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16 November 2022
U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announces DOJ grant for Montana’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task ForceRead the Press Release
HELENA – U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich today announced a grant award of $346,984 from the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) to a Montana task force that investigates internet crimes against children and the exploitation of children.
The grant for the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force from OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) will allow the task force to maintain, expand and improve its effectiveness in preventing, interdicting, investigating and prosecuting internet crimes against children and technology-related child exploitation.
The grant is among nearly $105 million in Justice Department OJP awards announced earlier this month to protect children from exploitation, trauma and abuse, and to fund improvements in the judicial system’s handling of child abuse and neglect cases.
“Children should be allowed to live, grow, learn and thrive in environments that are supportive and nurturing, but many are deprived of that opportunity by threats to their health and safety,” said Administrator Liz Ryan of OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). “By delivering these resources to the professionals who devote their careers and lives to protecting children, we are making good on our commitment to the well-being of America’s young people.”
“I am pleased to announce this grant for the Montana ICAC Task Force. This program was created to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by enhancing investigations of those who use technology, like the internet and social media, to sexually exploit and harm children through child pornography, coercion and trafficking activities. We remain committed to keeping our children safe and to aggressively pursuing predators,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
Grants from OJP’s OJJDP are distributing millions of dollars to local, state and Tribal jurisdictions throughout the United States, the U.S. territories and the District of Columbia to support child protection efforts.
The OJJDP grant for the Montana ICAC Task Force was awarded to the Montana Department of Justice, which administers the funding. The ICAC Task Force’s primary goal is expand the quantity and quality of detection, investigation, apprehension, and prosecution of electronic technology-facilitated crimes against children. The task force also will provide education programs for law enforcement officers, teachers, parents, and children; serve as a resource to law enforcement agencies for both investigations and forensic examination; assist as needed with the prosecution of cases; and participate in nationally coordinated investigations.
This award is being made as part of the regular end-of-fiscal year cycle. More information about ODJJP and other OJP awards can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and strengthen the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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Two Texas Men Indicted after Attempting to Smuggle Firearms into MexicoRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A federal grand jury in Del Rio returned an indictment last week charging two Texas men with smuggling goods from the United States.
According to court documents, on October 10, 2022 Miguel Angel Ocura-Arenas, 67, of San Antonio was arrested when he attempted to smuggle seven firearms along with 29 magazines, ammunition a rifle barrel and a universal fake suppressor into Mexico. The following day, Rafael Martinez, 40, of Dallas, was also arrested for attempting to smuggle seven firearms and more than 300 rounds of ammunition into Mexico.
Both defendants made their initial court appearances on October 12 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Collis White of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Martinez and Ocura-Arenas have been detained without bond while awaiting further proceedings. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and Acting Special Agent in Charge, Craig Larrabee, HSI San Antonio, made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case with assistance from Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Brown is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Russian Nationals Charged with Running Massive E-Book Piracy WebsiteRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment and a complaint were unsealed charging Russian nationals Anton Napolsky and Valeriia Ermakova with criminal copyright infringement, wire fraud and money laundering for operating Z-Library, an online e-book piracy website. The pair was arrested on November 3, 2022 in Cordoba, Argentina at the request of the United States. At the same time, Z-Library’s network of online domains was also taken offline and seized by the U.S. government, pursuant to a court order that was also unsealed today.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrests and charges.
“As alleged, the defendants profited illegally off work they stole, often uploading works within mere hours of publication, and in the process victimized authors, publishers and booksellers,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office is committed to protecting the intellectual property rights that enable creative and artistic expression, and holding individuals accountable for threatening those rights.”
“The defendants are alleged to have operated a website for over a decade whose central purpose was providing stolen intellectual property, in violation of copyright laws. Intellectual property theft crimes deprive their victims of both ingenuity and hard-earned revenue. The FBI is determined to ensure those willing to steal and profit from the creativity of others are stopped and made to face the consequences in the criminal justice system,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.
As alleged in the indictment and court filings, Z-Library bills itself as “the world’s largest library” and claims to offer more than 11 million e-books for download. Z-Library, which has been active since approximately 2009, offers e-book files in a variety of file formats, stripped of their copyright protections, and encourages users to upload and download titles. Many of the e-books offered by Z-Library are protected intellectual property for which authors hold copyrights and publishers hold exclusive distribution rights, and which Z-Library has no right or license to distribute, and which are available elsewhere only with anti-circumvention measures applied. As such, a central purpose of Z-Library is to allow users to download copyrighted books for free in violation of U.S. law. In addition to its homepage, Z-Library operates as a complex network of approximately 249 interrelated web domains. As part of this action, those domains were taken offline and seized by the U.S. government.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case was initiated by the Office’s Cyber Crime Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Chand Edwards-Balfour, Alexander Mindlin, Antoinette N. Rangel and Kaitlin Farrell are prosecuting the case. Brian Morris of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the FBI’s Legal Attachés abroad and foreign authorities in multiple countries provided critical assistance in this case. In particular, the Office extends its appreciation to the Argentine authorities for their assistance in the capture of Napolsky and Ermakova.
Multiple organizations representing the victim authors and publishers also provided critical assistance in this case. The Office extends its particular appreciation to The Authors Guild in New York and The Publishers Association in London for their assistance. The Office also extends its appreciation to the National Cyber-Forensics & Training Alliance for its assistance in the domain takedown.
The Defendants:
ANTON NAPOLSKY
Age: 33
St. Petersburg, RussiaVALERIIA ERMAKOVA
Age: 27
St. Petersburg, RussiaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-525 (NM)
Two Pharmacy Owners Plead Guilty in COVID-19 Money Laundering and Health Care Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
Two New York men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering for using New York-area pharmacies to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and then laundering the criminal proceeds.
Arkadiy Khaimov, 39, of Forest Hills, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Peter Khaim, 42, also of Forest Hills, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering on Nov. 3.
According to court documents, Khaim and Khaimov engaged in a complex money laundering conspiracy to launder the proceeds of a fraudulent health care scheme involving over a dozen New York-area pharmacies that they and their co-conspirators owned and controlled. Specifically, Khaim and Khaimov used the New York pharmacies to submit millions of dollars in fraudulent claims to Medicare, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. These fraudulent claims included claims for expensive cancer medications Targretin Gel 1% and Panretin Gel 0.1% that were not prescribed by physicians or dispensed to patients, and that were purportedly dispensed during periods when certain pharmacies were closed. Khaim, Khaimov, and their co-conspirators exploited the COVID-19 emergency for their own financial gain by using COVID-19-related “emergency override” billing codes to submit additional fraudulent claims for Targretin Gel 1%.
To conceal over $18 million of their criminal proceeds, Khaim, Khaimov, and their co-conspirators funneled money through several shell companies, including sham pharmacy wholesale companies designed to look like legitimate wholesalers. Khaim and Khaimov typically sent the funds from the pharmacy bank accounts they controlled to the sham wholesale companies. The funds were then typically sent to companies in China for distribution to individuals in Uzbekistan and the defendants received some of these funds in cash. At other times, the fraudulent proceeds were sent from the sham wholesale companies to Khaim, Khaimov, their relatives, or their designees, in the form of certified cashier’s checks and cash. Khaim and Khaimov used the proceeds of the scheme to purchase real estate and other luxury items.
Khaimov is scheduled to be sentenced on May 3, 2023. Khaim is scheduled to be sentenced on May 10, 2023. They each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York; Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll of the FBI New York Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Susan Frisco of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Thomas M. Fattorusso of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) New York Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) made the announcement.
The HHS-OIG, FBI, IRS-CI, and FDIC-OIG are investigating the case.
Acting Principal Assistant Deputy Chief Jacob Foster of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Trial Attorney Andrew Estes of the Fraud Section’s Brooklyn Strike Force are prosecuting the case. Former Fraud Section Trial Attorney Patrick Mott previously worked on the investigation.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 24 federal districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $19 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Two High-Ranking Los Zetas Cartel Members Latest Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas– Two Los Zetas Cartel leaders has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Jose Maria Guizar-Valencia, 43, of Tulare, CA, pleaded guilty on Dec. 20, 2021, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering and was sentenced to 480 months in federal prison on Nov. 15, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Richard A. Schell.
Francisco Hernandez-Garcia, 53, of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, also pleaded guilty on Dec. 20, 2021, to the same charges and was sentenced to 480 months in federal prison on Nov. 15, 2022, by Judge Schell.
