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Wednesday 19 October 2022
KC Man Sentenced to 17 Years for Two Armed Robberies of Hotels on the Same DayRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in two armed robberies of hotels on the same day.
Anthony Payne, Jr., 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Tuesday, Oct. 18, to 17 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Payne to pay $860 in restitution.
On Jan. 20, 2022, Payne pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and abetting a robbery, one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, and two counts of aiding and abetting the brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.
Payne admitted that he and two co-defendants robbed the Arrowhead Inn, 6006 E. 31st Street in Kansas City, Mo., at gunpoint on July 2, 2018. Payne entered the hotel with co-defendants Joe Lee Nichols, 29, and Torrence Demond Key, 30, both of Kansas City, Mo. Payne and Nichols brandished handguns and the three men stole approximately $260 from the hotel.
Payne also admitted that the three men robbed Wood Springs Suites Hotel, 11301 Colorado in Kansas City, Mo., at gunpoint on the same day. Payne and Nichols again brandished handguns and the three men stole approximately $600 from the hotel.
According to court documents, Payne was previously convicted in state court for his role in the armed robbery of a Sonic restaurant. He received a suspended imposition of sentence in that case and was placed on probation for five years, but after multiple violations was eventually incarcerated.
Nichols and Key each have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce Rhoades and Maureen Brackett. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, and the FBI.
Justice Department Files Lawsuit Challenging Policy Barring Native Americans from Accessing South Dakota Hotel and Sports LoungeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against the owners and operators of the Grand Gateway Hotel, and the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino, a sports bar that operates within the hotel, located in Rapid City, South Dakota. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants discriminated against Native American customers in violation of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin in places of public accommodation, such as hotels and other places of entertainment. The suit is brought against the corporate owner, Retsel Corporation, and two of the company’s directors, Connie Uhre and her son, Nicholas Uhre.
“Policies prohibiting Native Americans from accessing public establishments are both racially discriminatory and unlawful,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously protect the rights of all people to go about their daily lives free from discrimination at hotels, restaurants and other public accommodations around the country.”
“Restricting access to a hotel based on a person’s race is prohibited by federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell for the District of South Dakota. “At the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we are called to ensure that individuals are treated equally at public accommodations in South Dakota. We are committed to protecting that fundamental right for Native Americans.”
The lawsuit, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota, alleges that, since at least March 20, the Retsel Corporation, Connie Uhre and Nicholas Uhre discriminated against Native American customers through policies and practices that denied Native Americans the full and equal enjoyment of access to the services, accommodations and privileges at the Grand Gateway Hotel and the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino.
Specifically, the complaint alleges that on March 20, Connie Uhre told other Rapid City hotel owners and managers that she did “not want to allow Natives on property...The problem is we do not know the nice ones from the bad natives…so we just have to say no to them!” That same day, Connie Uhre allegedly posted a statement in a comment thread from her Facebook account announcing that “we will no longer allow any Native American [sic]” in the Grand Gateway or in the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino. The complaint further alleges that on at least two occasions on March 21 and March 22, respectively, the defendants turned away Native Americans who sought to book a room in the Grand Gateway.
Under Title II, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division can obtain injunctive relief that changes policies and practices to remedy the discriminatory conduct. Title II does not authorize the division to obtain monetary damages for customers who are victims of discrimination.
More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals may report discrimination in places of public accommodation that violates Title II by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online.
The complaint contains allegations of unlawful conduct, and the allegations must be proven in federal court.
Justice Department Files Lawsuit Challenging Policy Barring Native Americans from Accessing South Dakota Hotel and Sports LoungeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against the owners and operators of the Grand Gateway Hotel, and the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino, a sports bar that operates within the hotel, located in Rapid City, South Dakota. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants discriminated against Native American customers in violation of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin in places of public accommodation, such as hotels and other places of entertainment. The suit is brought against the corporate owner, Retsel Corporation, and two of the company’s directors, Connie Uhre and her son, Nicholas Uhre.
“Policies prohibiting Native Americans from accessing public establishments are both racially discriminatory and unlawful,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously protect the rights of all people to go about their daily lives free from discrimination at hotels, restaurants, and other public accommodations around the country.”
“Restricting access to a hotel based on a person’s race is prohibited by federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell for the District of South Dakota. “At the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we are called to ensure that individuals are treated equally at public accommodations in South Dakota. We are committed to protecting that fundamental right for Native Americans.”
The lawsuit, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota, alleges that, since at least March 20, the Retsel Corporation, Connie Uhre and Nicholas Uhre discriminated against Native American customers through policies and practices that denied Native Americans the full and equal enjoyment of access to the services, accommodations and privileges at the Grand Gateway Hotel and the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino.
Specifically, the complaint alleges that on March 20, Connie Uhre told other Rapid City hotel owners and managers that she did “not want to allow Natives on property. . . . The problem is we do not know the nice ones from the bad natives…so we just have to say no to them!” That same day, the complaint alleges, Ms. Uhre posted a statement in a comment thread from her Facebook account announcing that “we will no longer allow any Native American [sic]” in the Grand Gateway or in the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino. The complaint further alleges that on at least two occasions on March 21 and March 22, respectively, the defendants turned away Native Americans who sought to book a room in the Grand Gateway.
Under Title II, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division can obtain injunctive relief that changes policies and practices to remedy the discriminatory conduct. Title II does not authorize the division to obtain monetary damages for customers who are victims of discrimination.
More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals may report discrimination in places of public accommodation that violates Title II by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online.
The complaint contains allegations of unlawful conduct, and the allegations must be proven in federal court.
Justice Department Files Complaint to Enjoin Massachusetts Beverage Seller from Distributing Unapproved New DrugRead the Press Release
The United States filed a complaint to enjoin a West Boylston, Massachusetts, defendant from distributing a product the government alleges to be an unapproved new drug, a misbranded drug product and an adulterated food product, the Department of Justice announced.
In a civil complaint for permanent injunction filed on Oct. 18, the United States alleges that Daniel Marold, an individual conducting business under the name Chill6, violated the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. According to the complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Marold sold various flavors of “Chill6” beverage powder directly to consumers through a website that claimed Chill6 will cure, treat, mitigate and prevent, among other things, anxiety, insomnia, alcoholism and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The complaint also alleges that Marold’s Chill6 contains Phenibut HCI, an unsafe food additive.
According to the complaint, Marold continued distributing Chill6 after receiving a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July 2021. The United States seeks an injunction that would enjoin Marold from selling Chill6 in its current form and comply with federal food safety regulations before selling any other drug or food product.
“Those who distribute drugs, dietary supplements or foods must comply with federal law designed to ensure these products are safe,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will continue to work closely with FDA to stop the distribution of unapproved new drugs and adulterated food products.”
“The FDA is responsible for making sure drugs meet the necessary safety guidelines for human consumption,” said U.S. Attorney Rachael S. Rollins for the District of Massachusetts. “We allege that Chill6 does not, and even after being warned, Mr. Marold continued distributing this unapproved substance. Be it by criminal offense or civil violation, we are committed to ending the distribution of unregulated and adulterated supplements.”
“The FDA’s primary responsibility is to protect U.S. patients and consumers from unproven and dangerous products,” said Judith McMeekin, Pharm.D, the Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs. “With our partners at the Department of Justice, we will keep pursuing individuals and firms that distribute products that put the public at risk and violate federal law.”
Trial Attorney Manu J. Sebastian of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Sharobem in the District of Massachusetts are handling the case with the assistance of Associate Chief Counsel Leah A. Edelman of the FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove by a preponderance of the evidence.
Justice Department Announces Charges and Arrests in Two Cases Involving Export Violation Schemes to Aid Russian MilitaryRead the Press Release
In separate charges unsealed today in the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Eastern District of New York and the District of Connecticut, and with the support of the Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, the Justice Department has charged nearly a dozen individuals and several corporate entities with participating in unlawful schemes to export powerful, civil-military, dual-use technologies to Russia – some of which have been recovered on battlefields in Ukraine while another nuclear proliferation technology was intercepted before reaching Russian soil.
In the Eastern District of New York, five Russian nationals and two oil brokers for Venezuela are charged in an indictment unsealed today for their alleged participation in a global sanctions evasion and money laundering scheme. One defendant was arrested on Oct. 17 in Germany and another defendant was arrested on Oct. 17 in Italy, both at the request of the United States. As alleged, the defendants obtained military technology from U.S. companies, smuggled millions of barrels of oil, and laundered tens of millions of dollars for Russian industrialists, sanctioned entities, and the world’s largest energy conglomerate.
Separately, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, a superseding indictment was unsealed charging four individuals – three of whom were arrested by Latvian authorities on Oct. 18 and one by Estonian authorities on June 13 at the request of the United States – and two companies in Europe with violating U.S. export laws by attempting to smuggle a dual-use, export-controlled item – a high-precision computer-controlled grinding machine – to Russia. Commonly known as a “jig grinder,” the item is export-controlled for its use in nuclear proliferation and defense programs.
“These charges reveal two separate global schemes to violate U.S. export and sanctions laws, including by shipping sensitive military technologies from U.S. manufacturers – including types found in seized Russian weapons platforms in Ukraine – and attempting to reexport a machine system with potential application in nuclear proliferation and defense programs to Russia,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As I have said, our investigators and prosecutors will be relentless in their efforts to identify, locate, and bring to justice those whose illegal acts undermine the rule of law and enable the Russian regime to continue its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.”
“This week’s indictments and arrests highlight the FBI’s work countering Russia’s flagrant evasion of U.S. sanctions and violation of export regulations,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI, along with our U.S. and international partners, will continue to aggressively disrupt the procurement of oil, laundered money, and unlawfully obtained military technology from U.S. companies to support Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine.”
United States v. Orekhov et al., Eastern District of New York
According to court documents, Yury Orekhov, 42, a Russian national residing in Germany; Artem Uss, 40, of Moscow; Svetlana Kuzurgasheva aka Lana Neumann, 32, of Moscow; Timofey Telegin, 39, of Moscow; and Sergey Tulyakov 52, of Moscow are named in the indictment unsealed today. Also charged are Juan Fernando Serrano Ponce, aka Juanfe Serrano, and Juan Carlos Soto, who allegedly brokered illicit oil deals for Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), the Venezuelan state-owned oil company, as part of the scheme. On Oct. 17, Orekhov was arrested in Germany and Uss was arrested in Italy, both at the request of the United States, and will undergo extradition proceedings.
“As alleged, the defendants were criminal enablers for oligarchs, orchestrating a complex scheme to unlawfully obtain U.S. military technology and Venezuelan sanctioned oil through a myriad of transactions involving shell companies and cryptocurrency. Their efforts undermined security, economic stability and rule of law around the world,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “We will continue to investigate, disrupt and prosecute those who fuel Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine, evade sanctions and perpetuate the shadowy economy of transnational money laundering.”
According to court documents, Orekhov served as the part owner, CEO and Managing Director of Nord-Deutsche Industrieanlagenbau GmbH (NDA GmbH), a privately held industrial equipment and commodity trading company located in Hamburg, Germany. The other owner of NDA GmbH is Artem Uss, the son of the governor of Russia’s Krasnoyarsk Krai region. Kuzurgasheva served as the CEO of one of the scheme’s shell companies and worked for NDA GmbH under Orekhov.
