to the United States $150,000 in fees that the Government alleged she received as ill-gotten gains for preparing federal tax returns that make grossly incompetent, negligent, reckless or fraudulent claims.
Among the allegations in its complaint, the United States alleged that the defendants prepared customer’s tax returns, which reported fraudulent filing statuses, including improper claims of head-of-household status. The United States further alleged that the defendants prepared tax returns that claimed fraudulent dependent exemptions, as well as losses designed to improperly reduce reported taxable income.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. (More information can also be found here.) The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax preparer, has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers, and offers information on how to avoid “ghost” tax preparers, whose refusal to sign a return should be a red flag to taxpayers. The IRS also has a list of important reminders for taxpayers who are about to file their 2020 tax returns, including how to prepare for a smooth filing process.
In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $72,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronical federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Fayetteville Woman Sentenced to 90 Months for Kidnapping OffenseRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Fayetteville woman was sentenced today to 90 months in prison for her role in a December 2018 kidnapping conspiracy. On April 8, 2021, Merianda Gray pled guilty to the charge. She was also ordered to serve 5 years of supervised release and to pay $2,000.00 in restitution.
According to court documents, in December 2018, Gray and two co-defendants, Yomere Juan Busbee and James Calvin McEachern, Jr., held three adult victims, and a two-year-old child in a hotel room against their will for several hours after Busbee, a violent pimp and drug dealer, believed he was missing several hundred dollars and accused the victims of stealing it. During the incident Busbee, McEachern, and Gray threatened the victims and did not allow them to leave. Several of the victims were physically and sexually assaulted and tased. Eventually, one of the victims was able to get a message to a family member who called authorities. Busbee and McEachern fled after learning authorities were on the way, and three of the victims were able to escape. Officers with Fayetteville Police Department were able to retrieve the final victim from the room without incident. Co-defendant McEachern previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and is awaiting sentencing. Co-defendant Busbee was charged with five counts: conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping, including of a minor, conspiracy to distribute or possess with the intent to distribute heroin and cocaine base (crack), possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and felon in possession of a firearm. In September 2022, a jury found Busbee guilty of all counts after a three-day trial, and sentencing is pending.
Michael Easley, Jr. U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fayetteville Police Department led the investigation. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blondel and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Stephany prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-CR-00393-M.
Essex County Man Charged with Three Armed Robberies of Pharmacies in Elizabeth, New JerseyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man has been charged with three armed robberies of pharmacies for oxycodone and other prescription medication in Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Charles Johnson, 28, of Irvington, New Jersey, was charged by complaint with three counts of Hobbs Act Robbery and three counts of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Johnson is scheduled to make his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In June and July 2022, Johnson robbed three different pharmacies in Elizabeth, New Jersey, using a similar approach for each of the robberies, including using a firearm, committing the robberies in the morning, demanding that employees of the pharmacies provide Johnson with oxycodone, promethazine, and other prescription medication, and threatening to shoot individuals in the pharmacies with a firearm. Law enforcement collected extensive video surveillance footage that linked Johnson to the robberies.
The Hobbs Act Robbery counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. The brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison, which must run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed. Each count also carries a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gain or loss from the offenses, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited members of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the leadership of Prosecutor William A. Daniel; and the Elizabeth Police Department, under the leadership of Police Chief Giacomo Sacca, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Ecker of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
El Mirage Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Dealing in Firearms Without a LicenseRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Abdur-R-Ahin Shamsid-Deen, 43, of El Mirage, Arizona, was sentenced on October 11, 2022, by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 30 months in federal prison. Shamsid-Deen previously pleaded guilty to Dealing Firearms Without a License.
From April to October 2019, Shamsid-Deen bought, and later sold, at least 55 firearms – mostly handguns – from Arizona gun stores for the purpose of selling them for a profit. Some of the handgun purchases were made for known members of a criminal street gang in Los Angeles, California. Law enforcement recovered 30 of the handguns that Shamsid-Deen purchased: 28 were recovered near Los Angeles, and two were recovered in Phoenix. Some of the firearms were used in robberies and drive-by shootings, and others were recovered from prohibited possessors—persons who are legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, many 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Coleen Schoch and Brian Kasprzyk, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00278-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-186_Shamsid-Deen
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Eight Defendants Charged for Their Roles in Heroin, Fentanyl, and Crack Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Eight people were charged for their respective roles in a heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine distribution organization that sold large quantities of controlled substances in the area of Columbia Avenue and South Orange Avenue in Newark, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Zacqual Lancaster, Maurice Lee, Felix Lesperance, Rodger Busby, Marcellus Allen, Jack Jean-Baptiste, Trevon Smith, and Natequah Polk, all of Newark, are each were charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine. Seven of the defendants are in custody and are scheduled to have their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court. Lancaster remains at large.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Since January 2022, law enforcement conducted extensive surveillance of an open-air narcotics market in the area of Columbia Avenue and South Orange Avenue, conducted numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, and analyzed telephone records, all of which demonstrated the extensive interactions between and among the conspirators.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; members of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz G. Fragé; and members of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The investigation was conducted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (“VCI”). The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Frazer of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dong Joo Lee of the Narcotics/Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Dubuque Teenager and Felon Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Dubuque teenager and felon that possessed firearms was sentenced October 20, 2022, to more than four years in federal prison.
Dairein Dawon Dean, age 19, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 17, 2022 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
Information disclosed at sentencing showed that, prior to September 2021, Dean had been convicted of several felony offenses, including trafficking in stolen weapons, reckless use of firearm causing property damage, escape from custody, second‑degree burglary, and second‑degree criminal mischief. On September 4, 2021, law enforcement stopped Dean’s vehicle for having fraudulent license plates. During the traffic stop, Dean fled on foot, eluding officers. Officers searched Dean’s vehicle and recovered a loaded pistol. Then, on January 9, 2022, Dean fired several shots from his vehicle and struck an occupied residence at least five times.
Dean was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Dean was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a three‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Dean 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 Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives, and Firearms, and the Dubuque Police Department.
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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22‑CR‑01004.
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Diamond Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Diamond, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for the sexual exploitation of a child.
Terry Lee Miksell, 66, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Thursday, Oct. 20, to life in federal prison without parole.
On March 29, 2022, Miksell was found guilty at trial of one count of producing child pornography and one count of using the internet and a cell phone to induce a child to engage in sexual activity.
At the time of the offense, Miksell was employed as a counselor at a Purdy, Mo., drug treatment facility and in a trusted position with the victim and her family.