According to information presented in court, in approximately January 2010, law enforcement authorities began an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of the Los Zetas Drug Trafficking Cartel. The investigation revealed that from 2007 to 2014, members of the cartel were involved in numerous crimes including drug trafficking, money laundering, and firearms trafficking in the Eastern District of Texas and elsewhere. Throughout the investigation, Heriberto Lazcano, a.k.a. “Z-3”, was identified as the leader of the cartel who gave final orders, to include the authorization of killings.
Although Lazcano was identified as the leader of the organization, Miguel Angel Trevino-Morales, a.k.a. “Z-40”, was seen as his equal and controlled the vast majority of the cartel soldiers. Miguel’s brother, Omar Trevino-Morales, a.k.a. “Z-42”, along with Francisco Hernandez-Garcia, a.k.a. “El 2000”, and Jose Maria Guizar-Valencia, a.k.a. “Carlitos” and “Z-43”, were identified as three of the top Los Zetas Cartel leaders. During the investigation, Guizar-Valencia was identified as one of the top leaders of the cartel who was responsible for overseeing the cartel’s drug distribution, firearms trafficking, and bulk cash smuggling. As one the organizations leaders, Guizar-Valencia approved criminal activities conducted by members of the cartel. Under Guizar-Valencia’s leadership, the cartel arranged for the importation of cocaine from Central America to Mexico, which was subsequently distributed throughout the United States. Guizar-Valencia, operating in Guatemala, was responsible for overseeing ton-quantity shipments of cocaine from Guatemala to Mexico and coordinated the transportation of the cocaine from Southern Mexico to Coahuila, Mexico. Guizar-Valencia also managed the receipt of millions of dollars in United States currency obtained from the sale of cocaine in the United States, which was used to pay for firearms purchased in the United States and for cocaine shipments coordinated out of Guatemala on behalf of the cartel.
Guizar-Valencia was identified as the principal boss of William DeJesus Torres-Solarzano, a.k.a. “Mario Ruiz Castillo,” “Comandante W,” and “Comandante William”, and he oversaw and directed the activities of Torres-Solorzano and Horst Walther Overdick-Mejia. Torres-Solorzano and Overdick-Mejia coordinated the cartel’s day-to-day cocaine trafficking operations in Guatemala. Torres-Solorzano was also identified as a high-ranking member of the cartel and a cartel leader in Guatemala.
The sentencings this week are the latest of high-level members of the Zeta Cartel. Hugo Cesar Roman Chavarria received a life sentence, William DeJesus Torres Solorzano received 480 months, and Jose Ramirez received 480 months in October of 2022.
“Amazing effort by law enforcement to bring these dangerous criminals to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “Prosecutors and law enforcement agencies conducted a very long-term investigation and coordinated with our international partners to achieve this outcome, they did an outstanding job.”
“The Zetas were known for their ruthless and violent tactics as they distributed their drugs throughout Mexico and the United States,” said Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of DEA Dallas. “These sentences reflect that the DEA and our law enforcement partners are equally known throughout North Texas as holding those criminals accountable for their deeds to the fullest extent of the law. Good will always prevail and our resolve will never falter.”
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Department of Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ernest Gonzalez.
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Tse Bonito man indicted for sexual abuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Tom Tso was arraigned on Nov. 15 on an indictment charging him with sexual abuse. Tso, 84, of Tse Bonito, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain at a halfway house on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Tso on Nov. 9. According to the indictment, between Aug. 4, 1998, and Oct. 11, 2000, Tso allegedly engaged in and attempted to engage in sexual acts with a victim, identified as Jane Doe, who was physically incapable of declining to participate in, and communicating unwillingness to engage in, that sexual act. Jane Doe is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, and the alleged assault occurred on the Navajo Nation.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Tso faces up to 20 years in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
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Troy Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Firearm and Fentanyl-Laced PillsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Alex R. Mahoney Wilks, age 23, of Troy, New York, was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for illegally possessing a pistol as a previously convicted felon, as well for possessing fentanyl-laced pills with the intent to distribute them.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Mahoney Wilks admitted that on February 4, 2022, as he attempted to leave a residence in Watervliet, he knowingly possessed in his vehicle a pistol and a quantity of fentanyl-laced pills that he intended to sell. A total of $11,333 and two digital scales were also recovered from the vehicle. A prior felony burglary conviction prevented Mahoney Wilks from legally possessing the firearm in New York. The firearm had also previously been reported stolen.
Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also ordered Mahoney Wilks to serve a 3-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Watervliet Police Department, with the assistance of the Albany County District Attorney’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.
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.
Tobyhanna Man Charged with Being A Felon in Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Steven D. Brinson, age 32, of Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on diverse dates in December 2021 and January and March 2022, Brinson possessed firearms, including a non-serialized AR-style “ghost gun,” and ammunition, despite having a prior felony conviction.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Gallagher are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Three More Professionals Indicted in $1 Billion Tax Shelter SchemeRead the Press Release
A second attorney and two tax professionals have been indicted in the $1 billion Garza tax shelter scheme, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Tax Division Stuart Goldberg.
Attorney and CPA Kevin McDonnell and CPA James Richardson, co-owners of tax preparation and accounting firm McDonnell Richardson, P.C., were added to the case in a superseding indictment filed Tuesday. The pair are charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and five counts of assisting in the preparations of fraudulent tax returns. Craig Fenton, a tax manager at McDonnell Richardson, was indicted on the same charges.
The alleged mastermind of the scheme, attorney Joseph Garza, was previously indicted on 18 counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and 22 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of fraudulent income tax returns. The superseding indictment added a charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States.
According to the court documents, Mr. Garza allegedly directed his clientele to use hand-picked tax professionals – including Mr. McDonnell, Mr. Richardson, and Mr. Fenton – who helped him illegally shelter their otherwise taxable income. Mr. Garza allegedly charged clients a percentage of the predetermined amount of money they had chosen to shelter from taxes; Mr. McDonnell, Mr. Richardson, and Mr. Fenton were compensated for their roles in the scheme as well.
The defendants allegedly created multiple shell companies – including shell “services” companies and shell “investments” companies – to create a circular flow of funds to help clients avoid paying taxes.
These shell companies purported to provide services to the clients’ businesses or to serve as family investment vehicles, but actually had no legitimate purpose other than to move money. The defendants allegedly created sham operating agreements and service agreements, fictious invoices, and false private annuity agreements designed to give the companies the appearance of legitimacy and conceal the scheme from the IRS.
The defendants then allegedly assisted clients in the preparation and filing of fraudulent tax returns, falsely deducting businesses expenses for services that were never performed, falsely reporting gross receipts for payments that were not earned, falsely deducting payments from the investment company to the taxpayer for annuities that didn’t exist, and underreporting the individual taxpayers’ incomes.
The scheme allegedly resulted in more than $1 billion in unreported income and more than $200 million in unpaid taxes.
“Kevin McDonnell, James Richardson, and Craig Fenton participated in a tax scheme that resulted in $1 billion in unreported income and more than $200 million in unpaid taxes. Now they face severe consequences, including jail time and substantial fines,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus, Jr, IRS - Criminal Investigation, Dallas Field Office. “Today's indictments reinforce our commitment to every American taxpayer that the dedicated women and men of IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to work tirelessly to identify and prosecute tax professionals who devise illegal tax shelters to evade the tax obligations of their wealthy clients."
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All four defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 5 years in federal prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States, 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and up to three years in prison for each count of aiding and assisting in the filing of false federal income tax returns. Mr. Garza also faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud.
IRS – Criminal Investigations’ Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Renee Hunter, Katherine Miller, and Marty Basu of the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case with Trial Attorney Robert Kemins of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.Texas Drug Trafficker Sentenced to over 7 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Kilogram Quantities of Methamphetamine in Natchez, MississippiRead the Press Release
Natchez, Miss. – A Mesquite, Texas man was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge David C. Bramlette, III, to 90 months in federal prison for his participation in an interstate drug trafficking operation distributing kilogram quantities of illegal drugs in the Natchez area from 2016 through 2018, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Jimmie Lee Swearengen, Jr., 43, of Mesquite, Texas, was indicted by a federal grand jury and subsequently pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Swearengen had prior convictions in Adams County Circuit Court in 2001 for possession and sale of cocaine in a church zone, and in 2010 for controlled substance violations.