Using NDA GmbH as a front company, Orekhov and Kuzurgasheva sourced and purchased sensitive military and dual-use technologies from U.S. manufacturers, including advanced semiconductors and microprocessors used in fighter aircraft, missile systems, smart munitions, radar, satellites, and other space-based military applications. These items were shipped to Russian end users, including sanctioned companies controlled by Telegin and Tulyakov that serviced Russia’s military. Some of the types of electronic components obtained through the criminal scheme have been found in Russian weapons platforms seized on the battlefield in Ukraine. As alleged, in 2019, Orekhov travelled to the United States to source parts used in the Russian-made Sukhoi fighter aircraft and the American-made F-22 Raptor stealth fighter aircraft.
Orekhov and Uss also allegedly used NDA GmbH as a front to smuggle hundreds of millions of barrels of oil from Venezuela to Russian and Chinese purchasers, including a Russian aluminum company controlled by a sanctioned oligarch and the world’s largest oil refining, gas and petrochemical conglomerate based in Beijing. Serrano Ponce and Soto brokered deals worth millions of dollars between PDVSA and NDA GmbH, which were routed through a complex group of shell companies and bank accounts to disguise the transactions. In one communication with Serrano Ponce, Orekhov openly admitted that he was acting on behalf of a sanctioned Russian oligarch, saying “He [the oligarch] is under sanctions as well. That’s why we [are] acting from this company [NDA GmbH]. As fronting.” The scheme also involved falsified shipping documents and supertankers that deactivated their GPS navigation systems to obscure the Venezuelan origin of their oil.
Payment for NDA GmbH’s illicit activities was often consummated in U.S. dollars routed through U.S. financial institutions and correspondent bank accounts. To facilitate these transactions, Orekhov and his co-conspirators used fictitious companies, falsified “know your customer” documentation and bank accounts in high-risk jurisdictions, causing U.S. banks to process tens of millions of dollars in violation of U.S. sanctions and other criminal laws. In one conversation with Soto, Orekhov bragged that “there were no worries...this is the shittiest bank in the Emirates…they pay to everything.” The scheme also utilized bulk cash drops with couriers in Russia and Latin America, as well as cryptocurrency transfers worth millions of dollars, to effectuate these transactions and launder the proceeds.
The defendants are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Orekhov, Uss, Kuzurgasheva, Serrano Ponce, and Soto are additionally charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA); bank fraud conspiracy for the oil smuggling scheme; and money laundering conspiracy for the oil smuggling and IEEPA scheme.
Orekhov, Kuzurgasheva, Telegin and Tulyakov are additionally charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud; money laundering conspiracy for illicit procurement of U.S. dual use technology; conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA) and smuggling goods from the United States.
If convicted of bank fraud conspiracy, the defendants face a maximum of 30 years in prison with additional prison time as the result of conviction on additional charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and Italian and German law enforcement authorities provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Artie McConnell for the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
United States v. Romanyuk et al., District of Connecticut
According to court documents, beginning in 2018, Eriks Mamonovs, 33, and Vadims Ananics, 46, both citizens of Latvia who operated CNC Weld, a Latvia-based corporation, conspired with Stanislav Romanyuk, 37, a citizen of Ukraine and resident of Estonia who operated Estonia-based BY Trade OU, and others, including Janis Uzbalis, 46, of Latvia and individuals in Russia and a Russia-based company, to violate U.S. export laws and regulations and smuggle a jig grinder that was manufactured in Connecticut to Russia.
“The indictment alleges that these defendants attempted to smuggle a high-precision export-controlled item to Russia where it could have been used in nuclear proliferation and Russian defense programs,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery of the District of Connecticut. “The danger created by such conduct is profound. I thank HSI, the Department of Commerce and the FBI, and our partners in Latvia and Estonia, who thwarted this alleged scheme and are working to bring these defendants to justice in a U.S. court of law.”
A jig grinder is a high-precision grinding machine system that does not require a license to export to European Union countries but does require a license for export and reexport to Russia because of its applications in nuclear proliferation and defense programs. At no time did the defendants apply for, receive or possess a license of authorization from the U.S. Department of Commerce to export or reexport the jig grinder to Russia, as required by the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), which restrict the export of items that could make a significant contribution to the military potential of other nations or that could be detrimental to the foreign policy or national security of the United States.
U.S. authorities, working with Latvian authorities, intercepted the jig grinder in Riga, Latvia, before it was to be shipped to Russia.
Mamonovs, Ananics, Romanyuk, Uzbalis, and others are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison; violation of the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), which carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison; smuggling goods from the United States, an offense that carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison; and international money laundering conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Mamonovs is also charged with making false statements to the U.S. Department of Commerce, an offense punishable by up to five years in prison.
The indictment also charges CNC Weld, BY Trade OU with conspiracy, violation of the ECRA, smuggling goods from the United States, and international money laundering conspiracy.
Ananics, Mamonovs and Uzbalis were arrested on Oct. 18 in Riga, Latvia at the request of the United States. Romanyuk was arrested in Tallinn, Estonia at the request of the United States, on June 13, 2022. The Justice Department is seeking their extradition.
HSI field offices in New Haven, Portland (Ore.), and the Hague, Netherlands; the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement in Boston; and the FBI are investigating the case. The Prosecutor-General’s Offices of the Republic of Latvia and Estonia, Latvian State Revenue Service, Estonian Tax and Customs Board, and the Latvian State Police provided valuable assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs is providing valuable assistance.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale and Konstantin Lantsman of the District of Connecticut, and Trial Attorney Matthew Anzaldi of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
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Both actions were coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2 and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jury Convicts Longtime Hoover Criminal Gang Members of Racketeering Conspiracy, Murder in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal jury in Portland found two longtime Hoover Criminal Gang members guilty today for conspiring to commit racketeering through various criminal acts spanning decades, including murder, robbery, and drug dealing.
Lorenzo Laron Jones, 49, and Ronald Clayton Rhodes, 37, both residents of Portland, were found guilty of racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, and using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence.
“Prosecuting violent street gangs as racketeering enterprises is a powerful law enforcement tool we believe will reduce shootings in Portland and begin to restore the safe, vibrant community the public deserves,” said Steven T. Mygrant, Chief of the Narcotics and Criminal Enterprises Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. “Today’s convictions are an important milestone, but only the beginning of our effort to hold accountable all those responsible for gun violence in Portland.”
“When groups like this flood local streets with violence, the most effective response is for team law enforcement, the FBI, the U.S. Attorney's Office, alongside state and local law enforcement, to come together and leverage our most sophisticated investigative and prosecutorial methods. The most powerful response is a joint response,” says Kieran L. Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Portland Field Office. “These convictions cannot undo the damage that has been done but we hope it sends a clear message that we will continue to pursue the most violent and persistent offenders and hold them accountable for their blatant disregard for human life and the safety of our communities.”
“This verdict is the culmination of a tremendous amount of work by everyone involved and highlights how, working together with multiple law enforcement agencies, we are now able to hold gang members responsible for homicides and firearm related crimes and provide some closure to the victims and their families,” said Commander Timothy Robinson of the Portland Police Bureau’s Detective Division. “I would especially like to thank current and former detectives. They worked tirelessly on these cases, while still shouldering an ever-increasing caseload. Their search for justice and dedication to our community is unwavering.”
According to court documents, the Hoovers are a criminal street gang operating in Oregon known to engage in acts of violence including murder, robbery, and drug dealing. The Hoovers originated in Los Angeles in the late 1960s and established a presence in Portland in the early 1980s. The gang has a loose hierarchical structure in which members have different amounts of power and influence based on age and gang activity. To maintain status and increase one’s position in the gang, members are expected to carry out violence on behalf of the enterprise.
The Hoovers are rivals with many Portland gangs, including multiple Blood and Crip sets, and are self-described “everybody killers.” Hoover members are expected to use violence to retaliate any perceived slight or actual act of violence against a Hoover member or ally.
Jones and Rhodes are longtime Hoover members who, together, have engaged in a 30-year pattern of violent racketeering activity. As senior members of the gang, Jones and Rhodes mentored younger members and new recruits, using them to conduct business and violence on behalf of the gang.
During trial, the government proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Jones murdered Wilbert Butler on September 17, 2017, in Portland. Jones was also proven to have engaged in multiple attempted murders, illegally possessed firearms as a convicted felon, and distributed controlled substances throughout the Portland area. Among other criminal acts, Rhodes was convicted of participating in the murder of Portland resident Kyle Polk on December 16, 2015, near a convenience store in southeast Portland.
On November 7, 2019, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 13-count superseding indictment charging Jones, Rhodes, and two accomplices with racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence and causing death through the use of a firearm.
Jones and Rhodes face mandatory life sentences in federal prison. They will be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane at a later date.
As part of the government’s ongoing investigation into the Hoover Criminal Gang’s racketeering activities, several other Hoover members and associates face pending federal charges or have been convicted and sentenced in federal court for crimes committed in support or on behalf of the gang’s criminal enterprise.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Portland Police Bureau, and Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Gresham Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
This case is part of 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.
This prosecution is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the U.S. by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Irvington Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – An Irvington man was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute it.
According to court documents and evidence presented at a May 2022 jury trial, Vincent Vo Tran, 26, was arrested in May 2021 after one of his coconspirators led sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed chase that ended at Tran’s trailer in Irvington. During a search of the trailer, deputies recovered, among other things, a cache of guns and ammunition, including a Draco AK-style pistol found sitting underneath a digital scale covered in methamphetamine residue.
Later, in November 2021, deputies executed a search warrant at a house that Tran shared with his girlfriend and coconspirator in Mobile. Inside the house, deputies found, among other things, more than half a pound of 99.2% pure methamphetamine, more than 15 pounds of vacuum sealed marijuana, 3.5 grams cocaine, and bags of THC-infused gummies stuffed inside a children’s playpen. The jury reviewed evidence of drug distribution extracted from Tran’s cell phone, including text messages, drug ledgers, and photos and videos of drugs taken with the phone. Tran also admitted in an interview with deputies that he had recently been buying ounces of methamphetamine and named his supplier.
United States District Judge Kristi K. DuBose ordered Tran to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge DuBose ordered Tran to pay $200 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller and Lawrence Bullard prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Iowa City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug and Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City man, Angel Quintero Santos, age 22, a resident of Mexico who resided in Iowa City, was sentenced on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, to 60 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Illegal Alien in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. Following his imprisonment, Quintero Santos was ordered to serve four years of supervised release.
The Johnson County Drug Task Force (JCDTF) identified Quintero Santos as a distributor of, among other things, LSD, marijuana, THC wax, and psilocyn (mushrooms), following a drug overdose of a juvenile, who purchased LSD from Quintero Santos. Another juvenile admitted purchasing multiple controlled substances from Quintero Santos for approximately one month. Officers conducted an undercover purchase of LSD and THC wax from Quintero Santos. The following day, the JCDTF executed search warrants at Quintero Santos residence and his girlfriend’s residence and located multiple controlled substances, two firearms, ammunition, and extended magazines. One of the firearms had been reported stolen. In an interview, Quintero Santos admitted that he was illegally present in the United States. On April 4, 2022, Quintero Santos pleaded guilty.
United States Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Johnson County Drug Task Force, North Liberty Police Department, and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement investigated the case.
Investiture Ceremony Held for United States Attorney Mark TottenRead the Press Release
Upholding the rule of law, keeping the district safe, protecting Civil Rights top priorities
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Today, a formal investiture ceremony was held for United States Attorney Mark A. Totten at the Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation. Chief United States District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou administered the ceremonial oath of office.
