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4 November 2022
November 8, 2022 ElectionsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) M. Irene González will coordinate her Office’s efforts in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSA González serves as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Evans said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Evans stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO González will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number – (504) 680-3041.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (504) 816-3000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
United States Attorney Evans said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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New Town, ND, Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse of Minor Female ChildRead the Press Release
BISMARCK –United States Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl announced that on November 3, 2022, U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Traynor sentenced Richard Hall, Age 51 of New Town, ND, to 15 years in federal prison for the charges of Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child and Abusive Sexual Contact of an Unconscious Person, for which Hall pleaded guilty to on August 3, 2022. Judge Traynor also sentenced Hall to 10 years of supervised release. During the sentencing hearing, the victim and several family members provided statements regarding the tremendous impact the sexual abuse has had on the victim and her entire family.
This case came to the attention of the law enforcement when it was reported that Hall, on one occasion, intentionally touched the clothed breast and inner thigh area of a minor female under the age of 12 years. Additionally, on another occasion, Hall touched the breast, buttocks, and genitals of the same minor child.
"In cases like this, a sentence of 15 years is warranted and will send a resounding message to the community that sexual abuse of a child will not be tolerated," said Assistant United States Attorney Gary Delorme.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced on Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that defendant DEAMONTE BROWN, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced on October 27, 2022 by U.S. District Court Judge Barry Ashe to 60 months imprisonment, 3 years supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee on Count One of a one-count indictment.
Count One of the indictment charged BROWN with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18 United States Code Section 922(g)(1) and 18 United States Code Section 924(a)(2). As to Count One, on June 10, 2021, investigators arrested BROWN and his co-defendant for being felons in possession of firearms. The defendants were observed on crime camera footage carrying guns near the intersection of North Derbigny Street and Mandeville Street in New Orleans, LA. Louisiana State Police elected to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle, at which point the vehicle fled eastbound reaching a speed of 110 miles per hour. Officers observed BROWN throw firearms out of the vehicle. Officers were later able to locate those firearms, which were both loaded with ammunition. The vehicle eventually stopped in the 13000 block of Dwyer Street in New Orleans East. Both individuals exited the vehicle, fled on foot and were apprehended by the Louisiana State Police.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U. S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Louisiana State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Weapons ViolationRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced on October 25, 2022, that defendant CHRISTOPHER SMITH, age 31, resident of New Orleans, LA, pled guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Jay C. Zainey to a federal weapons violation of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
In Count 1 of the indictment, SMITH is charged with possessing three firearms on April 10, 2022, as a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). SMITH faces a maximum sentence of 10 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. SMITH’S sentencing is scheduled for January 17, 2023.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney's Office.
New Haven Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Distribution and Gun Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOEL MARTINEZ, JR., 24, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 17, 2020, during a court-authorized search of a New Haven hotel room being used by Martinez to process and package narcotics, law enforcement seized a loaded Glock model 26, 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number; a box of 9mm ammunition; approximately 51 grams of cocaine; approximately 136 grams of a fentanyl/heroin mixture; 12 digital scales; three blenders; other items used to process and package narcotics; and $1,825 in cash. Martinez was arrested on state charges at that time.
Martinez has been detained since his federal arrest on October 14, 2020. On April 25, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin and fentanyl, and to one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Task Force, the New Haven Police Department and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara E. Levens.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Moses Lake Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Spokane – Today, United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref announced that U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice has sentenced Mario Robert Crittenden, 24, of Moses Lake, Washington, to 132 months in federal prison for Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Actual Methamphetamine. Crittenden previously pleaded guilty on June 2, 2022. Judge Rice also ordered Crittenden to serve an additional five years on federal supervision after he is released from prison.
According to court documents, Crittenden, a documented gang member, facilitated the distribution of significant quantities of methamphetamine and heroin to an undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agent. During a year-long investigation beginning in April 2020 and continuing through April 2021, Crittenden coordinated the exchange of money for controlled substances on 15 occasions, resulting in the seizure of over two pounds of methamphetamine. In addition to distributing controlled substances, Crittenden engaged in the sale of firearms. Crittenden also informed the undercover agent that he had previously engaged in a number of violent acts targeting rival gang members.
U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref commended the dedication of the investigators who investigated Crittenden and other gang associates involved in unlawful distribution of controlled substances into our communities. Through the diligence of these criminal investigators, another dangerous gang member who seeks to profit, whether monetarily or in establishing gang status, was removed from the community. By holding dangerous offenders such as Mr. Crittenden accountable, we help keep our communities in Eastern Washington safe and our neighborhoods strong.”
This case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for violent crime in the Eastern District of Washington and pursue criminal prosecution.
This case was investigated by the Spokane Resident Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Grant County Sheriff’s Office, and Moses Lake Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Patrick J. Cashman, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Monmouth County Man Sentenced to 188 Months in Prison for Leading Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Fentanyl AnalogueRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 188 months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl analogue, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Richard Dobin, 30, of Manasquan, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute pills containing cyclopropyl fentanyl, an analogue of fentanyl intended for human consumption, and one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Judge Shipp imposed the sentence on Nov. 3, 2022, in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From February 2017 through August 2017, Dobin led a drug trafficking organization based in Monmouth County, which sold cocaine and fentanyl analogue pills locally and via the Dark Web, the Internet’s black market. The fentanyl analogue pills contained a powerful synthetic opioid with significant abuse potential. Dobin ordered both cocaine and fentanyl analogue on the Dark Web before reselling the drugs in smaller quantities. At the time of his arrest, Dobin was attempting to expand his operation by manufacturing his own pills using pill press machines and raw powders at his stash house located in Middletown, New Jersey. During searches of the stash house and a vehicle used by Dobin’s organization, law enforcement seized more than nine kilograms of fentanyl pills and nearly five kilograms of cocaine.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Dobin to four years of supervised release. The court previously ordered the forfeiture of certain cryptocurrency holdings belonging to Dobin, which Dobin had surrendered to law enforcement.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), Newark Division, under the direction of under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero, Philadelphia Division; and special agents of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, Northeast Area Field Office, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked the Middletown Police Department for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tazneen Shahabuddin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit.
Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Darion D. Jackson, 23, of Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 8, 2021, Jackson sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Coal City, West Virginia, residence where Jackson was staying.