According to court documents, Swearengen conspired with Sammy Davis Wright, of Woodville, Wesley Bell of Natchez, Thomas Jerome Mitchell, of Victorville, CA, Justine Chambers of Victorville, CA, and Arthur Wilson, of Moreno Valley, CA, to distribute kilogram quantities of methamphetamine in the Natchez area. Wright, Mitchell, and Chambers were separately sentenced today for their participation in drug trafficking operations in the Natchez area. Arthur Wilson was convicted by a federal trial jury in August 2022 of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana, as well as conspiracy to commit money laundering for his operation of a separate drug trafficking organization in the Natchez area. Wilson is scheduled for sentencing on January 11, 2023. Bell is currently awaiting sentencing.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This OCDETF case is the result of an extensive investigation targeting illegal narcotics distribution by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force in Atlanta, GA, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mississippi Highway Patrol, and the Pearl Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla J. Clark prosecuted these cases.
Ten Individuals Charged in Northeast Kingdom Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that a federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging ten individuals with conspiring to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base between February 2022 and August 5, 2022. The indictment includes nine additional counts alleging distributions or intended distributions of fentanyl by specific individuals among the defendants. The lead defendant, Juan Carlos Ortiz (also known as “JC,” age 28, of Springfield, Massachusetts), is already in federal custody following his arrest on a prior federal drug case on August 5, 2022. The other defendants—Clair Deslandes (64, Island Pond), Jeremy Allin (also known as “OG,” 51, Lunenburg), Hayley McDonald (25, Derby), Margaret Radford (53, Newport Center), Mary Rhodes (45, North Troy), Loretta Poquette (47, Norton), Ronald Braun (43, Lowell), Jessica Ward (44, Lowell), and Angela Birk (41, Newport)—will appear before the United States District Court for arraignment following their arrests in the case.
The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charges in the indictment are accusations only and that each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the charged offenses, the defendants would each face a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $1 million fine. Any actual sentence for each defendant, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory Federal Sentencing Guidelines and the United States Code.
The charges in the indictment follow an investigation conducted by multiple state and federal agencies that was led by the Northern Vermont Drug Task Force (NVDTF) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). NVDTF and ATF were assisted in this investigation by the detectives and troopers from the Vermont State Police; members of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, the Newport Police Department, and the Orleans Police Department; troopers from the Massachusetts State Police; agents and task force officers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations; and aviators with the Air & Marine Operations component of United States Customs & Border Protection. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaboration of federal and state law enforcement agencies during the investigation.
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher. Juan Carlos Ortiz is represented by Richard Bothfeld, Esq. Attorney information for the other defendants is not yet available.
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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn
Tax Attorneys and Insurance Agent Indicted for Promoting and Selling Fraudulent Tax ShelterRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Charlotte, North Carolina returned an indictment today charging two tax attorneys and an insurance agent with conspiring to defraud the United States and helping clients file false tax returns based on their promotion and operation of a fraudulent tax shelter.
According to the indictment, from 2011 to the present Michael Elliott Kohn and Catherine Elizabeth Chollet, both attorneys and residents of St. Louis, Missouri, and David Shane Simmons, a licensed insurance agent and broker based out of Jefferson, North Carolina, conspired to defraud the United States by promoting, marketing, and selling to clients a fraudulent tax scheme known as the Gain Elimination Plan (“GEP”). The defendants allegedly designed the GEP to conceal clients’ income from the IRS by fraudulently inflating business expenses through fictitious royalties and management fees. These fictitious royalties and management fees allegedly were paid, on paper, to a limited partnership largely owned by a charitable organization. In reality, Kohn and Chollet allegedly fabricated the royalties and management fees. In total, the defendants allegedly caused a tax loss to the IRS of tens of millions of dollars.
The indictment further alleges that Kohn and Simmons engaged in a scheme to defraud an insurance company by providing false information on insurance applications on behalf of their clients. The false information allegedly included fraudulent representations concerning the clients’ financials and the purpose of the insurance policies. In total, Kohn and Simmons allegedly caused the insurance company to issue more than $200 million in insurance policies based on false application information. Simmons allegedly earned large commissions for selling the insurance policies, many of which he split with Kohn and Chollet. Simmons also allegedly filed false personal tax returns by underreporting his business income and inflating his business expenses.
If convicted, Kohn, Chollet, and Simmons each face a maximum sentence of five years in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States and three years in prison for each of multiple counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. Kohn and Simmons both also face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for wire fraud, and Simmons faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison for several counts of filing false personal tax returns, if convicted. 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 Dena J. King for the Western District of North Carolina made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Kevin Schneider and Todd Ellinwood of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tax Attorneys and Insurance Agent Indicted for Promoting and Selling Fraudulent Tax ShelterRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced that a federal grand jury in Charlotte returned an indictment today charging two tax attorneys and an insurance agent with conspiring to defraud the United States and helping clients file false tax returns based on their promotion and operation of a fraudulent tax shelter.
U.S. Attorney King is joined in making today’s announcement by Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, Charlotte Field Office (IRS-CI).
According to the indictment, from 2011 to the present Michael Elliott Kohn and Catherine Elizabeth Chollet, both attorneys and residents of St. Louis, Missouri, and David Shane Simmons, a licensed insurance agent and broker based out of Jefferson, North Carolina, conspired to defraud the United States by promoting, marketing, and selling to clients a fraudulent tax scheme known as the Gain Elimination Plan (“GEP”). The defendants allegedly designed the GEP to conceal clients’ income from the IRS by fraudulently inflating business expenses through fictitious royalties and management fees. These fictitious royalties and management fees allegedly were paid, on paper, to a limited partnership largely owned by a charitable organization. In reality, Kohn and Chollet allegedly fabricated the royalties and management fees. In total, the defendants allegedly caused a tax loss to the IRS of tens of millions of dollars.
The indictment further alleges that Kohn and Simmons engaged in a scheme to defraud an insurance company by providing false information on insurance applications on behalf of their clients. The false information allegedly included fraudulent representations concerning the clients’ financials and the purpose of the insurance policies. In total, Kohn and Simmons allegedly caused the insurance company to issue more than $200 million in insurance policies based on false application information. Simmons allegedly earned large commissions for selling the insurance policies, many of which he split with Kohn and Chollet. Simmons also allegedly filed false personal tax returns by underreporting his business income and inflating his business expenses.
If convicted, Kohn, Chollet, and Simmons each face a maximum sentence of five years in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States and three years in prison for each of multiple counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. Kohn and Simmons both also face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for wire fraud, and Simmons faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison for several counts of filing false personal tax returns, if convicted. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte and Trial Attorneys Kevin Schneider and Todd Ellinwood of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Stoughton Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Stoughton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for firearm offenses.
Michael Robert Moura, 28, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On June 13, 2022, Moura pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and one count of receipt and possession of an unregistered firearm.
Over the course of several months in 2020 and again in February 2021, Moura sought to purchase a firearm. On the morning of April 28, 2021, Moura purchased a Glock handgun, an assault rifle, pistol and rifle magazines and over 100 rounds of ammunition in a parking lot in Brockton. Shortly thereafter, Moura was arrested and the illegally obtained handgun, rifle, ammunition and magazines were seized.
Moura is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to an April 2020 conviction in Worcester County punishable by more than one year in prison.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided the Brockton and Stoughton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Tolkoff and Timothy Kistner of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 10+ Years in Prison for Armed Robbery of Jennings Auto Parts StoreRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a St. Louis man to 10 years and five months in prison for the armed robbery of an auto parts store in Jennings before he crashed into a funeral procession while trying to escape police.
Diven Steed, 27, robbed the O’Reilly Auto Parts store in Jennings on Dec. 5, 2020 with a Pioneer Arms “Hellpup” AK-47-style pistol. His co-defendant, Collis Lee, also had a pistol.
Steed and Lee took cash from store registers. Lee pistol-whipped a clerk twice. Steed talked openly about killing the two clerks.
When Steed and Lee left the auto parts store, witnesses pointed them out to police, who had already begun to arrive in response to a 911 call from a customer who had slipped out of the store during the robbery. While fleeing from police with Steed in the car, Lee crashed into a limousine in a three-car funeral procession transporting grieving family members to a funeral home. Five people in the limousine were injured.