“My focus is on upholding the rule of law, keeping the district safe, and protecting Civil Rights,” Totten said during the ceremony, which was attended by judges, family, and members of the law enforcement, legal, and local communities.
Totten underscored his commitment to addressing violent crime, disrupting the trafficking of narcotics, and protecting democratic institutions.
“I am honored to serve as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Michigan and lead a team of outstanding attorneys and support staff dedicated to protecting our state,” he said recognizing the hard work and dedication of his office.
Totten praised the partnerships his office has with local, state, federal, and tribal agencies. He also noted the importance of working together with the community to continue building trust and strengthening law enforcement and community relations.
As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Totten is the chief federal law enforcement officer in the Western District of Michigan. He supervises a staff of approximately 42 attorneys and 44 support staff. The District covers 49 counties, including the western half of Michigan’s lower peninsula and the whole of the upper peninsula. The main office is in Grand Rapids, but the District also has staffed offices in Lansing and Marquette, and an unstaffed office in Kalamazoo.
Totten was born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he lives today. Most recently, he served as Chief Legal Counsel in the Executive Office of the Governor for the State of Michigan. Prior to entering government service, Totten was a law professor at Michigan State University from 2008-2018, where he taught criminal law and criminal procedure. From 2011-2013 he served part-time as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney handling criminal appeals in the office he now leads. He was a judicial law clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and began his career as an attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Appellate Staff, in Washington, D.C. Totten received his B.A. from Cedarville College and his law degree and a Ph.D. in ethics from Yale University.
Totten was nominated by President Joe Biden on November 12, 2021, and the U.S. Senate confirmed him on April 27, 2022. Chief U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker previously administered the official oath of office May 5, 2022 at the federal courthouse in Grand Rapids.
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Indianapolis Police Sergeant Indicted for Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Indianapolis, Indiana, returned an indictment yesterday charging an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department sergeant with violating the civil rights of an arrestee by using excessive force.
Sgt. Eric Huxley, 44, is charged with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. The indictment alleges that on or about Sept. 24, 2021. Sergeant Huxley, wearing shoes, kicked an arrestee identified as J.V. in the head and face, without lawful justification. The indictment also alleges that the offense resulted in bodily injury to J.V. and involved the use of a dangerous weapon.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana and Special Agent in Charge Herbert Stapleton for the FBI Indianapolis Field Division made the announcement.
The FBI Indianapolis Field Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Preston for the Southern District of Indiana and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
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.
Indianapolis Police Sergeant Indicted for Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – A federal grand jury in Indianapolis returned an indictment late yesterday charging an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department sergeant with violating the civil rights of an arrestee by using excessive force.
Sgt. Eric Huxley, 44, is charged with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. The indictment alleges that on or about Sept. 24, 2021. Sergeant Huxley used his shod foot to strike an arrestee identified as J.V. in the head and face, without lawful justification. The indictment also alleges that the offense resulted in bodily injury to J.V. and involved the use of a dangerous weapon.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; and Special Agent in Charge Herbert Stapleton for the FBI Indianapolis Field Division made the announcement.
The FBI’s Indianapolis Field Division investigated the case.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Preston and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, who are prosecuting the case.
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.
Indian River County Drug Dealer Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Kendrick Williams, 43, of Vero Beach, Fla., was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore to 70 months in prison for drug trafficking. Williams previously had pled guilty to two counts of distributing fentanyl.
According to the court record, on December 31, 2021; January 8, 2022; February 11, 2022; and April 18, 2022, Williams distributed fentanyl, a dangerous and highly lethal controlled substance to a law enforcement confidential source in Vero Beach. In total, Williams distributed more than 40 grams of fentanyl. On the April 18, 2022, transaction, Williams used a juvenile to deliver the drugs to his customer. All controlled buys were recorded with audio and video.
Law enforcement spoke with the juvenile who told them from which apartment Williams sold drugs. On April 27, 2022, law enforcement searched the Vero Beach apartment and found four handguns and multiple rounds of ammunition.
It was determined that Williams used this apartment on an ongoing basis to sell, store, and package large quantities of fentanyl. Williams has several prior felony convictions including two for the sale of cocaine.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Buckley, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers made the announcement.
HSI, Fort Pierce, and Indian River County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Porter.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
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Houma Woman Sentenced for Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that NICOLE COCKERHAM (“COCKERHAM”), age 43, of Houma, Louisiana, was sentenced on October 18, 2022 for Theft of Government Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641.
According to documents filed in federal court, from March 2019 to July 2020, COCKERHAM knowingly converted approximately $38,851.00 in Social Security Administration and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES ACT”) funds.
United States District Judge Wendy D. Vitter sentenced COCKERHAM to three (3) years probation, restitution in the amount of $37,651.00 to the Social Security Administration and $1,200.00 to the Internal Revenue Service, 100 hours of non-paid community service, and payment of a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, and the United States Department of Treasury, Inspector General for Tax Administration, in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Hazleton Man Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jose Turbi, age 36, of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking and firearm offenses.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that between December of 2021 and October 12, 2022, in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, Turbi conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl, over 500 grams of methamphetamine, over 500 grams of cocaine, and a quantity of marijuana. The indictment also alleges that on October 12, 2022, in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, Turbi possessed with the intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana, as well as a 9mm pistol in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Hazleton Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. United States Attorney James M. Buchanan is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is life imprisonment and a fine of $10,000,000. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Hardy County man sentenced to more than 12 years for drug chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Victor Allen Self, of Moorefield, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 148 months of incarceration for a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Self, 42, pleaded guilty in May 2022 to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Self admitted to working with others to sell methamphetamine from May 7, 2019 through August 9, 2019 in Grant County and elsewhere.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Guidance Relating to the November 2022 General ElectionRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY- United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Aaron Clark 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 Clark has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Utah, 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 Higgins said, “In Utah, 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 Higgins 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 Clark will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 801-325-1405.”
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: 801-579-1400.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
United States Attorney Higgins said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
Grand Jury - October 2022Read the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 14 unsealed Indictments charging 16 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
* Ronald Lynn Ballou, age 40, of Omaha, is charged with felon in possession of a firearm on or about August 12, 2022. The penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, three-years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Lacie Brown, age 21, of Sutherland, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Brown with identity theft on or about July 28, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Brown with identity theft on or about January 3, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Orlando Alonso Castro-Gutierrez, age 28, and Alejandro Berrelleza-Borjorquez a/k/a Alejandro Lopez-Leon a/k/a Angel Garcia-Fuentes, age 24, are charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of fentanyl analogue on or about March 7, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Terry L. Christianson, age 65, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Christianson with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about March 27, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, not less than ten-years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Christianson with possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime on or about March 27, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine, three-years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Christianson with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about March 27, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. There is also an allegation to forfeit $7,125 in United States currency seized on or about March 27, 2022.
* Paula R. Creps, age 51, of Papillion, Nebraska, is charged in a five-count Indictment. Counts I-V charge Creps with mail fraud beginning on or about July 26, 2019 and continuing to on or about May 26, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jose Guerrero-Lopez, age 29, of Grand Island, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about March 16, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Andrew Scott Lawrence, age 41, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about March 18, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, not less than ten-years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
There is also an allegation to forfeit $17,622 in United States currency seized on or about March 18, 2022.
* Juan Montante-Sanchez, age 43, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about October 7, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Santiago Montes-Osorio, age 29, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Montes-Osorio with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) beginning on or about May, 2022 and continuing to on or about July 21, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Montes-Osorio with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (actual) on or about July 21, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to a life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Matthew Frederick Strohl, age 42, of Omaha, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about April 22, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, not less than ten-years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Javier Tyee a/k/a Kelven Tabbs, age 50, of Panama City Beach, Florida, and Xanthe Tabbs, a/k/a Xanthe Ivey, age 53, from Panama City Beach, Florida, are charged in a six-count Indictment. Count I charges Tyee and Tabbs with conspiracy beginning on or about April 25, 2018 and continuing to on or about July 19, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Counts II-VI charge Tyee and Tabbs with wire fraud beginning on or about May 15, 2018 and continuing to on or about May 24, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Angelica Ramos Torres Villa, age 42, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture) on or about June 26, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Miguel Vasquez Romero, age 22, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about October 4, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Deshuan Whitfield, age 21, is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl (mixture) on or about September 23, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, not less than three-years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Georgia bar and restaurant owner pleads guilty to tax evasionRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, GA: The co-owner of multiple bars and a restaurant in Georgia has pled guilty to tax evasion.
Eugene R. Britt III, aka Trey Britt, 52, of Milledgeville, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of Tax Evasion, with the plea announced by Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David H. Estes of the Southern District of Georgia.
“Law-abiding Americans dutifully pay their taxes with the expectation that others will similarly follow the law,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Those who concoct schemes to avoid paying taxes for self-enrichment not only violate the law, but place a greater burden on all other taxpayers.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Britt engaged in a scheme to evade taxes owed to the IRS on income from bars and a restaurant he and others owned near college campuses in Georgia. As part of the scheme, Britt and others disguised their ownership in the bars by causing each establishment to be owned on paper by a single person. Britt and the other true owners then shared in the profits by skimming cash and disbursing it amongst themselves.
Britt personally controlled the distribution of cash for three of the establishments. As part of his guilty plea, Britt admitted that for approximately two decades he skimmed cash from his bars and restaurants and did not report it on his tax returns.
Additionally, Britt admitted to engaging in a similar cash skimming operation with respect to sales of beer at a music festival in 2015. Britt ensured that his individual tax return was false because he did not inform his accountant of the cash he received from the bars and the music festival during this year. In total, Britt caused a total tax loss to the IRS of more than $535,000.
“Tax evasion is not a victimless crime,” said James E. Dorsey, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. “We all pay when others cheat our tax system. Tax evasion with this degree of trickery, dishonesty and deceit, did not go undetected. Today's plea demonstrates our collective efforts to enforce the law and ensure public trust in our tax system.”
“This guilty plea is a win for all Americans who play by the tax system rules,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will not tolerate anyone defrauding our nation’s tax system, and we will continue to work with our partners to hold accountable individuals and businesses who refuse to follow the law.”
Britt faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, followed by up to three years of supervised release, along with restitution and substantial financial penalties.
IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI are investigating the case. Assistant Chief David Zisserson and Trial Attorney Casey Smith of the U.S. Department of Justice Tax Division, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, are prosecuting the case.
Georgia Bar and Restaurant Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
The co-owner of multiple bars and a restaurant in Georgia pleaded guilty today to tax evasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Eugene R. Britt III, aka Trey Britt, engaged in a scheme to evade taxes owed to the IRS on income from bars and a restaurant he and others owned near college campuses in Georgia. As part of the scheme, Britt and others disguised their ownership in the bars by causing each establishment to be owned on paper by a single person. Britt and the other true owners then shared in the profits by skimming cash and disbursing it amongst themselves. Britt personally controlled the distribution of cash for three of the establishments. As part of his guilty plea, Britt admitted that for approximately two decades he skimmed cash from his bars and restaurants and did not report it on his tax returns.
Additionally, Britt admitted to engaging in a similar cash skimming operation with respect to sales of beer at a music festival in 2015. Britt ensured that his individual tax return was false because he did not inform his accountant of the cash he received from the bars and the music festival during this year. In total, Britt caused a total tax loss to the IRS of more than $535,000.