Facebook initiated two CyberTips in September 2019 after locating sexually explicit messages and images between Miksell and a 16-year-old victim. Miksell asked the child victim in Facebook Messenger chats to send him sexually explicit images and videos. She told investigators she sent those images and videos at his request but often was reluctant to engage with the sexually explicit messages and felt bad about it. At one point she refused to send an image and Miksell used manipulation tactics to get her to continue to engage and send those images. Miksell also sent pornographic pictures of himself to the child victim.
Officers executed a search warrant at Miksell’s residence on Jan. 16, 2020, and seized several devices, including a cell phone. The cell phone contained a pornographic video of the child victim.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James J. Kelleher, Stephanie Wan, and Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.
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 www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Clinton, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Clinton, Illinois, man, Arthur Hatfield, 37, of the 500 block of East Washington was sentenced on October 19, 2022, to 41 months’ imprisonment, followed by seven years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that between March and October of 2019 Hatfield possessed thousands of images of child pornography on multiple electronic devices and the internet-based application Pinterest. Furthermore, the images included children as young as five years of age engaged in sexual acts.
Also at the hearing, United States District Judge Sue E. Myerscough found that the defendant possessed over 17,000 images and videos of child pornography, that they contained images of prepubescent children engaged in the lascivious display of their genitalia as well as engaged in sexual acts, and that the defendant had used software to attempt to mask his IP address when he engaged in collecting the child pornography.
Hatfield was indicted in August 2020 and plead guilty in September 2021.
The statutory penalties for possession of child pornography are up to 20 years in prison, up to life of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment.
The Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigations Zone 4 investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs represented the government in the prosecution.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Chesterfield Man Convicted in Scheme to Embezzle Funds in Law Firm Trust AccountRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Chesterfield man yesterday on charges of conspiracy and wire fraud.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Joshua Brian Romano, 40, owned various businesses that purchased, rehabilitated, and sold homes around Richmond. He funded this work via construction loans that were held in escrow in the trust account of a Chesterfield County law firm. The loans were earmarked for use by Romano only for the purchase of and rehabilitation of specific properties, and only with the lender’s express approval for each disbursement. Acting at Romano’s direction, Lindsey Epps Passmore, 39, a paralegal at the law firm, disbursed $1.2 million of a lender’s funds held in trust for Romano’s projects without receiving the lender’s approval or by misleading the lender about how the funds were to be used. The funds were then used for purposes outside the scope of the agreements with the lender.
Romano faces 20 years in prison on each charge when sentenced on January 19, 2023. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Passmore pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and is scheduled for sentencing on November 17.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Moore is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-26.
Camden Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Desmund M. Walker, 37, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman to an information charging him with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Judge Hillman imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On May 16, 2020, patrol officers from the Camden County Police Department encountered Walker in the vicinity of South 8th and Thurman streets in Camden. Walker fled from the officers through Robert B. Johnson Park, was apprehended, and found to be in possession of 17.67 grams of fentanyl wrapped in 93 white wax folds.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Hillman sentenced Walker to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gabriel Rodriguez, for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Vondra Carrig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
California Man and Fremont Man Sentenced in Conspiracy to Produce and Transfer Fraudulent DocumentsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Luis Alberto Castro-Santos, 35, of Pomona, California, and Tomas De La Cruz-Perez, 37, of Fremont, Nebraska, were sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for Conspiracy to Produce and Transfer Fraudulent Documents. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Castro-Santos and De La Cruz to imprisonment for terms of 24 months and 15 months, respectively. Prior to sentencing, De La Cruz-Perez had forfeited $9,170.00 as proceeds of the fraudulent document scheme. There is no parole in the federal system. After their release from prison, each will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Both will be deported by U.S. immigration authorities after completing their respective sentences to imprisonment.
In the spring of 2020, law enforcement officers investigating an identity theft matter involving the use of a deceased person’s Social Security number learned that fraudulent identity documents could be obtained from De La Cruz-Perez.
Over the course of the year, investigators made several purchases of fraudulent documents (Social Security cards, state Driver’s Licenses, and Lawful Permanent Resident cards (I-551s) from De La Cruz-Perez, who was receiving dozens of packages originating in California through the U.S. Mail. Investigators determined that Castro-Santos was the source of the fraudulent documents mailed to De La Cruz-Perez for sale to customers in Nebraska. Investigators determined that Estuardo Ruiz-Orozco, of Wakefield, Nebraska, was also selling fraudulent documents obtained from Castro-Santos in California. Ruiz-Orozco was sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 24 months on May 12, 2022. The remaining defendant in the case, Martin Alonzo Castro, is scheduled to be sentenced on January 6, 2023.
Investigators planned and executed coordinated arrests of the defendants on April 14, 2021. Investigators obtained warrants to search the Nebraska defendants’ residences and cars, yielding hundreds of counterfeit federal and state identity cards.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General, and the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles.
California Man Agrees to Plead Guilty to Making Threatening Calls to Tufts University CampusRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A California man has agreed to plead guilty in connection with making threatening communications to the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) in May 2021.
Sammy Sultan, 49, of Hayward, Calif., was charged by an Information with and has agreed to plead guilty to one count of making threats in interstate commerce. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. Sultan was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on March 31, 2022.
According to the charging documents, on or about May 28, 2021, Sultan made eight phone calls to TUPD, six of which included specific threats. During the calls, which collectively lasted about an hour, Sultan allegedly claimed to have entered a dorm room somewhere on the Tufts University campus, to be hiding beneath a bed, and to possess a taser and pistols. On several occasions, Sultan stated that he intended to use the taser if a woman returned to the dorm room and discovered him hiding beneath the bed. It is alleged that Sultan played the sounds of a taser activating and a pistol racking during the calls.
TUPD and local police carried out an hours-long, room-by-room search of numerous buildings on Tufts University’s Medford campus but failed to locate the caller. A subsequent investigation of electronic evidence determined that Sultan had made the calls from California. A law enforcement officer familiar with Sultan’s voice from a prior investigation recognized Sultan’s voice on the TUPD call recordings.
Sultan previously pleaded guilty in December 2017 in the Northern District of California to making hundreds of obscene and harassing phone calls to law enforcement agencies, for which he was sentenced to two years in prison.
The charge of making threatening communications in interstate commerce provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Tufts University Police Department; Massachusetts State Police; Illinois State Police; and the Medford, Somerville, North Andover, Malden and Peabody Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy H. Kistner of Rollins’ National Security 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.
