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10 November 2022
Justice Department, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Department of Labor Issue Resource Document for Military Servicemembers Ahead of Veterans DayRead the Press Release
Ahead of Veterans Day, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and its Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), issued a resource document describing federal protections from unlawful employment discrimination against servicemembers and veterans.
The document details federal laws that provide workplace protections specific to servicemembers and veterans, such as the Uniformed Services and Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. The document also explains how additional federal laws prohibit discrimination against employees for other reasons that servicemembers and veterans may face, including discrimination on the basis of a disability or other protected characteristics.
This is the first time that these agencies have jointly authored a resource document to help veterans and servicemembers determine which laws and federal agencies are responsible for enforcing their workplace rights and where to seek assistance if they believe those rights have been violated.
“We owe our servicemembers, veterans and their families a deep debt of gratitude for their service to our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Through rigorous enforcement of federal civil rights laws, the Justice Department is working hard to ensure that the rights of the brave servicemembers and veterans are safeguarded from discrimination and unfair treatment.”
“Our military members sacrifice immensely to keep our country safe, and whether they are actively serving, reservists, or veterans, we must ensure they know their workplace rights and how to enforce them if they experience discrimination.” said EEOC Chair Charlotte A. Burrows. “This document clearly explains that they are protected from discrimination because of their military service, veteran status, disability or other reasons, such as their race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation or gender identity), age or genetic information.”
“OFCCP is pleased to release this important resource on employment discrimination protections for service members and veterans with VETS – at the Department of Labor – and our sister federal civil rights agencies,” said Director Jenny R. Yang of the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. “As the federal government makes historic investments in infrastructure, manufacturing and technology, OFCCP is playing a central role in ensuring that the nation is utilizing the full talents of all workers, including our nation’s protected veterans.”
On Wednesday, the Civil Rights Division and the Justice Department’s Office for Access to Justice (ATJ) partnered with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to host an event to highlight the work of VA-associated medical legal partnerships and discuss legal issues impacting veterans. The event also identified ways that federal attorneys and legal staff can be part of the solution by volunteering for pro bono assistance. The program featured remarks by Assistant Attorney General Clarke and ATJ Director Rachel Rossi, as well as Catherine Mitrano, Acting General Counsel for the VA and a number of veterans’ advocates.
The Civil Rights Division also houses the Justice Department’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative (SVI), which supports this legal work by conducting targeted outreach, training, policy development and coordination with other federal partners. In the last two years, SVI conducted 45 training and outreach programs, issued guidance to over 130 of businesses about servicemember financial rights and responded to hundreds of citizen requests for information. In addition, the division has assisted more than 3,450 servicemembers, veterans, and their families, securing more than $2 million in relief for them under federal civil rights law.
To learn more about the division’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative, please visit www.servicemembers.gov. To learn more about the Office for Access to Justice, please visit www.justice.gov/atj. More information about the laws the EEOC enforces and how to file a charge of discrimination is available at www.eeoc.gov. More information about the OFCCP is available at www.dol.gov/agencies/ofccp, and more information about VETS is available at www.dol.gov/agencies/vets.
Jury Convicts Lee’s Summit Man of $1 Million Extortion SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Lee’s Summit, Mo., man has been convicted by a federal trial jury of a $1 million extortion scheme against a Kansas City, Mo., victim.
Leon L. Dudley III, 24, was found guilty on Wednesday, Nov. 9, of one count of extortion.
Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Dudley delivered an extortion note to a Kansas City, Mo., residence on Aug. 24, 2018. The victim reported to law enforcement that a contractor arrived at the residence that morning to complete some work and found an envelope containing a handwritten letter taped to the front of the house near the front door. The letter contained a threat to vandalize and burn down the residence if the victim did not pay $1 million by the next day. The note included a cell phone number for the victim to text when the money was ready, and warned against contacting law enforcement.
The next day, an unknown suspect broke several windows in the house. The homeowner hired a private security firm, but the suspect returned that evening and broke more windows and a sliding glass door.
Investigators traced the cell phone number on the extortion note to the residence where Dudley lives with his mother. Investigators also located Dudley’s Facebook account, which included a photograph of a handwritten note with similar handwriting to the extortion note, as well as photos of Dudley that matched the physical profile captured in surveillance video at the residence.
Investigators searched Dudley’s residence and found an Apple iPad in his bedroom. The iPad had been stolen during a burglary at the extortion victim’s residence while it was still under construction in June 2018. During a forensic examination of the iPad, investigators found it contained internet searches related to the victim, to burning down a house and purchasing explosive items, and two extortion notes similar to the handwritten note that was left at the victim’s residence.
Investigators also found fingerprints on the extortion note and on the envelope that matched to Dudley.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for two hours before returning a guilty verdict to U.S. Chief District Beth Phillips, ending a trial that began Monday, Nov. 7.
Under federal statutes, Dudley is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg R. Coonrod and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie C. Bradshaw. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Jamestown Woman Pleads Guilty for Her Role in Narcotics Conspiracy Which Resulted in Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Rachelle N. Allison, 36, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that between 2019, and June 2022, conspired with others, including her then boyfriend Ryan Bloom, to sell heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. During the conspiracy, Allison bought and sold the illegal narcotics for profit and her own use, utilizing Facebook to conduct her drug trafficking activities and to assist Bloom, which included making drug deals with associates, suppliers, and customers. Allison and Bloom also utilized a Fairview Avenue residence in Jamestown to conduct their drug trafficking activities, which resulted in numerous overdoses occurred at that location.
On April 5, 2020, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office responded to Hoag Road residence in Ashville, NY, for a possible overdose death. Upon arrival, an individual identified as D.R., was found deceased. A search of D.R.’s cellular telephone revealed Facebook messages between D.R. and Bloom the previous day that were drug related. Allison admits that she and Bloom distributed heroin and fentanyl to D.R. the day before D.R.’s death. On July 19, 2020, Bloom sold heroin and fentanyl to an individual identified as A.R. at the Fairview Avenue residence, resulting in A.R. overdosing. After receiving two doses of Narcan, A.R. and was revived and regained consciousness. Allison called emergency services to revive and assist A.R.
Charges remain pending against Ryan Bloom.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 9, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Sinatra.
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Jackson Man Sentenced to over Three Years in Prison for Attempted Hobbs Act RobberyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for attempted robbery in violation of the Hobbs Act, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Myke Myers, 25, was sentenced on November 10, 2022, in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
According to court documents, Myers attempted robbery of a Family Dollar in Jackson on December 20, 2021. Myers was subsequently taken into custody and admitted to his illegal actions when he pled guilty on August 2, 2022.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Jackson Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Terrill.
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.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto on a criminal complaint for an initial appearance on Nov. 9 was:
Daniel August Meyer, 28, of Post Falls, Idaho, on charges of stalking, prohibited person in possession of a firearm and possession of illegal firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Meyer faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Meyer was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force and Missoula Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-83.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Illinois Woman Accused of Stealing $439,000 from BankRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former bank employee from Morrisonville, Illinois was arrested by the FBI Thursday after an indictment accused her of embezzling about $439,000.
Samantha J. Cherry, 35, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on October 26, 2022 on one felony count of theft or embezzlement by a bank officer. The indictment says she took the money from a UMB Bank branch in St. Louis between Jan. 1, 2021 and March 18, 2022.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted, the charge carries a potential penalty of up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine or both.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Roy is prosecuting the case.
Hardin County Man Sentenced to 40 years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography ViolationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Lumberton man has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Stephen John Pieper, 26, pleaded guilty on Dec. 9, 2021, to three counts of production of child pornography and was sentenced to 480 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
According to court documents, an investigation into claims that Pieper had sexually exploited teen girls revealed Pieper had engaged in sexual activity with three victims, aged 15 and 16-years old. As part of the sexual contact with the victims, Pieper used his own cellular phone to record the minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Pieper admitted to uploading the videos and images he captured of the victims into Snapchat accounts. Pieper’s exploitation of the three victims spanned 2016 through 2018, during which time Pieper was an adult who was more than 5 years older than his victims. There is evidence that Pieper engaged in sexual activity with at least 11 other minor girls. Pieper was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 7, 2021.
“If this press release does not stop you in your tracks, something is wrong,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “26-year-old Pieper will spend the next 40 years in federal prison for the evil crimes he committed. We must all takes steps to protect our most vulnerable population and keep an eye out for child sex abuse. It is our responsibility as citizens, parents, friends and family members to report abuse when it is suspected. The failure to do so is reprehensible.”
This case is 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 (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Texas Attorney General’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
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Greece Man Arrested on Multiple Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jason Lane, 27, of Greece, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production, receipt, and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a minimum penalty of 15 years, a maximum of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in July and August 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received tips from Yahoo that a Yahoo user uploaded approximately 260 files of possible child pornography. NCMEC forwarded the information to the New York State Police. A subsequent investigation traced the files to an IP address belonging to Lane, a former Town of Greece police recruit, who was terminated following a probationary period. The files include an image of a partially nude preschool-aged child, which appears to have been taken at a childcare facility in the Rochester, NY, area. The files also include sexually explicit images of two minor victims (Victim 1 and Victim 2), that appear to have been taken by Lane.