Britt will be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David Estes of the Southern District of Georgia made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI are investigating the case.
Assistant Chief David Zisserson and Trial Attorney Casey Smith of the Tax Division, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, are prosecuting the case.
Four Philadelphia-Area Individuals Indicted for Passing over $2,800 in Counterfeit United States Currency at Multiple Stores in Lackawanna and Luzerne CountiesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Brinayah Clark, age 18, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Kendall Rawls, age 22, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Nazeer Amir Shamsud-Din, age 22, of Snellville, Georgia, and Jaquan Underwood, age 21, of Philadelphia Pennsylvania, were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of passing counterfeit federal reserve notes.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on September 10, 2022, the defendants passed $1,200 in counterfeit bills at the Walmart in Dickson City, Pennsylvania, $500 in counterfeit bills at the Aldi grocery store in Dickson City, and $1,100 in counterfeit bills at the Walmart in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The indictment further alleges that from February of 2022 until September 10, 2022, the defendants conspired to pass counterfeit federal reserve notes, including incidents at four other stores in Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties, and incidents at other retail stores throughout the state.
The matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, the Dickson City Police Department, the Pittston Police Department, the Taylor Borough Police Department, the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Buchanan is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is twenty years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Four Men and Three Women Charged with Sending Cocaine to the Continental United States Through the MailRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On October 12, 2022, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging seven individuals with conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) Aguadilla Strike Force led the investigation with assistance from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the PRPB Strike Force units from Mayagüez and Arecibo.
“Drug trafficking destroys families and communities,” said USA Muldrow. “This organization fed a pipeline of drugs ultimately sold on American streets, fostering violence and drug addiction across the nation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its partners will continue to pursue drug traffickers who operate in all areas of Puerto Rico and to seek justice for our communities.”
“Criminal organizations are constantly looking for ways to transport narcotics to the continental United States, using Puerto Rico as a transshipment point because of its strategic location in the Caribbean,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “This case is an example of the FBI’s commitment to combat drug trafficking organizations, using an intelligence-driven approach to disrupt their criminal operations at all levels. I’d like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Postal Service, Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and the Aguadilla Strike Force for their continued work in support of our joint mission.”
The indictment alleges that from 2018 until May of 2022 the defendants conspired to mail kilogram quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico to the continental United States for further distribution, all for significant financial gain and profit. The defendants charged are:
Freddie Talavera-Acevedo, a.k.a. “Boss/Kenton/F/Fred/Freddie Blue/Pucho Vázquez”
Katherine Pérez-Martínez
Edwin Gómez-Vale, a.k.a. “Papilla Jr.”
Edwin Alberto Gómez-Medina, a.k.a. “Papilla/Paquio”
Tamara Enid Acevedo-Torres, a.k.a. “Mara”
Tasha Marie Cordero-Dilan, a.k.a. “Negra”
Jayson Zabdiel Cardona-Morales, a.k.a. “Barbero/Barber/Barbel/Negro”
In furtherance of their conspiracy, the defendants acquired kilograms of cocaine from co‑conspirators in Puerto Rico and concealed them in U.S. Postal Service (“USPS”) parcels that they forwarded to the continental United States. For example, they purchased commercial products, including air mattresses, towels, and children’s toys, and concealed kilograms of cocaine in those newly bought items before mailing the items in larger boxes by way of the USPS. Other co‑conspirators received the cocaine-laden shipments in the continental United States and proceeded with their further distribution.
At times, the defendants tracked the packages using the USPS tracking number and sent each other photos of the tracking numbers. They also used fake names and/or fake addresses on the boxes and tried to mask the smell of drugs using Vaseline, tape, air mattresses, and other items.
Upon conviction of the conspiracy, all the defendants are facing a forfeiture allegation of the following:
- $30,000.00 in U.S. currency seized from a postal parcel on or about October 8, 2020.
- $16,500.00 in U.S. currency seized from a postal parcel on or about October 8, 2020.
- $52,800.00 in U.S. currency seized from a postal parcel on or about January 26, 2021.
- $40,000.00 in U.S. currency seized from a postal parcel on or about September 29, 2021.
- An additional $40,000.00 in U.S. currency seized from a postal parcel seized on or about September 29, 2021.
- $23,400,000.00 in U.S. currency- The sum of money equal to the total amount of money involved in each offense.
Assistant U.S. Attorney and Chief of the Gang Section Alberto López-Rocafort, Deputy Chief of the Gang Section, AUSA Tereza Zapata-Valladares, and AUSA Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted on the drug charges, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life in prison.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 180 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Adrian L Johnson, 50 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady after his guilty plea to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Johnson was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 8 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, Johnson was stopped for having an expired registration. During the stop, a drug-sniffing K-9 alerted to the odor of narcotics. In the car, police recovered a smoking device, a stolen firearm with an obliterated serial number, a second firearm, a digital scale, 42 grams of methamphetamine, and 10 grams of a substance that contained a mixture of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Johnson also had $1,678 in cash.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brent Ecenbarger.
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Former Tucson Insurance Agent Sentenced to over 11 Years for Elder FraudRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Koreasa Maria Williams, 47, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced on September 30, 2022, by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 136 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution to her victims. Williams previously pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. The sentence was ordered to run concurrent to a 51-month sentence for an earlier annuity fraud scheme.
Williams, a licensed insurance agent, defrauded an 80-year-old client of over $1 million. In October 2018, realizing she was under investigation for the earlier annuity theft scheme, Williams advised the victim to cash out eight life insurance policies and obtain approximately $1 million, under the false promise that the life insurance funds would be better invested in annuities. She then tricked the victim into writing two checks totaling over $1 million to a law firm under the guise that the law firm worked for Williams’ annuity company and that the funds would be used to purchase an annuity for the victim. Williams then delivered the checks from the victim and told the law firm the checks were a loan from her “rich uncle.” She then directed the law firm to use the money to pay back multiple victims from the earlier annuity theft scheme in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid criminal charges. After Williams was indicted in the annuity theft scheme and released on bond in May 2019, she deceived the victim into giving her additional funds between June 2019 and December 2019. Williams then used that money for herself and her family over the next six months via thousands of dollars in bulk cash withdrawals, supermarket and convenience store debits, car payments, cable fees, movie theater purchases, and donations to a religious ministry in North Carolina with which Williams was affiliated, her local church, and a local charity.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative . If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday-Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
Learn more about the Justice Department’s Elder Justice Initiative at http://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
The Tucson Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Sue Feldmeier, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-03136-TUC-JGZ
CR-19-01276-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-183_Williams# # #
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Former Special Agent Sentenced for Falsifying His Education and Work ExperienceRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A former Special Agent assigned to the U.S. National Park Service, Lake Mead Resident Office in Boulder City, Nev., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey for submitting false information about his work experience and education on his job application for a federal law enforcement officer position.
Daniel Joshua Carnow (46) pleaded guilty in June 2022 to false official writing. He was sentenced to one year probation, a $500 fine, and a restriction barring him from future employment as a federal law enforcement officer.
According to court documents, in April 2019, Carnow was a federal law enforcement officer with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration Customs Enforcement. He applied for a Special Agent position with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service. As part of his application, he misrepresented on his resume that he had served as a Special Agent with the U.S. Department of State (DOS), Foreign Service Diplomatic Security Services (DSS), and that he had earned a Master of Forensic Science degree from the University of Central Oklahoma.
“Public service is a public trust and deceitfulness committed by law enforcement officers’ is especially egregious,” said Jamie DePaepe, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI OIG). “Acts such as the conduct in this case also undermine the nation’s trust of law enforcement. By his actions that led to today’s sentencing, the defendant violated and undermined that trust. The OIG will remain steadfast in our efforts to investigate individuals who prove themselves unworthy of public service.”
U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Jamie DePaepe for the DOI OIG made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the DOI OIG and the National Park Service – Office of Professional Responsibility. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Myhre prosecuted the case.
Anyone with knowledge of fraud, waste, abuse, misconduct, or mismanagement involving the DOI should file a complaint with the OIG at: www.doioig.gov/hotline.
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Former Pitt Student Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Threatening Communications and Impeding and Obstructing FBI InvestigationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Khaled Miah, 29, a former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and former student at the University of Pittsburgh, was sentenced yesterday by Judge W. Scott Hardy to 72 months’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release. Miah was found guilty by a federal jury in December, 2021 of five counts of making interstate threatening communications, one count of influencing, impeding or retaliating against a federal law enforcement officer, and one count of destruction of records in a federal investigation.
The federal jury found that from on or about Dec. 27, 2020, through on or about Dec. 31, 2020, Miah posted threats directed at individual FBI agents who were investigating him, as well as the FBI generally. In December 2020, FBI personnel identified a publicly visible Twitter account created by Miah. From the date of its creation to on or about Jan. 1, 2021, Miah used this Twitter account to threaten, intimidate and harass FBI Pittsburgh Special Agents and the FBI. In addition, after posting the threatening statements, and with full knowledge of the FBI investigation into his conduct, Miah subsequently deleted those posts which impeded, obstructed, and influenced the FBI investigation.
In imposing his sentence, Judge Hardy noted the seriousness of the offenses of conviction and stated that Miah “threatened the very people who sacrifice their lives and comfort to keep everyone in our community safe.” Judge Hardy also stressed deterrence, stating that “we live in a time where people are less able to control their impulses” and assuring that the law will impose very strict consequences on those who engage in threatening behavior online.
Members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force who were directly involved in this investigation include the FBI and the University of Pittsburgh Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Lieber Smolar and Nicole Ann Stockey of the Western District of Pennsylvania and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Dmitriy Slavin.
Former Manager of Long Island Catering Hall Sentenced to 72 Months for Forced LaborRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Roberto Villanueva was sentenced by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert to 72 months in prison for his role in the forced labor conspiracy that took place at the Thatched Cottage in Centerport, New York. The defendant pleaded guilty to forced labor and forced labor conspiracy on February 5, 2020 and has been incarcerated since his arrest on December 10, 2017.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, New York (DOL-OIG); and Patricia A. Menges, Director, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, New York Asylum Office (USCIS), announced the sentence.
“Villanueva exploited his victims’ immigration status, promising them the American dream, but instead threatening arrest or deportation if they didn’t work 16 hours a day, often unpaid, sleeping on bug infested mattresses covered in garbage bags, without heat or hot water,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This sentence highlights our Office’s commitment to bringing abusers to justice.”
“Villanueva knowingly manipulated these workers using bait-and-switch tactics to coerce and control them, forcing them to live in squalid conditions with a constant threat of physical harm if they failed to comply with his ever-escalating demands. Today’s sentencing sends a strong message that human lives are not commodities and these workers deserved dignity and respect. HSI is committed to working together with our partners to fight human trafficking in all its forms, including labor trafficking and exploitation to prevent abuses like this,” said Acting Special Agent in-Charge Alfonso for Homeland Security Investigations in New York.
“Roberto Villanueva abused the H-2B visa program by forcing workers to work long hours in occupations not approved by the U.S. Department of Labor, often for far less than the prevailing wage. Workers that complained were met with threats of physical harm and deportation. The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to vigorously pursue those who misuse worker visa programs for their own personal gain,” stated Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor OIG New York Region.
Villanueva formerly worked as a recruiter and manager for the Thatched Cottage. At his plea proceeding, Villanueva admitted that workers were brought from the Philippines to the United States on H-2B visas that expired shortly after their arrival. Once their H-2B visas expired, Villanueva coached workers how to apply for student visas by fraudulently representing that they intended to attend school full-time and had sufficient resources to support themselves during school.