Bixby Man Convicted for Attempted Carjacking in Tulsa and a Double Homicide in Broken ArrowRead the Press Release
A Bixby man was convicted Friday in federal court for an attempted carjacking in Tulsa and a later double murder that occurred in Haikey Creek Park in Broken Arrow, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
A federal jury found Hunter Isaiah Hobbs, 21, guilty of all seven counts against him, including two counts of conspiracy to carry, use, and brandish a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; attempted carjacking; robbery in Indian Country; felony murder in Indian Country; causing death by carrying, using and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and obstruction of justice by killing a victim.
Hobbs’ codefendant Denim Lee Blount, 20, of Tulsa, will go to trial at a later date. Blount is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
“Hunter Hobbs conspired with an accomplice to rob two acquaintances and then killed them so they couldn’t report the robbery to police. The week prior, the pair shot a complete stranger during an attempted carjacking,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The relentless efforts of this Office, the FBI, and the Tulsa and Broken Arrow Police Departments resulted in Hobbs being held accountable for these callous crimes. I want to thank the jury for their service and for following the evidence to a guilty verdict."
“The defendant in this case acted in blatant disregard for the law and more importantly, human life,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to remove violent offenders like Hobbs from our communities.”
“The Broken Arrow Police Department, the Tulsa Police Department, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office all worked closely together on this case,” said Broken Arrow Chief of Police Brandon Berryhill. “We are so appreciative of the team-approach, and we are always ready to do the same for our regional partners.”
On May 8, 2021, at 10:29 pm, two men later identified as Hobbs and Blount approached a man in a parking lot in an attempt to steal his vehicle. The victim stated that the defendants pointed firearms at him. The two ordered the victim to get out of his vehicle, and when the victim refused, both men shot through his windshield, striking him multiple times. The two then fled the scene. An investigator with the Tulsa Police Department estimated that the victim had been shot approximately 10 times.
The victim was transported to St. Francis Hospital for non-life threatening injuries. The victim suffered permanent nerve damage to a finger as a result of the shooting. Surveillance cameras from a nearby apartment complex captured the incident and the men’s uncovered faces.
Less than a week later, prosecutors contended that Hobbs and Blount killed Caleb Vaughn Collier and Kelly Ray Olen Landsaw Davis at Haikey Creek Park in Broken Arrow. During trial, prosecutors contended that Hobbs shot and killed Collier 15 total times with a 1911 Colt Commander .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and Blount shot and killed Landsaw Davis with a 12-gauge shotgun.
At the crime scene, Broken Arrow police officers located 15 .45 caliber shell casings, one fired 12-gauge shotgun shell, and one unfired 12-guage shotgun shell.
The Tulsa Police Department’s Forensic Laboratory examined the cartridge casings and shotgun shells collected from both crime scenes and determined they came from the same two firearms.
Law enforcement was able to link Hobbs and his codefendant to the double homicide by accessing Davis’ Facebook account. Investigators learned that Hobbs had been messaging Davis about meeting up in Haikey Creek Park just prior to the murders. Hobbs’ cell phone data also placed him at the park at the time of the crime.
Officers also linked the two men to the attempted carjacking after speaking with family members who confirmed Blount and Hobbs were the individuals in the video committing the crime.
Investigators further confirmed that Hobbs’ Colt Commander was the same pistol he accidentally discharged years prior in an incident at his grandfather Ike Shirley’s home in Bixby. Shirley was the Chief of Police in Bixby at that time as well as at the time of the murders. At the end of the accidental discharge investigation, the pistol was signed out of evidence and returned to Hobbs.
During the course of the investigation, the FBI interviewed the defendants’ friends and family members. They learned that the two had conspired to commit the attempted carjacking and double homicide and talked to witnesses about their involvement.
Agents further learned that after the double murder, the men drove off in Collier’s car, parked it near an apartment complex where they were staying, and set fire to the car to destroy potential evidence.
During trial, Hobbs’ former fiancé testified about remarks Hobbs made following both incidents.
She stated that when Hobbs returned from the May 8, 2021, attempted carjacking, Hobbs said that he shot through the driver’s window because he thought the driver was going to shoot Blount. He bragged that the driver was likely dead since he was slouched over in the vehicle. He then had her download a Newson6 app so he could keep tabs on reports about the attempted carjacking.
On the night of May 12, 2021, Hobbs’ former fiancé also stated that the group was hanging out with friends when Hobbs told her that he and Blount were going to go smoke with Collier and Landsaw Davis. He then said if things went wrong “he’d handle it.” She asked to go with him, but he was adamant she didn’t go.
Hobbs returned early the morning of the crime and described the events that took place. Hobbs told her that when Collier started running from the defendants that he shot Collier in the back with a full magazine. He then reloaded the pistol and emptied the second magazine into the victim’s neck and face. Then Hobbs said he kicked the victim in the face. His former fiancé described how Hobbs joked about the crime, mocked the victim, and then mimicked the victim’s dying breaths. She said the two then returned to his grandfather’s home, where Hobbs resided, and played video games.
In closing prosecutors argued that Hobbs’ crimes were senseless and that ultimately “violence was the motive.” They described how he sought to create a violent persona and bragged about leaving a trail of bodies as a result of his crimes. Finally, prosecutors stated that Hobbs was trying to be known as a killer. They asked the jury to give him the title of “killer” and find him guilty on all counts.
The FBI and Tulsa and Broken Arrow Police Departments conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Nassar, Ryan H. Heatherman and Leah D. Paisner are prosecuting the case.
Beaumont Felon Sentenced for Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced for a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Gregory Cherry, Jr., 40, pleaded guilty on June 6, 2022, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on Oct. 20, 2022.
According to information presented in court, on August 1, 2022, law enforcement officers responded to a report that an individual had a firearm and was arguing with another person in a gas station parking lot in Beaumont. Officers encountered Cherry, who matched the description of the person who was reported as having the firearm. As officers approached Cherry, he began running from the officers. After a brief foot pursuit, officers caught Cherry, and Cherry resisted arrest. During the struggle Cherry was able to retrieve a firearm from his pocket and throw it a short distance away. One officer was injured during the struggle with Cherry. Cherry was eventually taken into custody and officers were able to recover the firearm.
Further investigation revealed Cherry is a convicted felon and prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition. Cherry was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 6, 2021.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.
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Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 292 Months in Federal Prison for Interference with Commerce by Robbery and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Forrest Hardy, age 33, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 292 months in federal prison following his convictions for interference with commerce by robbery. The Court further sentenced Hardy to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered that the firearm involved be forfeited.