Jackson admitted to possessing that fentanyl and a separate quantity of fentanyl that he sold to a confidential informant in the Coal City area on May 27, 2021. On August 23, 2021, law enforcement officers stopped a vehicle driven by Jackson. The officers found approximately 21.1 grams of fentanyl in Jackson’s vehicle. Jackson admitted that he possessed the fentanyl and planned to distribute it within the Southern District of West Virginia.
Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced on February 16, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a one million dollar fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-30.
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Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 24 Months for Selling Fentanyl in Salem, New HampshireRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Juan Veras-Marcano, 29, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute more than 170 grams of fentanyl, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the defendant sold over 170 grams of fentanyl over the course of eight controlled purchases to a confidential source and an undercover agent. In addition, he was attempting to sell another 20 grams of fentanyl to an undercover agent at the time of his arrest. The defendant made the sales in the parking lots outside various retail stores in Salem, New Hampshire. The defendant took measures to avoid law enforcement detection before selling the drugs by secreting baggies of fentanyl in his mouth and working with a conspirator who conducted countersurveillance techniques. In a subsequent search of the defendant’s phone, law enforcement viewed photos of large stacks of cash, and the defendant’s texts reveal that he sent large amounts of money to the Dominican Republic during the time he was dealing drugs.
“This case demonstrates the law enforcement efforts expended to stop deadly narcotics like fentanyl from flooding our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “Despite the defendant’s covert attempts to avoid law enforcement detection, through the use of confidential sources and undercover agents, law enforcement was able to apprehend the defendant in the act of dealing fentanyl. Bringing the defendant to justice was the result of a collaboration among state law enforcement in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, working in partnership with the DEA and our office.”
This matter was investigated by the Salem Police Narcotics Unit in conjunction with the Massachusetts State Police Attorney General’s Task Force, with the assistance of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande.
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Man admits illegally possessing firearms used in Billings casino robberyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A man today admitted to illegally possessing firearms after two guns used in a casino robbery were recovered from an elementary school playground, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Darwin Dalton Sutherland, 29, a transient, pleaded guilty to prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Sutherland faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Judge Watters set sentencing for March 16, 2023. Sutherland was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on March 20, Makayla Fetter and Taliah Ramirez robbed the Magic Diamond Casino in the Billings Heights at gunpoint, attempted to flee law enforcement and crashed their car into a fence at Ponderosa Elementary School. Fetter was arrested while Ramirez initially got away. Both of the firearms used in the robbery had been ditched before officers arrived. Officers recovered one of the firearms that night on the school’s playground. The next day, an elementary school student found the second firearm and took it to a teacher.
The government further alleged that officers eventually questioned Fetter and Ramirez, who stated that they had received the firearms from Sutherland. An investigation found that both firearms had been reported stolen as part of 12 firearms stolen in a residential burglary in Billings on March 17. When questioned by law enforcement, Sutherland admitted to possessing all 12 stolen firearms and to knowing they were stolen but claimed that he didn’t burglarize the residence. He also admitted to giving the guns to Fetter and Ramirez. Sutherland is prohibited from possessing firearms because of a felony conviction for burglary in Cascade County. Fetter and Ramirez are pending sentencing after pleading guilty to robbery affecting commerce and firearms crimes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
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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Man Who Robbed a Sand Springs Gas Station and Assaulted the Owner Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A Sand Springs man was sentenced Friday in federal court for robbing and assaulting a gas station owner, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Camaran Blake Breazeale, 30, to a total of 15 years in federal prison. He received 96 months for robbery in Indian Country and 84 months for carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Judge Frizzell further ordered the defendant to pay restitution in the amount of $100,000.
“Camaran Breazeale’s vicious attack resulted in life-altering injuries to the elderly victim in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “As evidenced by this prosecution and 15-year federal prison sentence, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners in the Northern District of Oklahoma will not tolerate those who commit acts of violence in our communities.”
On July 13, 2021, the Sand Springs Police Department responded to a male, later identified as Breazeale, loitering at a gas station, A&S Fuels. An officer arrived and notified Breazeale to leave the property’s premises. Approximately twenty minutes later, the defendant returned to the gas station and said to the owner, “This is my store. Give me everything now.” According to court documents, video footage showed Breazeale striking the defendant with his fist multiple times and knocking him down. Then, he grabbed a shotgun and used the butt of the firearm to strike the victim repeatedly in the head saying, “Stop don’t move, or I will shoot you.” Breazeale then took cash from the register and exited the station.
The Sand Springs Police Department located Breazeale near the gas station after a customer reported that a man was on the floor covered in blood. The officer then rendered aid to the victim who was unconscious in the store with multiple injuries. The victim was transported by ambulance to an area hospital.
The victim has endured the loss of an eye, disfigurement, multiple major surgeries and other hardships. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi stated in court documents that one had to view the surveillance video that captured the crime to understand the horrific degree of the attack.
Breazeale is a Cherokee Nation citizen, and the crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation.
The FBI and Sand Springs Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas E. Buscemi and Victor A.S. Régal prosecuted the case.
Man Who Repeatedly Raped a Child Sentenced to over 37 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who sexually assaulted a child by using threats and placing them in fear of physical assault was sentenced today to more than 37 years in federal prison.
Stephen Albert, age 50, from Tama, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 9, 2022 jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of sexual abuse by threat and force and one count of sexual abuse of a minor.
The evidence at trial showed that, beginning in the summer of 2012 and continuing through October 2016, Albert regularly sexually assaulted a child on the Meskwaki Settlement. The sexual assaults took place in various homes on the Settlement as well as at Albert’s place of employment.
Albert was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Albert was sentenced to 452 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
During the sentencing, Judge Williams noted that Albert was “manipulative, controlling and domineering over his wife and children” and that through his actions Albert “reaped irreparable harm” to the victim.
Albert is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa C. Williams and Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Meskwaki Nation Police Department, the Tama City Police Department, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-62.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Man Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm with a “Switch” DeviceRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A man has been sentenced to more than five years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm with a “switch” device.