Villanueva admitted that his actions were done in concert and agreement with Ralph Colamussi, the former owner of Thatched Cottage. Villanueva admitted that at times he deposited funds in the workers’ bank accounts to give the appearance of ample resources, and then withdrew the funds once the student visas were approved. When workers objected to performing certain jobs, working consecutive shifts or not being paid promptly, Villanueva threatened to report them to the police or immigration authorities.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Charles P. Kelly and Madeline O’Connor are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
ROBERTO VILLANUEVA
Age: 65
Huntington, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-592 (JS)
Former Henry County Reserve Sheriff’s Deputy Indicted for Obstruction of Justice in Excessive Force Investigation of Former New Castle Police LieutenantRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – A federal grand jury in Indianapolis, returned a five-count superseding indictment late yesterday charging a former New Castle, Indiana, police officer with excessive force and obstruction of justice, and a former Henry County, Indiana, Reserve Sheriff’s Deputy with obstruction of justice.
Former New Castle, Indiana, Police Lieutenant Aaron Strong is charged in the Superseding Indictment with three civil rights violations for allegedly using unreasonable force against an arrestee and against two other people in custody, and with one count of obstruction of justice. Strong was previously indicted and the superseding indictment added no new charges against him.
Today’s superseding indictment added one count of witness tampering against former Henry County, Indiana, Reserve Sheriff’s Deputy Adam Guy, 25. According to the superseding indictment, Guy engaged in misleading conduct toward another person with the intent to interfere with the investigation of one of the incidents for which Strong is charged with using unreasonable force.
Each of the civil rights charges in the superseding indictment carries a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment, and each obstruction of justice charge carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment. If either defendant is convicted, the actual sentence will be determined by a district judge.
Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Special Agent in Charge Herbert Stapleton for the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Division made the announcement.
The FBI Indianapolis Field Office investigated the case.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Blackett and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division who are prosecuting the case.
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.
Former Congressional Candidate Sentenced for Wire Fraud and Falsification of RecordsRead the Press Release
A former U.S. Congressional candidate was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for his scheme to use COVID-19 relief funds for personal expenditures and filing a false report with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) by concealing thousands of dollars of in-kind contributions by employees.
Nicholas Jones, 36, of Boise, Idaho, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and falsification of records on June 1. In addition to the prison sentence, Jones was also ordered to pay a $100,000 fine and $90,564.84 in restitution.
According to court documents, Jones was a small business owner who applied for and received $753,600 in COVID-19 relief funds, primarily from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Despite certifying that the funds would only be used for business-related expenditures, Jones used a significant portion of these funds for personal expenses, including car payments, life insurance policies, and political advertisements.
According to court documents, in 2020, Jones ran as a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives and told employees of his small business that they could continue to be paid their normal wages if they worked on his congressional campaign. Employees reported to work on behalf of Jones’s congressional campaign and were paid thousands of dollars in wages through Jones’s small business including, in part, with funds Jones had received as part of a PPP loan. After losing the primary election, Jones caused his campaign committee to file a campaign finance report with the FEC that omitted any in-kind contributions from any entity or individual other than Jones, including the thousands of dollars of in-kind contributions to his campaign in the form of employee time and work.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit for the District of Idaho, and Special Agent in Charge Dennis Rice of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Rosaleen O’Gara and Nicole Lockhart of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit for the District of Idaho prosecuted the case.
Five Russian Nationals and Two Oil Traders Charged in Global Sanctions Evasion and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
A 12-count indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn, New York charging five Russian nationals, Yury Orekhov, Artem Uss, Svetlana Kuzurgasheva, also known as “Lana Neumann,” Timofey Telegin and Sergey Tulyakov with various charges related to a global procurement, smuggling and money laundering network. Also charged were Juan Fernando Serrano Ponce, also known as “Juanfe Serrano” and Juan Carlos Soto, who brokered illicit oil deals for Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), the Venezuelan state-owned oil company, as part of the scheme. On October 17, 2022, Orekhov was arrested in Germany and Uss was arrested in Italy, both at the request of the United States, and will undergo extradition proceedings.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Jonathan Carson, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office, and Andrew Adams, Director, Task Force KleptoCapture announced the charges.
“As alleged, the defendants were criminal enablers for oligarchs, orchestrating a complex scheme to unlawfully obtain U.S. military technology and Venezuelan sanctioned oil through a myriad of transactions involving shell companies and cryptocurrency. Their efforts undermined security, economic stability and rule of law around the world,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “We will continue to investigate, disrupt and prosecute those who fuel Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine, evade sanctions and perpetuate the shadowy economy of transnational money laundering.”
“Today we announce the dismantling of a sophisticated network consisting of at least five Russian nationals and two Venezuelan nationals, each of whom are directly linked to corrupt state-owned enterprises, who knowingly sought to conceal the theft of U.S. military technology and profit off black market oil,” said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll. “This network schemed to procure sophisticated technology in direct support of a floundering Russian Federation military industrial complex. While America's adversaries may seek innovative means to undermine the United States, they will continuously be met with the FBI's resolve through tirelessly uncovering and overcoming all threats to U.S. national security, no matter where they may seek safe haven.
“Complex criminal schemes like this require sustained coordination and collaboration between federal law enforcement and international partners. I’m proud of our team of dedicated law enforcement professionals for their teamwork and dedication to enforcing U.S. export controls,” stated U.S. Department of Commerce Special Agent-in-Charge Carson. “We will continue to enforce the unprecedented export controls implemented in response to Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine and the Office of Export Enforcement intends to pursue these violators wherever they may be worldwide.”
“Webs of shell companies, cryptocurrency and an international network of fraudsters failed to shield Orekhov and his cronies from apprehension by U.S. law enforcement. Stamping out evasion of export controls on military technology is among the Task Force’s highest priorities, and today’s arrests reflects the power of those controls when enforced by a dedicated team of expert agents and devoted foreign partners,” stated Task Force KleptoCapture Director Adams.
As alleged, Orekov has served as the part owner, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Nord-Deutsche Industrieanlagenbau GmbH (NDA GmbH), a privately held industrial equipment and commodity trading company located in Hamburg, Germany. The other owner of NDA GmbH is Artem Uss, the son of the governor of Russia’s Krasnoyarsk Krai region. Kuzurgasheva served as the Chief Executive Officer of one of the scheme’s shell companies and worked for NDA GmbH under Orekhov. Using NDA GmbH as a front company, Orekhov and Kuzurgasheva sourced and purchased sensitive military and dual-use technologies from U.S. manufacturers, including advanced semiconductors and microprocessors used in fighter aircraft, missile systems, smart munitions, radar, satellites and other space-based military applications. These items were shipped to Russian end users, including sanctioned companies controlled by Telegin and Tulyakov, such as Radioavtomatika, Radioexport and Abtronics, that serviced Russia’s defense sector. Some of the same electronic components obtained through the criminal scheme have been found in Russian weapons platforms seized on the battlefield in Ukraine.
In 2019, Orekhov travelled to the United States to source parts used in the Russian-made Sukhoi fighter aircraft and the American-made F-22 Raptor stealth fighter aircraft. Orekhov and Uss also used NDA GmbH as a front to smuggle hundreds of millions of barrels of oil from Venezuela to Russian and Chinese purchasers, including a Russian aluminum company controlled by a sanctioned oligarch and the world’s largest oil refining, gas and petrochemical conglomerate based in Beijing, People’s Republic of China. Serrano Ponce and Soto brokered deals worth millions of dollars between PDVSA and NDA GmbH, which were routed through a complex group of shell companies and bank accounts to disguise the transactions. In one communication with Serrano Ponce, Orekhov openly admitted that he was acting on behalf of a sanctioned Russian oligarch, saying “He [the oligarch] is under sanctions as well. That’s why we [are] acting from this company [NDA GmbH]. As fronting.” The scheme also involved falsified shipping documents and supertankers that deactivated their GPS navigation systems to obscure the Venezuelan origin of their oil.
Payment for NDA GmbH’s illicit activities was often consummated in U.S. dollars routed through U.S. financial institutions and correspondent bank accounts. To facilitate these transactions, Orekhov and his coconspirators used fictitious companies, falsified “Know Your Customer” documentation and bank accounts in high-risk jurisdictions, causing U.S. banks to process tens of millions of dollars in violation of U.S. sanctions and other criminal laws. In one conversation with Soto, Orekhov bragged that “there were no worries...this is the shittiest bank in the Emirates…they pay to everything.” The scheme also utilized bulk cash drops with couriers in Russia and Latin America, as well as cryptocurrency transfers worth millions of dollars, to effectuate these transactions and launder the proceeds.
On March 30, 2022, Orekhov asked the defendant Uss, “Have you decided to leave Russia?” Uss joked in response, “[Y]ou want to be an international fugitive?”
On March 2, 2022, the Attorney General announced the launch of Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions, and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. The task force will leverage all the Department’s tools and authorities against efforts to evade or undermine the economic actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment. The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorney Artie McConnell is in charge of the prosecution, with valuable assistance from Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Litigation Analyst Ben Richmond. Assistant United States Attorney Madeline O’Connor of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs is providing substantial assistance. The United States thanks German and Italian authorities for their valuable assistance.
The Defendants:
YURY OREKHOV
Age: 42
Dubai, United Arab EmiratesARTEM USS
Age: 40
Moscow, RussiaSVETLANA KUZURGASHEVA
Age: 32
Moscow, RussiaJUAN FERNANDO SERRANO PONCE
AGE: 47
Dubai, United Arab EmiratesJUAN CARLOS SOTO
TIMOFEY TELEGIN
Age: 39
Moscow, RussiaSERGEY TULYAKOV
Age: 52
Moscow, RussiaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-434 (EK)
Federal Indictment Charges Thomson Penitentiary Inmate with Murder in Connection with Death of Fellow InmateRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — An inmate at the United States Penitentiary in Thomson, Ill., has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of second-degree murder and assault relating to the death of a fellow inmate.
On Dec. 15, 2021, DONTA MADDOX assaulted his cellmate, Bobby Everson, resulting in fatal injuries, according to an indictment returned Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Rockford.
Second-degree murder carries a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, while the maximum sentence for the assault charge is ten years. Arraignment for Maddox, 44, has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Ashley T. Johnson, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
European Nationals and Entities Indicted on Charges of Violating U.S. Laws for Their Attempt to Export a Dual-Use High-Precision Jig Grinder to RussiaRead the Press Release
A superseding indictment charging individuals and companies in Europe with violating United States export laws and regulations by attempting to smuggle a dual-use export-controlled item to Russia was unsealed yesterday in the District of Connecticut.
U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery; Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Andrew Adams, Director of Task Force KleptoCapture; Special Agent in Charge Matthew B. Millhollin of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston; Special Agent in Charge Rashel D. Assouri of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, Boston; and Special Agent in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI New Haven Division made the announcement.