According to admissions made during his plea, on or about January 7, 2020, at approximately 6:41 p.m., Hardy, while wearing a mask, entered the Boost Mobile Store, located at 8180 Scenic Hwy, Baton Rouge, which is across the street from Baton Rouge Police Department’s Fourth Precinct police station, and pointed a firearm at an employee. After Hardy demanded money kept in the cash registers, the employee complied with Hardy’s demands, who removed and pocketed the cash. Hardy then fled from the store and ran to a 1999 Lexus SUV.
Following investigative leads, the following day, detectives identified the vehicle driven by Hardy and developed him as a suspect of this robbery. Video cameras captured images of Hardy’s car enabling detectives to identify Hardy’s vehicle as a gold-colored Lexus, bearing distinct coloring on the right front quarter panel.
On January 8, 2020, at approximately 7:20 p.m., Hardy, while wearing a green jacket and a black mask over his face, entered a Metro PCS cellular phone store, located at 1966 North Foster Dr., Baton Rouge. Hardy then pointed a loaded Glock, model 22, .40 caliber pistol, with an extended magazine and a weapon-mounted flashlight at an employee and demanded cash from the register. He removed the cash from the register and pocketed it. While aiming his firearm at the employee, Hardy demanded the cash that the business kept in its safe in the storage room. Concerned for his safety, the victim led the robber to the storage room. From his vantage point, the victim observed Hardy rummaging through the safe. Following the robbery, Hardy fled the premises in same vehicle, the 1999 Lexus SUV, he used the night before. Notably, the day before the robbery the safe contained an Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max and after the robbery the Apple iPhone Pro Max was no longer in the safe.
Later, on the evening of January 8, 2020, at approximately 8:25 p.m., law enforcement officers with the Baton Rouge Police Department stopped Hardy in the 1999 Lexus SUV, which bore the distinct coloring on one of its sides. Law enforcement officers observed, in plain view, a black handgun with an extended magazine, and a black mask on the front passenger seat. Police thereafter arrested Hardy.
A day or so later, during the execution of a search warrant on the 1999 Lexus SUV, law enforcement personnel found an assault style firearm, a .40 caliber Glock semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine, stolen cash, a ski mask, the gloves used by Hardy during the robberies, and ammunition.
Previously, Hardy had been convicted of armed robbery in East Baton Rouge Parish in 2007 and convicted of second-degree battery and false imprisonment with a dangerous weapon in Lafayette Parish in 2019.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Baton Rouge Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert W. Piedrahita and Jeremy S. Johnson.
Thursday 20 October 2022
York County Man Pleads Guilty to Theft of Federal Program FundsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Leonard Hart, age 50, of Mount Wolf, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to obtaining by fraud and misapplying money from Lincoln Charter School (LCS) in York, Pennsylvania.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, LCS is a recipient of federal program funds because it receives grants funded by the U.S Department of Education—primarily Title I funding, which is financial assistance for schools with high numbers of children from low-income backgrounds.
From 2013 until November 2021, Hart was LCS’s Principal and CEO. LCS offers a program by which employees are able to receive partial tuition reimbursement for furthering their education. Hart misrepresented that he was pursuing a Ph.D. and submitted numerous requests for reimbursement for courses that he falsely claimed he was taking from a few universities. He also falsified records to support these claims for tuition reimbursement and pressured a lower-level employee of the school and former LCS student to assist him in creating a forged diploma.
Hart admitted to submitting to LCS nearly 20 false and fraudulent reimbursement requests between 2018 and 2020. Hart also agreed to pay $55,311 in restitution, representing the total amount of funds he received through fraudulent reimbursement requests.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Washington man sentenced for interfering with flight crew on cross-county flight diverted to BillingsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Washington man who admitted to interfering with an airline crew by jumping on a beverage cart and pushing a flight attendant into a seat, screaming and trying to remove his clothes on a flight that was diverted to Billings for his removal was sentenced today to three years of probation and ordered to pay $14,500 restitution to the airline, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Adam Alexander Williams, 33, of Auburn, Washington, pleaded guilty in June to an indictment charging him with interference with flight members and attendants.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on Jan. 9, Williams boarded an American Airlines cross-country flight from Seattle, Washington, to Charlotte, North Carolina. Once in the air, Williams’ behavior turned erratic and escalated. Williams yelled profanities and asked to no one in particular, “Where is Jasmine Sanders?” Williams jumped from his window seat, over two passengers in his row, and onto a beverage cart. As he came off of the cart, Williams pushed a flight attendant into a seat and began to run down the aisle of the aircraft.
Another flight attendant calmed Williams down and escorted him to his seat. About 10 minutes later, Williams again began yelling profanities. Flight attendants then seated Williams around a group of U.S. Marines, who happened to be on the flight. Undeterred, Williams began screaming about 10 minutes later while taking off his clothes. At that point, to ensure the safety of passengers, the aircraft’s captain diverted the plane to Billings so that Williams could be removed.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno B. Baucus prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Billings Airport Police.
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Washington Man Sentenced for Involvement in Sandpoint Teen's DeathRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Antoinne James Holmes, 23, of Cusick, Washington, was sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury and death, announced U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill sentenced Holmes to 151 months in prison and ordered that he pay $3,270 in restitution. Holmes, upon completion of his prison time, was also ordered to serve an additional three years of supervised release.
On August 28, 2020, 16-year-old G.D. was found unconscious in his bedroom at his father’s home in Sandpoint, Idaho. He died, despite attempts to revive him by family and medical personnel. The coroner determined G.D. died of a fentanyl overdose; a toxicology report and autopsy showed that G.D. had a lethal dose of fentanyl in his system at the time of his death.
The case was investigated by the Sandpoint Police Department, Idaho State Police, and the DEA Drug Task Force in Coeur d’Alene. Officers began an immediate investigation into the death and learned G.D. had met with Holmes during the early morning hours of August 28, 2022, near Old Town, Idaho. Holmes sold G.D. pills containing fentanyl. It was one of these pills that eventually killed G.D. Based upon the evidence it appears that G.D. immediately lost consciousness after consuming the pill.
“This tragic case illustrates that fentanyl can be an instant killer,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We must do all we can to rid our communities of this poison, and I know our federal, state, and local partners are dedicated to this mission. Prevention is also critical, and so we must all spread the word about this extremely addictive and deadly drug. This is truly about saving lives.”
“Unfortunately, this is another tragic example that One Pill Can Kill,” said Jacob D. Galvan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Seattle Field Division. “We will continue to work with all our state, local, and federal partners to hold accountable individuals like Mr. Holmes and ensure we keep our communities safe and healthy.”
