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16 November 2022
Hammond Tax Preparer Sentenced to Probation and One Year of Home Confinement for Filing False IRS Returns and Making False Statements to IRS and to Department of EducationRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – KENISHA R. CALLAHAN, age 45, and a resident of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, was sentenced on November 9, 2022 to five (5) years of probation and one year of home confinement by U.S. District Court Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle after CALLAHAN had pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false tax return, one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return and one count of making a false statement to the Department of Education, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans of the Eastern District of Louisiana.
According to court records, count one alleges that CALLAHAN, the owner of Callahan Tax Service, prepared and filed a false 2015 U.S. Individual Tax Return Form 1040, wherein she underreported her earned income for the alleged time period. Count two charges that in 2015, CALLAHAN aided in the preparation and filing of a client’s tax return that falsely stated to the IRS that the client owned a business, and that the client had a business loss for the 2014 tax year. Count three alleges that CALLAHAN committed financial aid fraud by falsely reporting the amount of income that she earned in 2015 to the Department of Education while applying for student loan forgiveness.
In addition to the sentence, CALLAHAN was ordered to repay the IRS the amount of $353,834 and $191,738 to the Department of Education as mandatory restitution.
U.S. Attorney Evans commended the special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Department of Education for their handling of the matter. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera.
Havelock Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl Dealer Sententenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Kenneth Dewayne Whitehead, 43, of Havelock, North Carolina was sentenced today to 180 months in prison for distributing five grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl. Following his release, he will face 5 years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on April 14, 2022, Whitehead pleaded guilty to one count of distributing five grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl.
In January 2021, members of the Havelock Police Department received information that Whitehead was distributing methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl in the Havelock area.
From January to June 2021, investigators conducted several controlled purchases of narcotics from Whitehead in Havelock.
For example, on January 29, 2021, Whitehead sold 13.48 grams of crystal methamphetamine with a purity of 97% to a confidential informant. On February 8, 2021, Whitehead sold 3.26 grams of fentanyl. On May 19, 2021, Whitehead sold 57.76 grams of crystal methamphetamine with a purity of 100%. Additional controlled purchases were also conducted.
In total, Whitehead was found responsible for 17.5 grams of heroin, 20.795 grams of fentanyl, 30.7 grams of methamphetamine, and 155.39 grams of crystal methamphetamine.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Havelock Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Lemmon prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 4:21-cr-00059-FL.
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Grand Jury - November 2022Read the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 14 unsealed Indictments charging 16 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
* Jimmy L. Aaron, age 48, of Omaha, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about August 23, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, not less than ten years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jacqueline R. Brandt, age 43, of Minden, Iowa, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Counts I-III charge Brandt with bank fraud beginning on or about January 6, 2022 and continuing to on or about July 5, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
There is also an allegation to forfeit $116,240 in United States currency and property seized on or about July 5, 2022.
* Aaron Jason Burkholder, age 46, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with escape from custody on or about June 28, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Joshua Thomas Alan Casiano, age 35, is charged with possession of stolen firearms beginning on or about April 13, 2021 and continuing through May 4, 2021. The penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Alonzo Chich-Perez, age 20, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about April 12, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jonathan Cortez Moreno, age 37, is charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien after an aggravated felony conviction on or about October 14, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Miguel Alcangel Fonseca Maradiaga a/k/a Miguel M. Fonseca, age 35, is charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien after having been convicted of a felony on or about September 16, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Erika Lopez-Garcia, age 27, and Gabriel Rubio-Quevedo, age 25, are charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Lopez-Garcia and Rubio-Quevedo with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine beginning on or about April 1, 2022 and continuing to on or about August 31, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Lopez-Garcia with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about August 31, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Eleuterio Meza-Navarro, age 35, is charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien after an aggravated felony conviction on or about November 7, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Monica Morales, age 31, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Morales with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about September 14, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Morales with possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime on or about September 14, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jose Rico, age 25, of Lamont, California, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl on or about July 20, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Juan Vargas Lopez, age 33, is charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien after deportation on or about October 26, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Oscar A. Villa, age 36, and Johana Madrid, age 28, are charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Villa and Madrid with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) beginning on or about unknown date and continuing to on or about August 17, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Villa and Madrid with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about August 17, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to a life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Clifford Wright, III, age 33, is charged with felon in possession of a firearm beginning on or about November 2, 2022. The penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Gloucester County Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison for Trafficking and Unlawfully Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Gloucester County, New Jersey, man with five prior felony convictions was sentenced today to 151 months in prison for unlawfully possessing and conspiring to sell multiple firearms, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Dylan Ianncelli, 29, of Pitman, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to an information charging him with one count of conspiring to make false statements in obtaining firearms and to illegally engage in the business of dealing in firearms, as well as one count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon. Judge Rodriguez imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Ianncelli and his conspirator, Jessy Hill, agreed to purchase firearms in Georgia and transport them for resale in New Jersey. On Aug. 12, 2021, Hill purchased 11 firearms from a licensed dealer in Georgia. Hill falsely indicated during the purchase that she was the actual buyer/transferee of the firearms even though she was purchasing the firearms for others. Ianncelli and Hill drove a car containing the firearms from Georgia to Mantua, New Jersey, where the car was stopped by law enforcement officers the following morning. Officers recovered from the car the 11 firearms purchased by Hill the prior day, as well as ammunition and a 12th firearm with a defaced serial number that Hill purchased a week earlier.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Rodriguez sentenced Ianncelli to three years of supervised release.
Hill previously pleaded guilty to her role in the scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 1, 2023.
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 leadership of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bryan R. Miller, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the New Jersey State Police, the Mantua Township Police Department, and the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance on this investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
Gilbert Man Sentenced to 33 Months for Dealing in Firearms Without a LicenseRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Chris Oliver, 24, of Gilbert, Arizona, was sentenced on October 17, 2022, by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 33 months in prison. Oliver previously pleaded guilty to Dealing in Firearms Without a License.
Oliver was indicted for conspiracy to purchase firearms from Arizona gun stores using false statements in order to resell those firearms for profit. Oliver and his co-defendants, Dion Delpino, 24, of Gilbert, Arizona, Michael Troy Kelly, Jr., 24, of Tempe, Arizona, and Eric Roy Rathbun, II, 24, of Chandler, Arizona, were also charged with 76 instances of making a false statement during the purchase of firearms. All of Oliver’s co-conspirators have pleaded guilty to making false statements and are pending sentencing.
From July 2019 through November 2020, Oliver and his co-conspirators purchased at least 123 firearms for the purpose of selling them for a profit. Oliver then resold those firearms, mostly handguns, for a profit. Thirty of those handguns were recovered by law enforcement: 28 in or around Oakland, California, and two in the Phoenix metro area. Many of these firearms were recovered from prohibited possessors—persons who are legally prohibited from possessing firearms. Six were recovered in six separate homicide investigations, including one incident in which Stockton (California) Police Officer Jimmy Arty Inn was murdered while responding to a domestic violence call. Oliver was a manager of this criminal enterprise: he directed his co-conspirators to purchase weapons on his behalf. Oliver, Kelly, and Delpino were first indicted in August 2021; additional counts against Oliver and Rathbun were added in May 2022.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, many stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Phoenix, Mesa, Gilbert, and Scottsdale Police Departments, as well as Homeland Security Investigations and the Commercial Narcotics Interdiction Unit of the Phoenix Police Department, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Coleen Schoch, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00600-DLR-PHX
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-209_Oliver, et al# # #
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.
Georgia Man Who Supplied Bridgeport Gang Members with Firearms Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that STEPHFAN SANDERSON, also known as “Birdy” and “Beans, 24, of Covington, Georgia, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to a firearms trafficking offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. From at least 2017 until his arrest on November 12, 2020, Sanderson, who formerly resided in Bridgeport, procured at least 25 firearms in Georgia and Alabama and distributed them to individuals he had reason to know would commit felonies with those firearms, including members of the “Greene Homes Boyz” (“GHB/Hotz”) and Original North End (“O.N.E.”) street gangs in Bridgeport. Some of the firearms he trafficked were capable of firing multiple bullets with the single pull of the trigger.
Sanderson pleaded guilty to one count of crossing state lines with the intent to engage in the unlicensed dealing of firearms, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. A sentencing is not scheduled.
Sanderson has been detained since his arrest.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Stratford and Naugatuck Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, Stephanie T. Levick and Karen L. Peck.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is 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.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Fulton Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Secretly Recording Teen VictimsRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Fulton, Mo., man who secretly recorded two teenage victims has been sentenced in federal court for attempting to produce child pornography.
Craig Michael Glover, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes on Tuesday, Nov. 15, to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
On July 19, 2022, Glover pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to produce child pornography. Glover admitted that he secretly placed a hidden camera in the bedroom of a victim, identified in court documents as FV1. Glover also admitted that he placed a hidden camera in a bathroom to capture video of a second victim, identified in court documents as FV2.
According to the plea agreement, FV1 discovered the camera, which was designed to look like a USB phone charger, a few days after Glover had been alone in her home. She was plugging in a Christmas tree on Jan. 2, 2021, when she discovered a brown cord plugged into the wall. She followed the extension cord and found the camera attached with tape to a shelving unit in her room. On the same day, FV1 and her mother took the camera, which had a 32GB micro SD card installed in the device, to the Jefferson City Police Department. An FBI special agent reviewed the video files stored on the SD card, which revealed multiple videos of FV1 completely nude or partially nude in her bedroom. Another recording stored on the SD card showed Glover placing the camera.
A Jefferson City police detective interviewed Glover, who admitted this was the second time he had installed a camera in FV1’s bedroom. Glover admitted that he also had installed a hidden camera when FV1 was a minor.
Investigators examined Glover’s iPhone and found multiple images of FV1 at various stages of undress. The computer forensic examiner also found images of another victim. The images, which were still shots taken from video from a hidden camera, depicted FV2 in various stages of undress in the bathroom. FV2 told investigators the images were recorded at her 17th birthday party, which Glover had attended.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Franklin County Man Sentenced to 10 Years Federal Prison for Drug-Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – John E. Evans, 55, of Eastpoint, Florida, was sentenced on Monday to ten years in federal prison followed by ten years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Those who repeatedly commit serious crimes are deserving of significant prison sentences,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “This career criminal has demonstrated his unwillingness to abide by the law, committing repeated drug crimes. Given the outstanding work of our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners, he will no longer be distributing drugs in our community.”
Court documents reflect that Evans conspired to distribute approximately ten pounds of methamphetamine along with other federal defendants. On September 28, 2021, and October 9, 2021, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office made controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Evans.
"We are thankful for the partnership with the U.S. Attorney's Office,” said Franklin County Sheriff A.J. Smith. “This kind of sentence sends a clear message that the sale of meth in our community will not be tolerated."
Evans qualified as a Career Offender and had an enhanced mandatory minimum sentence based on his prior criminal history. Evans had previously been to prison on multiple occasions, primarily for drug-trafficking offenses and had ten prior convictions involving the sale of a controlled substance.
“Methamphetamine is a highly addictive and destructive substance. This sentence highlights our commitment to ensuring that those who bring this poison into our communities are brought to justice,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “The DEA Miami Field Division remains steadfast in our commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to protect the safety and health of our Florida communities.”
The case resulted from a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Former Washington, D.C. Metro Transit Police Officer Found Guilty of Civil Rights Violation for Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
A jury in the District of Columbia found former D.C. Metro Transit Police Officer Andra Vance, 48, guilty today of a civil rights violation for his unlawful beating of an unarmed transit rider with a metal baton without legal justification on Feb. 16, 2018.