The indictment alleges that, beginning in 2018, Eriks Mamonovs, 33, and Vadims Ananics, 46, both citizens of Latvia who operated CNC Weld, a Latvia-based corporation, conspired with Stanislav Romanyuk, 37, a citizen of Ukraine and resident of Estonia who operated Estonia-based BY Trade OU, and others, including Janis Uzbalis, 46, of Latvia, and individuals in Russia and a Russia-based company, to violate U.S. export laws and regulations and smuggle a jig grinder that was manufactured in Connecticut to Russia. A jig grinder is a high-precision grinding machine system that does not require a license to export to European Union countries, but does require a license for export and reexport to Russia because of its potential application in nuclear proliferation and defense programs. At no time did the defendants apply for, receive or possess a license of authorization from the U.S. Department of Commerce to export or reexport the jig grinder to Russia, as required by the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 and the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”), which restrict the export of items that could make a significant contribution to the military potential of other nations or that could be detrimental to U.S. foreign policy and national security.
U.S. authorities, working with Latvian authorities, intercepted the jig grinder in Riga, Latvia, before it was to be shipped to Russia.
Ananics, Mamonovs and Uzbalis were arrested yesterday in Riga, Latvia. Romanyuk was arrested in Tallinn, Estonia, on June 13. They are currently detained and the United States is seeking their extradition.
“The indictment alleges that these defendants attempted to smuggle a high-precision export-controlled item to Russia where it could have been used in nuclear proliferation and Russian defense programs,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery. “The danger created by such conduct is profound. I thank HSI, the Department of Commerce and the FBI, and our partners in Latvia and Estonia, who thwarted this alleged scheme and are working to bring these defendants to justice in a U.S. court of law.”
“The power and precision of American technology must not be put to use by the Kremlin’s war machine,” said Andrew Adams, Director of Task Force KleptoCapture. “Enforcement against efforts to illegally export and reexport controlled U.S. technology is critical in ensuring that superior American technology isn’t exploited by Russia in this unjust war. The arrests in Latvia demonstrate that smugglers and fraudsters will be apprehended and prosecuted notwithstanding the sophistication of evasion networks operating far from U.S. shores.”
“These individuals are alleged to have conspired to export a piece of machinery that can be used for nefarious purposes, including in defense applications to build weapons of war,” said Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “HSI works hand-in-hand with our partners domestically and abroad to further our mission to prevent sensitive U.S. technology and commodities from reaching the shores of hostile countries. These arrests and the seizure of the jig grinder are the result of the tenacious investigative work of our special agents and partners and show what can be achieved through these partnerships.”
“This three-year investigation is a testament to the excellent cooperation between our domestic and international law enforcement partners,” said Special Agent in Charge Rashel D. Assouri, U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, Boston Field Office. “The Office of Export Enforcement is unwavering in its aggressive pursuit to investigate illegal exports to Russia.”
“This indictment is the culmination of a great collaborative law enforcement investigation,” said David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI New Haven Division. “The alleged conspirators in this international export and money laundering scheme will now face justice in the very system they manipulated and violated for financial gain.”
The superseding indictment, which was returned by a federal grand jury in Hartford on July 7, 2022, charges Mamonovs, Ananics, Romanyuk, Uzbalis, and others, with conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years; violation of the Export Control Reform Act, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; smuggling goods from the United States, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years; and international money laundering conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Mamonovs is also charged with making false statements to the U.S. Department of Commerce, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
The indictment also charges CNC Weld, BY Trade OU with conspiracy, violation of the Export Control Reform Act, smuggling goods from the United States, and international money laundering conspiracy.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This investigation is being conducted by HSI field offices in New Haven, Portland (Ore.), and the Hague, Netherlands; the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement in Boston; and the FBI. The Prosecutor-General’s Office of the Republic of Latvia, the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Estonia, Latvian Tax and Customs Police, Estonian Tax and Customs Board, and the Latvian State Police are assisting the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale and Konstantin Lantsman of the District of Connecticut, and Trial Attorney Matthew Anzaldi of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs is providing valuable assistance.
The investigation was coordinated with the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls, and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2 and run out of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the Department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.
Eagle Butte Man Indicted for Prohibited Person in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm.
Anthony Lawrence Collins, Sr., age 39, was indicted in October of 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on October 13, 2022 and pleaded not guilty.
The maximum penalty upon conviction for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm is 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges Collins unlawfully possessed a firearm on March 12, 2021 and on July 23, 2022. Both incidents occurred in Dewey County, South Dakota.
These charges are merely accusations and Collins is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem is prosecuting the case.
Collins has been remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending further hearing
Doctor Sentenced for Accepting Illegal Kickback Payment in Return for Writing Prescriptions for Compounded DrugsRead the Press Release
A doctor licensed in the states of Oklahoma and Texas was sentenced for writing and referring compounded drug prescriptions in return for illegal kickback payments, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland sentenced Jerry May Keepers, 69, of Kingwood, Texas, to 36 months of supervised probation. Restitution will be determined at a later date. Keepers will pay no more than $1,518,180.46 in restitution according to his plea agreement.
Keepers previously pleaded guilty to one count of soliciting and receiving heath care kickback. Keepers violated the federal anti-kickback statute when he accepted the illegal payment.
In the plea agreement, Keepers admitted that OK Compounding solicited him to write prescriptions for his patients that would be filled by the pharmacy. OK Compounding was a pharmacy controlled by Christopher Parks and Dr. Gary Lee, who are also defendants in the case.
Specifically, on January 22, 2014, Keepers knowingly received $25,000 from representatives of OK Compounding. The purpose of the payment was to induce Keepers to refer prescriptions for expensive compounded drugs to the pharmacy. The compounded medications were filled, and claims were filed by the pharmacy. Those medications were in turn paid for by federal healthcare programs, including TRICARE, Medicare, CHAMPVA, and the Federal Employees Compensation Act Program.
According to the superseding indictment filed in the case, kickback payments were disguised through various sham business arrangements, including contracts where several physicians purported to serve as “medical directors” or “consulting physicians” for the pharmacy. Keepers and OK Compounding represented that Keepers had been paid for his services as a national spokesperson, medical director or national marketing director.
It is illegal to pay or receive “kickbacks” in conjunction with federal health care insurance. Prohibitions against kickbacks are crucial to ensure that financial motives do not undermine the medical judgment of physicians and other health care providers.
The Department of Labor- Office of Inspector General (OIG), IRS - Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Service- OIG, Department of Veterans Affairs- OIG, FBI, the Department of Health and Human Services-OIG, and Defense Criminal Investigative Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melody Noble Nelson and Richard M. Cella are prosecuting the cases.
Directors Resign from the Boards of Five Companies in Response to Justice Department Concerns about Potentially Illegal Interlocking DirectoratesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The Justice Department announced today that seven directors have resigned from corporate board positions in response to concerns by the Antitrust Division that their roles violated the Clayton Act’s prohibition on interlocking directorates. Section 8 of the Clayton Act (Section 8) prohibits directors and officers from serving simultaneously on the boards of competitors, subject to limited exceptions. Over the last several months, the Division announced its intent to reinvigorate Section 8 enforcement. This announcement is the first in a broader review of potentially unlawful interlocking directorates.
“Section 8 is an important, but underenforced, part of our antitrust laws. Congress made interlocking directorates a per se violation of the antitrust laws for good reason. Competitors sharing officers or directors further concentrates power and creates the opportunity to exchange competitively sensitive information and facilitate coordination – all to the detriment of the economy and the American public,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division is undertaking an extensive review of interlocking directorates across the entire economy and will enforce the law.”
By eliminating the opportunity to coordinate – explicitly or implicitly – through interlocking directorates, Section 8 is also intended to prevent other violations of the antitrust laws before they occur. In response to the Division’s competition concerns, the following companies and directors unwound the interlocks without admitting to liability:
- Definitive Healthcare Corp. and ZoomInfo Technologies Inc. – Definitive and ZoomInfo operate go-to-market information and intelligence platforms used by third-party sales, marketing, operations, and recruiting teams across the United States. One director served simultaneously on the boards of both companies and resigned from Definitive’s board in response to the Division’s concerns about the alleged interlock.
- Maxar Technologies Inc. and Redwire Corp. – Maxar and Redwire are providers of space infrastructure and communications products and services. One director served simultaneously on the boards of both companies and resigned from Redwire’s board in response to the Division’s concerns about the alleged interlock.
- Littelfuse Inc. and CTS Corp. – Littelfuse and CTS are manufacturers of components and technologies for use in transportation applications, including sensors and switches for use in passenger and commercial vehicles. One director served simultaneously on the boards of both companies and resigned from CTS’s board in response to the Division’s concerns about the alleged interlock.
- Skillsoft Corp. and Udemy Inc. – Skillsoft and Udemy are providers of online corporate education services. One director served simultaneously on the boards of both companies, as did the investment firm Prosus, through that director, because he represented Prosus on both boards at the same time. The director resigned from Udemy’s board in response to the Division’s concerns about the alleged interlock.
- Solarwinds Corp. and Dynatrace, Inc. – Solarwinds and Dynatrace are providers of Application Performance Monitoring (APM) software. One director served simultaneously on the boards of both companies, as did the investment firm Thoma Bravo, through this director, because he represented Thoma Bravo on both boards at the same time. Two additional directors also represented Thoma Bravo on the Solarwinds board. All three directors resigned from Solarwinds’s board in response to the Division’s concerns about the alleged interlock.
Companies, officers, and board members should expect that enforcement of Section 8 will continue to be a priority for the Antitrust Division. Anyone with information about potential interlocking directorates or any other potential violations of the antitrust laws is encouraged to contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258 or [email protected].
Detroit Street Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Murdering Two People as Part of a Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit street gang member pleaded guilty to murdering a rival gang member and an innocent 13-year-old bystander as part of a racketeering conspiracy, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge James A. Tarasca, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
According to court records, Edwin Mills, 32, of Detroit, Michigan, admitted to being a member of the “6 Mile Chedda Grove” gang, which is a street gang that operates on the eastside of Detroit. 6 Mile Chedda Grove is a violent organization responsible for murders, assaults, robberies, and narcotics trafficking in the Detroit metropolitan area and in other states. The gang used violence to retaliate against rivals and to advance members’ positions within the gang.
As a part of his plea, Mills admitted to participating in the 2015 murder of a rival gang member and an innocent bystander. According to plea documents, Mills was with another gang member when he saw the rival in a car outside of a market in the eastside of Detroit. Mills and a co-conspirator killed the rival gang member and an innocent bystander when they fired multiple shots at the vehicle. Mills and his fellow gang member also seriously injured two other people who had been sitting on the hood of the car at which Mills had been firing.
When authorities had first arrested Mills and searched his residence, they found two AK-47 rifles, a pistol, several hundred rounds of ammunition, multiple loaded “magazines” of ammunition (including loaded AK-47 magazines taped together (allegedly “for faster re-loading”), and a bayonet.
Mills is the last of the eleven members of 6 Mile Chedda Grove to be convicted. Ten other gang members have previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the gang.
“Edwin Mills admitted to committing violent crimes, including murder, as a member of the 6 Mile street gang. Tragically, while retaliating against a rival gang member, Mills shot and killed an innocent 13-year-old bystander,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “Two other minor children were
also injured by his actions. This case represents how violent crime, particularly gun violence, devastates our community, and why I will use every resource of the federal government to bring those who commit violence to justice.”
Sentencing for Mills is set for February 2, 2023. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Mills faces a sentence of 25 years in prison.The case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Moran and Andrew R. Picek.
Defendant Sentenced to 10 Years in Case Featured on HBO Documentary “the Crime of the Century”Read the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorneys Adam Gordon (619) 546-6720
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY — October 19, 2022
SAN DIEGO— Cole Thomas Salazar was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo to 120 months for his role in supplying the fatal dose of powdered fentanyl that resulted in the death of 24-year-old Sarah Elizabeth Fuzzell on November 3, 2020.