U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston on Friday sentenced JOSEPH SMITH, 26, of Rockford, to five years and five months in prison and three years of supervised release. Smith plead guilty earlier this year to a charge of illegal firearm possession. As a previously convicted felon, he was prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms. Smith admitted in a plea agreement that while in Rockford on September 15, 2021, he possessed a handgun loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition and a conversion device, also known as a “switch”, that converted the firearm from semiautomatic to fully automatic.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and Carla Redd, Chief of the Rockford Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Ladd.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. 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.
Louisiana Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Compel Labor by Three Minors and to Transporting a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Darnell Fulton, 38, of Pineville, Louisiana, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to compel labor by three minors and to transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
According to the plea agreement, between June 2016 and May 2019, the defendant used violence, sexual abuse, withholding of food, degradation and intimidation to coerce multiple minors to work for his brownie baking business and provide him with the business profits. The defendant required the victims to travel to as many as 20-30 locations a day, such as plazas, car dealerships, law firms, restaurants and parking lots, in order to sell brownies. The victims worked late into the night, either selling or baking the brownies, and sold them during the day instead of going to school. In fact, the victims typically worked seven days a week with very few breaks, and had to meet a sales quota every day. The defendant regularly assaulted the victims, especially if they did not meet his sales quotas. For example, the defendant frequently required the victims to get on their hands and knees on rice and stay in a pushup or plank position for hours, and he often whipped them with a belt if they got out of proper form. He also forced the minor victims to perform sexual acts with him and others, and transported them across state lines in order to engage in criminal sexual activity.
“Human trafficking is a heinous crime that targets some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, cruelly exploiting the victims for their labor and services,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This conviction makes clear that the Department of Justice will prosecute those who use violence, psychological abuse, and emotional manipulation to compel the labor and services of their victims. We encourage survivors of forced labor, including children, to report forced labor complaints to authorities.”
“This case is proof that human trafficking doesn’t just happen in other countries,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown for the Western District of Louisiana. “But in fact, human trafficking can be happening right in our own neighborhoods and communities without us even realizing it. Each of us must be vigilant and aware of our surroundings and if we see a situation that seems suspicious, take the time to report it to the police. Unfortunately, the victims in this case are the ones who have suffered life-long trauma because of this defendant’s horrendous acts. We will continue fighting for victims such as these to ensure that those who choose to inflict this type of harm on others are brought to justice.”
Fulton’s sentencing hearing has been scheduled for April 11, 2023. Fulton faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum penalty of up to life imprisonment, as well as a $250,000 fine for transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and a maximum penalty of 20 years and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to commit forced labor. As part of his plea agreement, the defendant agreed to a sentence of 35 years in prison and to pay more than $700,000 in restitution to the victims.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke and U.S. Attorney Brown made the announcement.
The FBI New Orleans Field Office, Alexandria investigated this case, with assistance from the Alexandria Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker for the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Maryam Zhuravitsky of the Justice Department’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Louisiana Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Compel Labor by Three Minors and to Transporting a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. - Assistant Attorney General Clarke and United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Darnell Fulton, 38, of Pineville, Louisiana, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to compel labor by three minors and to transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
According to the plea agreement, between June 2016 and May 2019, the defendant used violence, sexual abuse, withholding of food, degradation and intimidation to coerce multiple minors to work for his brownie baking business and provide him with the business profits. The defendant required the victims to travel to as many as 20-30 locations a day, such as plazas, car dealerships, law firms, restaurants and parking lots, in order to sell brownies. The victims worked late into the night, either selling or baking the brownies, and sold them during the day instead of going to school. In fact, the victims typically worked seven days a week with very few breaks, and had to meet a sales quota every day. The defendant regularly assaulted the victims, especially if they did not meet his sales quotas. For example, the defendant frequently required the victims to get on their hands and knees on rice and stay in a pushup or plank position for hours, and he often whipped them with a belt if they got out of proper form. He also forced the minor victims to perform sexual acts with him and others and transported them across state lines in order to engage in criminal sexual activity.
“This case is proof that human trafficking doesn’t just happen in other countries,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown for the Western District of Louisiana. “But in fact, human trafficking can be happening right in our own neighborhoods and communities without us even realizing it. Each of us must be vigilant and aware of our surroundings and if we see a situation that seems suspicious, take the time to report it to the police. Unfortunately, the victims in this case are the ones who have suffered life-long trauma because of this defendant’s horrendous acts. We will continue fighting for victims such as these to ensure that those who choose to inflict this type of harm on others are brought to justice.”
“Human trafficking is a heinous crime that targets some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, cruelly exploiting the victims for their labor and services,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This conviction makes clear that the Department of Justice will prosecute those who use violence, psychological abuse, and emotional manipulation to compel the labor and services of their victims. We encourage survivors of forced labor, including children, to report forced labor complaints to authorities.”
Fulton’s sentencing hearing has been scheduled for April 11, 2023. Fulton faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum penalty of up to life imprisonment, as well as a $250,000 fine for transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and a maximum penalty of 20 years and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to commit forced labor. As part of his plea agreement, the defendant agreed to a sentence of 35 years in prison and to pay more than $700,000 in restitution to the victims.
The FBI New Orleans Field Office in Alexandria investigated this case, with assistance from the Alexandria Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker for the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Maryam Zhuravitsky of the Justice Department’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
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Long Island Man Pleads Guilty to $3 Million Bank Loan SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Gary Confredo, also known as “Gary Conte,” the former operator of Goldstar Financial Management Corp. (Goldstar), a financial services business based in Commack, New York, pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging him with conspiracy to commit bank fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud Bank of America of more than $3.2 million in loans and lines of credit that were obtained under false pretenses.
The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Lee G. Dunst. When sentenced, Confredo faces up to 30 years in prison. As part of his guilty plea, Confredo agreed to forfeit approximately $140,000 and to pay restitution in an amount to be determined by the Court at his sentencing.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Daniel Brubaker, Inspector-in-Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS), announced the guilty plea.
“As the defendant admitted, he selfishly manipulated the trust of his clients and lied to financial institutions simply to line his own pockets. He will now face consequences for his greed,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office stands committed to prosecuting criminals, whether they hurt someone physically or financially.”