In 2019, a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned a two-count indictment alleging that Vance violated the civil rights of a victim identified in court documents as “D.C.” D.C.’s civil rights by striking and then choking D.C. with a metal baton. Vance was found guilty of one count of deprivation of rights involving the beating and acquitted of the second charge alleging the choking.
During the week-long trial, the government introduced evidence that the victim, D.C., attempted to use an invalid Metro card to board a train at the Anacostia Metro station. When the card was confiscated by Metro Transit personnel, D.C. became angry. As D.C. complained to Vance, Vance used his metal baton to hit D.C. in the head. As D.C. fled, Vance chased D.C. from the Metro station and continued striking D.C. in the head and neck area. D.C. fell to the ground and Vance climbed on top of D.C., put the metal baton to his neck, and pressed down as D.C. bled onto the sidewalk below. A fellow officer helped to handcuff D.C. and was present when medical personnel responded to treat D.C. for his injuries. At least one fellow officer who witnessed the assault testified that D.C. was not a threat to Vance or anyone else at the Anacostia Metro station.
“People in the District of Columbia have the right to be free from excessive force at the hands of law enforcement, and that includes transit officers working for the D.C. Metro,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The department will continue to aggressively prosecute any law enforcement officer who willfully violates the civil rights of our community members.”
“As members of law enforcement, it is our sworn duty to uphold the law,” said Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. “A crime like this betrays that duty and the badge with which the defendant was entrusted. When officers violate the civil rights of District citizens through unreasonable and unjustified violence, we will hold them accountable.”
“Our commitment to transparency is key in our efforts to support and build trust with the communities we serve,” said Chief Michael Anzallo of the Metro Transit Police Department. “We value our partner agencies and appreciate the opportunity to hold this former officer accountable for his actions.”
Sentencing has been set for March 10, 2023. Vance faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Anzallo made the announcement.
Trial Attorney Maura White of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gauri Gopal for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.
Former SunMark Community Bank Loan Officer Pleads Guilty in Asset Misapplication SchemeRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A former bank loan officer entered a guilty plea in federal court yesterday in an asset misapplication scheme involving $1.2 million dollars.
Mitchell Fowler, 35, of Hawkinsville, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of misapplication by a bank employee and one count of embezzlement by a bank employee before U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self, III on Nov. 15. Fowler faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for March 7, 2023.
According to court documents, Fowler was a loan officer at SunMark Community Bank in Bonaire, Georgia, where he handled most of the bank’s construction loans and therefore had the ability to transfer funds between customer accounts. Around Nov. 2019, Fowler began to take funds from customers’ accounts without their authorization and used those funds to pay on and fund loans for other customers. The unauthorized withdrawals and transfers made from these accounts ranged from $1,250 to $100,000 per transaction. None of these withdrawals or transfers were authorized by the customers from whom the funds were taken.
The issue came to SunMark’s attention on Feb. 16, 2021, when a customer called regarding $400,000 that was missing from their account. The bank discovered that Fowler had electronically transferred the money to another customer’s account over the course of a week. As SunMark dug deeper, they discovered Fowler had transferred money out of other accounts without authorization. SunMark calculated the loss to be $1,129,000. SunMark was able to recoup most of the money through their own prevention and mitigation efforts. The remaining $273,173.71 that they were not able to recoup was repaid by Fowler.
“Although all of the embezzled funds were recovered, it does not reduce the fact that this former bank employee was playing Russian roulette with other people’s money, putting their hard-earned savings in jeopardy and a community bank at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Fraud of any kind is a serious crime that our office will not ignore. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold these corporate fraudsters accountable.”
“Banks are institutions that people trust with their life savings, and Fowler tarnished that trust by violating his position and greedily misusing customers money,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Fortunately, an observant customer noticed missing funds and notified the bank, saving further loss to the bank and other customers. Thanks to our partnership with the Perry Police Department, Fowler will pay significantly for his crimes.”
The case was investigated by the Perry Police Department and FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard is prosecuting the case for the government.
Former Metro Transit Police Officer Found Guilty of Civil Rights Violation for Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A jury in the District of Columbia found former D.C. Metro Transit Police Officer Andra Vance, 48, guilty today of a civil rights violation for his unlawful beating of an unarmed transit rider with a metal baton without legal justification on Feb. 16, 2018.
In 2019, a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned a two-count indictment alleging that Vance violated the civil rights of a victim identified in court documents as “D.C.” by striking and then choking D.C. with a metal baton. Vance was found guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia of one count of deprivation of rights involving the beating and acquitted of the second charge alleging the choking.
During the week-long trial, the government introduced evidence that the victim, D.C., attempted to use an invalid Metro card to board a train at the Anacostia Metro station. When the card was confiscated by Metro Transit personnel, D.C. became angry. As D.C. complained to Vance, Vance used his metal baton to hit D.C. in the head. As D.C. fled, Vance chased D.C. from the Metro station and continued striking D.C. in the head and neck area. D.C. fell to the ground and Vance climbed on top of D.C., put the metal baton to his neck, and pressed down as D.C. bled onto the sidewalk below. A fellow officer helped to handcuff D.C. and was present when medical personnel responded to treat D.C. for his injuries. At least one fellow officer who witnessed the assault testified that D.C. was not a threat to Vance or anyone else at the Anacostia Metro station.
“People in the District of Columbia have the right to be free from excessive force at the hands of law enforcement, and that includes transit officers working for the D.C. Metro,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The department will continue to aggressively prosecute any law enforcement officer who willfully violates the civil rights of our community members.”
“As members of law enforcement, it is our sworn duty to uphold the law,” said Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. “A crime like this betrays that duty and the badge with which the defendant was entrusted. When officers violate the civil rights of District citizens through unreasonable and unjustified violence, we will hold them accountable.”
“Our commitment to transparency is key in our efforts to support and build trust with the communities we serve,” said Chief Michael Anzallo of the Metro Transit Police Department. “We value our partner agencies and appreciate the opportunity to hold this former officer accountable for his actions.”
Sentencing has been set for March 10, 2023. Vance faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Graves, and Chief Anzallo made the announcement.
Trial Attorney Maura White of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gauri Gopal for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.
Former Carpenters’ Benefit Plan Administrator Sentenced to Six Months’ Home Confinement, Three Years’ Probation for Embezzling $140,000Read the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The former administrative manager of a carpenters’ union pension fund was sentenced today to six months of home confinement and three years of probation for embezzling approximately $140,000 and making false statements on a required report to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
George R. Laufenberg, 72, of Wall Township, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin R. McNulty to two counts of an indictment charging him with embezzling approximately $140,000 in pension benefits and making false statements to the DOL. Judge McNulty imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Laufenberg was the administrative manager of the Northeast Carpenters Pension Fund, which was subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Laufenberg was a fiduciary and participant in the pension fund. He admitted stealing $140,000 that was paid to him under a deferred compensation agreement to which he was not entitled. Laufenberg also admitted that he made false statements in a form required under ERISA that he filed to the Department of Labor on behalf of the pension fund.
In addition to the prison term, Judge McNulty fined Laufenberg $20,000 and debarred him from any future association with a union or benefit plan.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the DOL Employee Benefit Security Administration, under the supervision of Thomas Licetti, Regional Director; special agents of the DOL Office of the Inspector General, under the supervision of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; and agents of the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey, under the supervision of Inspector General John Gay, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel V. Grady O’Malley of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendall R. Randolph of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Man for Multiple Business RobberiesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky returned an indictment today charging a local man with multiple business robberies.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Chief Erika Shields of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court records, Samuel Harding, 49, of Louisville, was charged with five counts of interference with commerce by robbery, and five counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The defendant is currently in custody on state charges and will be arraigned in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky once he is transferred to federal custody. If convicted of a business robbery, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. If convicted of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a business robbery, he faces a minimum sentence of 7 years and maximum sentence of life in prison to run consecutively with all other sentences. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
The Louisville Metro Police Department and the Shively Police Department are investigating the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Lantz is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Evansville Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material and Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE – Justin Owens, 63, of Evansville, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and distribution of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, in October 2020, law enforcement officers received information that Owens was distributing child sexual abuse material using Instagram Direct. On May 11, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Owens’ Evansville residence to locate additional evidence of Owens’ distribution of child sexual abuse material. During the search of the residence, a 12-gauge shotgun and assorted ammunition was recovered. Owens said the shotgun was his and further stated that he possessed a loaded .22 caliber handgun and ammunition inside a camper that was located on the property. Officers additionally seized more ammunition and 18 loaded .223 magazines for an AR15 style rifle inside a safe in a detached garage.
Owens is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms due to a 1999 Vanderburgh County, Indiana, felony conviction for child molestation. Based on this prior conviction for an offense involving the sexual abuse of a minor, Owens was subject to an enhanced penalty under U.S. law for the distribution of sexually explicit material involving minors.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI investigated the case and the Evansville Police Department provided valuable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. As part of the sentence, Judge Young ordered that Owens be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 20 years following his release from federal prison. Owens must also register as sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, as required by law.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Shellenbarger who prosecuted this case.
In fiscal year 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
Evansville Drug Dealer Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Dealing in MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE – Gene Goodwin, 32, of Evansville, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on October 29, 2020, law enforcement officers received information that Goodwin had two active felony arrest warrants from Vanderburgh County and was possibly staying at a residence on Delmar Avenue in Evansville. After arriving at the residence, officers heard someone running inside toward the back of the residence. Officers responded to the back yard and did not see anyone but noticed the back door and gate to the fence was open. Although it had been raining all day and evening, a police K9 alerted to the presence of controlled substances at a dry blanket in the yard. Under the blanket, officers discovered two plastic bags containing approximately 261 grams of methamphetamine.
Officers confirmed that Goodwin was staying at the residence with his sister where he also stored all his belongings. A search warrant was obtained, and officers seized an additional .2 grams of methamphetamine, two digital scales, and $19,920 in U.S. currency.
Goodwin was charged with dealing methamphetamine in Vanderburgh County and was arrested on March 9, 2021. DNA samples collected from the plastic bags matched Goodwin’s DNA. In his federal plea agreement, Goodwin admitted that he possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it in the community and agreed to forfeiture of the $19,920 in seized currency as proceeds of drug trafficking.
Goodwin is currently serving a 27-year sentence imposed in Vanderburgh County for an unrelated armed robbery.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office, made the announcement.
DEA and the Evansville Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. As part of the sentence, Judge Young ordered that Goodwin be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for four years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Wheatley who prosecuted this case.
Dion Oliver Convicted of Charges Related to the Shooting of a Wilmington 6-Year-Old Boy and the Death of Newark WomanRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that Defendant Dion Oliver was convicted of Stalking, Kidnapping Resulting in Death, and Conspiracy after a 7-day federal trial. As a result of the conviction, Defendant Oliver is facing a sentence of mandatory life in prison.
According to evidence and witness testimony, the Defendant worked with at least five coconspirators, Ryan Bacon, Donte Sykes, Teres Tinnin, Maurice Cooper, and Michael Pritchett, to search for a man, listed in the Indictment as M.S., in an attempt to kill him. On June 6, 2017, in furtherance of their continuing pursuit of M.S., Oliver and his confederates s kidnapped M.S.’s girlfriend, Keyonna Perkins, and used her to find M.S. Perkins was held at gunpoint by Oliver. She was then forced into the trunk of her car. After locating M.S., Oliver and his coconspirators fired multiple shots at M.S., but failed to hit him. Following that shooting, Perkins was forced into the trunk of a second car and driven by co-conspirators to Elkton, Maryland where she was murdered.