According to his plea agreement, Salazar used an online classified ads service to offer controlled substances for sale. After communicating with Fuzzell online, Salazar sold fentanyl to her on November 2, 2020, and she subsequently died from this fentanyl. On January 10, 2021, law enforcement arrested Salazar and found on his person packages of heroin and fentanyl.
A search of a nearby hotel room turned up numerous quantities of controlled substances including more fentanyl and dealer-related paraphernalia such as scales, baggies and pay-and-owe sheets. The plea agreement stipulates for Salazar that the commission of the offense of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and/or serious bodily injury applies. The investigation and arrest of Salazar and his co-defendant Valerie Lynn Addison was featured in the HBO “The Crime of the Century.”
Addison is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Bencivengo on November 16, 2022.
“Our community lost a vibrant, intelligent 24-year-old victim to powdered fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “We can’t stress enough the danger of powdered fentanyl. If you are a drug dealer who chooses to sell powdered fentanyl – disregarding the extreme risk – our office will prosecute you for any death resulting from your sale.”
“Drug dealers like Mr. Salazar must be held accountable for the rising fentanyl deaths we have seen in San Diego communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Shelly Howe. “Fake pills and powdered fentanyl have no place in San Diego, and we will continue to bring those who sell these drugs to justice.”
“The sentence imposed on the lethal dose of powered fentanyl that resulted in the tragic death of a young person sends a clear message to drug criminal drug dealers,” said Chad Plantz, special agent in charge for HSI San Diego. “There are serious consequences to peddling these dangerous substances. HSI along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to seek out and bring to justice those involved drug overdoses of any kind.”
This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration to investigate and prosecute the distribution of dangerous illegal drugs—fentanyl in particular—that result in overdose deaths. The Drug Enforcement Administration created the Overdose Response Team as a response to the increase in overdose deaths in San Diego County. Investigators from the DEA’s Overdose Response Team led the investigation into Fuzzell’s death.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 21cr3518-CAB
Cole Thomas Salazar Age: 32 San Diego, CA
Valerie Lynn Addison Age: 40 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Salazar:
Possession with Intent to Distribute (Fentanyl) – Title 18, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison
Addison:
Possession with Intent to Distribute (Fentanyl and Methamphetamine) – Title18, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison
AGENCY
Drug Enforcement Administration
Homeland Security Investigations
Federal Bureau of Investigation
California Department of Health Care Services
San Diego Sheriff’s Department
San Diego Police Department
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
Davenport Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man, Davante Shamod Howard, age 24, was sentenced on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, to 46 months in prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm, to be served consecutively to a 14-month sentence imposed upon the revocation of his supervised release in a previous federal firearms case. Following his imprisonment, Howard was ordered to serve three years of supervised release.
In September 2021, Howard had an active federal warrant for a supervised release violation. Law enforcement located Howard at a Davenport residence. Prior to his arrest, Howard had used a straw purchaser to acquire an extended rifle magazine. During a search of the residence, law enforcement located the extended magazine, as well as an AR-15 and a ghost Glock firearm. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Howard’s Snapchat account, which showed photos and videos of Howard with the rifle. In one video, Howard threatened to shoot people. Howard pleaded guilty on April 18, 2022.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated the case.
Court of Appeals Affirms Conviction and Sentence of Former Xerox Employee Sentenced to Life in Prison for Credit Union Robbery and MurderRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. —U. S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has affirmed the conviction and sentence of Richard Leon Wilbern.
On November 8, 2019, following a five-week trial, a federal jury convicted Wilbern of the August 12, 2003, armed robbery of the Xerox Federal Credit Union, which resulted in the death of Raymond Batzel. On September 22, 2020, Wilbern was sentenced to serve life in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa, who presided over the trial of the case.
On August 12, 2003, Wilbern walked into Xerox Federal Credit Union, located on the Xerox Corporation campus in Webster, NY, and told an employee that he was there to conduct a security assessment and to “stage” a robbery. Wilbern then shot customer Raymond Batzel in the neck which resulted in his death. A second customer, Joseph Doud, was shot and wounded as he attempted to run outside after witnessing the shooting. Wilbern subsequently fled the credit union with a bag of money but left behind an umbrella.In March 2016, with a suspect still not in custody, a press conference was held seeking new leads in the investigation. Details of the crime were released as well as photographs of Wilbern committing the robbery. On March 27, 2016, a concerned citizen contacted the FBI and indicated that the person who committed the crime was likely a former Xerox employee named Richard Wilbern, an employee who worked for Xerox prior to the robbery but had been fired. In July 2016, FBI agents met with Wilbern regarding a complaint he had made to the FBI regarding an alleged real estate scam. During one of their meetings, agents obtained a DNA sample from Wilbern after he licked and sealed an envelope. That DNA was compared to DNA taken from the umbrella left behind by the suspect the day of the robbery and was determined to be a positive match.
In his appeal, Wilbern raised DNA, counsel, juror, and witness issues but his arguments were rejected, and the verdict and sentence were affirmed.
On appeal, the government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine A. Gregory.
The Xerox investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Webster Police Department, the New York State Police, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, the Rochester Police Department, and the United States Marshals Service. Additional assistance was provided by the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas E. Gregory and Joel L. Violanti.
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Combatting Domestic Violence Remains a Law Enforcement Priority Beyond October’s Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The month of October is nationally recognized as “Domestic Violence Awareness Month.” Across North Alabama, numerous victim service providers and community-based agencies daily serve as advocates, protectors, and healers for victims of domestic violence. Their ongoing commitment to serve victims of domestic violence is shared by federal and local law enforcement agencies in North Alabama, which prioritize addressing domestic violence year-round.
In October 2020, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama launched Operation Safe Families to bring federal law enforcement alongside local victim service providers, local law enforcement, and local prosecutors to better respond to the needs of victims of domestic violence and the threats presented to the community by domestic violence offenders. Not only do domestic violence offenders often terrorize former intimate partners, national and local crime data confirms that domestic violence offenders present extreme risks to law enforcement officers and are often responsible for significant amounts of violent crimes in Alabama communities.
In Jefferson County, offenders with a domestic violence history are responsible for the vast majority of homicides committed each year, while nationally domestic violence offenders present the greatest lethal threat to law enforcement officer safety. The Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office has identified that more than 70% of homicide offenders in Jefferson County for 2021 and 2022 had previously committed acts of domestic violence. While also, according to the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial Fund’s 2022 mid-year report for law enforcement officer deaths, more law enforcement officers have been killed by firearms responding to domestic disturbance issues than in any other line of duty capacity in the United States.
“People who commit violence within their homes are often also the same people who commit violent crimes across our community,” said United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona. “Domestic Violence Awareness Month is an opportunity for our community to recognize the victim service providers and law enforcement agencies that serve and protect victims of domestic violence each day. It also serves as an opportunity to refocus local efforts on how to better to protect victims of violence and how best to prevent the continual escalation of harm that often accompanies domestic violence.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) leverage federal law enforcement resources to prioritize the prosecution of people that unlawfully possess firearms following prohibited crimes of domestic violence. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ATF, and the Alabama Office of Prosecution Services provide training and guidance to local law enforcement, prosecutors, and community-based service providers on how best to remove guns from the hands of domestic abusers. During 2022, Operation Safe Families law enforcement partners conducted more than 30 trainings to more than 1,000 law enforcement and community partners across Northern District of Alabama counties.
“Domestic violence is a complex crime that affects everyone involved and eventually affects the community,” ATF Special Agent in Charge Mickey French said. “It is the ATF’s duty to enforce the law and charge the individuals who unlawfully possess firearms and inflict undue harm on others. The ATF along with our state, local, and federal partners will continue to serve the public by utilizing our combined resources to bring justice to those who willingly and unlawfully harm the citizens in our communities.”
Over the last year, the Department of Justice has committed nearly $1 million of funding for new projects to address domestic violence within the Northern District of Alabama. The Office of Violence Against Women has awarded $500,000 to One Place Metro Family Justice Center to facilitate and implement the Domestic Violence and Firearms Technical Assistance Project (FTAP) in Jefferson County, and the Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office in Birmingham approximately $340,000 to enhance the response of local law enforcement and prosecutors in Jefferson County. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has dedicated Project Safe Neighborhoods grant resources to enhance protections for domestic violence victims within the district.
New efforts are also being implemented locally to address the trauma children suffer after witnessing or experiencing family violence. One Place Metro Alabama Family Justice Center has partnered with Camp Hope America to serve trauma-impacted youth in Jefferson County. The U.S. Attorney’s Office participates in and supports Camp Hope and its year-round Pathways program, which seeks to break the generational cycle of family violence by offering healing and hope to children who have witnessed and been impacted by family violence. For more information on Camp Hope America, please contact Kelly Klehm at [email protected].
In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will join partners from law enforcement and community agencies in a variety of domestic violence education and service events across North Alabama. Included in these events, on October 11th the Jefferson County Firearms Technical Assistance Project had its first meeting with law enforcement and community partners, as well as representatives from the Office of Violence Against Women and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. Also, on October 13th the Birmingham Bar Association hosted a CLE and tour of One Place Metro Alabama Family Justice Center.
If you would like more information on Operation Safe Families, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndal/operation-safe-families-protecting-families-gun-violence or to receive training or resources related to domestic violence, please contact the U.S Attorney’s Office at 205.244.2015.
Columbia County Man Indicted for Threatening the President, A Congressman and A Federal JudgeRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert Maverick Vargo, age 25, of Berwick, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of threatening the President of the United States, interstate communications with a threat, and influencing a federal official by threat.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on October 11, 2022, United States Congressman Bennie Thompson’s office received a letter from Vargo at the Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC, containing threats to kill Representative Thompson, his family, President Joseph Biden, and U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani alluding to “Anthrax,” and containing what appeared to be a white powder.
Representative Thompson is serving his fifteenth term as the Congressman representing the second Congressional District in Mississippi. Representative Thompson is the Chairman of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol.
The letter specifically referenced Congressman Thompson’s role with the January 6 Select Committee and states “Im going to kill you! I will make you feel the rest of our pain & suffering. There is nowhere or nobody who can keep you from me. I am going to kill you & those you love. I promise you that I will keep my promise until the day of my death.” The letter goes on to state, “You & Joe Biden soon will face death for the wrongs you’ve done to US.”
Investigation by the U.S. Capitol Police Hazardous Material Response Team determined that the white powder accompanying the threats did not pose an immediate public safety hazard. It was determined through the investigation that the threatening letter and substance was sent by Vargo from the Luzerne County Correctional Facility in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police, Protective Service Bureau and the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
The total maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 25 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Chicago Man Charged with Drug Crimes Involving Heroin, Methamphetamine & CocaineRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Chicago, Illinois man is charged with drug offenses involving heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, in an indictment returned today by a grand jury sitting in Madison, Wisconsin. The indictment is announced by Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
The indictment charges Dery McDuffy, 33, with 3 counts of distributing heroin, with one count alleging the distribution of 100 grams or more, and 2 counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The indictment also charges him with possessing 1 kilogram or more of heroin with intent to distribute and with possessing 500 grams or more of cocaine with intent to distribute. The indictment alleges that these offenses were committed between September 7 and October 12, 2022.