On August 9, 2022, the NYSP executed a search warrant at a residence in Brighton, NY, and seized a cellular phone. A second search warrant was executed at a residence in Greece, NY. A forensic analysis of the phone recovered one file of child pornography, and two files of child erotica. A search warrant was also executed on Lane’s Yahoo account. That search recovered images of students at Spencerport High School that appear to have been take surreptitiously by Lane when he worked as a security guard at the school.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian J. Ratajczak, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Grand Jury Charges A Dozen New Bank Fraud Counts Against Former St. Bernard Parish Assistant District Attorney and Two AssociatesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that a grand jury returned a superseding indictment on November 4, 2022 against GLENN E. DIAZ, age 71, of Arabi; PETER J. “PETE” JENEVEIN, age 57, of Panama City, Florida; and MARK S. GRELLE, age 67, of Chalmette, for bank fraud and money laundering charges related to defrauding First NBC Bank, the New Orleans-based bank that failed in April 2017.
According to the 31-count superseding indictment, from at least April 2016 through December 20, 2016, DIAZ, JENEVEIN, and GRELLE conspired to defraud First NBC Bank through a series of false invoices for work purportedly done at a Florida warehouse owned by DIAZ. As set forth in the superseding indictment, DIAZ was a customer of First NBC Bank from 2006 through the bank’s closure in 2017. By late 2015, DIAZ had been overdrawing his checking account for purported business expenses, although DIAZ was depositing these overdrafts into his personal account at another bank. In April 2016, First NBC Bank officers were asking DIAZ for additional information about the use of the overdrafts. In June 2016, bank officers began requiring invoices as proof that DIAZ was spending bank funds on improving the Florida warehouse.
Thereafter, DIAZ had his associate JENEVEIN provide invoices for improvements on the Florida warehouse performed by GRELLE’s company, Grelle Underground Services LLC. Bank officers then approved the overdrafts based on these invoices. However, after DIAZ wrote the check to GRELLE’s company, GRELLE would then write a check back to DIAZ, which DIAZ would deposit into his personal account at JPMorgan Chase bank. DIAZ then used the money for expenditures unrelated to the Florida warehouse project. In total, DIAZ, JENEVEIN, and GRELLE executed a total of 17 round-trip transactions through GRELLE’s accounts. The superseding indictment adds twelve additional counts in which DIAZ, JENEVEIN, and GRELLE sent fraudulent documents to First NBC Bank to support disbursements of money from the Bank that purportedly reimbursed DIAZ for additional fraudulent business costs. The defendants’ fraud resulted in a loss of over a half million dollars to First NBC Bank.
DIAZ and JENEVEIN are all charged in each of the 31 counts of the superseding indictment, and GRELLE is charged in 20 of the counts. Count 1 charges all three defendants with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1344 and 1349. The maximum penalties that may be imposed upon conviction are thirty years in prison, a maximum fine of the greater of $1,000,000.00 or twice the gross gain to the defendants or twice the gross loss; up to five years of supervised release; and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
In Count 2, DIAZ, JENEVEIN, and GRELLE are charged with conspiring to commit money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956(a)(1)(B)(i) and 1956(h). If convicted, they face a maximum of 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of the greater of $500,000.00 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, up to three years of supervised release, and $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
In Counts 3 through 31, DIAZ and JENEVEIN are charged with bank fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344, and GRELLE is also charged in Counts 3 to 6, 11, 14, 15, 18 to 25, and 28 to 30. As to each count, the defendants may receive a maximum of thirty years in prison, a maximum fine of the greater of $1,000,000.00 or twice the gross gain to the defendants or twice the gross loss, up to five years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that a superseding indictment is merely an accusation and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo has scheduled the trial in this case for April 17, 2023.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Inspector General; and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew R. Payne, Nicholas D. Moses, J. Ryan McLaren, and Rachal Cassagne are in charge of the prosecution.
Georgia Woman Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Bank Fraud, Identity Theft, and CARES Act FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – An Austell, Georgia woman was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and committing COVID-relief fraud while on pretrial release, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General of the Social Security Administration.
Chrystal Miesha Slaughter (Thompson), 34, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Jackson. Additionally, Slaughter was ordered to pay $205,262.89 in restitution to the victims in this case.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Slaughter used the personal identifying information of her victims to obtain loans from various banks, acquire lines of credit, purchase a luxury vehicle, and finance trips to locations such as South Beach, Florida. While on pretrial release after being indicted by a federal grand jury on eight counts for committing these offenses, Slaughter fraudulently applied for unemployment insurance benefits from the State of Mississippi and the State of Georgia. Slaughter was fraudulently claiming Mississippi and Georgia unemployment insurance benefits simultaneously. She was then named in a ten-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in September 2021.
The Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Purdie prosecuted the case.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization that expands states’ ability to provide unemployment insurance for many workers impacted by COVID-19, including for workers who are not ordinarily eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.
Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Former Trumbull County Clerk of Courts Employee Pleads Guilty to Distributing CocaineRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Lisa Crusan, 41, of Warren, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to selling approximately four ounces of cocaine in transactions conducted by law enforcement authorities.
Crusan, a former employee of the Trumbull County Clerk of Courts, pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of cocaine before U.S. District Judge Pamela A. Barker in Cleveland. Crusan is scheduled to be sentenced on March 15, 2023.
According to court documents, on three separate occasions in June and July 2022, Crusan sold a total of approximately four ounces of cocaine in controlled purchases conducted by the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force (MVLETF). Crusan was arrested in September 2022.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the MVLETF. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter E. Daly.
Former Owner and Operator of Arlington Insurance Agency Sentenced for Stealing over $380,000 in Government BenefitsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former owner and operator of an Arlington-based insurance agency was sentenced on Nov. 8, 2022 for fraudulently receiving disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Patrick Quinn, 50, of Arlington, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to one year and one day in prison followed by one year of supervised release. Quinn was also ordered to pay restitution of $98,940 to the VA. Quinn has already paid restitution in the amount of $281,439 to SSA. On April 12, 2022, Quinn was convicted by a federal jury of two counts of theft of public funds and two counts of making false statements.
Since January 2012, Quinn stole more than $380,000 in Veterans Affairs benefits and Social Security benefits by falsely telling the VA and SSA that he was unable to work due to a disability, when in reality, he owned and operated Quinn Insurance Group, Inc.
In October 1995, shortly after being discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps, Quinn applied and was approved for disability compensation benefits with the VA based on a series of physical injuries and, later, post-traumatic stress disorder. In March 2005, Quinn applied for Individual Unemployability benefits with the VA, which is paid to individuals who are unable to maintain substantially gainful employment as a result of their service-connected disabilities. In the application, Quinn claimed that his PTSD prevented him from securing or following any substantially gainful occupation and that he had become too disabled to work. In support of his application, Quinn submitted a letter from his purported final employer, Insurance Management Consultants, Inc., claiming Quinn was let go due to his erratic behavior and was no longer employed at the firm. While receiving IU benefits, Quinn completed and returned four VA employment questionnaires, in each of which he attested he had not worked during the previous year.
Similarly, in November 2005, Quinn applied and was approved for Disability Insurance Benefits with Social Security, this time claiming he had become unable to work due to his disabling condition in September 2004. In June 2006, Quinn applied for Child’s Insurance Benefits, which are paid to the dependent of a disabled individual receiving Disability Insurance Benefits, on behalf of his minor child. Social Security beneficiaries are obligated to report if they return to work to the SSA. In May 2018, Quinn reported to the SSA that he had not worked since May 2006. The SSA continued to pay benefits to Quinn and his son based on this report.
In actuality, however, Quinn was self-employed as the owner and operator of his own insurance agency, Shannon Francis & Quinn Insurance, which later became Quinn Insurance Group, Inc, since at least March 2003 – contrary to his claims to the VA and SSA. Quinn also served as the President, Treasurer, Secretary and Director of Insurance Management Consultants, Inc. from 2000 through 2007, despite telling the VA and SSA that the company fired him in 2005. While operating his own insurance company, Quinn regularly received payments ranging in amounts of $6,500 to $15,000 and grew his business significantly through acquisitions of nine smaller insurance companies at various times between 2012 through 2019. Additionally, Quinn was appointed by 65 insurance companies to conduct business on their behalf and renewed his insurance producer license on numerous occasions.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Mackenzie Duane and Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Former Head Coach of Women’s Soccer at Yale University Sentenced in College Admissions CaseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former Yale University women’s soccer coach was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for accepting bribes to facilitate the admission of students to Yale as purported athletic recruits.
Rudolph “Rudy” Meredith, 54, of Madison, Conn., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf to five months in prison and one year of supervised release. Meredith was also ordered to pay a $19,000 fine and forfeiture of $557,774. This sentence was above the government’s recommendation of a non-incarceratory sentence. In March 2019, Meredith pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services wire fraud and one count of wire fraud and honest services wire fraud.
From 1995 through November 2018, Meredith was employed as the head women’s soccer coach at Yale University. Beginning in April 2015, Meredith conspired with William “Rick” Singer to falsely designate the children of Singer’s clients as soccer recruits in exchange for bribes. Between 2015 and 2018, Meredith accepted a total of $860,000 from Singer in exchange for purporting to recruit the children of Singer’s clients to the Yale soccer team, or attempting to facilitate their admission to Yale by other means. In addition, separate and apart from his arrangement with Singer, Meredith agreed to accept a bribe of approximately $450,000 directly from a parent in exchange for designating his daughter as a soccer recruit to secure her admission to Yale.