Oliver continued his pursuit of M.S. after the first failed shooting. He located M.S. at Probation & Parole Offices in New Castle. Oliver, working with Pritchett, waited for M.S. to leave Probation & Parole. They followed M.S. into Wilmington until M.S. got out of his car. Pritchett then drove alongside M.S., while Oliver reached out the front passenger window of Pritchett’s truck and fired multiple shots at M.S. The gunfire missed M.S., but one of the bullets ripped through a passing SUV and struck a six-year-old boy in the head, causing the child severe and permanent injuries.
“The defendants’ June 6 crime spree unfolded across multiple police jurisdictions and two separate states. Driven by the singular purpose of killing M.S., defendants displayed utter disregard for the lives of innocents who crossed their paths. As a result, Keyonna Perkins lost her life, a six-year-old boy was permanently injured, and their families will never be the same. The investigation required careful and ongoing collaboration between numerous law enforcement agencies, and we thank all federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who came together to help hold the defendants accountable for their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Weiss.
“These men displayed a total disregard for human life,” said Thomas J. Sobocinski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “In an act of retribution, they not only kidnapped and killed a woman, they opened fire in the middle of a busy street, when kids were getting out of school; forever changing the life of one six-year-old boy as he was shot while riding in the backseat of his mom’s car. Rest assured, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue those who seek to terrorize our communities and hurt innocent people.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher L. de Barrena-Sarobe, Eli H. Klein, and Jesse S. Wenger prosecuted the case. This case was investigated by FBI's Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Taskforce, with assistance from the Wilmington Police Department, New Castle County Police Department, Delaware State Police, and the Elkton Police Department.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-75.
Danville Man Sentenced for Role in Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DANVILLE, Va. – A Danville man, who along with his uncle distributed narcotics in the greater Danville-area, was sentenced last week to 156 months in federal prison.
Kunta Daniels, 43, pled guilty in October 2021 to one count of possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possessing with the intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin.
In October 2021, Kunta Daniels’ uncle, Joe Ali Daniels, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for distributing cocaine and methamphetamine.
According to court documents, between November 2019 and March 2020, Kunta Daniels lived at the Colonial Court apartments in Danville while also renting a second apartment in the complex on the floor above his residence as a “stash house” for the sole purpose of storing drugs for later distribution.
Law enforcement conducted a search of the stash house in March 2020 and found food saver bags, digital scales, heroin, cocaine, cutting agents, multiple firearms, body armor, and approximately $10,000 in cash.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Danville Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Barish Swartz and Coleman Adams prosecuted the case for the United States.
Dallas Attorney and Members of Accounting Firm Charged with Promoting Illegal Tax ShelterRead the Press Release
A superseding indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in Dallas today charging a Texas lawyer and three co-conspirators with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, helping their clients file false tax returns, and conspiracy to defraud the United States, all based on an illegal tax shelter they promoted and helped implement. Joseph Garza, of Dallas, was previously charged on Oct. 18. The superseding indictment adds charges against three tax professionals, Kevin McDonnell, James Richardson and Craig Fenton.
According to the original indictment, from approximately 2012 to 2021 Garza promoted a tax shelter that allowed high-income clients to claim fraudulent tax deductions that reduced the taxes they owed to the IRS. Garza and his co-conspirators allegedly directed the clients to transfer funds into shell companies, then returned this money to the clients, untaxed, for their personal use. To conceal the circular flow of funds, Garza and the co-conspirators allegedly commissioned fictitious business valuation reports, created invoices for fake business expenses, and drafted sham contractual agreements.
The superseding indictment alleges that Garza directed clients to use hand-picked CPAs and other tax professionals, including McDonnell, Richardson and Fenton. McDonnell and Richardson, both CPAs, allegedly owned and operated McDonnell Richardson, P.C., an accounting, tax preparation, and legal services business located in Waxahachie. McDonnell allegedly is also a licensed attorney. Fenton allegedly was employed as a tax manager at McDonnell Richardson.
McDonnell, Richardson and Fenton allegedly helped Garza run the illegal tax shelter by preparing and filing fraudulent tax returns for the high-income clients and the shell companies, among other entities. The scheme allegedly allowed clients to conceal $1 billion from the IRS and caused a total tax loss exceeding $200 million.
McDonnell, Richardson and Fenton will all make their initial appearances at a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. If convicted, all four men face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud, 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three years in prison for each count of aiding and assisting in the filing of false tax returns, and five years for conspiracy to defraud the United States. A federal district court judge will determine any sentences 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 Chad E. Meacham for the Northern District of Texas made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigations and the FBI are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Renee Hunter, Katherine Miller and Marty Basu and trial attorney Robert A. Kemins of the Tax Division 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.
Convicted Felon Sentenced Federally for Firearm ViolationRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ERNEST DUNN, age 32 of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced on November 10, 2022 for a violation the Federal Gun Control Act. He was convicted of a single count indictment charging him with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, DUNN was in the driver seat of a parked car in an area that had recently been the location of a drive by shooting. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was conducting surveillance and observed suspicious activity of individuals near the car. When agents approached, they asked DUNN to exit the car and observed two semi-automatic handguns at his feet. DUNN was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his prior convictions for armed robbery and purse snatching in Orleans Parish.
DUNN was sentenced to 42 months of imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. He was further ordered to pay a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles D. Strauss.
Columbia County drug dealer sentenced to 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A Columbia County man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to methamphetamine distribution.
Bobby Lewis Sturkey, 51, of Harlem, Ga., was sentenced to 120 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Sturkey to serve three years of supervised release after completion of his prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Meth is a deadly, dangerous and highly addictive drug that increasingly is present in fatal overdoses,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Bobby Sturkey helped fuel this epidemic and the violent crime it supports, and he is being held accountable.”
According to court documents and testimony, Sturkey’s illegal activities came to the attention of law enforcement authorities in early 2020. The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, along with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives served a search warrant on Sturkey’s rural home in January 2021, finding high-grade methamphetamine and firearms in the residence. Sturkey has previous felony convictions involving methamphetamine, along with felony convictions for armed robbery and burglary.
“It’s never a matter of ‘if’ a drug dealer will get caught, but rather ‘when,’ said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “And when that time comes, they’ll face severe consequences as is the case for this defendant whose lengthy sentence behind bars is indicative of the damage he caused individuals and the community by dealing dangerous drugs like ‘meth.’”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremiah L. Johnson.
Chinese government intelligence officer sentenced to 20 years in prison for espionage crimes, attempting to steal trade secrets from Cincinnati companyRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – The first Chinese government intelligence officer ever to be extradited to the United States to stand trial was sentenced today in federal court in Cincinnati.
Yanjun Xu was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Xu targeted American aviation companies, recruited employees to travel to China, and solicited their proprietary information, all on behalf of China.
“This case sends a clear message: we will hold accountable anyone attempting to steal American trade secrets,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Xu conspired to steal American science and technology. Thanks to the diligent work of the FBI, GE Aviation, and our trial team, he’ll spend decades in federal prison.”
“The historic sentencing of a Chinese government official for committing espionage against the U.S. is a significant achievement and also should serve as a warning to foreign governments that the U.S. will not tolerate this type of illegal activity,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers. “The FBI and our partners will continue to investigate and prosecute those who attempt to steal the sophisticated technologies of U.S. companies, our military, and our government.”
On Nov. 5, 2021, a federal jury in Cincinnati convicted Xu on all counts: conspiracy to commit economic espionage, conspiracy to commit trade secret theft, attempted economic espionage and attempted trade secret theft.
Xu was a career intelligence officer, beginning in 2003 and rising to the rank of deputy division director at the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS), the intelligence and security agency for China.
According to court documents and trial testimony, beginning in at least December 2013, Xu targeted specific companies in the United States and abroad that are recognized as leaders in the field of aviation.
Xu used aliases, front companies and universities to deceive aviation employees and solicit information. He identified individuals who worked for the companies and recruited them to travel to China, often initially under the guise that they were traveling to give a presentation at a university. Xu and others paid the individuals stipends on top of covering travel costs.
The scheme was executed with full coordination between the MSS and China’s aviation entities. Xu worked with others in the MSS to hack or copy computers in hotel rooms while the aviation employees – his “guests” – were taken to dinner by the MSS.
Xu also openly talked about efforts to obtain U.S. military information in addition to commercial aviation trade secrets.
Attempted GE Aviation trade secret theft
Xu attempted to steal technology related to GE Aviation’s exclusive composite aircraft engine fan module – which no other company in the world has been able to duplicate – to benefit the Chinese state.
In March 2017, a GE Aviation employee in Cincinnati was solicited to give a report at a university in China. The employee traveled to China two months later to present at the university and was introduced to Xu. Xu and others paid the employee’s travel expenses and a stipend.
After the trip to China, the FBI took over communications with Xu, posing as the employee.
In January 2018, Xu requested “system specification, design process” information from the employee and – with the cooperation of GE Aviation, who was working with the FBI – the employee emailed a two-page document from the company that included a label that warned about the disclosure of proprietary information.
In February 2018, Xu began discussing with the employee the possibility of meeting in Europe during one of the employee’s business trips and asked the employee to send a copy of the file directory for his company-issued computer.
Xu traveled to Belgium with cash and pictures of the employee on April 1, 2018. He was scheduled to meet with the employee and was arrested at that time.
The Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs secured Xu’s extradition to the United States, with valuable assistance provided by the government of Belgium, as well as the Belgian Federal Police.
Handling of MSS spy in Chicago
In September 2022, a federal jury in Chicago convicted an individual (Ji Chaoqun) for working on behalf of the MSS under the direction of Xu.
Xu served as Ji’s MSS handler while Ji, a Chinese citizen, lived and studied in Chicago. Xu officially registered Ji as a formal MSS overseas agent in January 2014 and directed Ji to collect biographical information on people to potentially recruit to work with them.
Xu provided Ji with the names of at least nine individuals in America to attempt to recruit. Ji obtained and provided Xu with more detailed background reports on the individuals. Ji also received training on how to speak to the FBI if approached at his school.
In May 2016, Ji joined the U.S. Army through a program that allowed legal aliens with vital skills like Chinese fluency. Ji told Xu and the MSS that he had successfully infiltrated the U.S. military as an MSS officer. His plan was to obtain citizenship quickly and obtain a top-secret security clearance.
Ji reported to an undercover FBI agent that he had access to all military bases with his military ID and volunteered, without prompting, to take pictures of aircraft carriers for the MSS.
The crimes committed by Ji were done on behalf of the MSS, through Xu Yanjun.
“Xu’s handling and placement of a spy within the United States to obtain information regarding aviation technology and employees is yet another facet of Xu’s egregious crimes towards the United States and further justifies the significant sentence of imprisonment he received today,” added U.S. Attorney Parker.
The MSS hacking of a French aerospace manufacturer
The evidence at trial showed Xu recruited insiders within a French aircraft engine manufacturer’s facility in China who were willing to spy on Xu’s behalf. Xu and his assets targeted a French employee of the company that often traveled to the facility in China for work. In 2013, Xu directed one of his assets within the company to plant malware on the French employee’s work computer, with the ultimate goal of being able to infiltrate the company’s network in France. The evidence at trial also showed Xu’s integral role in the installation of the malware, his instructions to destroy the malware, and Xu’s monitoring of the success and cover-up of the operation.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division; and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan, Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter, and Trial Attorney Matthew J. McKenzie from the Department of Justice’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section represented the United States in this case.