“Mr. Confredo defrauded Bank of America of millions of dollars while on supervised release from a previous conviction. With his guilty plea today, he has taken responsibility for his greed and hopefully will stop the revolving door on his life of crime. Any time the U.S. Mail is used to commit and/or further a crime, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service will be there to see that those responsible are brought to justice” stated USPIS Inspector in Charge, Daniel Brubaker.
According to court filings and facts presented at the plea proceeding, between November 2016 and October 2019, Confredo conspired with others to submit fraudulent applications for commercial loan and lines of credit to Bank of America on behalf of Goldstar clients, who agreed to pay Confredo a portion of any loan that he secured on their behalf. To manipulate the application process, Confredo submitted altered tax returns and bank statements that falsely inflated the clients’ incomes and assets and allowed them to qualify for loans and lines of credit under Bank of America’s lending criteria. As a result of Confredo’s scheme, Bank of America issued approximately $3.2 million in loans and lines of credit to Goldstar’s clients and sustained losses of approximately $1 million when those loans and lines of credit were not repaid.
In July 2022, Mr. Peace was selected as the Chairperson of the White Collar Fraud subcommittee for the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC). As the leader of the subcommittee, Mr. Peace will play a key role in making recommendations to the AGAC to facilitate the prevention, investigation and prosecution of various financially motivated, non-violent crimes including mail and wire fraud, bank fraud, health care fraud, tax fraud, securities and commodities fraud, and identity theft.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Bradley T. King is in charge of the prosecution with assistant from Paralegal Specialist Samantha Schroeder and Legal Assistant Danielle Casey. Assistant United States Attorney Madeline O’Connor of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.
The Defendant:
GARY CONFREDO (also known as “Gary Conte”)
Age: 60
East Northport, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-425 (JMA)
Littleton Man Charged with Covid FraudRead the Press Release
DENVER - The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Lawrence Phillip Hernandez, age 58, of Littleton, was charged by information with wire fraud for taking money, which he received as a result of fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) applications he submitted.
On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provided emergency assistance, administered by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), to small business owners affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The two primary sources of funding for small businesses were the PPP and EIDL program.
According to the information, from March 30, 2020, until March 2021, Hernandez allegedly devised and participated in a scheme to defraud the United States and two lenders and to fraudulently obtain money and property. Hernandez obtained $952,819 in loan and grant proceeds through his scheme to defraud, including more than $636,000 in PPP loans, and $316,800 from the EIDL program. He obtained the loans and grants based on false representations about his businesses’ gross revenues, costs of goods sold, number of employees, payroll costs, and past spending. Hernandez also submitted fabricated tax and financial documents for 2019. Hernandez allegedly used a portion of the funds for personal expenses.
Hernandez was arraigned on November 4, 2022, before Magistrate Judge N. Reid Neureiter.
The charge in the information is an allegation. The Defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Denver Division, with assistance from the Small Business Administration-Office of Inspector General, in connection with their work on the Colorado-based EIDL Fraud Task Force. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig Fansler and Rebecca Weber.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Case Number: 22-cr-318
Lincoln Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Mark R. Fuller, 53, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Fuller to 120 months in prison for distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) after having a prior serious drug felony conviction. After serving his sentence, Fuller will be placed on supervised release for 8 years. There is no parole in the federal system.
On January 5, 2021, at the direction of law enforcement, a confidential informant (CI) contacted Fuller to purchase methamphetamine. The CI and Fuller arranged for the CI to purchase one ounce of methamphetamine from Fuller. The purchased methamphetamine was sent to the lab for testing. The lab determined there was 26.75 grams of methamphetamine, of which at least 25 grams was actual methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Lackawanna County Man Sentenced to 132 Months’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on November 3, 2022, United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Douglas Richard Spencer, age 40, of Moscow, Pennsylvania, to 132 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on June 9, 2021, in Lackawanna County, Spencer possessed with intent to distribute approximately 190 grams of actual methamphetamine. Additionally, Spencer, a previously convicted felon, unlawfully possessed five firearms, including an un-serialized 9mm “ghost gun,” all of which were seized pursuant to a residential search warrant.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP). Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John 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.
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Kentwood Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Defrauding Employer and Filing False TaxesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MICHAEL J. GOLL, age 47, of Kentwood, was sentenced on November 2, 2022, to three years in prison on charges of wire fraud and filing false federal tax returns by U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter.
According to court documents, GOLL was the New Orleans branch manager of Company A, which provides material handling equipment to businesses. From January 2013 through September 2017, GOLL defrauded Company A of approximately $549,667.39. GOLL is alleged to have executed the scheme by sending Company A false invoices from shell companies that he had created, when in fact the work was either done by Company A’s own employees or the work was not done at all. Also, as part of the scheme, GOLL had a contractor who did personal work for GOLL inflate his bills to Company A to cover the work done for GOLL. GOLL justified the overbilling by telling the contractor that he planned on buying Company A in the future, although GOLL never did purchase Company A, and GOLL never told his employer about the overbilling.
Additionally, GOLL pleaded guilty to filing false federal tax returns. According to court documents, GOLL filed false personal income tax returns for tax years 2014 through 2017 in which he which he failed to accurately report his income, including the money that he embezzled from Company A. Moreover, GOLL also counseled three other people, all of whom personally knew GOLL, to file false tax returns. GOLL told each of them that he had graduated summa cum laude from the University of New Orleans with a Ph.D. in business administration, a degree that the University of New Orleans does not actually offer. GOLL persuaded the victims to become his business partners in a fake restaurant enterprise. GOLL then instructed them to file tax returns claiming false business losses, and then GOLL had them each pay to him a portion of their tax refund. Through his own false tax returns and those of the three others that he aided, GOLL caused a tax loss to the United States of $188,694.00.
As to the charge of wire fraud, GOLL was sentenced to three years in prison and three years of supervised release. For filing false tax returns, GOLL was sentenced to three years in prison and one year of supervised release, to be served concurrently with the wire fraud charge. Additionally, GOLL was ordered to pay $200 in mandatory special assessment fees. No fine was issued. A hearing regarding restitution will be held on a later date.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Secret Service and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, which investigated this case jointly. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Payne is in charge of the prosecution.
Jury Convicts Former Santa Rosa Doctor of Illegally Prescribing Oxycodone and Other Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury yesterday convicted former physician Thomas Keller of four counts of distributing controlled substances, including Oxycodone, Carisoprodol and Diazepam, outside the scope of his professional practice and without a legitimate medical need, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Acting Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris, FBI San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan, and the California Department of Justice Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse (DMFEA).