Steed got out of his vehicle and ran toward some homes, refusing officers’ orders to drop his gun and presenting a danger to officers and area residents, his plea says. An officer fired twice at Steed, hitting him in the buttocks.
Steed pleaded guilty in August to a robbery charge and a charge of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.
Lee, now 26, of Moline Acres, pleaded guilty to the same charges in December and was sentenced in March to 11 years and three months in prison.
The St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Dunkel is prosecuting the case.
South Florida Firearms Smuggler Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Firearms trafficker Jorge Chica-Giler, 28, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez to 262 months in prison for smuggling firearms from the United States to Ecuador.
Chica-Giler conspired to deal in, and smuggle, firearms out of the United States by directing co-conspirators to purchase firearms on his behalf, hide the firearms inside compressed air tanks, and send the firearms to a co-conspirator in Ecuador. Chica-Giler admitted to making eight shipments totaling at least 35 firearms, including several assault-rifles.
Co-defendants Rolando Alexei Pupo-Abrahantes and Nicolas Ayala assisted Chica-Giler in the conspiracy to smuggle firearms to Ecuador.
On the morning of the trial, Chica-Giler pled guilty directly to the court without a plea agreement. He admitted to his role in the conspiracy and to dealing firearms without a license, smuggling firearms from the United States, delivery of a firearm to a common carrier without written notification, and possession of a firearm by an unlawful alien.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Office; and acting Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Buckley, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
HSI, Fort Pierce, and ATF, Fort Pierce, investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement, Miami Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Hudock and Justin Hoover prosecuted the case.
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 on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 21-cr-14035.
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Serial Abuser of Underage Girls Sentenced to 11 Years for Coercing and Enticing a Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A Royal Oak man who repeatedly abused underage girls was sentenced to eleven years in federal prison for coercing and enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and for receiving child pornography, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Nikolas Boris Mariani, 21, of Royal Oak, Michigan, was sentenced by United States District Judge David M. Lawson. At the time of his guilty plea, Mariani admitted that in the fall of 2020 he coerced and induced a 14-year-old minor that he met over Snapchat to engage in unlawful sexual activity, and that he received sexually explicit images from the same minor.
Police also found a different 14-year-old runaway hiding nearly naked under Mariani’s bed in a separate incident. She admitted that she met Mariani over Snapchat and that they engaged in sex acts. DNA evidence also linked Mariani to a third incident where he picked up a 14-year-old girl from her home in Flint and engaged in unlawful sex acts with her, later leaving her in a parking lot in Detroit.
“This offender serially exploited minors that he met online. Our office will work tirelessly to pursue and prosecute individuals who exploit vulnerable children,” U.S. Attorney Ison stated.
“The sentence handed down in this case reflects the serious nature of the crimes committed by this defendant, which are particularly troubling given his repeated efforts to harm and exploit minors,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “The FBI is committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society – our children – and to bringing predators like Mariani to justice.”
This case was investigated by the Southeast Michigan Trafficking and Exploitation Crimes Task Force of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Roseville Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Rawsthorne.
Search Warrants Executed in Bibb CountyRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Federal search warrants were executed at six locations in Bibb County, Georgia, yesterday morning in a joint law enforcement operation involving FBI, Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, GBI Gang Task Force, Bleckley County Sheriff’s Office, Butts County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Department of Corrections, Georgia Department of Community Supervision, Warner Robins Police Department, Perry Police Department, Athens-Clarke County Police Department and the Georgia State Patrol. The search warrants resulted from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation centered in Macon.
Federal search warrants were executed in Bibb County, Georgia:
- 5514 Forsyth Road
- 4077 Worsham Avenue
- 2108 Roosevelt Avenue
- 1487 Lowe Court
- 251 Ward Street
- 18 Brigham Street
Two additional locations were searched pursuant to state warrants.
The operation resulted in the seizure of 12,680 grams of methamphetamine, 154 grams of MDMA (“ecstasy”), 87 grams of THC and more than $25,000 cash. In addition, four firearms were seized, including one assault rifle, one shotgun, one handgun and one revolver.
Four individuals were taken into state custody and are facing state charges: Melvin Grady Bates, 75, of Macon, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and two counts of purchase, possession, manufacture, distribution or sale of marijuana; Julian Derwayne Coker, 42, of Macon, is charged with trafficking in cocaine, illegal drugs, marijuana or methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit a felony; Harry Lee Hopkins, 50, of Macon, is charged with conspiracy to commit a felony; and Jackie Edward Powell, 44, of Macon, is charged with receipt, possession or transfer of a firearm by a convicted felon and probation violation.
All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt. This is an ongoing investigation.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
San Felipe man pleads guilty to sexual abuse of a minorRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Kyle Aguilar pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact of a minor in Indian Country. Aguilar, 40, of San Felipe, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the San Felipe Pueblo, will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement, between Oct. 2, 2016, and Feb. 13, 2017, Aguilar engaged in abusive sexual contact with a victim who was between 12 and 16 years old. The abuse occurred on the San Felipe Pueblo.
By the terms of the plea agreement, Aguilar faces up to four years in prison, and he must register as a sex offender.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas J. Marshall and Brittany DuChaussee are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
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Saco Woman Pleads Guilty to Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Saco woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to committing bankruptcy fraud, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
According to court records, in April 2020, Christina Q. Shea, 45, initiated a fraudulent bankruptcy proceeding and submitted filings to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Portland containing numerous false statements. Shea filed the fraudulent bankruptcy using the name and identifying information of another person, falsely representing as her own the other person’s name, Social Security number, employment information, and a fake email address she created. Shea also forged the other person’s name on a money order she submitted to the Bankruptcy Court and later posed as the person while taking an online credit counseling course.
Shea faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine followed by up to three years of supervised release. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case.
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Rochester Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Rochester man has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on May 25, 2022, Marcus Anthony Jackson, 49, was in possession of a Taurus G2C 9MM pistol. Officers with the Rochester Police Department executed a search warrant at Jackson’s residence in Rochester. At the beginning of the search, Jackson indicated there were no firearms present. However, as an officer began to search above the kitchen cabinets, Jackson informed the officer that he had a gun above the refrigerator. Because he has multiple prior felony convictions in Olmsted, Ramsey and Hennepin Counties, Jackson is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Jackson pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Joan N. Erickson to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rochester Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert is prosecuting the case.
Restaurant Owners Plead Guilty to Harboring Undocumented WorkersRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Ge Tang (41, St. Augustine) and Yanshen Huang (36, St. Johns) have pleaded guilty to harboring undocumented aliens for commercial advantage and private financial gain. Each faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. As part of their plea agreements, Tang and Huang have agreed to forfeit to the United States a residence in St. Augustine and a residence in St. Johns, which were used to house undocumented aliens, along with a 2021 Toyota Sienna van that was used to transport the aliens between the residences and the restaurants and $35,720 in cash.
Their sentencing hearings have been scheduled for January 24, 2023.
According to their plea agreements, Tang and Huang owned and operated Tanks Sushi Bistro Seafood & Steaks in St. Augustine and Tanks Sushi Bistro in Ponte Vedra. At the restaurants, they employed aliens who were unlawfully present in the United States and who were not legally authorized to work in the United States. Contrary to federal law, Tang and Huang did not require the workers to provide documents to establish that they could legally work in the United States.
Tang and Huang also owned two residences, each of which was near one of the restaurants, at which they provided housing to the undocumented workers. They also provided the workers with transportation between the houses and the restaurants at the beginning and end of each workday.
Tang and Huang paid the workers in cash, did not withhold taxes and other payments from the workers’ wages, and did not pay the employer’s portion of these taxes to government authorities. They also did not report the workers to state revenue authorities as required under Florida law to ensure the collection of the proper amount of unemployment compensation tax.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier. Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran is handling forfeiture of the residences, van, and cash.
Pulaski County Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky.— A Somerset, Ky., man, Mark A. Bauer, 35, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to Bauer’s plea agreement, he developed a relationship with multiple suppliers of methamphetamine, and he regularly obtained multi-ounce quantities for the purpose of distributing it to others in the area. On January 5, 2020, law enforcement served an arrest warrant on Bauer, finding multiple bags of methamphetamine on his person.
Bauer pleaded guilty in July 2022.
Under federal law, Bauer must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; Chief William Hunt, Somerset Police Department; and Sheriff Greg Speck, Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by FBI, Somerset Police Department, and the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Trimble.