Singer previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Terry Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General Eastern Regional Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Frank, Leslie A. Wright, Kristen A. Kearney and Ian J. Stearns of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Former Fresno Businessman Sentenced to Nearly 4 Years in Prison for a Classic Car Restoration SchemeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jeffrey Scott Hedges, 51, of Huntington Beach, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison for committing wire fraud and money laundering in a scheme to defraud customers of his classic car business, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between November 2015 and January 2019, Hedges carried out a scheme to defraud through his business, West Coast Chassis LLC. Hedges advertised that his business restored classic cars such as Corvettes. However, instead of providing certain customers the classic cars or car chassis they ordered, and instead of making custom modifications to the vehicle frames other customers shipped to him for repairs, Hedges kept the customers’ payments and failed to provide the promised products. In many instances, Hedges used customers’ funds for his personal expenses and for other unauthorized purposes. The court ordered Hedges to pay $811,694 in restitution to the victims of his fraud scheme.
This case was the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk E. Sherriff prosecuted the case.
Former Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes to Smuggle Contraband into Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – KACIE DEYO, 30, formerly of Yukon, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty today to accepting bribes while serving as a Correctional Officer at a federal prison in El Reno, Oklahoma, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
Public records reflect that on September 28, 2022, Deyo was charged by Information with one count of accepting a bribe by a public official. Public records further reflect that from November 2016 through January 31, 2022, Deyo was employed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons as a Correctional Officer at the Federal Correctional Institution located in El Reno (FCI – El Reno). FCI – El Reno is a medium-security prison for male inmates from throughout the United States serving federal terms of imprisonment. As a Correctional Officer, Deyo’s job duties included guarding federal inmates and enforcing regulations.
Today, Deyo pleaded guilty to accepting thousands of dollars of bribes in exchange for smuggling contraband into FCI – El Reno between March 3, 2021, and May 7, 2021. Deyo will be sentenced in approximately 90 days. At sentencing, Deyo faces up to 15 years in federal prison, followed by up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Oklahoma City Field Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bow Bottomly.
Reference is made to the information and other public filings for further information.
Five Former Methodist Hospital Employees Charged with HIPAA ViolationsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal grand jury has indicted five former Methodist Hospital Employees for conspiring with Roderick Harvey, 40, to unlawfully disclose patient information in violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, commonly known as “HIPAA.” United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the indictment today.
HIPAA was enacted by Congress in 1996 to create national standards to protect sensitive patient information from being disclosed without a patient’s knowledge or consent. HIPAA’s provisions make it a crime to disclose patient information, or to obtain patient information with the intent to sell, transfer or use such information for personal gain.
According to the indictment, between November 2017 and December 2020, Harvey paid Kirby Dandridge, 38, Sylvia Taylor, 43, Kara Thompson, 30, Melanie Russell, 41, and Adrianna Taber, 26, to provide him with names and phone numbers of Methodist patients who had been involved in motor vehicle accidents. After obtaining the information, Harvey sold the information to third persons including personal injury attorneys and chiropractors.
The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000 and three-year period of supervised release.
Harvey was also charged with seven counts of obtaining patient information with the intent to sell it for financial gain on various dates between November 12, 2017, and September 7, 2019. Each of those charges carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000 and three years’ of supervised release.
Dandridge, Taylor, Thompson, Russell, and Taber were each charged with separate violations of disclosing the information to Harvey in violation of HIPAA. That charge carries a maximum penalty of one year imprisonment, a $50,000 fine and a one-year period of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Carroll L. André III, who is prosecuting the case.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or [email protected]. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.
Firearms Trafficker Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man who illegally trafficked at least five firearms has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison.
In June of 2020 and July of 2021, ROBERTO PRIETO, 34, of Chicago offered firearms for sale via text message to a confidential law enforcement source on at least five different occasions, executing three of those sales. On April 19, 2022, a grand jury in Chicago returned a superseding indictment charging Prieto with three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On June 16, 2022, Prieto pleaded guilty to all three counts.
On November 8, 2022, U.S. District Judge Harry D. Leinenweber imposed a 120-month prison sentence.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Jeffrey L. Matthews, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan DeMarco.
Disrupting illegal firearms trafficking is the focus of the Department of Justice’s Chicago Firearms Trafficking Strike Force. As part of the strike force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with ATF and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the Northern District of Illinois and across the country to help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms and identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes.
Holding firearm offenders accountable through federal prosecution is also a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Fentanyl Dealers Plead Guilty in Relation to OK Man's Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
A Wichita Falls drug dealer and his ex-girlfriend who sold fentanyl to 27-year-old man who overdosed and died in June 2020 have plead guilty to drug crimes, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Lionel DeSaun Henderson, 33, and his former girlfriend, Shameka Tanee Mason, 29, were first charged in July. Ms. Mason pleaded guilty in August to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and Mr. Henderson pleaded guilty Wednesday to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
“Few drug traffickers dealing fentanyl-laced pills intend to take a life —but inevitably, some do. Just two milligrams of fentanyl can be deadly,” said U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “Nothing will ever make up for the loss of this young man’s future. We hope, however, that his family and friends will take comfort in the knowledge that these two dealers have been brought to justice.”
“The guilty pleas are yet another example of consequences of actions like those of Mr. Henderson and Ms. Mason,” said Eduardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Dallas Field Division. “They will now spend years in jail because of the excellent work by law enforcement throughout the region. Nothing can bring back the lives lost but we can work together to avoid future ones.”
In court documents, the pair admits they knowingly sold counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl to an individual who later sold them to his 27-year-old cousin, J.D.K. J.D.K. split the drugs with his coworker. On June 12, 2020, both J.D.K. and his coworker overdosed; the coworker received medical attention and recovered, but J.D.K. died of drug toxicity.
During an interview at a Denton hospital, the coworker told investigators that he and J.D.K. split what appeared to be a 30mg oxycodone tablet. He said some of the remaining pills were stored at J.DK.’s home in Graham, Oklahoma. Agents searched the bedroom and recovered one round blue tablet marked M/30, three green rectangle tablets marked S/90/3, and one pink capsule with illegible markings. The blue M/30 – which appeared identical to brand name oxycodone – instead tested positive for butyryl fentanyl.
Agents then cultivated a confidential source who identified Lionel Henderson as the source of the blue M/30s. He went through Mr. Henderson’s girlfriend, Shameka Mason, to arrange a meeting with an undercover agent at Ms. Mason’s residence in Wichita Falls. On June 25, agents met with Mr. Henderson and Ms. Mason and purchased five M/30 tablets, which later tested positive for fentanyl and acetaminophen.
They then executed a search warrant of Mr. Henderson’s home, where they recovered 497 blue m/30s that later tested positive for fentanyl and acetaminophen, 1,035 multicolored tablets that later tested positive for ecstasy, and multiple firearms, including one that was stolen.
A month later, agents interviewed Ms. Mason, who admitted that she and Mr. Henderson had been dealing illicit substances in December 2018. They began with alprazolam, or “bars,” then escalated to ecstasy, and later to M/30s, which she called “percs,” in December 2019. She claimed she did not know where Mr. Henderson obtained the pills, but admitted they sold the pills for $25 apiece.
In plea papers, Mr. Henderson admitted that he had been selling fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills since March 2020.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division, the Carter County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Oklahoma City Medical Examiner’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney P.J. Meitl is prosecuting the case.
Felon Pleads Guilty as Charged to Gun and Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DESEAN CHRISTY, age 37, of New Orleans, Louisiana, has pleaded guilty to the remaining two counts of a three-count indictment for violations of the Federal Gun Control Act and Federal Controlled Substances Act. He had previously pleaded guilty to only Count 3 of the indictment. He was charged in Count 1 with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C); in Count 2 with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and in Count 3 with being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, CHRISTY was previously convicted of illegally possessing heroin, cocaine, and attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in Orleans Parish. Due to his criminal history, he is prohibited from having a firearm. He is now convicted of possessing possessing a Glock 22, .40 caliber handgun as a felon and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime when he was arrested while possessing cocaine base (“crack”) with the intent to distribute.
For Count 1, CHRISTY faces a maximum of twenty (20) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00 and at least three (3) years of supervised release. For Count 2, he faces a mandatory minimum of five (5) years up to a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to five (5) years of supervised release. Any sentence imposed for Count 2 shall be served consecutive to any other term of imprisonment. For Count 3, he faces a maximum of ten (10) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three (3) years of supervised release. CHRISTY must also pay a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee, per count.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles D. Strauss.
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Federal Jury Convicts Muskogee Resident of Maliciously Burning Porter Dollar General StoreRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Daniel Lewis Moon, age 25, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of Arson.
The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, and concluded on Wednesday, November 9, 2022, with the guilty verdict.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on March 28, 2020, Moon, a disgruntled employee of the Dollar General store in Porter, Oklahoma, maliciously set a fire inside the store. The fire caused extensive damage to the building and its contents. The store’s surveillance video revealed the Defendant was the only person in the area of the store where the fire began. The video also disproved the Defendant’s claim to investigators he was in another part of the store at the time the fire was set.
The guilty verdict was the result of an investigation by the Wagoner Country Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the property damaged in this case belonged to a business engaged in activity involving interstate commerce and the crime occurred in Wagoner County, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report.
Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Flanigan and Kristiana Dietzel represented the United States.
Federal Jury Convicts Felon for Weapons ViolationRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces a federal jury convicted Rayzjaun Curry, age 25, of Denver, of possession of a firearm or ammunition by a prohibited person.