As part of their investigation, officers learned that Holmes had been selling fentanyl-laced pills for several months prior to G.D.’s death. Idaho and other states have seen a massive influx of counterfeit pills in the last several years. The pills are mass-produced by criminal drug networks and falsely marketed as legitimate prescription pills. The pills are made to look like prescription opioids such as oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet), hydrocodone (Vicodin), and alprazolam (Xanax); or stimulants like amphetamines (Adderall).
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50-100 times stronger than morphine. Pharmaceutical fentanyl was developed for severe pain management and prescribed in the form of transdermal patches or lozenges. While prescription fentanyl can be diverted for misuse, most cases of fentanyl-related overdoses in the U.S. are linked to illegally made fentanyl that is sold through illicit drug markets for its heroin-like effect.
Counterfeit pills are becoming more and more common place. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and its law enforcement partners seized nationally more than 10.2 million fentanyl pills and approximately 980 pounds of fentanyl powder during the period of May 23, 2022 through Sept 8, 2022. Despite law enforcement efforts to educate the public and stop the flow of these illegal drugs, the number of overdose deaths related to these pills continues to rise. For more information regarding this concerning trend please visit: https://www.dea.gov/onepill.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit, of the District of Idaho, commended the cooperative efforts of the law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation.
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Washington Man Charged with Hate Crime for Shooting and Damaging Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom HallRead the Press Release
A Washington man was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Seattle, Washington, in connection with a May 15, 2018, shooting that damaged a Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall.
Mikey Diamond Starrett, aka Michael Jason Layes, 50, of Olympia, Washington, was charged in a superseding indictment with one count of damage to religious property, including the use of a dangerous weapon. He also was charged with one count of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The original indictment charged the defendant with one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm.
According to the indictment, on or about May 15, 2018, the defendant used a semi-automatic rifle to deface, damage and destroy religious real property at the Jehovah’s Witnesses Kingdom Hall of Yelm, Washington, because of the religious character of the property.
If convicted, the defendant faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison on the charge of damage to religious property involving the use of a dangerous weapon. If convicted on the unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm charge, the defendant faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. The defendant faces a sentence of at least 10 years in prison to run consecutive to any sentence imposed for the remaining firearms offense.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Nick Brown for the Western District of Washington made the announcement.
The ATF Seattle Field Division, the FBI Seattle Office and the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office investigated the matter. Trial Attorney Matthew Tannenbaum of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca S. Cohen for the Western District of Washington are prosecuting the case.
For more information and resources about the department’s work to combat hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Washington Man Charged with Hate Crime for Shooting and Damaging Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom HallRead the Press Release
Seattle – A Washington man was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Seattle, Washington, in connection with a May 15, 2018, shooting that damaged a Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall.
Mikey Diamond Starrett, aka Michael Jason Layes, 50, of Olympia, Washington, was charged in a superseding indictment with one count of damage to religious property, including the use of a dangerous weapon. He also was charged with one count of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The original indictment charged the defendant with one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm.
According to the indictment, on or about May 15, 2018, the defendant used a semi-automatic rifle to deface, damage and destroy religious real property at the Jehovah’s Witnesses Kingdom Hall of Yelm, Washington, because of the religious character of the property.
If convicted, the defendant faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison on the charge of damage to religious property involving the use of a dangerous weapon. If convicted on the unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm charge, the defendant faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. The defendant faces a sentence of at least 10 years in prison to run consecutive to any sentence imposed for the remaining firearms offense.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Nick Brown for the Western District of Washington made the announcement.
The ATF Seattle Field Division, the FBI Seattle Office and the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office investigated the matter. Trial Attorney Matthew Tannenbaum of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca S. Cohen for the Western District of Washington are prosecuting the case.
For more information and resources about the department’s work to combat hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
A Virginia man pleaded guilty today to production and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, between December 2018 and April 2019, Chad Michael Lehofer, 37, of Fredericksburg, repeatedly engaged in sexually explicit discussions with a minor online, enticed and coerced the minor to produce sexually explicit pictures and videos, and directed the minor to send the pictures and videos to Lehofer. When the minor tried to break off contact with him, Lehofer pretended to be a different person and continued to communicate with the minor online under that false identity. Lehofer sent threatening messages to the minor, telling the minor that if the minor did not send him sexually explicit videos, he would expose the minor to others, including the minor’s mother and friends. Lehofer claimed to be watching the minor’s house and would send the minor messages indicating that he knew the minor’s location and that he would be waiting at the minor’s home. In response to these threats, the minor produced a sexually explicit video and sent it to Lehofer.
After obtaining a warrant to search Lehofer’s cell phone, law enforcement discovered his phone contained numerous images and videos of child sexual abuse material involving prepubescent minors. Lehofer was previously convicted in Connecticut in 2006 for state offenses involving his sexual abuse of two minors.
Lehofer is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 16, 2023. He faces a mandatory minimum of at least 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. made the announcement.
Trial Attorney Eduardo Palomo of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zoe Bedell and Lauren Halper for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fredericksburg man pleaded guilty today to production and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, from at least December 11, 2018 through April 8, 2019, Chad Michael Lehofer, 37, repeatedly engaged in sexually explicit discussions with a minor online and enticed and coerced the minor to produce sexually explicit pictures and videos and send them to Lehofer. After the minor tried to break off contact with him, Lehofer pretended to be a different person and continued to communicate with the minor online. Lehofer sent threatening messages to the minor, telling the minor that if the minor did not send him sexually explicit videos, he would expose the minor to others, including the minor’s mother and friends. Lehofer claimed to be watching the minor’s house and would send the minor messages indicating he knew the minor’s location and he would be waiting at the minor’s home. In response to these threats, the minor produced a sexually explicit video and sent it to Lehofer.
After obtaining a warrant to search Lehofer’s cell phone, law enforcement discovered that his phone contained numerous images and videos of child sexual abuse material involving prepubescent minors. Lehofer was previously convicted in Connecticut in 2006 for state offenses involving his sexual abuse of two minors.
Lehofer is scheduled to be sentenced on February 16, 2023. He faces a mandatory minimum of at least 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., the Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division; and Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Nachmanoff accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zoe Bedell and Lauren Halper, as well as Trial Attorney Eduardo Palomo from the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at [email protected].
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-82.