U.S. Attorney Parker commended the integral cooperation of GE Aviation throughout the investigation and subsequent prosecution, as well as the DOJ Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of Illinois and the District of Arizona.
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Chinese Government Intelligence Officer Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Espionage Crimes, Attempting to Steal Trade Secrets from Cincinnati CompanyRead the Press Release
The first Chinese government intelligence officer ever to be extradited to the United States to stand trial was sentenced today in federal court in Cincinnati.
Yanjun Xu, 42, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. According to court documents, Xu targeted American aviation companies, recruited employees to travel to China, and solicited their proprietary information, all on behalf of the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
“As proven at trial, the defendant, a Chinese government intelligence officer, used a range of techniques to attempt to steal technology and proprietary information from companies based in both the U.S. and abroad,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today’s sentence demonstrates the seriousness of those crimes and the Justice Department’s determination to investigate and prosecute efforts by the Chinese government, or any foreign power, to threaten our economic and national security.”
“This case sends a clear message: we will hold accountable anyone attempting to steal American trade secrets,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “Xu conspired to steal American science and technology. Thanks to the diligent work of the FBI, GE Aviation and our trial team, he’ll spend decades in federal prison.”
“This case is just the latest example of the Chinese government’s continued attacks on American economic security – and, by extension, our national security,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The Chinese government tasked an officer of its spy service to steal U.S. trade secrets so it could advance its own commercial and military aviation efforts, at the expense of an American company. This brazen action shows that the Chinese government will stop at nothing to put our companies out of business to the detriment of U.S. workers. As long as the Chinese government continues to break our laws and threaten American industry and institutions, the FBI will work with its partners across the globe to bring those responsible to justice.”
On Nov. 5, 2021, a federal jury in Cincinnati convicted Xu on all counts: conspiracy to commit economic espionage, conspiracy to commit trade secret theft, attempted economic espionage and attempted trade secret theft.
Xu was a career intelligence officer, beginning in 2003 and rising to the rank of deputy division director at the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS), the intelligence and security agency for China.
According to court documents and trial testimony, beginning in at least December 2013, Xu targeted specific companies in the United States and abroad that are recognized as leaders in the field of aviation.
Xu used aliases, front companies and universities to deceive aviation employees and solicit information. He identified individuals who worked for the companies and recruited them to travel to China, often initially under the guise that they were traveling to give a presentation at a university. Xu and others paid the individuals stipends on top of covering travel costs.
The scheme was executed with full coordination between the MSS and China’s aviation entities. Xu worked with others in the MSS to hack or copy computers in hotel rooms while the aviation employees – his “guests” – were taken to dinner by the MSS.
Xu also openly talked about efforts to obtain U.S. military information in addition to commercial aviation trade secrets.
Attempted GE Aviation trade secret theft
Xu attempted to steal technology related to GE Aviation’s exclusive composite aircraft engine fan module – which no other company in the world has been able to duplicate – to benefit the Chinese state.
In March 2017, a GE Aviation employee in Cincinnati was solicited to give a report at a university in China. The employee traveled to China two months later to present at the university and was introduced to Xu. Xu and others paid the employee’s travel expenses and a stipend.
After the trip to China, the FBI took over communications with Xu, posing as the employee.
In January 2018, Xu requested “system specification, design process” information from the employee and – with the cooperation of GE Aviation, who was working with the FBI – the employee emailed a two-page document from the company that included a label that warned about the disclosure of proprietary information.
In February 2018, Xu began discussing with the employee the possibility of meeting in Europe during one of the employee’s business trips and asked the employee to send a copy of the file directory for his company-issued computer.
Xu traveled to Belgium with cash and pictures of the employee on April 1, 2018. He was scheduled to meet with the employee and was arrested at that time.
The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs secured Xu’s extradition to the United States, with valuable assistance provided by the government of Belgium, as well as the Belgian Federal Police.
Handling of MSS spy in Chicago
In September 2022, a federal jury in Chicago convicted an individual (Ji Chaoqun) for working on behalf of the MSS under the direction of Xu.
Xu served as Ji’s MSS handler while Ji, a Chinese citizen, lived and studied in Chicago. Xu officially registered Ji as a formal MSS overseas agent in January 2014 and directed Ji to collect biographical information on people to potentially recruit to work with them.
Xu provided Ji with the names of at least nine individuals in America to attempt to recruit. Ji obtained and provided Xu with more detailed background reports on the individuals. Ji also received training on how to speak to the FBI if approached at his school.
In May 2016, Ji joined the U.S. Army through a program that allowed legal aliens with vital skills like Chinese fluency. Ji told Xu and the MSS that he had successfully infiltrated the U.S. military as an MSS officer. His plan was to obtain citizenship quickly and obtain a top-secret security clearance.
Ji reported to an undercover FBI agent that he had access to all military bases with his military ID and volunteered, without prompting, to take pictures of aircraft carriers for the MSS.
The crimes committed by Ji were done on behalf of the MSS, through Xu Yanjun.
“Xu’s handling and placement of a spy within the United States to obtain information regarding aviation technology and employees is yet another facet of Xu’s egregious crimes towards the United States and further justifies the significant sentence of imprisonment he received today,” said U.S. Attorney Parker.
The MSS hacking of a French aerospace manufacturer
The evidence at trial showed Xu recruited insiders within a French aircraft engine manufacturer’s facility in China who were willing to spy on Xu’s behalf. Xu and his assets targeted a French employee of the company that often traveled to the facility in China for work. In 2013, Xu directed one of his assets within the company to plant malware on the French employee’s work computer, with the ultimate goal of being able to infiltrate the company’s network in France. The evidence at trial also showed Xu’s integral role in the installation of the malware, his instructions to destroy the malware, and Xu’s monitoring of the success and cover-up of the operation.
The FBI investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern District of Illinois and the District of Arizona provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy S. Mangan and Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter for the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Matthew J. McKenzie of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section represented the United States in this case.
Cambodian Officials and Six Co-conspirators Indicted for Taking Part in Primate Smuggling SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI — Members of an international primate smuggling ring have been charged with multiple felonies for their role in bringing wild long-tailed macaques into the United States.
The eight-count indictment charges two officials of the Cambodian Forestry Administration, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; the owner/founder of a major primate supply organization and its general manager; and four of its employees with smuggling and conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and the Endangered Species Act. The defendants facing these felony charges are:
- Omaliss Keo, 58, of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Director General of the Cambodian Forestry Administration, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
- Masphal Kry, 46, of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Deputy Director of the Department of Wildlife and Biodiversity for the Cambodian Forestry Administration, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
- James Man Sang Lau, 64, of Hong Kong, Founder/Owner Vanny Resources Holdings, Ltd., and Vanny Bio Research (Cambodia) Corporation Ltd.
- Dickson Lau, 29, of Hong Kong, General Manager Vanny Resources Holdings Ltd.
- Sunny Chan, a resident of Hong Kong, Deputy General Manager (Operations) at Vanny Group
- Raphael Cheung Man, 71, of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Public Relations and Export Manager for Vanny Bio Research (Cambodia) Corporation Ltd.
- Sarah Yeung, a Hong Kong resident and Finance Officer of Vanny Group
- Hing Ip Chung, 61, of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, General Manager of Vanny Bio Research (Cambodia) Corporation Ltd.
If convicted, each defendant faces up to 5 years in prison on the charge of conspiracy in count 1 and up to 20 years imprisonment on each of the smuggling charges in counts 2 through 8. There also are potential fines with respect to each count of up to $250,000 or twice the financial gain to the defendants.
Kry was arrested today at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, which resulted in the unsealing of the indictment.
According to allegations of the indictment, long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis), sometimes known as crab-eating macaques, are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and require special permits in order to be imported into the U.S. Such documents enable the Convention parties to monitor the effects of the volume and type of trade to ensure trade is legal and not detrimental to the survival of listed species. The long-tailed macaque has been regulated under CITES since 1977. The provisions of CITES are implemented in the U.S. through the Endangered Species Act (ESA). CITES permits are individually numbered and include detailed information about the shipment, including a source code, which advises whether the animal was bred in captivity or taken from the wild.
The indictment further alleges that James Lau and Dickson Lau, operating from Hong Kong, owned and managed a series of related corporations that conspired with black market collectors and corrupt officials in Cambodia to acquire wild-caught macaques and launder them through the Cambodian entities for export to the U.S. and elsewhere, falsely labelled as captive bred.
In order to make up for a shortage of suitable monkeys at the putative breeding facilities in Cambodia, the co-conspirators enlisted the assistance of the CITES authority in Cambodia and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) to deliver wild-caught macaques taken from national parks and protected areas in Cambodia. These macaques were taken to breeding facilities and provided false CITES export permits. A collection quota of 3,000 “unofficial” monkeys was allowed for which MAFF officials received cash payments.
The conspiracy charge of the indictment lists 31 representative “overt acts” undertaken by one or more of the co-conspirators in their efforts to carry out their criminal enterprise. These include meetings, financial transactions, shipments of hundreds of macaques—wild caught mixed in with captive bred—to locations in Florida and Texas under false documents. Wild long-tailed macaques also were said to have been delivered by defendant Kry and other employees of MAFF to a facility in Pursat, Cambodia.
Between December 2017 and September 2022, Kry is alleged to have taken part in conversations regarding the pricing for wild macaques to be captured and delivered to monkey breeding facilities operated by the co-conspirators. Kry, who participated personally in delivering these “unofficial” macaques to the facilities, including Vanny Bio Research (Cambodia) Corporation Ltd., also was provided payments for the illegal monkeys from the co-conspirators.
“The macaque is already recognized as an endangered species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature,” said Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. “The practice of illegally taking them from their habitat to end up in a lab is something we need to stop. Greed should never come before responsible conservation. Cases like this put us in a position where we can make a difference.”
Tracking and bringing those responsible for illegal import to justice is the first step in making that difference.
“Masphal KRY, a government official for the Cambodian Forestry Administration, will face justice in America as he was arrested today for his role in an alleged conspiracy to unlawfully import contrary to United States law and is purported to be involved in the importation of non-human primates, specifically long-tail macaques from Southeast Asia into the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, N.J., Field Office. “HSI will continue to investigate customs violations impacting the United States and will partner with its federal partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and the Internal Revenue Service by leveraging all of our authorities to stop people and organizations from violating our laws—regardless of where they reside in the world.”
Investigations like these take a collaborative effort over a significant time period to yield results.
“Wild populations of long-tailed macaques, as well as the health and well-being of the American public, are put at risk when these animals are removed from their natural habitat and illegally sold in the United States and elsewhere," said Edward Grace, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Assistant Director, Office of Law Enforcement. "The Service spearheaded this complex, multi-year investigation that exposes the large-scale illegal laundering of wild long-tailed macaques for use in biomedical and pharmaceutical research. We led multiple U.S. federal agencies to provide a one-government approach to end the wholesale poaching of long tailed macaques from the wild and shut down this criminal organization."
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Assistant Director Edward J. Grace, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, Atlanta, and Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Newark, N.J., Field Office, made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement; HSI, Newark, N.J., Field Office; HSI, Miami Field Office; and the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Watts-FitzGerald and Emily Stone are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If you have any information regarding this investigation, or other wildlife crimes, you may contact the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service at 1-800-344-9453. Locally, environmental crimes, including wildlife violations and environmental justice matters may be reported to the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 305-961-9001 or [email protected] .