According to evidence presented at trial, on April 22, 2022, Denver Police Officers with District 2 Impact Team were on proactive patrol in the Park Hill area. They observed a vehicle with an expired license plate and initiated a stop. As they approached the vehicle, the defendant, who was in the driver’s seat, was reaching for something in the front passenger seat. While searching the vehicle, officers found a backpack on the front passenger seat with a Ruger 9mm handgun with 15 rounds in the magazine and 1 round in the chamber. The only other person in the car was the defendant’s 6-year-old daughter, in the back seat. It was also proven at trial the defendant was a felon, and therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
U.S. District Court Judge Raymond P. Moore presided over the three-day trial. The jury returned its guilty verdict on November 9, 2022. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on February 13, 2023.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Denver Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Brian Dunn and Celeste Rangel.
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.
CASE NUMBER: 22-cr-147
Federal Jury Convicts Englewood Felon for Weapons ViolationRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces a federal jury convicted Joseph Gaye, 37, of Englewood, of possession of a firearm or ammunition by a prohibited person.
According to evidence presented at trial, on October 19, 2020, Denver Police Officers responded to a call of a shooting in the 100 block of North Cook Street in Denver. The caller, later identified as Joseph Gaye, told officers he had been shot by an individual in a mask. Officers responded to the building and encountered Gaye, who was suffering from a gunshot wound to the groin area. Officers conducted a search and did not locate anyone else inside the building and did not observe any other signs of forced entry. Detectives then found a Sig Saur semi-automatic 9mm pistol with no serial number inside the desk that Gaye was found next to. The Sig Saur was found underneath a piece of paper with Gaye’s name on it. The Sig Saur had eleven rounds in the magazine and one round in the chamber. Detectives also found several boxes of ammunition next the firearm. The defendant's injuries were determined to be self-inflicted. The defendant had previously been convicted of a felony, making it illegal for him to possess a firearm or ammunition.
U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martinez presided over the three-day trial. The jury returned its guilty verdict on November 9, 2022. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 19, 2023.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Denver Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Tom Minser and Albert Buchman.
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.
CASE NUMBER: 21-cr-15
Federal Grand Jury Indicts New Orleans Man for Conspiracy, Carjacking, and Weapons ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on November 10, 2022, TYRESE HARRIS, age 19, resident of Orleans Parish, was charged in a five-count superseding indictment for conspiracy, carjacking, and weapons violations. Count 1 charges HARRIS with conspiracy to commit carjackings beginning August 19, 2021, through February 1, 2022 in violation of Title 18, United States Code Section 371. Count 2 charges HARRIS with a carjacking that occurred on August 19, 2021, in the 600 block of Washington Avenue in New Orleans, LA in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1). Count 3 charges HARRIS with using a firearm in furtherance of the carjacking in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(ii). In Count 4, HARRIS is charged with an attempted carjacking at 700 block of Howard Avenue on January 18, 2022 in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1). Finally, in Count 5, HARRIS is charged with a carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury that occurred on February 1, 2022, at the 3800 block of S. Carrollton Avenue in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(2).
In Count 1, HARRIS faces up to maximum of 5 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $$250,000.00, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. For Counts 2 and 4, HARRIS faces a maximum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a period of up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00 for each count. In Count 3, HARRIS faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 7 years up to a maximum of life imprisonment, to be run consecutive to any other sentence imposed, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a period of up to 5 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. In Count 5, HARRIS faces a sentence of a maximum 25 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a period of up to 5 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Federal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced-November 2022Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the November 2022 Federal Grand Jury A.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Luis Antonia Barajas-Morales. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Barajas-Morales, 44, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed on July 17, 2007, at or near San Luis, Arizona. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-376
Jared Nathan Black. Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Black, 46, of Jenks, is charged with pointing a firearm at the victim’s head and pulling the trigger with intent to commit murder after the victim intervened in a domestic assault on Dec. 26, 2020. The gun malfunctioned and did not fire. Black is further charged with discharging the firearm during a crime of violence. In this superseding indictment, Black is also charged with assaulting the victim with a dangerous weapon with the intent to do bodily harm. The FBI and Jenks Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin G. Bish is prosecuting the case. 21-CR-9
Nathaniel Dale Burns; Ashley Elizabeth Burns. Drug Conspiracy; Manufacture of Methamphetamine; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. Nathaniel Burns, 36, and Ashley Burns, 28, both of Tulsa, are charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and cocaine. The two are also charged with aiding and abetting each other on Oct. 21, 2022, to manufacture 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. They are further charged with aiding and abetting each other to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. They are also charged with aiding and abetting each other to manufacture and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. The two are charged with aiding and abetting each other to knowingly use and maintain a residence for the purpose of storing, manufacturing, and distributing the drugs. They are charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking crimes, and finally, Daniel Burns is charged with being a felon in possession of a Glock .45 caliber lever-action rifle; an FN 9 mm semiautomatic pistol; a Smith & Wesson .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol; a Sig Sauer 9 mm semiautomatic pistol; a PWS .223 caliber rifle; a CZ 9 mm semiautomatic pistol; a Radikal, 12 gauge semiautomatic shotgun; an Anderson Manufacturing multi-caliber rifle; a DPMS .223/5.56 caliber rifle; a Glock 9X19 semiautomatic pistol; a Marlin, .270 Win rifle; a Canick 9X19 mm semiautomatic pistol; a Taurus 9 mm semiautomatic pistol; and a Sig Sauer 9 mm semiautomatic pistol. The FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Tonkin is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-378
Brian Keith Doty. Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country; Incest in Indian Country. Doty, 30, of Dewey, is charged with engaging in and attempting to engage in sexual acts with a child between 12 and 16 years of age from Nov. 1, 2014, to Aug. 29, 2016. He is further charged with sexual contact against the same minor. Finally, he is charged with incest. The FBI and Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elmore is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-374
Jacob William Fairchild. Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country(Counts 1-3); Coercion and Enticement of a Minor in Indian Country (Counts 4-5); Sexual Abuse of an Incapable Victim in Indian Country (Count 6); Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force in Indian Country (Count 7) (superseding). Fairchild, 33, of Claremore, is charged with sexually abusing three children between 12 and 16 years of age. He is further charged with coercing and enticing two of the victims to engage in sexual activity. He is also charged with sexually abusing one of the victims who was incapable of providing consent at the time and with sexually abusing the same victim using force. The FBI, Rogers County Sheriff’s Office and Mayes County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina S. Gilmore is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-192
Christopher Scott Royce. Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition; Drug Conspiracy; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of Child Pornography (2nd superseding). Royce, 43, of Broken Arrow, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Marlin, 30/30 caliber lever-action rifle; a Mauser bolt-action rifle; an Iver Johnson .22 caliber bolt-action rifle; a Ruger .22 caliber revolver; a Ruger .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol; a Taurus .22 caliber pistol and 22 rounds of ammunition. Royce was previously convicted of six felonies, including three crimes of violence. He is further charged aiding and abetting another individual with using and maintaining a place in Broken Arrow for the purpose of distributing an illicit drug. Finally, he is charged with possessing child sexual abuse material. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-163
Farmington Man Guilty of Selling Prescribed Oxycodone PillsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that, on November 9, a federal jury in New Haven found ANTHONY HARRIS, 53, of Farmington, guilty of multiple count involving the illegal distribution of oxycodone.
According to the evidence disclosed during the trial, Harris, who was prescribed oxycodone for a medical condition, unlawfully sold hundreds of oxycodone pills to another individual approximately every three weeks over the course of more than three years. The individual who purchased the pills sold them to customers in the Bristol area.
The jury found Harris guilty of four counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, oxycodone, and not guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, oxycodone.
Harris is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer on February 2, 2023, at which time Harris faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count of conviction.
Harris was arrested on June 3, 2021. He released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the Bristol Police Department. The Tactical Diversion Squad includes officers from the Bristol, East Windsor, Hamden, New Britain, West Haven, Newington, Manchester, Glastonbury and Watertown Police Departments. Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Conor M. Reardon and Nathaniel J. Gentile.
FBI Arrests Round Rock Pastor for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
AUSTIN – A Georgetown man was arrested yesterday on criminal charges related to child pornography.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Austin federal court, David Lloyd Walther, 56, is accused of knowingly searching for, downloading, distributing and possessing child pornography. The criminal complaint alleges that Walther downloaded and made available child pornography using BitTorrent, a peer-to-peer file sharing network. At the time, Walther was pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Round Rock, Texas.
During a search of Walther’s home and vehicle, two large computer hard drives were located and found to contain child pornography.
Walther is charged with distribution, receipt, transportation and possession of child pornography. If convicted, Walther faces up to 20 years in prison. Walther made his initial appearance today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Austin. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and FBI San Antonio Division Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich, Jr., made the announcement.
The FBI San Antonio Division's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, with invaluable assistance from the Round Rock Police Department, is investigating the case. The FBI also appreciates the assistance received by the Williamson County Sheriff's Office and the Williamson County Children's Advocacy Center.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Devlin is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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East Moline Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to File Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – An East Moline, Illinois man, Charles Stoutt, 39, of the 4000 block of 9 ½ Street, pleaded guilty on November 7, 2022, to two Counts of failure to file tax returns.