Keller, 75, was a Santa Rosa resident and a licensed physician who ran a pain management practice in Santa Rosa when he was indicted on September 27, 2018. At trial, the evidence demonstrated that Keller repeatedly prescribed the opioid oxycodone and other strong, addictive drugs to his patient, A.M., in dosages that far exceeded the usual course of professional practice and was for no legitimate medical need. Trial evidence showed that on December 22, 2016, Keller prescribed Oxycodone, Diazepam, and Carisoprodol at the same time to A.M., knowing she did not need such a dangerous combination of drugs. Evidence also showed that on January 20, 2017, Keller again distributed Diazepam, often called Valium, to A.M., and on February 16, 2017, distributed Oxycodone to A.M., again knowing the distribution of both was outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. Keller was also convicted of distributing Carisoprodol to A.M. on July 10, 2017. Approximately two weeks later, A.M. died of an overdose of Oxycodone and other drugs.
The jury convicted Keller of four counts of distributing drugs outside the scope of professional practice in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), but was unable to reach a verdict on six counts. Of the four counts of conviction, the counts of distributing Oxycodone carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and the counts of distributing Carisoprodol and Diazepam carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Additional fines, restitution, and periods of supervised release may also be ordered at sentencing. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
United States District Judge Vince Chhabria has not yet set a date for a sentencing hearing. Keller remains out of custody pending his sentencing hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristina Green and Ross E. Weingarten are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Pat Mahoney. This case was investigated and prosecuted by member agencies of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a focused multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force investigating and prosecuting the most significant drug trafficking organizations throughout the United States by leveraging the combined expertise of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Jury Convicts Federal Prisoner of Robbery at Four Banks While Living at Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found LaTavis Deyonta Mackroy (29, Orlando) guilty of three counts of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank robbery. He faces a maximum penalty of 80 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 25, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Paul G. Byron.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Mackroy was a federal prisoner residing at a halfway house in Orlando and was scheduled to be released soon. After staying at the halfway house for over a month, Mackroy was given a home pass which allowed him to spend the weekend with his family. The following day, Saturday, April 16, 2022, Mackroy robbed the Fairwinds Credit Union in Winter Park by passing a demand note and threatening the teller. Mackroy left the credit union with $3,231 and returned back to the halfway house the following day.
The next weekend, Mackroy was again given a home pass, and he robbed one bank on Friday, one bank on Saturday, and attempted to rob another bank on Saturday, which was not successful. In the robbery on Friday, April 22, 2022, Mackroy took $4,000 from a teller at Chase Bank in Kissimmee, after passing her a threatening demand note. On Saturday, April 23, 2022, he robbed the TD Bank in Winter Park and took $2,820. In the final robbery, of a Regions Bank in Orange City, Mackroy was surprised when the teller walked away from his station after reading the demand note, which caused Mackroy the flee the bank empty-handed. The next day, Mackroy returned to the halfway house.
Although he wore a face mask and sunglasses to conceal his identity in all four robberies, Mackroy forgot to retrieve the demand note after the final, attempted robbery. That note was processed for fingerprints and contained four fingerprints matching the defendant’s known prints, which were on file with the FBI.
After learning that Mackroy had been released on a pass during the robberies, law enforcement conducted an investigation that ultimately confirmed that Mackroy was the disguised robber at all four banks. The FBI collected Mackroy’s cellphone, which later revealed his phone’s location at the banks at the time they were robbed.
The FBI also recovered clothing from the halfway house that matched clothing worn by Mackroy during the robberies, as depicted below.
One of the ways in which Mackroy was identified was a distinctive floral tattoo on his neck, which was noticed by one of the tellers and caught on surveillance video from one of robberies, and is depicted below:
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Winter Park Police Department, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Orange City Police Department, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill and Michael P. Felicetta.
Inland Empire Man Arrested on Complaint Alleging He Engaged in Unlicensed Firearms Dealing in Which He Sold ‘Ghost Guns’Read the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Bernardino County man – at whose home dozens of illegal firearms lacking serial numbers, commonly known as “ghost guns,” allegedly were found – was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint alleging he acted as an unlicensed firearms dealer.
Puleaga Pele, 44, of Hesperia, was arrested at his residence this morning as law enforcement executed a search warrant there. He is charged with one count of unlicensed dealing in firearms.
Pele is expected to make his initial court appearance on Monday at United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, in July 2022, law enforcement searched a San Fernando Valley residence as part of a separate investigation. While reviewing the digital device of a target of the investigation, law enforcement allegedly discovered communications in which an individual – later identified as Pele – offered to sell the target of an investigation multiple firearms, which appeared to be of unknown manufacturer and without a serial number.
Law enforcement later traced the firearms to Pele’s residence, which was searched this morning pursuant to a warrant, the affidavit states. Inside Pele’s house and in a Hummer truck in the garage, law enforcement allegedly found a total of 33 firearms, of which 10 were privately manufactured firearms (a.k.a. “ghost guns”), a stolen firearm, a machinegun, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and assorted high- capacity magazines and firearm parts.
Pele does not have a federal firearms license for buying or selling firearms, according to the affidavit.
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted of this charge, Pele would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky, Kevin B. Reidy, and Bruce K. Riordan of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
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 Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Nov. 3 was:
Jamesey Maria Jefferson, 32, of Busby, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. If convicted of the most serious crime, Jefferson faces a mandatory minimum five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release on the drug counts and a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm count. Jefferson was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-89.
Appearing on Nov. 2 was:
Jordan Joseph Backer, 26, of Lame Deer, on charges of aggravated sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact. If convicted of the most serious crime, Backer faces a mandatory minimum 30 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least five years to life of supervised release. Backer was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-115.
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Nov. 3 was:
Chance Allen Chambers, 24, of Butte, on charges of prohibited person on possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. If convicted of the most serious crime, Chambers faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Chambers was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Butte Police Department and Montana Probation and Parole investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-33.
James Allyn Batterton, 24, of Missoula, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Batterton faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the conspiracy charge and a mandatory minimum five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm charge. Batterton was released pending further proceedings. The Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-51.