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov,
California Drug Traffickers Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing Kilogram Quantities of Methamphetamine in Natchez, MississippiRead the Press Release
Natchez, Miss. – A Victorville, California man and his wife were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge David C. Bramlette, III, for their participation in an interstate drug trafficking operation distributing kilogram quantities of illegal drugs in the Natchez, MS 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.
Thomas Jerome Mitchell, 37, and Justine Chambers, 32, were indicted by a federal grand jury and subsequently pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Mitchell was sentenced today to 66 months in federal prison and Chambers was sentenced to 38 months.
According to court documents, Mitchell and Chambers conspired with Wesley Bell, of Natchez, Jimmie Lee Swearengen, Jr., of Mesquite, TX, and Arthur Wilson, of Moreno Valley, CA, to distribute kilogram quantities of methamphetamine in the Natchez area. Swearengen was separately sentenced today to 90 months in prison for his 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.
Butte County Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Julius Rucks, 41, of Butte County, pleaded guilty Monday to three counts of distributing fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Dec. 6, 2018, Jan. 10, 2019, and April 3, 2019, Rucks sold a total of 1,000 counterfeit pharmaceutical tablets that were found to contain fentanyl to an undercover agent.
Rucks is set to be sentenced on Feb. 6, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller. Rucks faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Butte County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron L. Desmond is prosecuting the case.
Burke County, Ga., man awaits sentencing after admitting he coerced a child into producing child pornographyRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A Burke County man faces decades in prison after admitting he coerced a child to produce sexually explicit images.
Keyshawn Omar Cooper, 20, of Waynesboro, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Production of Child Pornography, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The plea subjects Cooper to a statutory penalty of up to 30 years in prison, along with payment of restitution and substantial financial penalties, followed by a minimum of five years of supervised release and registration as a sex offender after completion of his prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Keyshawn Cooper’s crime represents the nightmare scenario for parents whose children connect over the internet with predatory strangers,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Thanks to the vigilance of one of those parents and diligent law enforcement partners, Cooper will be held accountable for his reprehensible activities.”
As described in court, Cooper admitted that around May 9, 2021, he communicated via an internet application with a child in Missouri, and persuaded the victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of creating visual depictions that the victim then sent to Cooper. The child’s mother discovered the activity and reported it to police in Cape Girardeau, Mo., who enlisted the assistance of the FBI in identifying and locating Cooper.
The investigation determined that the child and Cooper met online while playing a video game.
“The FBI has unfortunately seen an increasing amount of sextortion crimes across the country over the past year and we want this plea to send a message that we make crimes targeting children a top priority”, said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Let this be a reminder to parents and caregivers, people can pretend to be anyone online, and you need to remain vigilant with monitoring your child’s online activity and educating them about the risks of communicating with strangers.”
The case was investigated by the Cape Girardeau, Mo., Police Department and the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremiah L. Johnson.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.
Bronx Gang Member Charged with 2013 MurderRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging LAMAR WILLIAMS with racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, and murder with a firearm. The charges relate to WILLIAMS’ murder of Rasheed Barton on August 11, 2013, in the Bronx, New York.
WILLIAMS was arrested today and presented before Magistrate Judge Jennifer E. Willis. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendant shot and murdered Rasheed Barton as part of the defendant’s gang membership and crack cocaine dealing. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who commit these horrific acts of violence.”
NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “Today’s charges highlight what the NYPD and our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District can accomplish when we focus on the relatively few people responsible for much of the crime and violence in New York City. Together, we remain committed to identifying, arresting, and prosecuting those who partake in any form of gang activity, from drug distribution to murder. Make no mistake: Severe consequences await anyone who dares to jeopardize the safety of our neighborhoods.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal Court:[1]
From at least 2013 to 2022, LAMAR WILLIAMS, a/k/a “Black,” a/k/a “Little Black,” a/k/a “Chase Money Marz,” was a member of the Mac Ballers, which is a set of the national Bloods gang. The Mac Ballers operated primarily in the northeast United States, including in the Bronx, and in jails and prisons of New York City and the State of New York.
Members of the Mac Ballers committed acts of violence, including murder, to protect and expand the gang’s territory, to retaliate against rival gang members, to keep victims and potential victims in fear of the gang, and to otherwise promote the gang’s reputation. They also distributed controlled substances in order to enrich themselves. Mac Ballers members promoted and celebrated the gang’s criminal conduct — including acts of violence, drug distribution, and firearm usage — on social media.
On August 11, 2013, WILLIAMS shot and killed Rasheed Barton in the vicinity of East 174th Street and Bronx River Avenue in the Bronx, New York. WILLIAMS murdered Barton in connection with WILLIAMS’ membership in the Mac Ballers gang and his conspiring to sell crack cocaine.
* * *
WILLIAMS, 31, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of death or life in prison and mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison; and one count of murder through use of a firearm, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of death or life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent & Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mathew Andrews and Jim Ligtenberg are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
Bristow Man Convicted of 2018 Murder in JenksRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Bristow man Wednesday for murdering a former girlfriend’s new dating partner in 2018, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Justin Dale Little, 29, was found guilty of first degree murder in Indian Country.
On April 22, 2018, at noon, victim Jonathon Weatherford was found deceased on the train tracks in Jenks, Oklahoma, with a single gunshot wound to his back. A passerby called 911, and the Jenks Police Department responded to the scene.
During the investigation, officers interviewed Weatherford’s girlfriend and asked if she knew of anyone who would want to harm the victim. She responded that Little was only individual she believed was “crazy enough” and had “enough motive” to commit the murder. The woman reported that she and Little dated in high school and had a child together, and after the relationship ended, Little would often harass the woman and her dating partners. She recalled that Little had appeared at a boyfriend’s house at 4 am after tracking her phone, cut break lines, distributed suggestive photographs of the woman, poured water into her vehicle’s gas tank, and admitted at one point that he had contemplated shooting the woman and a boyfriend.
In the weeks prior to the crime, the woman said she had agreed to marry Little, only so their child could receive National Guard benefits. Little was the service member. The woman told Little that she planned to continue dating Weatherford and that he would be in her life for a long time. She then told Little that if anything ever happened to Weatherford, she would suspect Little.
Officers also located surveillance video that placed the defendant at the crime scene in Jenks. The video revealed that Little watched the victim leave the girlfriend’s apartment around 11:40 am the day of the crime and walk toward his family’s home. Little’s pickup truck could be seen driving around the train tracks, following the victim for several minutes, then parking nearby. Footage further showed a man, identified as Weatherford, walking along the train tracks followed by a figure dressed in dark clothes. The victim and the figure eventually walked out of the view of the cameras. Shortly after, the figure ran back into the camera’s view and away from the scene of the crime. Footage then showed Little’s truck pull away from its parking spot near the crime scene and drive off.
Investigators pulled cell phone data, call logs, and PikePass records that helped confirm that it was Little seen in the surveillance video.
They further recovered a .300 Winchester Magnum Caliber Remington rifle with a scope and bipod from Little’s residence. Little purchased the rifle approximately a month before the murder. The medical examiner’s report revealed that Weatherford died from a gunshot wound to the back. The bullet had traveled through Weatherford’s backpack, a leather card holder full of several pages of playing cards and into the victim. The bullet broke multiple ribs before coming to rest just below his front chest. The rifle and bullet were sent to the FBI crime lab in Quantico, Virginia, for ballistics comparison. A firearms expert determined the bullet was a .30 caliber round fired from a barrel rifled with six grooves with a right twist, which was consistent with the high powered rifle recovered from Little’s residence. Due to the damage to the bullet, the firearms expert was unable to determine if the bullet definitively came from Little’s rifle.
Previously, a Tulsa County jury also found Little guilty of the first degree murder of the victim, but his conviction was vacated following the Supreme Court’s ruling in McGirt v Oklahoma. The case was then prosecuted in federal court.
The FBI, Jenks Police Department, and Bristow Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas E. Buscemi and Victor A.S. Regal are prosecuting the case.
Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today to robbing a TD Bank branch in Boston.
Coleman Nee, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani who scheduled sentencing for March 9, 2023. Nee was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2021.
On the afternoon of April 26, 2021, Nee entered a TD Bank branch in Boston, showed a teller what appeared to be a firearm and threatened to kill a teller and a bank customer before robbing the bank of $990. Within approximately 20 minutes of the robbery, Nee was apprehended by law enforcement due to a GPS tracker attached to one of the stolen bill packets.
The charge of bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Police Chief Kenneth Green made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Boston Man Indicted for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Boston on sex trafficking offenses, including allegedly trafficking a minor he met on social media.
Jimall Dawn Brown, 33, was indicted on one count of sex trafficking of a minor; one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; one count of using a facility of interstate commerce to induce a minor to engage in prostitution; and one count of transporting a person for purposes of prostitution. Brown was previously charged by criminal complaint with one count of sex trafficking of a minor on Oct. 26, 2022. He has remained in custody since his arrest on Oct. 27, 2022.
According to the charging documents, Brown trafficked a 17-year-old victim to engage in commercial sex acts. It is alleged that Brown first met the victim, who was living outside Massachusetts, on social media and induced and coerced her to fly to Boston, with promises of a “better lifestyle.” Brown posted advertisements of the victim online and arranged “dates” for the victim to have sex in exchange for money. Brown allegedly set the pricing for the commercial sex acts she engaged in, for which he collected all of the funds.
In March 2022, Brown allegedly coerced the victim, who was still a minor at the time, to fly to Georgia, where he arranged for her to engage in commercial sex, for which he collected all of the funds. In April 2022, Brown allegedly took the victim to Nevada, again arranging for her to engage in commercial sex and keeping all of the funds.
According to the charging document, local law enforcement in Massachusetts met with the victim at which time she alleged that Brown told her she would have a better life if she came to Boston to “be with him,” however once she did so, Brown prevented her from leaving. Specifically, it is alleged that when the victim would attempt to leave Brown, he would threaten her or beat her up. For example, as stated in court documents, if she told him she wanted to go home, he would put his hands on her, slap her and yell at her. On multiple occasions, Brown allegedly hit the victim, choked her and physically restrained her.
Members of the public who believe they may be a victim of this alleged crime should contact [email protected]. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please visit https://polarisproject.org/ for information and resources.
The charge of sex trafficking of a minor provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The sex trafficking statute also imposes a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years for offenses committed by means of force, threats of force, fraud or coercion. The charge of using a facility of interstate commerce to induce a minor to engage in prostitution provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Each count also provides for mandatory restitution and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Arlington and Randolph Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings of Rollins’ Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Auburn Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Auburn man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for child pornography offenses.
Jesse Laino, 26, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 88 months in prison and five years of supervised release. On April 6, 2022, Laino pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
In May 2019, Laino utilized the Kik platform to upload and distribute two images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). During a search of Laino’s residence in June 2020, two phones and one laptop seized were found to contain CSAM. Laino also used a cloud storage service to store and share links to images and videos of CSAM as well as to using a social media application to connect with other users for the purpose of obtaining and distributing the images. Social media records revealed that from about January 2019 to July 2020, Laino participated in hundreds of chats and distributed over 1,700 images of CSAM, including images of infants and toddlers being sexually abused.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Auburn Police Chief Andrew J. Sluckis, Jr.; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
15 November 2022
Woman Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchase of Firearm Used in Fatal Nicholas County ShootingRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Melanie Clodfelter, 41, of Summersville, pleaded guilty today to making a false statement in acquisition of a firearm. Clodfelter admitted to purchasing a semi-automatic firearm that was subsequently used to kill a Nicholas County deputy sheriff in June 2022.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 17, 2021, Clodfelter bought a Radical Firearms, model RF-15, multi-caliber rifle in Nicholas County. Clodfelter admitted to lying on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 for the purchase. Clodfelter falsely certified that she was the buyer of the firearm when she knew she was purchasing it for Richie Holcomb. Clodfelter admitted to giving Holcomb the firearm on the day of the purchase. Clodfelter further admitted that Holcomb gave her the money to buy the firearm and that she knew Holcomb was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had a prior felony conviction.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Holcomb was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a felony conviction for unlawful wounding in Webster County Circuit Court on July 30, 2014.