The information alleged that Stoutt failed to file tax returns with the federal government for the tax years 2019 and 2020, and failed to report over $1,800,000.00 in income. The guilty pleas require that Stoutt pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, which amount will be included in Stoutt’s sentencing.
Sentencing for Stoutt has been scheduled for March 2, 2023. The statutory penalties for each count are up to a year in prison, a fine of up to $100,000, up to a year of supervised release, and payment of a $25 special assessment.
The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John K. Mehochko represented the government in the prosecution.
Duluth Felon Indicted for Federal Firearm ViolationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal grand jury returned an indictment against a Duluth man for possession of a firearm as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on September 11, 2022, Joseph Francis Butler, 32, entered a gas station in Duluth and argued with the store clerk over change from a transaction. Butler then walked behind the counter and punched the clerk. During the scuffle, a Springfield, model XD, .45 caliber pistol fell out of Butler’s waistband. Butler picked up the firearm, pointed it at the victim, and fired several times. The victim was not directly hit by the rounds but suffered powder burns and a graze wound. Butler then fled the store. Butler was eventually apprehended in Bloomington with the same firearm.
Because Butler has multiple prior felony convictions in Cook County, Illinois, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Butler is charged with one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. He previously made his initial appearance on a related complaint before Magistrate Judge Leo. I Brisbois in Duluth.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Duluth Police Department and the Bloomington Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander D. Chiquoine and Esther Soria Mignanelli are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Drug Distributor in Fidelis Way Drug Trafficking Organization Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A drug distributor within a Boston-area drug trafficking organization (DTO) pleaded guilty yesterday to a drug trafficking conspiracy involving cocaine and cocaine base (crack cocaine).
Keith Daye, 47, of Boston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Feb. 15, 2023.
Daye was charged with 23 others in June 2020 as part of Operation Snowfall, which ultimately resulted in the charging of two different drug trafficking conspiracies during the overall period of November 2018 through June 2020. Daye is the final defendant to plead guilty in the Fidelis-Way related drug conspiracy.
Beginning in November 2018, law enforcement investigated a DTO in which Daye was a drug distributor. The DTO was comprised of Boston-based street gang members and associates in the Commonwealth Development in Brighton, formerly known as Fidelis Way, a multi-apartment public housing development. The DTO assumed control over multiple apartments, which they used to store, cook, package, and sell drugs – most of which consisted of cocaine or cocaine base, which the DTO supplied to customers, wholesalers and distributors. As a result, the DTO caused a blight of the development and reduced the quality of life of the other residents.
Daye supplied and distributed cocaine to at least one Fidelis Way DTO member as well as to others outside of the Fidelis Way DTO. In one instance, Daye was observed meeting with a drug customer at the time and manner agreed upon during calls intercepted by law enforcement. During a subsequent traffic stop of the drug customer following the meeting approximately 125 grams of cocaine was recovered from the vehicle.
In total, Daye is estimated to have distributed between approximately 28 and 120 grams of crack cocaine during the course of his participation in the charged drug conspiracy and, in total, between 200 and 300 grams of cocaine (including both powder and base).
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. 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.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Bryan Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistance with the investigation was provided by the Braintree, Cambridge, Canton, Randolph and Weymouth Police Departments; the Suffolk, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorneys’ Offices; and the Suffolk, Plymouth and Norfolk County Sheriffs’ Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin R. O’Donnell and Timothy E. Moran of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Dorchester Man Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dorchester man previously convicted of state firearm charges was sentenced yesterday for illegally possessing a semiautomatic pistol and ammunition.
Michael King, a/k/a “Rugga”, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On July 14, 2022, King pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On Dec. 18, 2020, King possessed a Smith & Wesson, Model 442 Airweight, .38 caliber revolver, loaded with five rounds of .38 caliber ammunition. King is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Canton Police Chief Kenneth Berkowitz; and Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrisey made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley, Jr. of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
District Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Assaulting Family with Handgun and AR-15 RifleRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Donald Willis, 50, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for assaulting multiple family members attending a housewarming party with an AR-15 rifle and handgun, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Willis pleaded guilty in July 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced by the Honorable William W. Nooter. Following his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of Nov. 26, 2021, Willis attended a housewarming party in the 2300 block of Chester Street SE with numerous people, including children. Over the course of the evening, Willis got into an argument with another attendee. In the early morning hours of Nov. 27, 2021, after a brief physical altercation outside the residence, Willis retreated to his car and retrieved a handgun. Willis then fired one round at the home while guests filtered back inside. Armed with the handgun, Willis entered the home and began waving it around and threatening to kill everyone inside. Two house guests, including a 15-year-old boy, wrestled the handgun away from Willis. The juvenile then brought the handgun to his room in the basement.
Willis returned to his vehicle and retrieved an AR-15 rifle. Willis then fired the weapon as he walked back towards the home. Once back in the residence, Willis found the 15-year-old boy and pointed the AR-15 at him as he demanded the return of his handgun. Willis then made his way upstairs, where he pointed the AR-15 at three additional houseguests who were hiding in a closet. Officers with the Metropolitan Police Department arrived on the scene and observed Willis leaving the home with the AR-15 in his hands. Officers gave several commands to drop the gun, but Willis ignored their commands and continued to walk toward his vehicle. Officers fired several shots as Willis dropped the AR-15 in the street and fled from the scene in his vehicle. While fleeing, Willis struck a police car before abandoning his vehicle and fleeing on foot. Willis was arrested on Nov. 27, 2021. He has remained in custody ever since. No one was injured by the shots that Willis fired.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Platt, Danielle White, and Yasmin Emrani.
District Man Sentenced to 10-Year Prison Term for Armed Robbery and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon of a Senior Citizen in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –James Clark, Jr., 43, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a 10-year prison term for an early evening armed robbery and assault of a senior citizen in the Columbia Heights area of Northwest Washington last New Year’s Eve, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Clark was found guilty by a jury in August 2022 of robbery while armed of a senior citizen, assault with a dangerous weapon of a senior citizen, and related firearms offenses. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before Judge Michael O’Keefe, who also sentenced the defendant. Following his prison term, Clark will be placed on a period of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, at about 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2021, the victim, 77, tried to go into a market at 14th Street and Spring Road NW, but it had closed early on New Year’s Eve. Clark approached the victim, cornered him, and assaulted, threatened, and robbed him at gunpoint as the victim lay on the ground.
Clark was identified from surveillance footage of the robbery and a nearby convenience store. He was arrested on an arrest warrant in April 2022. He has been in custody since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Braskich, Paralegal Specialist Debra McPherson and Kelly Brown, Victim/Witness Advocate Karina Hernandez, Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, and Litigation Technology Specialists Charlie Bruce and Ron Royal.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Prins and Colin Cloherty, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Deerfield Beach Man Convicted of Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – A federal jury in Tallahassee convicted Johnson Saint-Louis, 37, of Deerfield Beach, Florida of armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The guilty verdict, returned yesterday afternoon at the conclusion of a 3-day trial, was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Evidence introduced during the trial revealed that Saint-Louis was a former ATM technician who traveled around the southeast tampering with ATMs serviced by his former employer. Over a two-year period, Saint-Louis robbed four ATM technicians sent out to fix problems apparently caused by Saint-Louis, including the ATM technician dispatched to the Bank of America at 5676 Thomasville Road in Tallahassee on September 29, 2021. The Government introduced evidence of similar robberies in Boca Raton, Florida in November 2019, Longwood, Florida in February 2021, and Raleigh, North Carolina in August 2021.
As part of the FBI’s investigation into the bank robberies, Saint-Louis was surveilled by Seminole County Sheriff’s Office deputies on November 4, 2021, who observed Saint-Louis traveling to various Bank of America locations. Deputies eventually stopped Saint-Louis and, during that traffic stop, they observed a firearm and notes listing the locations of Bank of America branches in Jacksonville, Florida. The Bank of America branches were annotated with whether the ATM at that location was manufactured by Saint-Louis’ former employer or by another company, and included notes like “too open,” “not enough exit route,” two man job,” and “posible” (sic).
The FBI’s financial investigation revealed that Saint-Louis, who had been unemployed since mid-2019, was making large cash deposits into his bank accounts (e.g. $89,939 in 2021) and gambling large amounts of money (e.g. losing $189,814 in 2021). Saint-Louis lost $39,480 gambling in the week following the Tallahassee bank robbery.
Saint-Louis’ sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 23, 2023, at 1:00 p.m., at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle. Saint-Louis faces up to twenty-five years in prison for armed bank robbery followed by a mandatory consecutive sentence of between seven years’ and life imprisonment for brandishing a firearm during the offense.
This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Tallahassee Police Department and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys James A. McCain and Christopher M. Elsey represented the United States at trial.
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.
As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Trying to Bring Loaded Gun on Plane at Newark Liberty International AirportRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Newburgh, New York, man was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for possessing a stolen and loaded firearm that he tried to get through security at Newark Liberty International Airport, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Desmond Herring, 48, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an information charging him with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and one count of carrying a weapon on an aircraft. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Nov. 29, 2021, Herring submitted a carry-on bag for inspection at Newark Liberty International Airport. During the screening of Herring’s luggage, a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent identified ammunition and a suspected firearm and contacted the Port Authority Police Department. Upon seeing that his bag had attracted additional attention, Herring left the security checkpoint area without his bag and walked to a departure gate for his flight to Atlanta, Georgia.