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Pike County Man Charged with Possession of Fentanyl at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation AreaRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Stephen M. Smith, age 42, of Bushkill, Pennsylvania, was charged on November 9, 2022, by criminal information with possession of fentanyl at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on August 29, 2022, Smith was stopped in his vehicle by Park Rangers at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and was found to be illegally in possession of packets of fentanyl.
The charge against Smith resulted from an investigation conducted by Park Rangers from the National Park Service. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
Under federal law, the maximum penalty for possession of controlled substances on federal property is up to one year in prison. The charge also carries a minimum fine of $1000. 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.
Criminal informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Pharmacist Charged with Illegally Distributing Prescription Cough Syrup and Earning Millions in ProfitsRead the Press Release
Detroit, MI – A licensed pharmacist was charged with wire fraud, money laundering, and illegally dispensing prescription cough syrup worth millions of dollars in an indictment unsealed today, U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Lynda M. Burdelik, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Chicago Field Office.
Zaman Alshafey, 35, of Dearborn, Michigan, was the owner and operator of Med Pro Pharmacy in Livonia, Michigan. Alshafey is charged with distributing misbranded drugs as the promethazine cough syrup was not safe for use except under the supervision of a practitioner licensed by law to administer the drug. Dispensing of promethazine cough syrup without valid prescriptions caused the drugs to become misbranded.
According to the Indictment, from January 2018 to March 2021, Alshafey ordered more than 300,000 pint-sized bottles of promethazine cough syrup from various wholesale distributors who operate outside the State of Michigan. Alshafey then sold the cough syrup to drug dealers without a valid prescription from a licensed practitioner, and he failed to disclose this to the wholesalers. Alshafey paid the wholesalers via wire transfers from funds derived from the unlawful dispensing of the cough syrup.
“A pharmacist violates the public’s trust by unlawfully dispensing any drug. We will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners, to identify and target those in the medical community who illegally dispense prescription drugs onto the street.” Ison said.
“Selling misbranded prescription drugs puts all consumers’ health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Lynda M. Burdelik, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Chicago Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who jeopardize the public’s health.”
This case was investigated by special agents with the Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Regina R. McCullough.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Peoria Leader of Extensive Methamphetamine Conspiracy Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois man, Christopher R. Williams, Jr., also known as “Black”, 31, of the 2100 block of West Starr Street, was sentenced last week to a total of 360 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine.
During a two-day sentencing hearing held on November 7th and 8th before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government presented evidence that Williams was a large-scale dealer of ice methamphetamine throughout the greater Peoria area. Evidence established that Williams was a top-tier, primary source for other wholesale drug dealers in central Illinois whose extensive customer base included Peoria, Tazewell, Fulton, and Henry counties. Judge Shadid also heard evidence that Williams was the source of a supply of narcotics responsible for the overdose deaths of three individuals in Peoria and Tazewell Counties.
At the hearing, Judge Shadid found Williams sought and carried firearms during the course of his drug conspiracy and, further, used threats of violence to collect drug monies. Judge Shadid further determined Williams did not sell drugs to support a substance abuse habit but, rather, for his own financial gain. In total, Williams was held responsible for trafficking over 48 kilograms of ice methamphetamine from November 2018 up to his arrest on August 11, 2021. Judge Shadid commented that Williams controlled a network of drug dealers and that he contributed to the harm, destruction, and drug-related deaths in the community, noting the evidence showed some of the ice methamphetamine Williams dealt was laced with deadly fentanyl.
“Thanks to the steady efforts of all law enforcement involved, Williams can no longer prey on and profit from the addictions of others,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine G. Legge. “Methamphetamine is highly addictive and leaves a path of destruction. Many of those working under Williams lost their jobs, families, homes, and a significant portion of their life thanks to their entangled addiction with ice methamphetamine; meanwhile, Williams was profiting mightily. Our commitment to disrupting those at the top, like Williams, will continue.”
“One of our area’s most prolific drug dealers has been stopped due to the dedication and efforts not only of the Pekin Police Department but also our partnerships with all the agencies involved,” said Pekin Police Department Chief John Dossey. “Williams inexcusably preyed on our vulnerable for his own personal gain. We are grateful for the solid work and team effort that resulted in a high-level dealer trafficking in dangerous and sometimes deadly drugs receiving a substantial prison sentence.”
Williams was indicted in July 2021 and entered a guilty plea in May 2022. Count 1 charged conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 50 grams of methamphetamine. Counts 2 and 3 each charged distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), and Count 4 charged distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual).
The statutory penalties for Counts 1 and 4 were 10 years to life imprisonment, followed by five-year to life terms of supervised release. The penalties for Counts 2 and 3 were five to 40 years imprisonment, followed by four-year to life terms of supervised release.
Williams has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest in August 2021.
The extensive investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Springfield Resident Office, with critical efforts provided by Pekin Police Department and Peoria Metropolitan Enforcement Group (PMEG). Also assisting in the investigation were the Peoria Police Department, Illinois State Police, Blackhawk Area Task Force, and Tazewell County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine G. Legge represented the government in the prosecution, with assistance from the Tazewell County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The case against Williams is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF)’s National Methamphetamine Strategic Initiative, spearheaded locally out of the Pekin Police Department. The primary goal of this initiative is to address methamphetamine trafficking and its attendant consequences by using a coordinated, multi-agency approach targeting the highest levels of drug trafficking leadership. 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.
Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Unlawfully Transporting AliensRead the Press Release
UTICA, NEW YORK – Juan Francisco Izalde-Bautista, age 34, of Hershey, Pennsylvania, pled guilty and was sentenced today to 6 months in prison for unlawfully transporting two Mexican citizens who were illegally present in the United States.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Acting Chief Patrol Agent Keith Hoops, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector.
Izalde-Bautista admitted that on October 2, 2022, he drove from Hershey to Potsdam, New York, to pick up two citizens of Mexico who had recently illegally crossed the international border from Canada into the United States. Izalde-Bautista also admitted that he planned to drive the two Mexican nationals to Hershey.
This case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss.
Passaic County Man Admits Distributing Fentanyl that Led to Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man today admitted distributing fentanyl that caused the death of another person, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Wyzier Peterson, 25, of Paterson, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an information charging him with one count of distribution of fentanyl relating to the overdose death of an individual.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On June 30, 2019, Peterson sold heroin and fentanyl, which was later ingested by the victim, resulting in the victim’s death.
The count of distribution of fentanyl carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for March 29, 2023.
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.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson in Newark; officers of the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; officers of the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Director Jerry Speziale and Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora; detectives of the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Passaic County Sheriff Richard H. Berdnick; and detectives of the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Camelia Valdes, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. She also thanked the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bergen County Sheriff's Office and the Belleville and Livingston police departments for their assistance with the case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori, Chief of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Firearm and Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Jacobe Hollingsworth, 25, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for possession with the intent to distribute marijuana and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that crime. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Hollingsworth to 74 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On January 13, 2022, police and probation officers went to Hollingsworth’s Omaha residence and located approximately 50 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, a digital drug scale, approximately 141 grams of marijuana, two handguns, and a drum magazine designed to hold approximately 50 rounds of ammunition. Hollingsworth attempted to flee, but officers stopped him. Officers also located approximately $6,671 in United States currency which Hollingsworth agreed to forfeit.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Omaha Police Department and is part of the Safe Streets Task Force. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Newport News Man Sentenced for Possessing AR-15 and Other Firearms in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to six and a half years in prison for possessing multiple firearms in furtherance of a cocaine-distribution operation.
According to court documents, since at least March 2021, Dillard Jamar Booker, 46, engaged in the manufacture, sale, and distribution of cocaine in the city of Newport News. After conducting a series of controlled narcotics purchases during which Booker sold cocaine to a confidential source, law enforcement officers obtained and executed a search warrant for Booker’s residence. Multiple firearms were recovered from the residence, to include a reportedly stolen AR-15 style rifle, along with almost 15 grams of crack cocaine and evidence that Booker was manufacturing and distributing cocaine.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and, Christopher Amon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Homer 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. 4:22-cr-34.