On June 3, 2022, law enforcement officers responded to a domestic disturbance in the Birch River area and encountered Holcomb and another individual. During the encounter, Holcomb fatally shot Nicholas County Deputy Sheriff Thomas Edward Baker III with the semi-automatic rifle purchased and provided by Clodfelter. Corporal Joshua Ellison was wounded in the exchange of gunfire. Holcomb was fatally shot.
“It is a crime to certify that you are buying a firearm for yourself when you are purchasing it for someone else, regardless of the circumstances,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Straw purchasers illegally put firearms in the wrong hands. In this case, the firearm was given to a dangerous felon and that led to tragic consequences.”
Clodfelter is scheduled to be sentenced on February 16, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which assisted the Nicholas County Sheriff's Office and the West Virginia State Police in response to the shooting of the two deputies.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Negar M. Kordestani and Alex Hamner have 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. 2:22-cr-135.
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Waterford Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Sex Trafficking of a ChildRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Bradley Boisen, age 26, of Waterford, New York, pled guilty today to the attempted sex trafficking of a child.
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).
Boisen admitted that on April 21, 2021, he arranged to pay $60 to another person in order to have sex with a 14-year-old child.
Boisen’s sentencing is scheduled for March 21, 2023 in Syracuse before Senior United States District Judge Norman A. Mordue.
Boisen faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison, a maximum term of life, a fine of up to $250,0000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. As a result of his conviction, Boisen will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the New York State Police and the Colonie Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Williams as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by the United States Attorney’s offices and marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc
Wake County Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – Dale Ingold, 67, of Raleigh, North Carolina was sentenced today to 240 months imprisonment followed by a lifetime of supervised release for possessing child pornography. He admitted that he had been accessing child pornography since 1989, which was substantiated by Homeland Security’s location of 67,581 images and 1,505 videos files on his digital devices. Ingold pleaded guilty on December 13, 2021, to Possession of Child Pornography.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Ingold was discovered accessing child pornography while at work. His employer reported the activity to the Cary Police Department. Ingold denied accessing child pornography to both his employer and to law enforcement, however, he was immediately fired from his job. When agents with Homeland Security went to Ingold’s residence and asked to speak to him, he admitted to his longstanding efforts to possess child pornography. Furthermore, he allowed law enforcement to collect digital devices from his home that were later analyzed and found to have the large cache of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing was concluded. U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan presided over the sentencing. Cary Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-CR-00130-FL.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Present Child Protection Award to the Brevard County Sheriff’s OfficeRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge John Condon, and FBI Special Agent in Charge David Walker announce that the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office has been presented with a Child Protection Award for its role in investigating more than 100 cases that have resulted in successful federal prosecutions of child exploitation offenses, as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative.
For approximately 15 years, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office has partnered with either Homeland Security Investigations or the FBI by providing Task Force Officers and other investigators to work on child exploitation cases. The investigators from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office have served as the lead case agents, undercover officers, and forensic examiners on more than 100 child exploitation cases that have been successfully prosecuted in federal court.
“Protecting our children from those who would seek to do them harm is a top priority of the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Handberg. “For 15 years we have had an excellent partner in the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. The investigators with the Sheriff’s Office are skilled and dedicated professionals who are committed to using their lawful authority to protect children from sexual exploitation. It is an incredible achievement for one office to have successfully worked on over 100 successful federal prosecutions. Those prosecutions have served to protect children in Brevard County and across the United States. We look forward to many more successes working together with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office on these important cases.”
“It takes an incredible team to protect our children from predators who seek to steal their innocence and destroy their futures,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa Special Agent in Charge John Condon. “Our partnership with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office makes Project Safe Childhood a stronger program. The investigators with Brevard County are passionate and skilled professionals who work side-by-side with our special agents to protect our children from sexual exploitation.”
“We value our partnership with Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and the knowledge and commitment the investigators bring to the table in these difficult investigations,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge David Walker. “The FBI welcomes a continued partnership in successfully deterring individuals and criminal networks exploiting children.”
Some significant cases investigated by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office include:
- United States v. Roberto Oquendo and Rose Litzky – In September 2016, Oquendo was the subject of a traffic stop. During the traffic stop, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office deputies received a tip that Oquendo was in possession of child pornography. During an ensuing interview, Oquendo admitted that for several years, he had used a cellphone to search for and view child pornography. He also disclosed that while residing in Brevard County, he used a cellphone to take explicit pictures of two female children under his custody for his sexual gratification. Computer media seized from Oquendo’s residence was found to contain thousands of images and videos of the two minor victims (toddlers at the time), as well as images of other children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The evidence further showed that Oquendo used a social media application to engage in live chats with Litzky, during which Litzky engaged two female children in sexually explicit conduct for Oquendo’s viewing and sexual gratification. Oquendo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce child pornography and production of child pornography. On August 26, 2019, he was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison. After trial, a federal jury found Litzky guilty of conspiracy to produce child pornography, production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. On February 6, 2020, she was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison.
- United States v. Michael Glascock – An undercover agent responded to an online advertisement which Glascock had posted on Craigslist and engaged in communications with Glascock. In these communications, Glascock described his sexual abuse of a three-year-old victim and offered to allow the undercover agent to engage in sexual activity with the minor victim. After Glascock agreed to meet the undercover agent, agents went to Glascock’s home on Merritt Island, where they met Glascock and located the minor victim. Glascock admitted to sexually abusing and producing child sex abuse images of the minor victim. Glascock pleaded guilty to attempted sexual enticement of a minor and production of child sex abuse images. On February 6, 2015, he was sentenced to life in federal prison.
- United States v. Matthew Howard – Howard created a sexually explicit advertisement on Craigslist that made reference to a minor female. An undercover agent posing as a 14-year-old girl engaged Howard in online communications. During the online communications, Howard told the “minor” that he wanted to engage with her in sexual conduct. Howard then traveled to Rockledge to meet the “minor” for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct, at which time he was arrested. After trial, a federal jury found Howard guilty of attempted sexual enticement of a minor. On September 10, 2014, he was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI Present Child Protection Award to the Seminole County Sheriff’s OfficeRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg and FBI Special Agent in Charge David Walker announce that the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office has been presented with a Child Protection Award for its role in investigating more than 100 cases that have resulted in successful federal prosecutions of child exploitation offenses as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative.
For more than 10 years, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office has partnered with the FBI by providing Task Force Officers and other investigators to work on child exploitation cases. The investigators from the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office have served as the lead case agents, undercover officers, and forensic examiners on over 100 child exploitation cases that have been successfully prosecuted in federal court.
“Protecting our children from those who would seek to do them harm is a top priority of the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners,” said United States Attorney Handberg. “For over 10 years, we have had an excellent partner in the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. The investigators with the Sheriff’s Office are skilled and dedicated professionals who are committed to using their lawful authority to protect children from sexual exploitation. It is an incredible achievement for one office to have successfully worked on over 100 successful federal prosecutions. Those prosecutions have served to protect children in Seminole County and across the United States. We look forward to many more successes working together with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office on these important cases.”
“We recognize the value of working alongside Seminole County Sheriff’s Office in recovering child exploitation victims,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge David Walker. “The FBI appreciates our partnership with Seminole County Sheriff’s Office and looks forward to many more years of working together to identify, locate, and recover the innocent victims.”
Some significant cases investigated by the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office include:
- United States v. Jonathan and Sarah Aldeta – Jonathan Adleta conspired with his ex-wife, Sarah Adleta, to transport a three-year-old child with the intent of sexually abusing the child. In December 2012, Sarah Adleta flew with the child from Orlando to Oklahoma, where Jonathan Adleta lived. Jonathan Adleta sexually abused the child during the child’s week-long stay at his home. Both before and after the trip, Sarah Adleta also sexually abused the child and sent pictures of the abuse to Jonathan Adleta and others. Sarah Adleta pleaded guilty to producing child sex abuse material. On October 28, 2013, she was sentenced to 54 years in federal prison. After trial, Jonathan Adleta was found guilty of conspiring to transport and transporting a minor in interstate commerce with intent to engage in sexual activity. On June 6, 2014, he was sentenced to life in federal prison.
- United States v. George Adrien Brooks – In September 2015, Brooks initiated online communications with the purported father of a 10-year-old boy about engaging the child in sexual conduct. He then traveled to Seminole County to engage in sexual activity with the child. At that time, Brooks was placed under arrest by an FBI agent who had been communicating with the Brooks in an undercover capacity. During trial, the government presented the above evidence, as well as evidence that 44 years ago Brooks had sexually abused another minor. After trial, the jury found Brooks guilty of attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual conduct. On June 27, 2016, he was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison.
- United States v. Lewis Chadwick Walker –Walker spent time in state prison from 2011 to 2013 for possession of child sex abuse material. Following his release from state prison in 2013, he was placed on 20 years of sex offender probation. In 2017, he violated the terms of his probation and was ordered not to access the internet. Walker continued to access the internet and conducted searches for images of child sex abuse material. He then took screenshots of the images of child sex abuse and emailed those to himself. Walker pleaded guilty to transporting child sex abuse material. On February 23, 2022, he was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Attorney, Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney form new partnershipRead the Press Release
Pictured from L-R: Matt Harvey, Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney; Adam Ward, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Northern District of West Virginia, and Jefferson County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney; United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld, Northern District of West VirginiaCHARLES TOWN, WEST VIRGINIA — A new partnership between state and federal prosecutors has been formed to enhance public safety in the Eastern Panhandle.
United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld and Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Matt Harvey announced today that an assistant state prosecutor will be cross-designated and authorized to handle cases in federal court.
Adam Ward, one of the most experienced lawyers on Harvey’s staff, has been selected for the position of Special Assistant United States Attorney and will begin his new role this week.
“We are excited to have Adam Ward on our team,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “He will handle a variety of drug and violent crime cases, with a priority being placed on fentanyl trafficking and firearms offenses.”
According to Ihlenfeld, Ward is the first of several new prosecutors that will be added to his Martinsburg office over the next few months.
“The continued growth of the Eastern Panhandle plus our proximity to the D.C. metro area makes its necessary for federal resources to be added in order to more effectively combat crime,” said Ihlenfeld.
“I am pleased to see Adam receive this designation,” said Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Harvey. “He will continue to work on my staff in addition to handling federal offenses. Adam is a skilled prosecutor, and his new role will help to enhance the coordination between my office and that of the U.S. Attorney.”
Ward has been a prosecutor for a decade and presently handles a busy felony docket that includes cases of homicide, sexual assault, and arson. He previously worked for the Louisa County (VA) Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and is an honors graduate of the University of Richmond School of Law.