Further investigation of Herring’s bag revealed that it contained a 9 millimeter pistol, 10 rounds of 9 millimeter ammunition loaded into a magazine, and 150 additional rounds of 9 millimeter ammunition. Herring was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a 2010 federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Herring to two years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; officers of the Port Authority Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Edward Cetnar; and officers of the TSA with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office National Security Unit in Newark.
Collegiate Track and Field Athletes Convicted in Nigerian Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – Two collegiate athletes were convicted today before U.S. District Judge Kristi Johnson for transferring thousands of dollars to Nigeria as part of a complex fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Field Office.
According to court documents, Emmanuel Ineh, 23, and Toluwani Adebakin, 25, pleaded guilty to violations of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957, for engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activities, collectively sending tens of thousands of illicitly obtained proceeds to fraudsters in Nigeria as part of a larger mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracy. The scheme involved Track and Field athletes from multiple higher learning institutions in the United States, with part of the conspiracy being operated out of Hattiesburg while the Ineh and Adebakin were Track and Field teammates at William Carey University. William Carey University was cooperative throughout the investigation.
Both defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on February 15, 2023 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew W. Eichner is prosecuting the case.
Cleveland Man Convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
AKRON – A federal jury on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022, convicted James Dailey, 34, of Cleveland, Ohio, of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, as well as possession of other controlled substances. Dailey was convicted following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge John R. Adams in Akron.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Feb. 4, 2021, officers with the Cleveland Division of Police, Gang Impact Unit observed three individuals, one later identified as Dailey, exit a house suspected of being a drug premise. Authorities witnessed Dailey enter a vehicle and later attempted to perform a traffic stop; however, the vehicle fled the scene at a high rate of speed.
The next day, Feb. 5, 2021, authorities found the same vehicle from the day before parked at a gas station. Authorities then observed Dailey enter the driver’s seat of vehicle. Officers approached the vehicle, saw narcotics in view and placed Dailey under arrest. In a subsequent search of Dailey and the vehicle, authorities found Dailey to be in possession of quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine base (crack), fentanyl, fentanyl analogues and cocaine.
Dailey is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 22, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Cleveland Division of the FBI and the Cleveland Division of Police. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick P. Burke and Segev Phillips.
Cleveland Man Convicted of Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition as a FelonRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A federal jury on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022, convicted Dion Baker, 27, of Cleveland, Ohio, of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition following a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge Pamela A. Barker in Cleveland.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Sept. 17, 2021, law enforcement authorities with the Ohio Investigative Unit were conducting an arrest of an unrelated individual for weapons violations at a convenience store in Cleveland. During the arrest, authorities observed two individuals, one later identified as Baker, parked in a vehicle and drinking liquor.
Authorities approached the vehicle and noted open cups of liquor and marijuana inside. Baker and the other individual were then detained, and the vehicle was searched. During the search, authorities located a loaded firearm under the passenger seat where Baker was seated. An investigation into the incident later confirmed that Baker was the owner of the firearm.
Baker is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous felony conviction of attempted felonious assault in the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.
Baker is scheduled to be sentenced on March 1, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Cleveland Division of the FBI and the Ohio Investigative Unit of the Ohio Department of Public Safety. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott C. Zarzycki.
Chinese Real Estate Developer’s L.A.-Based Company Found Guilty of Paying over $1 Million in Bribes to L.A. Politician José HuizarRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Based on the actions of its agents, including its billionaire Chinese real estate developer owner, a downtown Los Angeles-based company was found guilty today of paying more than $1 million in bribes – including luxury trip expenses, casino gambling chips and a sham loan – to then-Los Angeles City Councilman José Huizar to obtain city approval to build a 77-story skyscraper.
After the jury deliberated for less than three hours, Shen Zhen New World I LLC was found guilty of all eight counts it faced: three counts of honest service wire fraud, four counts of interstate and foreign travel in aid of bribery, and one count of bribery.
The owner of Shen Zhen – Wei Huang, 57, a resident of Shenzhen, China, who also maintains a residence in San Marino – is also charged in this case, but he has yet to make a court appearance in this matter. He is a fugitive believed to be in China.
According to evidence presented at trial, in 2010, Shen Zhen – on behalf of its owner – purchased the L.A. Grand Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The property was located in the 14th City Council District, whose representative at that time was José Huizar. As part of his roles on the Los Angeles City Council, Huizar was the chairman of the Planning and Land Use Management Committee, commonly referred to as the PLUM Committee, which oversaw major commercial and residential development projects in the city.
In June 2018, Shen Zhen filed an application with the Los Angeles City Planning Department to redevelop the L.A. Grand Hotel into a skyscraper featuring a mix of residential and commercial uses.
From February 2013 to November 2018, Shen Zhen, acting through Huang, provided Huizar and his aide George Esparza with cash, casino gambling chips, flights on private jets and commercial airlines, stays at luxury Las Vegas hotels and casinos, expensive meals, spa services, prostitution services, political contributions, and a $600,000 collateral for Huizar to confidentially settle a pending sexual harassment lawsuit against Huizar by a former staffer that threatened his career.
At the time Shen Zhen provided these items, it did so intending to influence Huizar to take official acts to benefit the L.A. Grand Hotel redevelopment project, a project that would have transformed Shen Zhen’s hotel into a 77-floor mixed use skyscraper that would have been the tallest such structure west of the Mississippi River.
Specifically, Shen Zhen intended that Huizar benefit the project by presenting motions and resolutions in various city committees; voting on the project in the PLUM Committee and City Council; taking action in the PLUM Committee to expedite the approval process of the project; exerting pressure on other city officials to influence the approval process of the project; and introducing and voting on city resolutions to enhance the professional reputation and marketability of Wei Huang.
United States District Judge John F. Walter scheduled a January 23, 2023 sentencing hearing, at which time the company is expected to face a multi-million dollar fine.
Huizar and former Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them, which include racketeering conspiracy and multiple bribery counts, and are scheduled to go to trial on February 21, 2023. Esparza pleaded guilty in July 2020 to one count of racketeering conspiracy, and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5, 2023.
Federal prosecutors have now convicted a total of nine defendants along with receiving over $3 million in criminal penalties to resolve their investigation into two other major real estate development companies, as a result of Operation “Casino Loyale,” the ongoing corruption investigation into Los Angeles City Hall being conducted by the FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office.
Salvador Huizar, José Huizar’s brother who testified as a witness for the prosecution in the Shen Zhen trial and is expected to testify at his brother’s trial, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 15, 2023 after he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of making false statements to federal investigators.
In the first Huizar-related trial in this case, a federal jury on June 27 found real estate developer Dae Yong Lee, a.k.a. David Lee, 57, of Bel Air, and 940 Hill LLC, a Lee-controlled company, guilty of felony charges, including fraud and bribery, for providing $500,000 in cash to Huizar and his special assistant in exchange for their help in resolving a labor organization’s appeal of their downtown Los Angeles development project. Their sentencing hearings are scheduled for January 30, 2023.
Assistant United States Attorney Mack E. Jenkins, Chief of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, Assistant United States Attorneys Susan S. Har and J. Jamari Buxton, also of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Castañeda of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section, are prosecuting this case.
Any member of the public who has information related to this or any other public corruption matter in the City of Los Angeles is encouraged to send information to the FBI’s tip line at tips.fbi.gov or to contact the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at (310) 477-6565.
Chief Information Officer of Publicly Traded Pharmaceutical Company Charged for Insider Trading SchemeRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today charging a Pennsylvania man for his alleged role in an insider trading scheme involving the securities of Mylan N.V. (Mylan), a publicly traded pharmaceutical company.
According to court documents, Ramkumar Rayapureddy, 54, of Upper Saint Clair, conspired with his former colleague, Dayakar Mallu, to fraudulently trade in Mylan securities based on material nonpublic inside information Rayapureddy obtained through his position at Mylan in advance of market-moving corporate announcements for their own financial gain. At the time of the alleged scheme, Rayapureddy was Mylan’s chief information officer.
From 2017 through 2019, Rayapureddy allegedly tipped Mallu on multiple occasions with material nonpublic inside information about Mylan concerning, among other things, FDA drug approvals, financial earnings, and a merger with a division of Pfizer, Inc. Mallu allegedly used the inside information to execute trades in the company’s securities and in return Rayapureddy or his designee received cash payments.
Rayapureddy is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and three counts of securities fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of the securities fraud charges and five years in prison on the conspiracy charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In September 2021, Mallu pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and aiding in the preparation of a false tax return and is awaiting sentencing.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Matthew Reilly and Amanda Fretto Lingwood of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at [email protected].