If convicted, McDuffy faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison on the charge of possessing 1 kilogram or more of heroin for distribution. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years on the counts alleging 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 100 grams or more of heroin, and 500 grams or more of cocaine. The remaining two heroin distribution counts have a maximum penalty of 20 years.
The charges against McDuffy are the result of an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Anderson is handling the prosecution.
You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Charlotte Man Found of Robbing Area BusinessesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict late yesterday against John Henry Moore, 59, of Charlotte, for the robbery of two area businesses, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. presided over the two-day trial, which ended on Tuesday.
Michael C. Scherck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and evidence presented at trial, on December 1, 2018, Moore robbed a Spectrum store located at 2222 South Boulevard, in Charlotte. Trial evidence established that Moore entered the store at approximately 8:00 p.m. and brandished a firearm to employees who were working at the time. Moore then ordered the employees to hand over cash from the registers and Moore fled the scene. Trial evidence established that Moore left behind an umbrella which he had used to prop the door open during the robbery. That umbrella was later tested by the FBI and found to contain DNA which was a match to Moore’s DNA.
According to trial evidence and witness testimony, on December 10, 2018, Moore returned to the same area and robbed the Publix Super Market also located at 2222 South Boulevard, in Charlotte. Trial evidence shows that Moore walked into the store, approached a store employee and demanded cash. During the robbery, Moore kept his hand in his pocket and threatened the employee, warning the victim to not “get shot.” The employee handed Moore cash and Moore fled the scene.
According to trial evidence, law enforcement identified Moore as the person who committed the two robberies. On December 12, 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Moore’s residence, seizing a loaded firearm with an obliterated serial number and clothing that matched the description of the items Moore wore during the robberies. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement determined that Moore had previously robbed two banks in Georgia and South Carolina and was on supervised release for those convictions when he carried out the robberies in Charlotte. As a convicted felon, Moore is prohibited to own a firearm or ammunition.
The jury convicted Moore of two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Moore remains in federal custody. A sentencing date has not been set.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lawrence Cameron and Lambert Guinn of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are in charge of the prosecution.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding His Massachusetts Employer over a 16-Year PeriodRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A California man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to embezzling over $1.2 million from his employer over a 16-year period.
Darrell Pike, 56, of Hesperia, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for Feb. 3, 2023. Pike was charged in May 2022.
Pike was the general manager of an Ontario, Calif. subsidiary of a supply and service company based in Wilmington, Mass. Between approximately 2005 and 2021, Pike prepared and submitted fraudulent invoices to his employer on behalf of a fake temporary staffing company, Consumer Information Systems (CIS), for staffing services CIS purportedly provided at his employer’s Ontario location. Pike added approving initials of company personnel to the invoices without their knowledge or consent. Through the fraudulent invoices, Pike caused the company to pay approximately $1,271,206 to CIS, which he deposited into a bank account he controlled.
The charge of mail fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Caldwell County Kentucky Man Federally Charged with Multiple Counts of Sexually Exploiting ChildrenRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment today charging a Caldwell County Kentucky man with sexually exploiting two children and with distributing and possessing child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Jerry C. Templet, Jr. of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.
According to the indictment, William Guill, 47, of Princeton, Kentucky, was charged with four counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of distribution of child pornography, one count of possessing child pornography, and one count of transfer of obscene material to a minor.
The defendant will make an initial court appearance on a later date before a U. S. Magistrate Judge of the U. S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky in Bowling Green. If convicted, Guill faces a minimum sentence of 25 years and a maximum sentence of 270 years in prison. Once released from prison, he faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of life of supervised release. Guill will be required to register as a sex offender. There is no parole in the federal system. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the Kentucky State Police Electronic Crimes Branch.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney A. Spencer McKiness.
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.”
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Butler County Man Admits Using Facebook Messenger to Sell MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A Butler County resident pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Daniel Dellich, Jr., age 47, formerly of Boyers, Pennsylvania 16020, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that between March and August 2021, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted controlled buy operations from Dellich from the vicinity of his residence in Boyers, PA. The controlled buy operations revealed that Dellich used Facebook messenger to negotiate the sale of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. As a result, the FBI obtained a search warrant for Dellich’s Facebook account, which contained Dellich’s communications regarding the distribution of methamphetamine. On Aug. 26, 2021, state and federal law enforcement executed search warrants upon Dellich and his residence. The search of Dellich’s residence resulted in the seizure of methamphetamine. Following the search, an agent advised Dellich of his rights in writing, which Dellich waived. Thereafter, Dellich admitted to recently selling methamphetamine and to his intention to “re-up” that day if he did not have a probation meeting.
Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for Feb. 23, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Dellich.
Burlington Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – Christopher Joseph Conrad, age 29 of Burlington, was sentenced on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, to 96 months in prison following his plea to a charge of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
According to court documents, on January 9, 2022, law enforcement was dispatched to a residence in Burlington. The victim reported that Conrad was at the residence, in violation of a no contact order, in possession of a firearm, and threatening the victim. Upon arrival, officers found Conrad in possession of a loaded, semi-automatic handgun. Conrad had previously been convicted of assault charges against the victim and was in violation of an active no contact order at the time of the offense. Conrad has previous convictions for Domestic Abuse Assault Display or Use of a Weapon, Reckless Discharge of a Firearm, and Aggravated Robbery/Indicate Armed with Firearm.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Burlington Police Department investigated the case.
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.
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.
Bloomfield Man Guilty of Multiple Narcotics Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in New Haven has found KENSTON HARRY, 41, of Bloomfield, guilty of drug trafficking offenses.
The trial before U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton began on October 6 and the jury returned the guilty verdicts yesterday afternoon.
This matter stems from an investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force into a drug trafficking organization headed by Tajh Wiley, also known as Yung, of Norwalk. The investigation, which included a court-authorized wiretap of Wiley’s phone, revealed that Wiley conspired with Harry and others to distribute fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana throughout Connecticut.
Harry was arrested on June 9, 2021. In association with his arrest, investigators searched his Bloomfield residence and his Hartford business, Action Audio. The search of his residence revealed more than one kilogram of fentanyl, more than one kilogram of cocaine, kilogram presses and other items used to process and package narcotics for distribution, and other items. The search of Harry’s business resulted in the seizure of marijuana and other items.
The jury found Harry guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and marijuana; one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams of fentanyl; one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine; and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. At sentencing he faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a term of imprisonment of life.
Judge Arterton scheduled sentencing for January 25, 2023. Harry is released on a $250,000 bond pending sentencing.
Harry, Wiley and six others were charged as a result of this investigation.
On July 26, 2022, a jury found Wiley guilty of multiple offenses. He awaits sentencing. As part of the investigation, law enforcement seized from Wiley jewelry valued at more than $100,000, and a 2021 Mercedes-Benz valued at approximately $146,000.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bridgeport Police Department, Fairfield Police Department, Norwalk Police Department, Stamford Police Department, Stratford Police Department, Yonkers (New York) Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service. The HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford and Danbury Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick J. Doherty, Robert S. Dearington, Margaret M. Donovan and Elena L. Coronado through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Billings man admits attempted coercion, enticement of boy for sex in undercover investigationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings man who was arrested in an undercover investigation when he went to a location expecting to meet a boy for sex admitted to a coercion crime today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Kyle Ray Schwindt, 21, pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement. Schwindt faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least five years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Schwindt was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on July 14, law enforcement conducted an undercover operation in Billings in which law enforcement assumed the identity of a fictitious 13-year-old male online. On that day, Schwindt contacted the fictitious profile. During those communications, law enforcement claimed to be a 13-year-old boy and told Schwindt of being 13 years old. The communications became increasing sexual in nature and led to plans to meet at a location in Billings. On July 15, Schwindt was arrested when he arrived at the meeting location and later admitted he traveled to the location to meet a 13-year-old boy for a sexual encounter.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno B. Baucus and Bryan T. Dake are prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, which was launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Through a network of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation. It is implemented through partnerships including the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The ICAC Task Force Program was created to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by enhancing their investigative response to technology facilitated crimes against children.
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Baltimore Drug and “Ghost” Gun Trafficker SentencedRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Baltimore man was sentenced today to 136 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl and heroin and for selling two “ghost” guns.
According to court documents, O'Neil Gayle, a.k.a. “Pat,” 33, pleaded guilty on June 30 to distributing nearly 150 grams of a fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl mixture in the Richmond metropolitan area and elsewhere within the Eastern District of Virginia. Between September 17, 2021 and November 18, 2021, Gayle sold to an undercover source an additional 148 grams of fentanyl (6,976 dosage units), 140 grams of heroin (1,400 dosage units), a 9mm semiautomatic ghost gun, and a second high-capacity ghost gun capable of accepting more than 28 rounds of ammunition. A ghost gun is a firearm that is not marked with a serial number and is often made using a 3-D printer, so there is no way to track its origins or owners.
On December 15, 2021, Gayle was arrested while in possession of 400 grams of fentanyl, 58 grams of cocaine base, commonly known as “crack,” 7 grams of cocaine hydrochloride, and $7000 in U.S. currency.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Gerald M. Smith, Chief of Richmond Police; and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr.
Special assistance was provided by the DEA’s Baltimore District Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Mastandrea-Miller prosecuted 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-055.
Additional Charge Filed Against Tennessee Man for Using Firearm in Violent Confrontation with FBI AgentsRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Tennessee man and a Warsaw, Mo., man have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges stemming from their threats of violence against immigrants and the federal government, as well as an armed assault of FBI agents.
Bryan C. Perry, 37, of Clarksville, Tennessee, and Jonathan S. O’Dell, 32, of Warsaw, Mo., were charged in a six-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City on Tuesday, Oct. 18. The federal indictment replaces separate criminal complaints filed against both men on Oct. 7, 2022, and contains both the original charges against both men and an additional charge against Perry.
Perry and O’Dell remain in federal custody without bond following separate detention hearings in which the court ruled they pose a danger to the community.
Perry is now charged with one count of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Perry is also charged, as in the prior criminal complaint, with one count of transmitting a threat across state lines to injure another person, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of forcibly assaulting an FBI agent with a deadly weapon.
O’Dell is charged in the indictment, as in the prior criminal complaint, with one count of transmitting a threat across state lines to injure another person and one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm. O’Dell allegedly was in possession of a Stevens 12-gauge shotgun while under a court order of protection.
On October 7, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant at O’Dell’s residence and took O’Dell and Perry into custody. According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, federal agents approached the property in vehicles with red and blue lights and sirens activated. As the FBI approached, an agent utilized a loudspeaker on one of the vehicles, stating that they were with the FBI and that they had a search warrant for the residence. The FBI agent began to repeat the announcement, again stating that they were with the FBI, when gunshots were fired from a front window at the lead FBI vehicle. Several rounds hit the lead FBI vehicle. FBI agents did not return fire and, after the gunshots ceased, the FBI established a perimeter and began communicating with the persons inside the residence to come out. Perry exited the residence, began walking toward agents, and was detained.
When agents searched the residence, they found an Anderson AM-15 multi-caliber rifle in a bedroom near a broken window and approximately 10 spent shell casings. This is the firearm cited in Count Three of the federal indictment, which charges Perry with using a firearm in furtherance of the violent crime of assaulting a federal law enforcement officer.
Agents also found a Ruger 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number, which is cited in Count Two of the indictment, which charges Perry with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Perry has a prior felony conviction for aggravated robbery.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark and Trial Attorney Jacob Warren from the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. It was investigated by the FBI.