Vallejo Man Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Prison for Flying to the Philippines with the Intention of Engaging in Sexual Conduct with a ChildRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Balbino Sablad, 81, of Vallejo, was sentenced today to five years and 10 months in prison and ordered to pay a fine of $3,500 for traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in 2019, Sablad flew to the Philippines with the intention of engaging in sexual conduct with a child under the age of 16. Using Facebook, Sablad had engaged in sexual chats with a person he believed was the intended minor victim and he sent the intended minor victim over $2,000 prior to his travel to the Philippines. Before he arrived, he also discussed with a co-conspirator his plan to sexually abuse the intended minor victim in the Philippines.
“Today’s sentence reflects the disturbing lengths the defendant was willing to go to engage in sexual acts with a child,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “Our office is committed to doing everything we can to help ensure that children are protected from future crimes by predators like the defendant.”
“The FBI works very closely with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to investigate perpetrators like Sablad and bring them to justice,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan. “Today’s sentencing should serve as a warning to individuals who exploit our society’s most vulnerable that no matter how far they travel to commit these reprehensible crimes, they are not beyond the reach of law enforcement.”
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rosanne Rust prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
United States Naval Officer Charged Federally for Cyberstalking, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Conspiracy for a Campaign to Harass His Ex-WifeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal criminal complaint has been filed charging Jason Michael Leidel, age 42, an active-duty commissioned officer of the United States Navy and Sarah Elizabeth Sorg, age 43, a Senior Trial Attorney for the United States Department of Transportation, both of Silver Spring, Maryland, with aggravated identity theft, fraud related to a protected computer, cyberstalking and conspiracy to commit cyberstalking. The criminal complaint was filed on October 17, 2022, and unsealed today upon the arrest of the defendants.
The defendants are scheduled to have initial appearances beginning at 3:00 p.m. today, in U.S. District Court in Baltimore before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson.
The federal charges were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Alison F. Zavada of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS); Special Agent in Charge Craig Miles of the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (USDOT OIG); Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Chief Paul W. Neudigate of the Virginia Beach, Virginia Police Department (VBPD).
As detailed in the affidavit, Leidel married his wife in 2005 and they had two children. Leidel has served in the military since 2003—first in the United States Air Force, then in the United States Navy (USN). In 2017, while on active duty with the USN, Leidel was accepted to a Ph.D. program at the Uniformed Services University for the Health Sciences (“USUHS”) in Bethesda, Maryland, and reported for his assignment in June 2018. In August 2018, Leidel and his wife permanently separated. She and the two children returned to Virginia Beach, Virginia, where they had lived prior to Leidel’s USUHS assignment.
The affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint alleges that, since their separation, Leidel has engaged in an ongoing and extensive scheme to harass his ex-wife, interfere with court proceedings relating to domestic relations issues, and perpetrate fraud on courts in both Montgomery County, Maryland and Virginia Beach, Virginia. Among other things, Leidel used spoofed and fraudulent email accounts and phone numbers to falsely create communications purporting to be from his ex-wife, thus causing criminal charges to be filed against her, disrupt her employment, and interfere with her personal life. Leidel also allegedly sent emails from compromised accounts and spoofed accounts in order to portray his ex-wife as a mentally unstable parent, with the hope that he would gain custody of their minor children in order to deprive his ex-wife of his retirement accounts and pension in their divorce agreement.
In addition, according to the affidavit, Sorg shared her home with Leidel and was present when a search warrant was executed at their residence. Sorg was aware of information that linked multiple fraudulent online accounts used by Leidel to harass and victimize his ex-wife as early as August 2020 and has allegedly continued to provide assistance to Leidel to harass the victim, interfere with court proceedings, and perpetrate fraud on courts in Montgomery County, Maryland and Virginia Beach, Virginia.
If convicted, Jason Leidel and Sarah Sorg each face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and for cyberstalking; a mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for aggravated identity theft; and one year in federal prison for fraud related to a protected computer. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the NCIS, the USDOT OIG, the MCPD, and the VBPD for their work in the investigation and thanked the Maryland State Police for its assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys P. Michael Cunningham and Thomas M. Sullivan, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa Observes Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
Des Moines, IA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa and U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal joins the Department of Justice, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), advocates, survivors, victim service providers, justice professionals, police and first responders, and communities across the United States in observing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
For too many victims, domestic violence impacts their life every day. The devastating consequences of domestic violence are widespread and affects the victims as well as the victims’ family and friends, and can cross generations and last a lifetime. Approximately one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes. These rates are disproportionately higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, women of Color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and two-spirit people, and people with disabilities. Domestic Violence Awareness Month provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence.
“Domestic Violence Awareness Month reminds us of the human impact of domestic violence and our role along with the dedicated victim advocates, service providers, police and first responders in ensuring that victims and survivors have a path to safety, access to services, and a voice in justice,” said U.S. Attorney Richard Westphal. “Domestic violence happens in our homes, our neighborhoods, our workplaces, and our communities and a top priority of our office will continue to be assisting victims, prosecuting offenders, and supporting our community’s awareness of available resources.”
Targeting gun violence is a key part of combatting domestic violence and reducing violent crime. Domestic violence abusers with access to a gun are five times more likely to kill their partners, and in addition to their lethality, firearms are used by abusers to inflict fear, intimidation, and coercive control. Under federal law, people convicted of a felony or misdemeanor crime of domestic violence or are subject to a protective order are prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms. This crime is punishable by up to fifteen years in prison.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE), or the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence at 1-800-770-1650. Additional resources for victims and survivors of domestic violence can be found on the Resources page of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence website at https://ncadv.org/resources.
U.S. Marshals Return Fugitive from Dominican Republic to Serve Money Laundering Conspiracy SentenceRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A man sentenced to serve 30 months in federal prison in January 2006 for conspiracy to launder drug money was returned to Mobile following his arrest by the U.S. Marshals Service and extradition from the Dominican Republic. Nigal E. Carpio-Calderon appeared Wednesday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Mobile, and the court ordered him to remain in the U.S. Marshals Service’s custody until his designation to a Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his sentence.
According to court documents, on January 24, 2006, the U.S. District Court sentenced Carpio-Calderon, now 62, for laundering the proceeds of drug money. Carpio-Calderon lived in Puerto Rico while he was on pretrial release. The court allowed Carpio-Calderon to self-surrender rather than being taken into custody immediately at his sentencing hearing. Carpio-Calderon then returned to Puerto Rico. As a release condition, Carpio-Calderon was not allowed to leave the District of Puerto Rico without written permission from the court. The court issued a warrant for Carpio-Calderon’s arrest on March 14, 2006, when his Pretrial Officer there reported that he could not locate him and his residence appeared abandoned.