U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee Statement on Active Shooter HoaxRead the Press Release
Hoax threats disrupt school, waste law enforcement resources, and put first responders in unnecessary danger while causing emotional distress to entire communities, including students, school personnel, and parents. It's also a serious federal crime. Those who post or send these threats can receive time in federal prison and could also face state or local charges.
Maine is the latest state to fall victim to a wave of “swatting” incidents, with multiple communities today feeling the fear that has been shared by so many across the country. Every report of an active shooter is taken seriously by law enforcement at all levels. Today was no different, and I commend the local, state, and federal law enforcement for their swift action and coordinated response.
We know all too well that school shootings happen. From Columbine, to Sandy Hook, to Parkland, to Uvalde, to far too many others, past tragedies are engrained in our collective memories. We know that a similar tragedy could happen anywhere – even here in Maine. An unfortunate consequence of hoaxes like today’s is that false reports can make people question the validity of future threats. It is vital that we all remain vigilant. If you see or hear something, notify authorities to give them the opportunity to investigate but avoid spreading unsubstantiated rumors which can spread misinformation and cause panic.
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Two Men Charged with Dealing Fentanyl-Laced Heroin at Veterans Affairs Hospital in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Two men have been arrested on federal drug charges for allegedly selling fentanyl-laced heroin at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago.
RICHARD A. HUSBAND, 73, of Chicago, is charged with distribution of a controlled substance, specifically fentanyl-laced heroin, and WAYNE TOWNSEND, 71, of Chicago, is charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, specifically a quantity of fentanyl-laced heroin. Criminal complaints filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago accuse Husband and Townsend of dealing and possessing fentanyl-laced heroin at the VA facility last summer.
Husband and Townsend were arrested Monday. The federal investigation remains ongoing.
The complaints and arrests were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Chief Timothy Jantz of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Rothblatt represents the government.
The public is reminded that a complaint contains only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The charges against Husband and Townsend are each punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Trumbull Felon Admits Possessing Firearms, Including Ghost Guns, and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that JACK JAKUPS, 39, of Trumbull, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to possession of firearms and ammunition by a felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Jakups’ criminal history includes state felony convictions for narcotics possession, burglary, robbery, larceny and escape offenses. In January 2019, Jakups was released from prison to Connecticut’s Special Parole program. On November 30, 2021, Jakups’ parole officer, with the assistance of ATF, conducted a search of Jakups’ residence and seized a Diamondback 9mm handgun, a Ruger 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number, a privately made Glock-19-style firearm, a privately made AR-15-style firearm, and more than 300 rounds of ammunition.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for February 6, 2023, at which time Jakups faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Jakups has been detained in state custody since November 30, 2021.
This investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), with the assistance of Connecticut State Parole. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and A. Reed Durham.
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.
Tioga County Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Joseph Swansbrough, age 33, of Willseyville, New York, pled guilty today to attempted enticement and coercion of a minor, announced 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 guilty plea, Swansbrough admitted that, between September and October 2021, he exchanged sexually explicit messages online with an undercover officer posing as a 10-year-old child in an attempt to entice the child into engaging in sexual acts with him. Swansbrough also admitted that, on October 12, 2021, he traveled from his home in Tioga County to a prearranged meeting location in Broome County, New York, with the intent to engage in sexual acts with the 10-year-old child. Swansbrough was arrested upon arrival at the location and was found in possession of candy he had promised to bring to the child.
The charge against Swansbrough carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum sentence of life, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. As a result of his conviction in this matter, Swansbrough will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
Swansbrough’s sentencing is currently scheduled for March 22, 2023, in Syracuse before United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby.
This case was investigated by the FBI Syracuse Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and Computer Crimes Unit (CCU). This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Geoffrey J. L. Brown, Jessica N. Carbone, and Adrian S. LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Tennessee Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jeremy Crumbley, also known as “Memphis,” 30, of Memphis, Tennessee, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 25, 2018, Crumbley sold over 9 grams of fentanyl for $1,150 to a confidential informant in a Kanawha City alley in Charleston.
Co-defendant Kaleb Wuopio, 27, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and was sentenced to three years and six months in prison on September 14, 2021.
Crumbley is scheduled to be sentenced on February 15, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew J. Tessman and Negar M. Kordestani are prosecuting 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. 2:20-cr-115.
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Ten Charged with Crack Cocaine Distribution in Mount VernonRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Frank A. Tarentino III, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Glenn Scott, Commissioner of the Mount Vernon Police Department (“MVPD”), and Terrance Raynor, Acting Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Public Safety (“WCDPS”), announced today the unsealing of a Superseding Indictment and a Complaint charging 10 defendants with narcotics distribution and firearm offenses in and around Westchester County, New York. The defendants, ESTEBAN MORALES, TRAVIS SWAIN, BOBBY BROWN, ISHMAEL MORALES, JONATHAN LONG, SR., DAYSHAWN RIVERS, SHANNA LEWIS, DWAYNE HUDSON, SHONTEEA WALKER, and MICHAEL VEGA will be presented in federal court today before United States Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, these defendants trafficked crack cocaine, an addicting and potentially deadly product that devastates communities throughout the Southern District of New York, and used firearms to protect their operation. Thanks to the FBI, the DEA, the Mount Vernon Police Department, and the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, the defendants are in custody and facing federal criminal charges.”
FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: "These small groups of drug dealers are contributing to the spike in violent crime across our communities. The work being done by the FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force and our law enforcement partners is vital to stopping the vicious cycle of shootings, robberies, and illicit drug sales. We are determined to bring these criminals to justice and make Mount Vernon a safer place."
DEA Special Agent-in Charge Frank A Tarentino III said: “This investigation has shut down a violent drug trafficking organization based in Mount Vernon, New York. Drugs and guns cause irreparable damage in our communities, and law enforcement is committed to keeping the public safe and healthy.”
MVPD Commissioner Glenn Scott said: “The Mount Vernon Police Department is dedicated to solving violent crime and removing guns and drugs from our city streets. This operation is an example of what we can accomplish when we utilize all of our law enforcement partners. We thank our partner agencies in this operation, FBI Westchester Safe Streets Task Force, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Probation, and the Westchester County Police Department, and we look forward to continuing to work together to make Mount Vernon safer.”
WCDPS Acting Commissioner Terrance Raynor said: “Joint investigations with federal and local partners are one of the most effective tools we can use to take illegal weapons and narcotics off our streets. I applaud the officers and agents involved in this case for the difficult and dangerous work that led to these indictments and arrests. By sharing resources and working collaboratively, we can make Mount Vernon and Westchester safer for all.”
As alleged in the Superseding Indictment and the Complaint unsealed today in White Plains federal court:[1]
From at least January 2022 until November 2022, ESTEBAN MORALES, TRAVIS SWAIN, BOBBY BROWN, ISHMAEL MORALES, JONATHAN LONG, SR., DAYSHAWN RIVERS, SHANNA LEWIS, DWAYNE HUDSON, and SHONTEEA WALKER conspired to distribute over 280 grams of crack cocaine. In or about November 2022, MICHAEL VEGA possessed with intent to distribute over 1,500 grams of crack cocaine. In addition, on occasions between March 2022 and June 2022, ESTEBAN MORALES, BOBBY BROWN, ISHMAEL MORALES, and DAYSHAWN RIVERS each possessed a firearm in furtherance of the narcotics conspiracy.
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A chart containing the names and ages of the defendants who were charged today, the charges, and the minimum and maximum penalties they face is attached.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, the MVPD, the DEA, and the WCDPS. The Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force comprises Special Agents and Task Force Officers from the FBI, U.S. Probation, New York State Police, New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Westchester County DPS, Westchester County DAs Office, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Rockland County DA’s Office, New York City PD, Yonkers PD, Mount Vernon PD, Peekskill PD, Greenburgh PD, New Rochelle PD, White Plains PD, Clarkstown PD, and Ramapo PD.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaiya Arroyo, Qais Ghafary, and Stephanie Simon are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment and Complaint are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant
Age
Charges
Minimum and Maximum Penalties
ESTEBAN MORALES
22
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 280 Grams or More of Cocaine Base and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Controlled Substance Offense
Life in prison; mandatory minimum term of five years in prison (to run consecutively to any other prison term imposed); five years supervised release; $250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain derived from the offense, or twice the gross pecuniary loss; $100 special assessment
ISHMAEL MORALES
22
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 280 Grams or More of Cocaine Base; Unlawful Possession of a Firearm; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Controlled Substance Offense
Life in prison; mandatory minimum term of five years in prison (to run consecutively to any other prison term imposed); five years supervised release; $250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain derived from the offense, or twice the gross pecuniary loss; $100 special assessment
TRAVIS SWAIN
29
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 280 Grams or More of Cocaine Base
Life in prison; mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison; five years supervised release; $10,000,000 fine; $100 special assessment
BOBBY BROWN
45
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 280 Grams or More of Cocaine Base and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Controlled Substance Offense
Life in prison; mandatory minimum term of five years in prison (to run consecutively to any other prison term imposed); five years supervised release; $250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain derived from the offense, or twice the gross pecuniary loss; $100 special assessment
JONATHAN LONG, SR.
53
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 280 Grams or More of Cocaine Base
Life in prison; mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison; five years supervised release; $10,000,000 fine; $100 special assessment
DAYSHAWN RVERS
32
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 280 Grams or More of Cocaine Base and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Controlled Substance Offense
Life in prison; mandatory minimum term of five years in prison (to run consecutively to any other prison term imposed); five years supervised release; $250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain derived from the offense, or twice the gross pecuniary loss; $100 special assessment
SHANNA LEWIS
31
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 280 Grams or More of Cocaine Base
Life in prison; mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison; five years supervised release; $10,000,000 fine; $100 special assessment
DWAYNE HUDSON
38
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 280 Grams or More of Cocaine Base and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Controlled Substance Offense
Life in prison; mandatory minimum term of five years in prison (to run consecutively to any other prison term imposed); five years supervised release; $250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain derived from the offense, or twice the gross pecuniary loss; $100 special assessment
SHONTEEA WALKER
22
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 280 Grams or More of Cocaine Base
Life in prison; mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison; five years supervised release; $10,000,000 fine; $100 special assessment
MICHAEL VEGA
36
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 280 Grams or More of Cocaine Base
Life in prison; mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison; five years supervised release; $10,000,000 fine; $100 special assessment
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and Complaint constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
Tattoo Shop Owner Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Prison for Distributing Heroin and Methamphetamine on the Dark WebRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jason Keith Arnold, 46, of Chandler, Arizona, was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison for conspiring to distribute heroin and methamphetamine on the dark web, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Arnold, along with co-defendants David White, 50, and Alicia McCoy, 31, both of Chandler, operated the vendor accounts “TheSickness” and “SicknessVersion2” on Dream Marketplace. Dream Marketplace was a website on an encrypted part of the internet known as the “dark web” because it is only accessible via sophisticated encryption technology and is not visible to normal search engines such as Google. The encrypted nature of Dream Marketplace provided individuals such as Arnold—who previously owned tattoo parlors in Arizona—with relative anonymity to sell narcotics and other illegal goods and services over the internet.
Through his dark web accounts, Arnold and his co-conspirators conducted thousands of transactions for illegal drugs, including “pure gun powder heroin” and “uncut” methamphetamine. The conspirators used the U.S. Postal Service and other shippers to send these drugs from Chandler to customers throughout the country in packages purporting to contain candy. Arnold and his co-conspirators accepted payment for these narcotics in cryptocurrency, and accounts associated with the conspiracy grossed more than $350,000 during the time that “TheSickness” and “SicknessVersion2” were operational.