New York Veterinarian and Racehorse Trainers Sentenced to Prison in Federal Doping CaseRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that defendants LOUIS GRASSO, RICHARD BANCA, and RENE ALLARD were sentenced to 50 months in prison, 30 months in prison, and 27 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in distributing adulterated and misbranded drugs in service of a racehorse doping scheme. Each defendant previously pled guilty to felony drug misbranding and adulteration charges. U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel imposed the sentences in Manhattan federal court.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Illegally doping racehorses is animal abuse in the service of greed. Such corruption threatens the health of racehorses and undermines the integrity of the sport. Today, three defendants have been sentenced for their roles in perpetuating, and profiting from, the mistreatment of animals. The sentences each defendant received appropriately reflects the seriousness of these offenses in the eyes of the law.”
According to the statements in the Superseding Indictment, charging instruments, other filings in this case, and statements during court proceedings:
The charges in the Grasso case arise from an investigation of widespread schemes by racehorse trainers, veterinarians, distributors of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), and others to manufacture, distribute, and receive adulterated and misbranded PEDs and to secretly administer those PEDs to racehorses competing at all levels of professional horseracing. By evading PED prohibitions and deceiving regulators and horse racing officials, participants in these schemes sought to improve race performance and obtain prize money from racetracks throughout the United States, all to the detriment and risk of the health and well-being of the racehorses. GRASSO, a veterinarian, not only accepted payment in exchange for prescriptions for powerful and medically unnecessary PEDs, but he also created, distributed, and administered custom-made PEDs that were all misbranded and adulterated substances designed solely to improve racehorse performance. Through this fraudulent scheme, GRASSO helped corrupt trainers collect over $47 million in ill-gotten purse winnings. As standardbred racehorse trainers, BANCA and ALLARD purchased and administered adulterated and misbranded drugs to racehorses under their control, and as a result of their crimes, their horses earned approximately $16 million and $25 million in purse winnings, respectively. BANCA and ALLARD stood to profit from the success of racehorses under their control by earning a share of their horses’ winnings and by improving their horses’ racing records, thereby yielding higher trainer fees and increasing the number of racehorses under their control.
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In addition to their prison terms, LOUIS GRASSO, 65, of Pine Bush, New York, was sentenced to two years’ supervised release. RICHARD BANCA, 47, of Middletown, New York, and RENE ALLARD, 35, of Canada, were each sentenced to one year of supervised release. LOUIS GRASSO was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $47,656,576.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation New York Office’s Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force and its support of the Bureau’s Integrity in Sports and Gaming Initiative. Mr. Williams also thanked the Food and Drug Administration for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah Mortazavi and Anden Chow are in charge of the prosecution.
Mission man sent to prison for hiding kilos of heroin in floorboardsRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 27-year-old man residing in Mission has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of possession with the intent to distribute nine kilograms of heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Gerardo Torres pleaded guilty April 5.
Today, U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton ordered Torres to serve 48 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by four years of supervised release.
On Sept.10, 2021, Torres arrived at the Javier Vega Jr. Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint while driving a white Nissan Sentra. At that time, authorities believed he was carrying illegal narcotics and referred him to secondary inspection.
They noticed tool marks on his passenger seat rails. Law enforcement moved the front passenger seat further back and found white overspray on the wires beneath the seat. They lifted the carpet off the floorboard, found a trap door with four vacuum-sealed bundles wrapped in clear cellophane within the compartment.
Authorities continued to search the driver’s side floorboard which revealed another trap door. Five bundles were beneath the second door with four wrapped in black electrical tape and one vacuum-sealed in clear cellophane. Both rear floorboards also had trap doors but were empty.
The nine bundles were later determined to be 9.086 kilograms of heroin with an estimated street value of $545,160.
Torres will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Parker Gochenour and Liesel Roscher prosecuted the case.
McLaughlin Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for First Degree Murder and Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man convicted of First Degree Murder and Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence that Causes Death was sentenced on November 14, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann.
Casey Lynn Crow Ghost, age 44, was sentenced to life in federal prison on both charges, ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and ordered to forfeit his ownership of a handgun used in the crimes.
Crow Ghost was indicted for First Degree Murder and Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence that Causes Death by a federal grand jury in January of 2021. He was convicted by a jury on all charges on August 11, 2022.
The convictions stem from the December 12, 2020, shooting death of Crow Ghost's romantic partner in McLaughlin on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation. The victim's body was discovered on December 15, 2020, and an autopsy determined she died from a gunshot wound to the back of the head. Crow Ghost was interviewed by law enforcement and claimed that the shooting was both an accident and a result of self-defense. Evidence gathered by law enforcement showed Crow Ghost murdered the victim with a handgun and did so with premeditation.
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 case was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, Standing Rock Agency, and the Corson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.
Crow Ghost was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
McLaughlin Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of Children and Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man convicted of two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and one count of Witness Tampering was sentenced on November 14, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann.
Jerome Moses Goodhouse, Jr., age 31, was sentenced to life in federal prison on both counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child, 20 years in federal prison for Witness Tampering, and ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Goodhouse was indicted for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and Witness Tampering by a federal grand jury in January of 2022. He was convicted by a jury on all charges on August 24, 2022.
In 2017, Goodhouse sexually abused two minor children in McLaughlin on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation. After abusing one minor, he threatened her and told her to remain quiet about what he did to her.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, Standing Rock Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron J. Cook and Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Goodhouse was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Straw Purchases of Multiple FirearmsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for conspiring to violate the federal firearms laws.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Malachi Martins, aka “Steve,” 28, to 24 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Martins pleaded guilty on May 26, 2022.
According to court records, from October 2019 through January 2020, Martins purchased at least seven firearms from licensed dealers in Kittery and Gray using a straw purchaser. Martins, a known drug trafficker, paid for the firearms with drug proceeds and paid the coconspirator by forgiving his drug debt. He then distributed the firearms in Massachusetts.
Straw purchasing typically involves a buyer who can lawfully purchase firearms but who then provides them to another person who is legally prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms, therefore allowing the prohibited person to illegally obtain firearms and avoid the national background check system. Martins is prohibited from possessing firearms due to two previous convictions.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods: 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. To learn more information about Project Safe Neighborhood, visit www.justice.gov/psn.
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Man Sentenced to 33 Months for Threatening Port OfficialsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On November 2, 2022, John Milton Lee, 63, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced by United States District Judge James A. Soto to 33 months in prison. On May 16, 2022, Lee was convicted by a federal jury of Smuggling Goods from the United States and Impeding and Threatening a Federal Officer.
On November 1, 2019, Lee disrupted operations at the Lukeville Port-of-Entry in an hour-long armed standoff where he repeatedly threatened to shoot and kill five United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers with a FN High Power 88 semi-automatic 9 mm handgun tucked into his coat. Lee also had a fully loaded AR-15 assault rifle within arm’s reach, as well as three fully loaded 30-round high-capacity AR-15 magazines in his pocket during the armed standoff. As Lee made repeated threats to shoot the officers, the officers could see the defendant’s hand and wrist muscles moving on the firearm hidden in his coat. The officers did not use lethal force and instead spent nearly an hour trying to de-escalate the dangerous situation and negotiated with Lee to try to get him to surrender – to no avail.
This armed standoff had a significant impact on the lives of Lee’s victims. One officer testified that, since that potentially deadly day, he has worn his body armor every day at work – even in the stifling heat of the Arizona summer – because he realized “what could have been lost” and that “any border inspection could erupt into a dangerous situation.”
The officers were finally able to gain control over Lee after they tased him when it became clear that he would not surrender on his own accord. At sentencing, Judge Soto told Lee that he was lucky to be alive and that the officers were particularly patient and had shown great restraint .
After Lee was arrested, a search of his vehicle revealed an additional six firearms including a Tavor Model SAR .223 caliber firearm; a HK 91 .308 caliber rifle; a .22 caliber rifle; two .45 caliber firearms; and a .44 Mag caliber firearm. All of the firearms were fully loaded with a round in the chamber and ready to fire. Also discovered were 1,962 rounds of ammunition. Lee had more firepower in his vehicle than all the officers on scene combined.