“Thanks to the relentless work of the Marshals Service in Mobile, this money laundering criminal has been brought back to the United States to face justice and serve his sentence,” said U. S. Attorney Sean P. Costello. “We appreciate the hard work of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Dominican Republic to make sure justice was served. Anyone considering running from their crime or their sentence should know that the U.S. Marshals Service and our other partners in law enforcement are going to find criminals wherever they try to hide,” added Costello.
“Today is a victory in the ongoing war against drug trafficking,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge James E. Dorsey. “Coordination with other agencies and leveraging each of our strengths was the key to bring Carpio-Calderon to justice in our continuous fight against drug trafficking and money laundering. Thanks to the diligence of our law enforcement partners at the U.S. Marshals Service, this criminal is now off the street and being held accountable for his actions.”
“This significant arrest and successful extradition from The Dominican Republic shows the great cooperation and collaboration between the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Alabama,” said U.S. Marshal Mark F. Sloke. “To be able to locate a fugitive who has been on the run in a foreign country for over 15 years is a tremendous feat and we couldn’t have done it without the full support and commitment of The Dominican Republic.”
FBI Mobile SAC Paul Brown stated, “this arrest is a testament to the work ethic of the men and women who wear the badge, prosecute the cases, and pursue the fugitives. Those who assist in laundering drug money are no better than the dealers who peddle this poison in our communities and will be held accountable.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah Griffin prosecuted the money laundering conspiracy and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Lankford handled the extradition on behalf of the United States.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona Observes Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – United States Attorney Gary Restaino joins the U.S. Department of Justice, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), advocates, survivors, victim service providers, justice professionals, police and first responders, communities across the U.S. and sovereign tribal nations in observing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM).
“Domestic violence impacts our communities and our society across the board,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino. “And we who serve as federal prosecutors for the District of Arizona have a duty to use all the tools at our disposal—and leverage our partnerships with local law enforcement and prosecutors—to ensure victims have a viable path to safety and justice.”
Domestic violence is more prevalent than many realize. The devastating consequences of domestic violence can cross generations and last a lifetime. Approximately one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes; however, rates are disproportionately higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, women of Color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and two-spirit people, and people with disabilities. DVAM provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-185_Domestic Violence
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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.
U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona Appoints District Election Officer for the Northern District of AlabamaRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Jason Cheek will lead the efforts of her Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSA Cheek has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Northern District of Alabama, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
“Every citizen has the right to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
“The FBI is the primary investigative agency responsible for election-related crimes, like voter fraud and voter suppression,” FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Felix A. Rivera-Esparra said. “We will not tolerate criminal activity that threatens the sanctity of your vote or undermines public confidence in the outcome of the election.”
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying, and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Cheek will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at 205-244-2001.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 205-326-6166.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.S. Attorney Chung Appoints Election Officer for the Western District of PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Yvonne Saadi will lead the efforts of her Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSA Saadi has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Chung said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Chung said, “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Saadi will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 412-894-7516.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 412-432-4000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
United States Attorney Chung added, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.s. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe Announces Collections of over $6.5 Million in Criminal and Civil Cases During the Last Fiscal YearRead the Press Release
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe announced today that her office collected
$6,558,705.15 in civil and criminal actions in Fiscal Year 2022. Of that amount,
$4,020,660.31 was collected in civil cases, and $2,538,044.84 was collected in criminal cases. The
FY 2022 criminal debt collection total exceeded the average of the previous five fiscal years by
more than $1,000,000. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1st to September 30th.“The fact that we were able to collect more than $6 million dollars this year demonstrates the
dedication and skill of the members of our financial litigation unit, as well as the excellent case
work done by our civil and criminal divisions,” said U.S. Attorney Crowe. “The work of collecting
restitution from criminal defendants and returning funds to victims of crime is a critical part of
the job for all prosecutors,” she continued.U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department of Justice’s litigating divisions, are
responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and
criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to
victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While
restitution is paid to victims, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s
Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation
and victim assistance programs.U.S. Attorney Crowe also said, “These collections represent civil settlements, restitution to
victims, as well as fines and monetary penalties. This money is back where it belongs – in the
hands of victims and the taxpayers.”Working with partner agencies and divisions, the Southern District of Illinois also collected
$539,030.27 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2022. The Department’s Asset Forfeiture Program
encompasses the seizure and forfeiture of assets that represent the proceeds of, or were used to
facilitate, federal crimes. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department’s Assets Forfeiture
Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.The Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury Asset Forfeiture Programs are, first
and foremost, law enforcement programs. They remove the tools of crime from criminal organizations,
deprive wrongdoers of the proceeds of their crimes, recover property that may be used to compensate
victims, and deter crime. The Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury emphasize
these law enforcement purposes to their own law enforcement agencies
and all federal, state, local, and tribal partner agencies.Tulsa Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Tulsa man was sentenced Thursday in federal court for attempting to entice an individual he believed was a 14-year-old child and for possessing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Chief U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Bradley Scott Pickens, 45, to 151 months in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for possession of child pornography in Indian Country and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
Pickens admitted in his plea agreement to knowingly possessing and accessing child sexual abuse material. Some of the depictions also included children under 12 years old. He further admitted to using his cell phone and other electronic means to attempt to persuade and entice an individual he believed to be a minor to engage in sexual activity from Nov. 5, 2019, to Nov. 28, 2019. Pickens was actually communicating with an undercover officer.
Law enforcement was first made aware of Pickens after an individual reported that she had discovered possible child pornography on Pickens’ cell phone. Authorities launched an investigation and obtained an Oklahoma search warrant for the phone. A forensic examination of the phone showed that Pickens took part in several conversations with individuals claiming to be minors. In those conversations, he encouraged one victim to engage in a sex act with her father.
As the investigation continued, an undercover officer with the Bristow Police Department posed as a minor female online, and the two eventually made contact. The undercover officer stated that he was a 14-year-old girl in those conversations. Pickens claimed that he had previously had sex with several 16-year-olds. Eventually Pickens proposed the two meet for a sexual encounter.
When Pickens arrived at the predetermined location, he was taken into custody. Law enforcement later searched a motel room and located condoms, a laptop, a cell phone and other items tying him to the crime.
The Broken Arrow and Bristow Police Departments and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar prosecuted the case.