On Feb. 17, 2022, White was sentenced to 11 years in prison. Charges against McCoy are pending. The charges are only allegations; she is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy (NCIDE) Task Force, which includes agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The NCIDE Task Force is a federal task force focused on targeting all forms of illicit dark web and cryptocurrency activity in the Eastern District of California and beyond. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki prosecuted the case.
Story County Man Sentenced for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
Des Moines, IA – On Thursday, November 10, 2022, Halston Ray Van Westen, age 22, of Story City, was sentenced to five years in prison following his plea to a charge of Possession of Child Pornography. Van Westen must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on or about October 8, 2021, Van Westen knowingly possessed visual depictions of child pornography, including 390 images and 290 videos. Van Westen knew that the depictions were of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, the depictions included minors who had not attained the age of 12 years of age, and the visual depictions had been shipped in interstate or foreign commerce by any means including by computer. Van Westen used his cellphone to commit the crime.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Story County Sheriff’s Department, in conjunction with the Iowa Crimes Against Children Task Force, investigated the case.
This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
Stearns County Man Sentenced to More Than 21 Years for Leading a Meth Trafficking Conspiracy While IncarceratedRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Stearns County man was sentenced to 262 months followed by five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine while incarcerated, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to the evidence presented at his trial, in spring 2019, Robert Edward Maloney, Jr., 39, while incarcerated in a Minnesota state prison, coordinated with others outside the prison to sell methamphetamine. While Maloney was incarcerated, he communicated with his co-conspirators via jail calls. Law enforcement agents obtained recordings of Maloney’s jail calls, which revealed Maloney’s direction and coordination, including arranging meetings and discussing methamphetamine prices and quantities. Maloney also obstructed justice by threatening a witness.
Maloney was sentenced yesterday before Senior Judge David S. Doty. On April 8, 2022, after a four-day jury trial, Maloney was found guilty of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Cannon River Drug & Violent Offender Task Force, the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force, and the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley M. Endicott and Joseph S. Teirab.
Sending meth-laced mail into federal detention center lands Corpus woman in prisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 54-year-old woman residing in Corpus Christi has been ordered to federal prison for mailing meth-laced papers disguised as mail to the Coastal Bend Detention Center (CBDC), announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Gail Hostetter pleaded guilty July 21 to knowingly and intentionally possessing and attempting to provide meth to an inmate.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered Hostetter to serve 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release.
On Jan. 29, 2021, Hostetter mailed a letter purporting to be from a local law firm to an inmate at CBDC. However, facility staff intercepted it and sent it for testing. The mail tested positive for meth. Law enforcement subsequently executed a search warrant on Hostetter’s residence where they found additional empty envelopes pre-addressed from various local law firms.
The investigation revealed the inmate devised the plan and recruited Hostetter among others to mail meth-laced papers into the detention center. The scheme involved creating envelopes designed to look like legal mail.
At the time of her plea, Hostetter admitted to mailing meth into a jail facility on at least one other occasion.
She has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service, The GEO Group, Drug Enforcement Administration, Corpus Christi Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Prisons and FBI Miami Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Marck and Christopher Marin prosecuted the case.
Second U.S. Attorney Workshop to Combat Hate Crimes Focuses on LBGTQ+ CommunityRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha on Tuesday held the second in a series of “United Against Hate Workshops” to increase awareness of hate crimes and hate incidents in Rhode Island, and how to report them. More than seventy attendees attended the workshop that focused on identifying and reporting hate crimes and incidents in the LBGTQ+ community.
In June, several dozen members of the Rhode Island faith-based community attended a similar workshop aimed at improving law enforcement training, the reporting of hate crimes and incidents, and community outreach.
The workshops, part of the Department of Justice’s “United Against Hate: Identifying, Reporting and Preventing Hate Crimes” program, continue efforts to: (1) improve reporting of hate crimes by teaching community members how to identify, report, and help prevent those hate crimes; (2) build trust between law enforcement and communities; and (3) create and strengthen alliances to combat hate between the United States Attorney’s Office; federal, state, and local law enforcement partners; and community organizations.
“The enforcement and defense of civil rights- for every American- is at the core of the Justice Department’s mission,” said U.S. Attorney Cunha. “And carrying out that mission is about more than just bringing cases. It’s about building partnerships, spreading knowledge, and deepening connections between communities and their law enforcement partners. That is exactly what we are striving to do with our United Against Hate initiative, and I am proud that our office has the chance to stand with the LGBTQ+ community in this effort.”
Tuesday’s workshop, held at New England Institute of Technology, included remarks by United States Attorney Cunha and presentations by and discussions with Assistant United States Attorney Kevin L. Hubbard of the United States Attorney’s Office’s Civil Division and FBI Special Agent Pepper Daigler, who, among other matters, investigates allegations of civil rights violations.
Among those in attendance were LBGTQ+ community leaders and members; state, local, university and college law enforcement agencies; health care providers and related service providers; child, parent, and family support service providers and organizations; students; and domestic violence service providers.
United States Attorney Cunha urges individuals who believe they are victims of a hate crime or incident, or may have witnessed one, to contact their local or state law enforcement agency, the FBI, or the United States Attorney’s Office.
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Saugerties Woman Sentenced to 72 Months' Imprisonment for Attempted Arson of NYPD Van Occupied by Four Police OfficersRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Samantha Shader was sentenced by United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry to 72 months’ imprisonment for using an improvised incendiary device, commonly known as a “Molotov cocktail,” in an attempt to set fire to a New York City Police Department (NYPD) van occupied by four police officers in Brooklyn on the night of May 29, 2020. Shader pleaded guilty to the charge in April 2022.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner, NYPD, announced the sentence.
“The constitutionally protected right to peaceful protest is a core democratic value. Over the course of this nation’s history, protests have led to significant positive changes. But, throwing a potentially lethal device at an NYPD van occupied by four officers during a protest was an unacceptable and dangerous act, which put the officers and others present at risk,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office is committed to holding accountable those who, like this defendant, commit crimes that endanger the community and the lives of the dedicated officers of the NYPD.”
“Today, Ms. Shader learned the consequences for choosing to engage in violent criminal actions. Malicious actors who wish to bring mayhem to our community - and those who dutifully serve to protect it - will be held accountable for their behavior by the FBI and our law enforcement partners,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.
“A violent criminal who crossed a line that is critical to a lawful, civil society has been appropriately held to account,” stated NYPD Commissioner Sewell. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that no one may ever commit a despicable act of vandalism, especially one that endangers the lives of police officers – whose mission is to ensure people’s right to demonstrate peacefully. I commend the NYPD officers who arrested her for this criminal act, and I thank the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District for taking the safety of all New Yorkers – including the police who serve them – seriously.”
On May 29, 2020, Shader traveled from her residence in Saugerties, New York to Brooklyn to participate in a march planned to protest the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers. Before traveling to Brooklyn, Shader invited co-conspirator Timothy Amerman to “go down to the City to cause some hell,” and after he declined, procured from him numerous glass bottles that Amerman believed Shader would use as projectiles against police and counter-protesters.
On the night of May 29, 2020, amid a large protest march near the Brooklyn Museum, a witness used his phone to record a video of Shader lighting the wick of a Molotov cocktail and throwing it at a marked NYPD van occupied by four police officers who were assigned to crowd control during the protests. As she threw the Molotov cocktail, Shader called out to the protesters around the van to “GET OUT THE MOTHERF---ING WAY!” The Molotov cocktail struck the NYPD van, shattering two of its windows, but did not break and ignite. The police officers exited their vehicle and apprehended Shader, who resisted arrest by biting one of the police officers on the leg.
Following Shader’s arrest, the FBI identified Saugerties, New York resident Amerman as the man who had provided glass bottles to Shader and arrested him on July 3, 2020. Amerman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit civil disorder on March 26, 2021, and is awaiting sentencing. He faces a maximum term of 60 months’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Ian C. Richardson and Jonathan Algor are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
SAMANTHA SHADER
Age: 29
Saugerties, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-202 (DLI)
TIMOTHY AMERMAN
Age: 31
Saugerties, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-126 (DLI)
San Diego Resident Sentenced to 15 Years for His Role in Fatal Fentanyl OverdoseRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Sean Van Demark (619) 546-7657
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY—November 15, 2022
SAN DIEGO—Drug dealer Saul Caro was sentenced in federal court today to 15 years in prison for providing the fentanyl that resulted in the overdose death of a 35-year-old business owner who lived in downtown San Diego.
Caro pleaded guilty on June 1, 2022, admitting that he sold powdered fentanyl to a man identified in court records as M.S. on April 11, 2021. The victim overdosed in his apartment and was found two days later.
While investigating his death, federal agents posed as the victim and texted Caro, requesting drugs. They set up a meeting time near a restaurant on July 22, 2021. Caro was arrested there. Officers found a plastic bindle containing a white powdery substance with a green tint that fell out of his left pants leg. It tested positive for fentanyl.
During a subsequent search of Caro’s residence, a loaded, unregistered, semi-automatic privately manufactured firearm with no serial number, or “ghost gun,” was located along with more ammunition, more drugs, and drug paraphernalia.
According to the government’s sentencing memo, the defendant communicated with the victim via text not only about getting the drugs, but also about the strength of the drug or its authenticity. For example, on April 12, 2020, the victim texted Caro about the potency of some drugs he had received.
M.S.: OK lemme know when here
M.S.: Lotttttt stronger! … def need to warn ppl
Caro: I did
M.S.: Yeah thanks otherwise would been bad news for me lol
On November 6, 2020, M.S. informed Caro that the drugs he received were altered in some way.
M.S.: Man, so the shit has real stuff in it no doubt. But they cut it with something that makes ur heart slam like nothing I’ve ever felt. Was worried for a few mins. Heart pounds like a sledgehammer jack hammering out of my chest… ugh why the hell did they have to put that shit in here and ruin it!
M.S.: Literally hands shaking like a leaf it’s crazy
Caro: He told me to be careful cuz its strong
M.S.: Lol yeah
Caro: My bads
“The defendant chose to disregard the significant risk associated with selling fentanyl and other drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “His choices had severe consequences for a family that lost a beloved son and brother. The driving factor for all of us in law enforcement is the human toll that fentanyl is taking. We see the grief and destruction in person every day. We will continue to seek justice for every victim.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and investigating agencies for their excellent work on this case.
“There is no place to hide,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Shelly Howe. “The DEA and its partners will continue to track down, arrest, and prosecute those who are driving addiction.”
“Today’s sentencing serves not only as a testament to HSI’s commitment to bring to justice those responsible for another overdose death but should also serve as a reminder to people; abusing drugs these days will likely kill you, said Chad Plantz, special agent in charge for HSI San Diego. “The men and women of HSI, alongside our partnered law enforcement agencies, will stop at nothing to pursue those that deal deadly drugs in our communities.”
Special Agents and Task Force Officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Response Team (formerly known as Team 10) led the investigation. This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the San Diego Police Department, and the California Department of Health Care Services to investigate and prosecute the distribution of dangerous illegal drugs—fentanyl in particular—that result in overdose deaths. The Drug Enforcement Administration created the Overdose Response Team as a response to the increase in overdose deaths in San Diego County.
DEFENDANT Case Number 21-CR-3100-GPC
Saul Caro Age: 33 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Distribution of Fentanyl – Title 18, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison
AGENCY
Drug Enforcement Administration
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Homeland Security Investigations
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
San Diego Police Department
State of California Department of Health Care Services