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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Hardin County Woman Sentenced to over 12 Years for Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute over 50 Grams of Actual MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Bridget Nicole Bickings, 31, of Hardin County, Tennessee, has been sentenced to over 12 years in federal prison for conspiring with others to possess with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of actual methamphetamine. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on April 18, 2021, at approximately 1:45 a.m., officers with the Savannah Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a silver vehicle for failing to stop at a stop sign. Bickings was driving the vehicle and a male subject in the front passenger seat. Officers immediately smelled the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. Bickings gave the officers a small marijuana joint and stated that she had smoked marijuana approximately 45 minutes ago.
After both occupants were removed from the vehicle, Bickings handed the officers a Ruger .380 pistol, and the male passenger told the police that there was a 9mm handgun under the front passenger seat. Officers found $4,000 in cash on her person along with a small white envelope containing multiple small blue Xanax pills. As officers attempted to place Bickings in custody, she ran away but was eventually captured and arrested. A further search of the vehicle revealed over 12 ounces of methamphetamine, a box of baggies, a digital scale, and multiple rounds of 9mm and .22 caliber ammunition.
During a post-arrest Mirandized interview, Bickings admitted to buying and selling over 200 pounds of methamphetamine during the past few years.
On November 3, 2022, United States District Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Bickings to 151 months imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Savannah Police Department, FBI, DEA, and ATF.
United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow, who prosecuted this case.
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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.
Guatemalan National Sentenced for Smuggling Unaccompanied Child into the United StatesRead the Press Release
A Guatemalan national was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth Marra on Nov. 3 to 36 months in prison in the Southern District of Florida for smuggling an unaccompanied 15-year-old child into the United States for financial gain. The defendant was convicted by federal jury in July 2022.
According to the evidence presented in court, Julio Ruiz Chuta, 35, was familiar with the child victim and child’s family since they were from the same village in Guatemala. The defendant told the child’s parents that he could help the child obtain better educational and work opportunities in the United States versus the poor opportunities that existed in Guatemala. The parents believed that the defendant would sincerely help them since he had been to the United States before and he promised to care for their child. Consequently, the parents allowed the child to travel to the United States and permitted the defendant to act as his guardian in the United States even though they were not related. After the child passed illegally through the southern border of the United States and presented himself to authorities, he was placed in a shelter. The defendant assured appropriate authorities that he would care for the child by enrolling the child in school and providing a place to live, and that he would not impose a debt upon the child. However, the defendant did impose a debt upon the child and his family after the child arrived in Florida. Further, the defendant charged the family interest and pressured them to pay, causing the child to work instead of attending school. The defendant also caused the family to leverage their own Guatemalan property to acquire a loan to repay the outstanding debt.
“This defendant exploited a child and the child’s family after falsely telling authorities that he would provide food, shelter, and better educational opportunities, all so he could make money off the child and his family,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice remains committed to vindicating the rights of vulnerable members of our society and will continue to prosecute those who cruelly exploit their labor and services.”
“It is shameful that situations like this involving children continue to occur,” said U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez for the Southern District of Florida. “The strain these types of cases put on a family is immeasurable. We will continue to go after these perpetrators with every resource available.”
Homeland Security Investigations and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Kate Hill of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org.
Georgia Hunter Sentenced for Lacey Act Violation Stemming from Nebraska HuntRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Chad M. McCullough, 34, of Franklin, Georgia, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for violating of the Lacey Act. United States District Judge John Gerrard sentenced McCullough to 2 years’ probation for unlawful transportation of wildlife in interstate commerce. McCullough was ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $5,000 and restitution in the amount of $4,000.
A joint investigation conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Law Enforcement Division determined that in October of 2020, McCullough traveled to Noble Outdoors, a commercial big game guiding and outfitting business located in North Platte, Nebraska, to conduct an archery mule deer hunt. During the hunt, McCullough unlawfully shot a mule deer in Lincoln County, Nebraska, and subsequently transported trophy parts of the deer out of the state for taxidermy services in Georgia.
The investigation determined that in the fall of 2020, McCullough traveled to Noble Outdoors with two other hunting partners to hunt mule deer during the archery season. During the hunt, McCullough unlawfully shot a mule deer buck while seated in the passenger compartment of a Noble Outdoors vehicle parked upon the traveled portion of a public roadway. McCullough, after being provided a Ruger 6.5 Creedmoor caliber rifle and directed by the Noble Outdoors owner, killed the mule deer with the rifle, knowing the firearm deer season was closed at the time and that only archery equipment was authorized. Under Nebraska state law, shooting from the road, taking deer with a firearm during archery season, and hunting upon property without landowner permission are prohibited.
Under the terms of the plea agreement and as part of his conditions of probation, McCullough will surrender and abandon the taxidermy mounts and other parts originating from a total of two mule deer taken unlawfully during the 2020 hunt at Noble Outdoors.
Today’s convictions mark the third federal sentencing involving the ongoing prosecution of numerous defendants related to violations committed by Noble Outdoors and its owner, associates, and clients. Four additional defendants have pleaded guilty in Nebraska state court. In total, seven defendants have been sentenced and ordered to pay a total of $37,500 in fines and restitution for violations related to the interstate transport of unlawfully taken wildlife, shooting deer from the road, taking deer without a valid permit, taking deer with a firearm during archery season, dumping carcasses in waters of the state, hunting without permission, and improperly checking or registering big game.
The operation was a joint investigation conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Law Enforcement Division.
Former Watonga Police Chief Pleads Guilty to Illegal Receipt of a Firearm While Under IndictmentRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Earlier this week, WILLIAM SHAWN KAYS, 39, of Mustang, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one felony count of illegal receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. Federal law prohibits those under felony indictment from receiving firearms and ammunition.
On June 8, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a three-count Second Superseding Indictment against Kays. Count 1 charged him with illegal receipt of a firearm and alleged that on or about August 15, 2021, Kays received a Glock .45 caliber pistol while under indictment for the felony offense of Burglary in the First Degree, charged in Blaine County District Court case number CF-2021-52. Counts 2 and 3 charged him with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
On November 1, 2022, at a plea hearing before Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy DeGiusti, Kays pled guilty to Count 1. Kays admitted that he willfully received a firearm on August 15, 2021 and received the firearm knowing that he was under a pending indictment for a felony offense. The government agreed to dismiss Counts 2 and 3 at sentencing.