Homeland Security Investigations, Sells, conducted the investigation in this case, with the assistance of CBP. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela Martinez and Serra M. Tsethlikai, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-2946-TUC-JAS-LAB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-210_Lee# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Man Convicted for Health Care Fraud and Prescription Drug Diversion SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a California man yesterday for his role in an approximately $723,000 health care fraud and prescription drug diversion scheme involving two Southern California pharmacies.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Shahriar “Michael” Kalantari, 55, of Beverly Hills, generated false prescriptions as part of a health care fraud and unlicensed wholesale distribution scheme occurring in 2016 and 2017. Kalantari’s co-conspirators obtained beneficiary information, which Kalantari then used to write or cause to be written false and fraudulent prescriptions for expensive prescription medication, including drugs used to treat HIV. Kalantari’s co-conspirator then submitted claims to Medicare and Medicaid of California through her two pharmacies for the drugs, which were never dispensed to the beneficiaries but, rather, provided to co-conspirators to sell on the black market.
Kalantari was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, and conspiracy to engage in the unlicensed wholesale distribution of prescription drugs. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 24, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each of the health care fraud conspiracy and health care fraud counts, and a maximum penalty of five years for the unlicensed distribution counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California, Assistant Director in Charge Donald Alway of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Timothy B. DeFrancesca of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case, which was brought as part of the Los Angeles Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. The California Department of Justice provided valuable assistance.
Assistant Chief Alexis Gregorian and Trial Attorneys Justin Givens and Alex Michael of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 24 federal districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $19 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Man Charged with Selling Migratory BirdsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Cuban citizen living in Madison, Wisconsin is charged with 3 counts of violating the Migratory Bird Trafficking Act in an indictment returned on October 12, 2022, by a federal grand jury sitting in Madison. The indictment is announced by Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
Jorge Luis Iglesias, 60, made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Madison yesterday and was detained in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for tomorrow, November 17, at 9:00 a.m.
The indictment charges Iglesias with 3 counts of selling migratory birds, specifically Yellow-faced Grassquits, in violation of federal law. The indictment alleges that he sold the birds on April 21, May 5, and December 29, 2020.
If convicted, Iglesias faces a maximum penalty of 2 years in federal prison on each count. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Graber 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.
Livingston man admits illegal possession of firearmRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Livingston man today admitted to illegally possessing a firearm while using drugs after law enforcement seized firearms, ammunition and drug paraphernalia that tested positive for methamphetamine in his residence, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Daniel Joseph Colvin, 35, pleaded guilty to prohibited person in possession of firearm. Colvin faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Judge Watters set sentencing for March 30, 2023. Colvin was released pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in the spring of 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives received information that Colvin was in possession of firearms and was heavily using meth and fentanyl. Agents executed a search warrant on Colvin’s residence and seized firearms and ammunition belonging to Colvin and also located numerous items of drug paraphernalia that tested positive for meth. Witnesses told law enforcement that Colvin would buy and use fentanyl and was using meth.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas K. Godfrey is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the ATF and Park County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Kissimmee Felon Found Guilty After Stockpiling Firearms and Ammunition in His ResidenceRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Daniel Stephen King (28, Kissimmee) guilty of possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. King faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 23, 2023.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on April 23, 2022, the Osceola County Sherriff’s Office was called to King’s residence due to a domestic disturbance. When the deputies arrived, a resident of the house frantically ran out with her four-year old daughter. The deputies were informed that King had a large number of firearms and ammunition in the house and that King had strapped on a bullet proof vest. At the time, King was a convicted felon who was on probation and prohibited from possessing guns or ammunition. The deputies surrounded the house, and after about two hours, they were able to persuade King to come out and surrender. A warrant was obtained to search the residence and nine firearms were recovered, including three rifles, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and a ballistic vest. A rifle safe, multiple gun lockboxes, magazines, and an ammunition can were also recovered from inside of the house.
King will have to forfeit all of the firearms and ammunition which were part of the offense.
This case was investigated by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John M. Gardella.
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.
Kansas Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse and Child Pornography Related ChargesRead the Press Release
Benton, Illinois – Luis Alberto Dejesus-Merced, 46, of Junction City, Kansas, was sentenced to 384 months imprisonment on Thursday, November 10, 2022.
According to court documents and statements presented at the hearing, Dejesus-Merced was a family friend and the godfather of the 10-year-old victim. Dejesus-Merced sexually assaulted the victim in
Georgia and attempted to transport the child to Dejesus-Merced’s residence in Junction City, Kansas with the intent to engage in further sex acts. However, while in route, an Illinois State Police trooper conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle driven by Dejesus-Merced. The trooper noted that
Dejesus- Merced appeared “extremely nervous” and a record check revealed he was a registered sex offender. Due to the trooper’s concerns related to Dejesus-Merced’s history and behavior, the trooper conducted a further investigation. A search of Dejesus-Merced’s vehicle revealed cellphones containing child pornography. The child also disclosed the abuse at the hands of Dejesus-Merced.In imposing the 32-year sentence, the sentencing judge observed that “this fact situation is probably as bad as I’ve ever seen” and told Dejesus-Merced that “you are definitely a danger to society.”
“This is truly despicable conduct,” said United States Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “The 32-year sentence will provide just punishment for this defendant but cannot restore this child’s lost innocence. We are profoundly grateful for the vigilance and professionalism exhibited by our law enforcement partners in this case, and in particular by the Illinois State Police trooper who conducted the traffic stop and saved this child from further abuse at the hands of this defendant.”
“Due to the keen eye of our law enforcement partners and the dedication of our special agents, a predator has now been removed from the streets where he victimized children.” said Special Agent in
Charge R. Sean Fitzgerald of the Chicago Division of Homeland Security Investigations. “This is yet another testament to the importance of maintaining strong partnerships with local and state law enforcement agencies.”“The ISP trooper's vigilance and further investigation into this incident likely prevented further victimization and countless other crimes all as a result of a simple traffic stop," said Illinois
State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly. “While human trafficking and its peripheral crimes are often difficult to spot, ISP is motivated by arrests such as this and committed to further training its troopers in the detection of these heinous crimes."
The Illinois State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Jefferson County Sherriff’s Department conducted the investigation in this case which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney
Karelia S. Rajagopal.Justice Department Launches Disability Rights Investigation into Missouri’s Use of Skilled Nursing FacilitiesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has opened an investigation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into whether the State of Missouri unnecessarily institutionalizes adults with serious mental illness in skilled nursing facilities. The department will investigate whether these individuals could be served in the community with services such as supported housing, assertive community treatment, crisis services and peer support services, and whether the State’s use of guardianship for people with serious mental illness contributes to unnecessary placements in nursing facilities. Guardianship is a process in which a court appoints someone to make certain decisions for a person, often including decisions about where to live.
Prior to the announcement, the department informed state officials of the investigation.
“People with disabilities have too often been unlawfully isolated in institutions and stripped of their autonomy,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to defend the rights of individuals with mental health disabilities to access the community-based services they need and to participate fully in community life.”
The Justice Department has not reached any conclusions regarding the subject matter under investigation. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the department via email at [email protected] or through the Civil Rights Division’s Civil Rights Portal, available at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s Olmstead enforcement is available on its website at https://www.ada.gov/olmstead/.
Justice Department Announces Director of the Office of Environmental JusticeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the appointment of Cynthia M. Ferguson as the Director of the Office of Environmental Justice, where she will lead efforts to engage all Justice Department bureaus, components and offices in the collective pursuit of environmental justice.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the first-ever Office of Environmental Justice last May along with a series of measures as part of a comprehensive enforcement strategy to secure environmental justice for all Americans.
“Communities of color, indigenous communities and low-income communities often bear the brunt of the harm caused by environmental crime, pollution and climate change,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Cynthia Ferguson has demonstrated the exact kind of dedication and vision that we need to address these longstanding inequities and I look forward to her leadership of this new office.”
“Cynthia Ferguson’s more than two decades of service to the Environment and Natural Resources Division and the cause of justice make her especially prepared to take on this role,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Cynthia will play a critical role in the department’s efforts to hear and to address the concerns of American communities who have borne a disproportionate burden from pollution for far too long.”
The department also announced that Deputy Chief Daria Neal will serve as the Civil Rights Division Liaison to the Office of Environmental Justice. Ms. Neal joined the Civil Rights Division’s Federal Coordination and Compliance Section in 2010 as a Deputy Chief of the Section. Her work includes enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and she has been integral to supporting federal agencies’ civil rights enforcement and compliance efforts to advance environmental justice in areas ranging from environmental protection, transportation, health, and housing. She also leads the Title VI/Environmental Justice Committee of the White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council.
Ms. Ferguson has served as the Acting Director of the Office of Environmental Justice housed within the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice since May 2022.