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Buffalo Man Charged with Throwing A Brick at A Window at the FBIRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Octavio Smith, 43, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by complaint with destruction of government property, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on November 9, 2022, Smith was observed throwing a brick at a window of the FBI Buffalo Field Office. Smith was immediately detained by on-site security personnel at the scene. The complaint further states that Smith stated to Buffalo Police Officers that he did this “get the FBI's attention.” Federal Protective Services personnel also responded to the scene and surveyed the damage to the window, which was found to be severely cracked and needed to be replaced. The damage is estimated at approximately $5,000.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Michael Stansbury, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia, and the Federal Protective Services.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Bronx Gang Member Sentenced to 37 Years for Racketeering, Narcotics Conspiracy, and MurderRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ROBERT WILSON, a/k/a “RO,” a/k/a “Sin,” a member of a racketeering enterprise known as the Stevenson Commons Crew, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman to 37 years in prison. WILSON previously pled guilty to participating in a racketeering conspiracy, narcotics conspiracy, and a firearms offense. Co-defendant KEVIN CROSBY, a/ka/ “Sama,” was previously sentenced to 25 years in prison, and co-defendant MARQUIS YOHANIS, a/k/a “DG,” was previously sentenced to over 24 years in prison. Co-defendant YEFREL BRITO, a/k/a “Mini,” is scheduled to be sentenced on December 7, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For years, Robert Wilson filled the Soundview neighborhood of the Bronx with drugs and violence. He then helped plan and execute the cold-blooded murder of Nelson Ramos in January 2019. Today, Wilson was rightly sentenced to 37 years in prison for these horrific crimes. We thank our law enforcement partners at the New York City Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the New York City Department of Investigation for their outstanding work pursuing justice for Mr. Ramos and his family.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment and other filings and statements made in court:
WILSON is a member of a racketeering enterprise known as the Stevenson Commons Crew. In order to fund the enterprise, protect and expand its interests, and promote its standing, members and associates of the Stevenson Commons Crew committed, conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit acts of violence against rival gangs, including murder and robbery; conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics; and obtained, possessed, and used firearms, including by brandishing and discharging them.
On September 13, 2018, WILSON and others carried out a robbery, during which WILSON and others repeatedly punched, kicked, and stomped on the victim, causing serious physical injuries to the victim.
On January 6, 2019, WILSON and others helped plan and carry out a shooting, which resulted in the death of Nelson Ramos in the vicinity of 800 Soundview Avenue in the Bronx, New York.
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In addition to the prison term, Judge Furman sentenced WILSON, 31, of the Bronx, New York, to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the New York City Department of Investigation.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew K. Chan, Justin V. Rodriguez, Emily A. Johnson, and Jun Xiang are in charge of the prosecution.
Bradley County Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On November 10, 2022, Matthew Moore, 40, of Bradley County, Tennessee, was sentenced to 240 months by the Honorable Travis R. McDonough, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Moore agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841 and 846; one count of possessing with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841; and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). Following his term of imprisonment, Moore will be on supervised release for five years.
According to filed court documents, Moore admitted to selling or arranging the sale of methamphetamine and fentanyl. In December 2019, for example, law enforcement learned that a drug courier would be delivering multiple kilograms of ice methamphetamine to Moore at his Bradley County home. Police intercepted the drug courier and found more than two kilograms of methamphetamine. Police also searched Moore’s residence and found, among other things, more than $66,000 in cash, at least 400 fentanyl pills, and other drug paraphernalia. Police also found crossbows and more than 145 firearms.
As part of Moore’s sentence, the court ordered that he pay a $50,000 money judgment and forfeit to the United States the firearms, which include multiple handguns, shotguns, and rifles; a sawed-off shotgun with ornamental woodworking; a Chinese SKS carbine; and a 40 mm M203 grenade launcher.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation led by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, in coordination with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office; the 10th Judicial District Drug Task Force; and the Cleveland Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle Wilson and Joe DeGaetano represented the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Berkeley County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Steven Blaine Walsh, of Falling Waters, West Virginia, has admitted to distributing methamphetamine, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Walsh, 51, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, aka “Ice”.” Walsh admitted to having methamphetamine hydrochloride, also known as “ice,” in August 2021 in Berkeley County.
Walsh faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor F. Hurney is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 228 Months in Federal Prison for Gun, Drug, and Possession of Contraband in Prison ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Ashton Matta, age 33, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 228 months in federal prison following his convictions for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession with the intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of contraband in prison. The Court further sentenced Matta to serve four years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered that the firearm involved be forfeited.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on June 19, 2019, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office and Louisiana Probation and Parole searched Matta’s residence and vehicle. Inside the residence, 130.4 grams of fentanyl and $34,650 cash were found. Inside the vehicle, 459.l grams of heroin, 2.83 grams of fentanyl, a Zastava Serbia 7.62 caliber pistol, and a drum magazine with 70 live rounds of 7.62 ammunition were found. Matta admitted to possessing the items and to his involvement in the sale and purchase of illegal narcotics. Prior to possessing the firearm, Matta was convicted in East Baton Rouge Parish in 2018 of attempted possession of oxycodone.
On June 11, 2021, while Matta was being held in the West Baton Rouge Parish Detention Center ("WBRDC"), a search was conducted by WBRDC personnel. All inmates were escorted down the hall and each inmate walked through a walk-in metal detector. When Matta walked through the metal detector, the metal detector alerted. A black cellular telephone, with the words "Alcatel" on the back of the phone, was found in Matta’ possession. The black cellular telephone was a prohibited object that Matta was not allowed to possess in the WBRDC.
These matters were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshal’s Office, and were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy S. Johnson.
Bank Insider Pleads Guilty to Bank Bribery for Facilitating Multimillion Dollar Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that earlier today LUIS RIVAS pled guilty to conspiring to commit bank bribery in connection with a business email compromise scheme that defrauded businesses of millions of dollars. RIVAS was the seventh person charged in this international scheme.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Bank employee Luis Rivas used his inside knowledge and access to open bank accounts for fake businesses so that his co-conspirators could receive and launder millions of dollars from victims who had been deceived. Now, Rivas is rightly being held accountable for his crime. Today’s guilty plea reflects this Office’s commitment to investigating and prosecuting individuals who abuse positions of trust at financial institutions to engage in corrupt criminal conduct.”
According to the Indictment and other public filings and proceedings in the case:
From at least in or about 2018 through at least in or about May 2020, LUIS RIVAS, who at the time of the offense was a financial sales advisor at a Houston branch of a national bank, agreed to accept payments in exchange for helping others open business bank accounts for phony companies. Those bank accounts were then used to receive more than $2.2 million in fraud proceeds. The money came from a business email compromise scheme in which businesses were defrauded by co-conspirators who impersonated, via email, individuals and businesses in the course of otherwise ordinary financial transactions, thereby fraudulently inducing the victims to transfer funds to bank accounts that the perpetrators controlled. The names of the phony companies used for the bank accounts that RIVAS helped open were purposefully chosen to mirror the names of the true counterparties in those business transactions.
RIVAS also helped the perpetrators access and launder the fraud proceeds. In particular, RIVAS assisted with unfreezing, transferring, and withdrawing money in transactions designed to conceal and disguise the funds’ source, ownership, and control.
RIVAS was generally paid between $500 to $1,500 for each account that he helped open and each transaction where he provided assistance. He received, in total, approximately $45,000 for his corrupt insider services.
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RIVAS, 36, of Houston, Texas, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. As part of his guilty plea, RIVAS agreed to forfeit $45,000 to the United States.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as RIVAS’s sentence will be determined by the judge. RIVAS is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel on March 21, 2023.
Mr. Williams praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations for their investigative efforts and ongoing support and assistance with the case.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Deininger is in charge of the prosecution.
Arkansas Man Sentenced for Federal Drug Trafficking in NacogdochesRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas– An Ashdown, Arkansas man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Charles Hawkins, Jr., 31, pleaded guilty on June 28, 2022, to distribution and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
According to information presented in court, on Dec. 4, 2020, Hawkins was stopped in Nacogdoches County for speeding in a construction zone. Law enforcement officers noticed the odor of recently sprayed air freshener, which is often used to cover the odor of marijuana. The officer’s canine alerted to the presence of drugs in the vehicle and a search was conducted which revealed three one-gallon size storage bags in the trunk containing approximately 2,449 grams of methamphetamine. Hawkins was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 6, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Nacogdoches Police Department, the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Gaston.
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Anthony man indicted for kidnappingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that a federal grand jury indicted Jeffrey Steven Clay on one count each of kidnapping and transportation for illegal sexual activity. Clay, 50, of Anthony, New Mexico, was arrested today and will remain in custody pending his initial appearance and detention hearing.
Clay is employed as the Executive Director of Analytics, Strategy, and Assessment and Public Education Information Management Systems for the El Paso Independent School District (EPISD). Clay previously worked for EPISD in various roles including as a school principal.
According to the indictment and other court records, on Aug. 4, 2021, Clay allegedly offered a ride to Jane Doe near Yandell Drive in El Paso, Texas. Jane Doe asked Clay to take her to a friend’s residence at a specific address in El Paso. Clay agreed to take Jane Doe to her friend’s residence, but rather than driving Jane Doe to the friend’s house, Clay allegedly drove Jane Doe out of El Paso and to his residence in Anthony, New Mexico. Clay never asked Jane Doe if she wanted to go to his residence, and Jane Doe never agreed to go anywhere with Clay besides her friend’s house in El Paso.
After arriving at his home, Clay allegedly attempted to kiss Jane Doe. When she rebuffed him, Clay allegedly struck Jane Doe in the face and handcuffed her as Jane Doe attempted to resist. Clay then allegedly took Jane Doe to a bedroom in the house where he punched her in the face multiple times and sexually assaulted Jane Doe while she remained handcuffed, crying, and repeatedly pleading with Clay to stop.
Afterward, Clay allegedly drove Jane Doe away from his residence toward El Paso. While the vehicle was stopped at a traffic light, Jane Doe escaped from the vehicle. She ran to a nearby convenience store where she asked for help. A store clerk assisted her in calling 911.