At sentencing, Kays faces up to 5 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. A sentencing hearing will take place in approximately 90 days.
This case is a result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Oklahoma City Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary E. Walters and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Powers.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiatives to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. The local implementation of these initiatives in the Western District of Oklahoma is through "Operation 922" which prioritizes prosecution of federal gun crimes connected to domestic violence.
Reference is made to court filings for further information.
Former Rockford Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Federal Prison for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A former Rockford man has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $434,314 to the Internal Revenue Service and $80,647 to the Illinois Department of Revenue in restitution for tax fraud.
Michael Mendoza, 35, of Kinderhook, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to making a false claim to the internal Revenue Service.
Mendoza admitted in a plea agreement that on Feb. 3, 2014, he prepared and electronically filed with the Internal Revenue Service a 2014 Internal Revenue Service Form 1040 in which he claimed a refund of $79,320. The Form 1040 included two fabricated Forms W-2 that claimed earnings on behalf of himself and a relative joint filer. On July 1, 2015, the Internal Revenue Service electronically deposited the refund of $79,320 into a bank account that was owned by Mendoza.
As part of his plea agreement, Mendoza also admitted that between 2009 and 2015, he made additional false claims to the Internal Revenue Service and the State of Illinois seeking tax refunds to which he and his two relatives were not entitled. Based upon the false and fraudulent claims for refund, the Internal Revenue Service issued additional refunds totaling an additional $354,530 and the Illinois Department of Revenue issued refunds totaling $80,647. To support his claims for refunds, Mendoza fabricated at least 48 false Forms W-2 and W-2C in the names of himself and two relatives claiming that wages had been paid to them.
U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis imposed the 33-month prison sentence and restitution after a hearing Thursday in federal court in Rockford.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago.
The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Love and Talia Bucci.
Former Pain Management Doctor Pleads Guilty to Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former physician pleaded guilty today in federal court to a health care fraud charge associated with the pain management practice, Jefferson Pain and Rehabilitation Center, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Dr. John Keun Sang Lee, age 79, of Venetia, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud before United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that between in and around May 2016 to in and around October 2020, Lee knowingly and willfully submitted claims for steroid injections to Medicare and Medicaid that were neither reasonable nor medically necessary. According to former patients and employees, Lee required patients to submit to steroid injections, even when patients reported that the injections were not helping but rather causing them more pain and other injuries. Lee also instructed employees to withhold patient medication if patients objected to the injections. In order to justify billing insurance companies for the medically unnecessary injections, Lee directed staff to use templates indicating that patients received 80% relief from prior pain injections.
Judge Hardy scheduled sentencing for March 7, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. The law provides for a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000.00, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
As part of his plea agreement, Lee has agreed to pay $264,730 in restitution to the United States Department of Health & Human Services and $153,230 to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services for losses associated with the fraudulent billings. Lee also has agreed to voluntarily surrender his medical license and DEA registration and not to maintain any ownership or management interest in any medical clinic or facility.
Assistant United States Attorney Karen Gal-Or is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Health & Human Services, and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
Former Financial Advisor and Tax Preparer Admits Multiple Counts of Preparing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man admitted 12 counts of preparing a false tax return, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Terrence LeGall, 69, of Linden, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on Nov. 2, 2022, before U.S. District Court Judge John M. Vazquez in Newark federal court to a superseding indictment charging him with 12 counts of aiding and abetting the preparation of a false tax return.
According to the documents filed on the record and statements made in court:
Between 2013 and 2017, LeGall, the sole operator of a financial adviser and tax preparer service in Union County, New Jersey, called LeGall Group Inc. (LGI), prepared numerous false tax returns for his clients in which he included fake charitable contributions, unreimbursed business expenses and business losses that he knew his clients had not actually incurred. This resulted in a reduction in the clients’ tax liability and a fraudulent refund from the IRS. LeGall acted as a “ghost preparer” – although he prepared income tax returns for his clients, he did not identify himself anywhere on the returns as a preparer and filed the returns in a manner that made it look like the returns had been filed by the taxpayers. LeGall’s actions caused losses in excess of $300,000 to the U.S. Treasury.
Each count of false preparation of an income tax return carries a maximum prison sentence of three years and a $250,000 fine. As part of his plea agreement, LeGall has agreed to pay the government restitution in the amount of $314,225, and to file amended returns and pay any outstanding taxes LGI owes from 2012 through the present. Sentencing has been scheduled for March 29, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark McCarren of the Special Prosecution Division in Newark.
Former CEOs of MoviePass and Parent Company Charged in Securities Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in Miami charging two Florida men for their roles in a scheme to defraud investors of Helios & Matheson Analytics Inc. (HMNY), a publicly traded Florida- and New York-based company that was the parent of MoviePass Inc. (MoviePass).
According to court documents, Theodore Farnsworth, 60, of Miami, and J. Mitchell Lowe, 70, of Miami Beach, allegedly engaged in a scheme to defraud investors through materially false and misleading representations relating to HMNY and MoviePass’s business and operations to artificially inflate the price of HMNY’s stock and attract new investors. At the time of the alleged fraud, Farnsworth was HMNY’s Chairman and CEO, and Lowe was MoviePass’s CEO.
“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the public from being exploited by criminals for their personal profit,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As these charges make clear, the Department, together with our law enforcement partners, will hold corrupt C-Suite executives who engage in securities fraud accountable for their actions.”
“As alleged, the defendants deliberately and publicly engaged in a fraudulent scheme designed to falsely bolster their company’s stock price,” said Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll of the FBI New York Field Office. “Attempted scams of this nature erode the public’s faith in our financial markets. The FBI is committed to ensuring these types of frauds and swindles are uncovered and the perpetrators are held responsible for their actions in the criminal justice system.”
The indictment alleges Farnsworth and Lowe falsely claimed that MoviePass’s $9.95 “unlimited” plan – in which new subscribers could see “unlimited” movies in theaters with no blackout dates for a flat monthly fee of $9.95 – was tested, sustainable, and would be profitable or break even on subscription fees alone. Farnsworth and Lowe allegedly knew that the $9.95 “unlimited” plan was a temporary marketing gimmick to grow new subscribers and, in turn, artificially inflate HMNY’s stock price and attract new investors. As a result, MoviePass lost money from the $9.95 “unlimited” plan.