Three Members of Violent Reading, PA Drug Gang Convicted by Jury of Federal Murder, Kidnapping and Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero and Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams announced today during a press conference in the Berks County Courthouse that Jesus Feliciano-Trinidad, 33; Dewayne Quinones, 29; and Mayco Alvarez-Jackson, 25; all of Reading, PA, were convicted at trial of murder, kidnapping, drug distribution and firearms offenses arising from their involvement with a Reading-area drug trafficking organization which was responsible for multiple homicides, kidnapping, and conspiracies to kidnap in 2017 and 2018, including a quadruple homicide which occurred on January 28, 2018. All three defendants were convicted of federal murder and weapons charges relating to the quadruple homicide.
Over 15 defendants were charged in a series of indictments stemming from a years’ long investigation into the receipt, processing, and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine. The indictments detailed the defendants using a number of buildings, residences, firearms and acts of violence to further their drug dealing efforts in and around Reading, including kidnapping and/or shooting multiple individuals in 2017 and 2018; conspiring to shoot and kill Miguel Reyes on December 13, 2017; kidnaping, shooting, and killing Hector Gonzalez-Rivera on January 24, 2018; and shooting and killing Jarlyn Lantigua-Tejada, Juan Rodriguez, Nelson Onofre, and Joshua Santos on January 28, 2018.
“These three defendants, members of the Trinidad gang, have been convicted by a jury of some of the most serious charges that exist under federal law with penalties of equal gravity,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “These convictions, after years of investigation and preparation, would not have been possible without the partnership of District Attorney Adams and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. I want to thank them and all of our local law enforcement partners here in Berks County as we work together to prosecute violent drug trafficking organizations like Trinidad in order to keep the Reading community safe.”
“We appreciate the partnership between the Berks County District Attorney’s Office and the United States Attorney’s office of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in the prosecution of this violent Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO),” said Berks County District Attorney Adams. “Today’s verdict indicates a very successful prosecution of this violent DTO that created mayhem in our community. These convictions indicate that the jury has held the leaders of this organization responsible for their acts of violence and drug trafficking, and as a result they will never be a threat to our community again.”
“These are three violent, dangerous men who terrorized the Reading area for years, trafficking deadly drugs and committing multiple murders,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “The Trinidad organization’s actions destroyed families and had a devastating effect on the community’s public safety and quality of life. This case underscores how the FBI and our law enforcement partners are working together to target and dismantle the violent drug gangs wreaking so much havoc, just to make money and a name for themselves on the street. I want to thank the Reading Police Department and the Berks County District Attorney's Office, in addition to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania – for all the time, work, and resources they put into this investigation, resulting in today’s convictions.”
12 defendants charged in the investigation previously pleaded guilty to federal or state charges and are awaiting sentencing. Co-defendants Mariela Alvarado and Owen Malave-Medina were sentenced to 168 months and 90 months in prison, respectively.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Berks County District Attorney’s Office, the Berks County Detectives, and the Reading Police Department, with assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police and the Montgomery County Detectives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly A. Lewis Fallenstein, Special Assistant United States Attorney Rosalynda M. Michetti, and Assistant United States Attorney Vineet Gauri.
Ten Defendants Charged in Drug Trafficking Probe Targeting Fentanyl-Laced Heroin Sales in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal drug trafficking investigation has resulted in charges against ten individuals for allegedly conspiring to distribute at least 35 kilograms of fentanyl-laced heroin and crack cocaine on the West Side of Chicago.
During the multi-year probe, law enforcement seized more than a kilogram of narcotics, as well as 13 firearms and more than $40,000 in suspected illicit proceeds. The investigation, led by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation Division, and Chicago Police Department, utilized covert surveillance operations, controlled narcotics purchases, and wiretapped communications to shut down the defendants’ drug trafficking activities, which were centered mainly in Chicago’s North Austin neighborhood.
Many of the defendants were arrested this week and have begun making initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
The federal charges were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Ashley T. Johnson, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago; and David Brown, Superintendent of CPD. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Kelly and Simar Khera represent the government.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers and other alleged criminal offenders 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 alleged criminal networks.
Charged with a federal drug conspiracy are CARLOS JAMES, 46; SAMUEL BROOKS, 71; PAURICE ROSE, 46; DONALD WILLIAMS, 34; VASHON JAMES, 39; DAVID LAMB, 56; FELICIA SINGLETON, 57; THOMAS BIRT, 54; AVIS KNIGHT, 54; and HAYDEE CANO, 46; all of Chicago. Brooks is also charged with illegally possessing a handgun as a previously convicted felon.
According to a criminal complaint unsealed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago, Carlos James led a drug trafficking organization that distributed at least 35 kilograms of fentanyl-laced heroin and at least 1.1 kilograms of crack cocaine to street-level customers in Chicago from April 2021 to August 2022.
Carlos James allegedly worked with Rose and Williams to prepare and package the drugs for distribution on the street. The drug trafficking organization used multiple “stash houses” in Chicago, including residences in the 1700 block of North Mango Avenue and the 1600 and 1700 blocks of North Mayfield Avenue, to store the narcotics and the cash proceeds, the complaint alleges. Brooks served as a street-level manager of the organization, providing narcotics to Lamb, Singleton, Birt, Knight, and Cano to sell to customers on the street, the charges allege. Vashon James allegedly prepared crack cocaine and collected the proceeds after the sales.
During the probe, law enforcement executed court-authorized searches of the stash houses and other locations and worked with a cooperating source to make nine controlled purchases of narcotics from the defendants’ organization.
The public is reminded that a complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to More Than Ten Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and HeroinRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to more than ten years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl and heroin.
RAYLOE JACKSON, 46, of Maywood, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to possession of fentanyl and heroin with intent to distribute.
Jackson admitted in a plea agreement that on April 3, 2020, he met with a Rockford-based narcotics supplier in Maywood and obtained more than a kilogram of fentanyl and nearly 200 grams of heroin, which Jackson intended to distribute to another individual. When law enforcement attempted to stop Jackson after his meeting with the supplier, Jackson ran from the officers and threw a bag containing the fentanyl and heroin over a fence into a backyard of a residence on South 14th Avenue in Maywood. Officers ultimately caught and arrested him.
As part of his plea agreement, Jackson also admitted that in 2019 he possessed two kilograms of cocaine with intent to distribute. This case was Jackson’s fourth felony drug-trafficking conviction.
U.S. District Judge Phillip G. Reinhard imposed the 124-month prison sentence after a hearing Wednesday in federal court in Rockford.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Robert J. Bell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration. The investigation was conducted by a DEA task force, which includes officers from the Crystal Lake, Ill. Police Department, Belvidere, Ill. Police Department, and Boone County, Ill. Sheriff’s Office. The Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation.
The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Paccagnini and Talia Bucci.