In addition to the charges in the indictment, according to court records, Clay is alleged to have previously sexually abused a minor to whom he had close access from about 2012-2014.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Clay faces up to life in prison.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office is investigating this case with assistance from the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office, the El Paso Police Department, and the Third Judicial District of New Mexico District Attorney's Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Matilda McCarthy Villalobos and Ry Ellison are prosecuting the case.
The FBI is seeking other potential victims in this case. Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or go online to tips.fbi.gov.
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Aggravated Identity Theft Initiative addresses fraud, property crime in Billings communityRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — An initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Billings Police Department to catch those who steal personal information and use it to commit fraud in the community has resulted in dozens of federal prosecutions and mandatory federal prison sentences, federal and local law enforcement officials announced today.
Since September 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has indicted 33 defendants, the majority of whom are Billings-area residents, on fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. Of those, 20 defendants have been convicted and sentenced to a total of more than 54 years in prison, with prison terms ranging from 18 months to 65 months. Six defendants are pending sentencing and seven defendants are awaiting trial. The total loss amount for all sentenced cases is approximately $272,061, while a total of approximately $217,942 in restitution to victims has been ordered.
U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich and Billings Police Chief Rich St. John, joined by Homeland Security Investigations, discussed efforts to combat fraud and aggravated identity theft, along with related property and violent crime, at a news conference today at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Billings.
“Combatting violent crimes in Billings continues to be a top priority for our office, particularly when, as with these property and violent crime cases, they are driven by methamphetamine and fentanyl addictions,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. “Many of these offenders have significant state criminal records but rarely received jail time in an overburdened state system. By prosecuting fraud and aggravated identity theft crimes federally, defendants face mandatory minimum federal prison sentences and are subject to federal supervision after serving their time. This initiative’s success reflects the effective and collaborative work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich and Billings Police Det. Mike Robinson, along with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, to investigate and prosecute these cases. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable and to help keep Billings safe.”
“This Initiative demonstrates the commitment to hold people accountable for widespread fraud that has affected so many victims. Our offices will continue to work tirelessly to protect individuals and businesses from financial loss due to identity theft, and I thank our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations for their work in this area. Like the Billings Police Department, they are dedicated to protecting citizens of Montana though public outreach and aggressive prosecution from identity thieves,” Billings Police Chief St. John said.
The Aggravated Identity Theft Initiative was started to address an increase in property crime, including burglary, theft and fraud offenses, in the community, officials said. Drug addicts often commit property crimes to feed their addictions. Perpetrators seek anything of value to sell, especially high-value items, like stolen credit cards, checks and personal information. Offenders then use stolen personal information, checks and credit cards to defraud banks and businesses, while causing financial havoc for the victims whose identity was stolen.
Offenders commonly steal personal information by canvassing neighborhoods for unlocked vehicles or break into vehicles and search them for wallets, checkbooks and purses; stealing mail from mailboxes looking for credit cards, gift cards or checks; and by rifling through unlocked gym lockers in search of wallets. Unless a perpetrator is caught in the act, property crimes are difficult to solve and prosecute, and most are treated as misdemeanors with jail time rarely imposed. Offenders engaged in actual fraud, however, are more likely to get caught.
Law enforcement officials said they are fighting back by prosecuting offenders under federal fraud and aggravated identity theft statutes, where defendants face felony convictions and mandatory federal prison sentences. Aggravated identity theft, which is wrongfully using another person’s personal information in furtherance of fraud or deception, usually for financial gain, carries a punishment of a mandatory two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence.
The initiative, officials said, not only holds offenders accountable for fraudulent schemes, but it also helps to relieve a strained state and local system by taking offenders off the streets and placing them in federal prison, where there is no parole. After prison, offenders are monitored though supervised release.
Some of the notable cases prosecuted in this initiative include:
- Carl Mark Madden, of Billings, was sentenced to five years and five months in prison for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and felon in possession of a firearm and ordered to pay restitution of $7,536, which was the loss amount. Madden defrauded local businesses by passing stolen and forged checks by using identification stolen from multiple victims. Surveillance video at a business caught Madden forging the signature of a victim on a check. When stopped for questioning by Billings police, Madden was in possession of a loaded and stolen pistol, which he was prohibited from having because of previous felony convictions.
- Stacy Lee Milch, of Billings, was sentenced to five years in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft and ordered to pay $5,987 restitution. Milch defrauded a series of businesses, including a Red Lodge business, by passing stolen, forged and fraudulent checks to get money and goods. The loss amount was approximately $18,697.
- Cassie Ann Rathie, of Billings, was sentenced to 44 months in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft and ordered to pay $13,274 restitution. Rathie recruited local drug addicts to steal from homes, vehicles and mailboxes to get checks and other personal information. Rathie used the stolen information to create and cash fraudulent checks and gave individuals who stole the materials a cut of the proceeds. The loss amount was approximately $17,609.
Law enforcement officials encourage individuals to reduce the risk of property crime and to protect their personal information by not leaving valuables or personal information in vehicles, locking or securing vehicles or other storage areas, and reporting property crime to local law enforcement. In addition, officials urge identity theft victims to call the companies where the fraud occurred, place fraud alerts on accounts with one of the three credit bureaus, Experian.com/fraudalert, 1-888-397-3742; TransUnion.com/fraud, 1-800-680-7289 or Equifax.com/CreditReportAssistance, 1-888-766-0008; obtain credit reports from the credit bureaus; and report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission at: IdentityTheft.gov or call 1-877-438-4338.
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ADA Settlement with Greater Waterbury YMCA Ensures Access to Programs for Children with Autism Spectrum DisorderRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that Greater Waterbury YMCA of Waterbury has entered into a settlement agreement with the government to resolve allegations that Greater Waterbury YMCA’s childcare programs and other services were not accessible to a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”).
The matter was initiated by a complaint filed with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut alleging violations of Title III of the ADA. Specifically, the complaint alleges that Greater Waterbury YMCA failed to adequately assist a child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder who requires reasonable modifications in order to fully participate in the after-school program.
Title III of the ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities and privileges of any place of public accommodation. Greater Waterbury YMCA is a private entity that operates childcare facilities that are places of “public accommodation” within the meaning of Title III of the ADA.
The settlement agreement resolves the complaint that Greater Waterbury YMCA was discriminating against the child on the basis of disability by failing to conduct an adequate individualized assessment of the child’s specific needs, refusing to make certain reasonable modifications to allow the child to participate in the program, and ultimately disenrolling the child. Under the agreement, Greater Waterbury YMCA is obligated to take critical steps toward improving access for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, including revising its policies and procedures, conducting mandatory training for all employees, and performing initial and ongoing assessments of the need for reasonable accommodations. Greater Waterbury YMCA will evaluate each request on an individualized basis, relying on objective evidence and current medical standards. In addition, Greater Waterbury YMCA will make a compensation payment to the child’s family and will re-enroll the child into the 2022 after-school program for one year at no cost to the family. Finally, the Greater Waterbury YMCA Chief Executive Officer will oversee the implementation of an appropriate childcare plan and will work directly with the family.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to investigate and aggressively enforce violations of the Americas with Disabilities Act, especially violations that affect children and other vulnerable residents of Connecticut,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “Parents rely on dependable childcare in order to work or go to school, and every child should have equal access to childcare and educational facilities. I thank Greater Waterbury YMCA’s management for their full cooperation during this investigation and for addressing these ADA issues without the need for litigation. Their actions will ensure that children with Autism Spectrum Disorder can enjoy the same benefits that other children enjoy, while giving their parents the confidence that staff will be trained to ensure that their children are well cared for.”
The agreement is effective for two years, during which time the U.S. Attorney’s Office will monitor Greater Waterbury YMCA’s compliance.
A copy of the settlement agreement will be found on www.ada.gov.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney William M Brown, Jr.
Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 203-821-3700.
Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TTY). More information about the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
9 November 2022
Zephyrhills Man Arrested for Unlicensed Distribution of Explosive Materials, Unlawful Making of A Destructive DeviceRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging James John Hall (34, Zephyrhills) with one count of unlicensed distribution of explosive materials, one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device, and one count of unlawful making of a destructive device. If convicted, Hall faces up to 10 years in federal prison on each count.
According to the complaint, on November 1 and 2, 2022, Hall conducted telephone communications with a man to whom he had sold firearms in the past. In these conversations Hall offered to sell the man a “pipe bomb” that Hall had built. Hall shared with the man that he had contemplated using the “pipe bomb” to target an individual with whom he was angry. The man with whom Hall was communicating is a confidential informant with the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. The informant reached out to the sheriff’s office, who then coordinated further investigation with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Later in the evening on November 2, the confidential informant and a Pasco Sheriff’s detective (acting undercover) met with Hall, where the detective purchased the “pipe bomb” as well as a Glock 17 pistol Hall offered to sell him. When asked about future purchases, Hall indicated he “had enough to build six more now.” Hall also indicated that the device he was selling to the undercover detective had a magnet on the bottom because it was “meant for somebody else.”
The suspected destructive device was then disassembled by ATF bomb technicians. The disassembly and examination of the device revealed a metal pipe that was sealed at both ends (with end caps) and filled with suspected pyrotechnic powder, with a suspected pyrotechnic fuse inserted into one of the end caps. The pipe was taped to suspected mixed explosive materials. ATF found no records for Hall in the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record, indicating he was unlawfully in possession of the device.
This case was investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Tampa Police Department and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
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.