Ms. Ferguson began her career in 2000 as an Honors Attorney in the Division’s Environmental Enforcement Section and has handled a variety of challenging matters. In 2012, she was selected to take on the new senior level position as the Division’s Senior Litigation Counsel for Environmental Justice.
Ms. Ferguson has worked to ensure that environmental justice principles are integrated into the Division’s affirmative and defensive work. She leads the Division’s Environmental Justice Workgroup and the Division’s overall environmental justice strategic planning efforts. She also serves as the Department’s designated Environmental Justice Officer on the White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council chaired by the Council on Environmental Quality and established by Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, in 2021. She helped lead the Division’s effort to develop the Department’s Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy, in coordination with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other client agencies, as directed by Executive Order 14008.
Ms. Ferguson earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie‐Mellon University and a law degree from the Chicago‐Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology.
Jonesboro Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Conspiracy, Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—A Jonesboro man has been sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for his involvement in multiple crimes including a methamphetamine conspiracy, assault on a federal officer, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Brian S. Miller sentenced Eiichi Moore, 44, this morning in Little Rock. In addition to the sentence of imprisonment, Judge Miller sentenced Moore to five years of supervised release.
From April 2019 to January 2020, Moore and others conspired to distribute methamphetamine in the Jonesboro area. Moore provided methamphetamine to other dealers who distributed it at Moore’s direction. Law enforcement conducted several controlled purchases of methamphetamine in which Moore typically sold a pound of methamphetamine for $7,000.
After several of these controlled drug purchases, on January 15, 2020, FBI went to arrest Moore, who fired shots at federal agents during his arrest. After Moore was taken into custody, he was found to be in possession of two semi-automatic pistols and a semi-automatic shotgun. He was charged later that month and pleaded guilty in May 2021.
“Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to protect the public,” stated United States Attorney Jonathan D. Ross. “This defendant brazenly shot at the agents who came to arrest him for the crimes he committed. This 20-year sentence should clearly convey to anyone who would harm law enforcement officers that these violent acts will be met with a long prison term.”
“Today’s federal court sentence puts an end to Eiichi Moore’s well-documented criminal history in northeast Arkansas,” said FBI Little Rock Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson. “Mr. Moore’s crimes not only preyed upon Jonesboro citizens but also endangered federal agents when he shot at an FBI SWAT team during a lawful arrest operation in January 2020. Mr. Moore’s period of incarceration should give pause to anyone attempting to peddle narcotics in our Arkansas communities or threaten federal law enforcement officers.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI with assistance from the Jonesboro Police Department, Arkansas State Police, Second Judicial Drug Task Force, and Craighead County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Erin O’Leary and Bart Dickinson.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Iowa Construction Firm Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
The owner of a Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, construction firm pleaded guilty today to tax evasion for evading payment of his company’s employment taxes.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Kevin Alexander, 62, of Sioux City, owned K&L Construction, Inc., a landscaping and construction company. As the sole shareholder and president of K&L Construction, Alexander was responsible for filing quarterly employment tax returns and collecting and paying over to the IRS payroll taxes withheld from employees’ wages. From the second quarter of 2014 through the first quarter of 2017, K&L Construction paid approximately $3.8 million in wages to its employees and withheld approximately $1 million in payroll taxes, but the company did not pay over any of these withholdings to the IRS.
During IRS collection proceedings, Alexander accepted responsibility for paying K&L Construction’s outstanding tax balance. Alexander, however, submitted a false form to the IRS that concealed some of his assets. As part of his plea agreement, Alexander admitted that he submitted the false form for the purpose of concealing assets and evading payment of K&L Construction’s outstanding payroll tax liability.
Alexander is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for tax evasion. 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 Timothy T. Duax for the Northern District of Iowa made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Timmons of the Northern District of Iowa and trial attorney Meredith Havekost of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Inmate at United States Penitentiary at Canaan Charged with Assault on Another InmateRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jordan Anderson, age 27, an inmate at the United States Penitentiary, Canaan, Pennsylvania, was indicted on November 15, 2022, by a federal grand jury for assaulting another inmate and possessing contraband in prison.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on May 10, 2022, Anderson assaulted another inmate with a sharpened piece of metal commonly known as a “shank.”
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Indictment Charges 3 New Haven Men with Narcotics and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that DONELL ALLICK, JR., also known as “D-Nice,” 23; SAMUEL DOUGLAS, also known as “Blamm,” 24; and JOURDIN SENIOR, also known as “G,” 30, all of New Haven, have been charged with federal narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.
A seven-count indictment was returned by a grand jury in Hartford on November 2, 2022, and the three defendants were arrested on November 10, 2022.
As alleged in an indictment and statements made in court, between April and October 2022, Allick, Douglas and Senior conspired with one another, and with others, to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine in the New Haven area. In June 2022, Douglas was arrested on state charges after he was found in possession of narcotics while on state probation. In September and October 2022, law enforcement made controlled purchases of fentanyl from Allick and Senior. On October 24, 2022, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of a residence shared by Allick and Senior and seized three handguns, extended magazines, and quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine, some of which was packaged for street-level distribution. A related search of Allick’s car, which had been observed in suspected drug transactions, resulted in the seizure of another handgun, a 33-round extended magazine, and quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine.
The indictment charges Allick, Douglas and Senior with one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base (“crack cocaine”), and Allick and Senior with additional counts related to the distribution of narcotics. These offenses carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count. The indictment also charges Allick with unlawful possession of firearms by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of at least five years.
Allick, Douglas and Senior are currently detained.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); the New Haven Police Department; and the Hamden Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara E. Levens.
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.
Indiana Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Fraud CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Stefanie Marie Wells, 37, of of Jasonville, Indiana, was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release, for bank fraud and aggravated identify theft. Wells was also ordered to pay $10,100 in restitution.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 19, 2020, Wells wrote a $2,700 check from a stolen checkbook and cashed it at a bank in Mount Hope by presenting a stolen driver’s license. Wells admitted to obtaining the stolen license and checkbook on or some time prior to October 19, 2020.
Wells cashed three additional checks totaling $7,400 from the stolen checkbook on October 19, 2020. Wells used the same stolen driver’s license to cash the stolen checks at banks in Beaver and Beckley, and a different stolen driver’s license to cash the third stolen check at a Montgomery bank.
Wells further admitted to several unsuccessful attempts at fraud. On October 20, 2020, Wells attempted to cash a $2,650 check from the stolen checkbook at a Charleston bank while using one of the stolen driver’s licenses. On November 23, 2020, Wells attempted to cash a $2,300 stolen check at a Beckley bank, and then attempted to withdraw $2,500 by presenting a stolen driver’s license at a Summersville bank. Each of these attempts was unsuccessful.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United States Park Police, the Beckley Police Department, and the Summersville Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-191.
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Hattiesburg Woman Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Hattiesburg woman was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to 60 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
According to court documents, beginning in October 2020, and continuing to December 9, 2020, Maketia Dozier, 35, conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in and around the Hattiesburg area. During the course of the conspiracy, Dozier was found to be responsible for the distribution of 18 pounds of methamphetamine.
In addition to the prison sentence, Dozier was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.
The case is the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Don’t Tell On Me Bro,” which began as an operation targeting illegal drug trafficking in the Hattiesburg, Mississippi area. “Don’t Tell On Me Bro” is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Lamar County Sheriff’s Office, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Hattiesburg Police Department, Forrest County Sheriff’s Office, and the Columbia Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.
Hastings Man Sentenced for Possession of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Robert Williams, 52, of Hastings, Nebraska, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard to a term of 144 months’ imprisonment following his conviction for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. After he completes his prison sentence, Williams will also serve eight years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On July 9, 2020, Investigators utilized a confidential informant to purchase methamphetamine from Williams. The buy fell through; however, investigators obtained a search warrant for Williams’s apartment. Inside investigators located approximately 269 grams of methamphetamine, packaged in 27 different baggies. The drugs were sent to the Nebraska State Patrol Crime Lab where an analyst confirmed that one of the bags was confirmed to be 66 grams of pure methamphetamine. Officers also located marijuana and a large number of pills as well as other items used to ingest and distribute narcotics.
This case was investigated by the Hastings Police Department and the Central Nebraska Drug and Safe Streets Task Force, which is made up of officers from the Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff, Hastings Police Department, Adams County Sheriff, Kearney Police Department, Buffalo County Sheriff, Nebraska State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.