In addition, Farnsworth and Lowe allegedly made false claims that HMNY possessed and used technologies – like “big data” and “artificial intelligence” platforms – to generate revenue by analyzing and monetizing the data MoviePass collected from subscribers. However, the indictment alleges that Farnsworth and Lowe knew HMNY did not possess these technologies or capabilities to monetize MoviePass’s subscriber data or incorporate these technologies into the MoviePass application.
Farnsworth and Lowe also allegedly made false and misleading representations about the positive impact that multiple revenue streams (other than subscription fees) were having on MoviePass’s profitability and self-sufficiency. These statements were misleading because, as the indictment alleges, Farnsworth and Lowe knew MoviePass did not have non-subscription revenue streams that would make MoviePass self-sufficient or otherwise offset the losses MoviePass experienced as a result of the unprofitable $9.95 “unlimited” plan.
Farnsworth and Lowe are also alleged to have falsely claimed that MoviePass’s cost of goods, as reflected in the number of tickets each subscriber purchased using their subscription, was naturally declining over time consistent with their stated expectations. Behind the scenes, Farnsworth and Lowe allegedly directed MoviePass employees to implement numerous tactics to prevent certain subscribers from using the purportedly “unlimited” service for which they had paid to try to ease MoviePass’s cash shortfalls.
Furthermore, Farnsworth and Lowe allegedly made these materially false and misleading representations in press releases, SEC filings, interviews on podcasts and on television, and in print and online media, all of which were intended to reach, and at times did in fact reach, investors and the general public throughout the United States.
Farnsworth and Lowe are each charged with one count of securities fraud and three counts of wire fraud. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI New York Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Christopher Fenton of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is 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]. Victims can find case updates and additional information at: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/case/MoviePass.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Florida Man Sentenced to 45 Months in Prison for Laundering Funds Related to $50 Million Wire and Securities Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Florida man was sentenced to 45 months in prison for laundering funds obtained from a $50 million internet-enabled fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Denis Sotnikov, 39, of Hallandale Beach, Florida, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Judge Vazquez imposed the sentence on Nov. 3, 2022, in Newark federal court.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2012 to October 2020, Allen Giltman, 56, of Irvine, California, and others engaged in an internet-based financial fraud scheme, which generally involved the creation of fraudulent websites to solicit funds from investors. At times, the fraudulent websites were designed to closely resemble websites being operated by actual, well-known, and publicly reputable financial institutions; at other times, the fraudulent websites were designed to resemble seemingly legitimate financial institutions that did not exist.
Victims of the fraud scheme typically discovered the fraudulent websites via internet searches. The fraudulent websites advertised various types of investment opportunities, most prominently the purchase of certificates of deposit, or CDs. The fraudulent websites advertised higher than average rates of return on the CDs to lure potential victims.
Sotnikov received funds from at least 18 victims of the fraud scheme, totaling approximately $6 million, in accounts at various domestic banks that were controlled by him or by a close relative. Of this amount, approximately $3.7 million was either frozen by the banks or returned to victims, and $707,380 was wired by Sotnikov overseas. The remaining stolen funds – approximately $1.5 million – were transferred to numerous other accounts controlled by Sotnikov, where they were used to fund personal expenditures.
To date, law enforcement has identified at least 150 fraudulent websites created as part of the scheme. At least 70 victims of the fraud scheme nationwide, including in New Jersey, collectively transmitted funds that they believed to be investments in the aggregate amount of at least approximately $50 million.
Giltman pleaded guilty for his role in the fraud scheme Jan. 5, 2022, and is awaiting sentencing.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Vazquez sentenced Sotnikov to three years of supervised release.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) previously filed a civil complaint against Sotnikov and several companies associated with him based on the same conduct.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, including the FBI’s Cyber/Financial Crimes Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked the SEC for the assistance provided by its Enforcement Division.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony P. Torntore of the U.S. Attorney’s Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
Fentanyl Kingpin Pleads Guilty to Drug and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DETROIT - What began as a delivery of drugs in a Sony PlayStation box led agents to a stash location in Novi where a drug organization stored more than 30 kilograms of fentanyl and over half a million dollars. Yesterday, the California-based leader of that organization pleaded guilty to a drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy.
United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced the plea and was joined in the announcement by Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Charles E. Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Internal Revenue Service.
Maurice Montain McCoy, Jr., 41, of Moreno Valley, California, led a drug and money laundering conspiracy that had distribution hubs in multiple cities across the United States, including Novi, Michigan, where the organization stored more than 30 kilograms of fentanyl and over half a million dollars. The DEA’s July 2017 raid resulting in the discovery of the drugs and cash was, at the time, the largest fentanyl seizure in Michigan and one of the largest in the country. The seizure was the result of agents’ creative investigative work after they traced a UPC code off a Sony PlayStation box that was used to deliver heroin to a drug customer. That UPC code led to the Novi condominium where the PlayStation was active. Agents identified couriers who crisscrossed the U.S. delivering kilograms, transporting bulk currency, or laundering money, leading to multiple arrests and additional seizures in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Baltimore, Maryland, where the organization also operated. McCoy directed the organization’s activity and lived lavishly off the proceeds, purchasing a Porsche Panamera, expensive jewelry, including diamond and gold pendants for some members of his drug organization, and a half a million-dollar home in the greater Los Angeles area.
Of the 18 defendants charged, 16 have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing. Two defendants are scheduled for trial on November 16.
McCoy, who previously served ten years in federal prison for a drug conviction in California, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison with a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.
“Fentanyl is now the leading cause of overdose deaths. It is inherently dangerous and 50 times more potent than heroin. The number of lives saved by this seizure is infinite. Individuals who traffic deadly drugs in our community will be held accountable for the harm they inflict on our citizens,” stated United States Attorney Dawn Ison.
“More than 15 million deadly dosages of fentanyl were seized from this organization – that is more than enough to kill the entire population of Michigan. This case is testament to the hard work and innovative thinking on the part of the men and women of the DEA Detroit Division, and our federal state and local partners.”
McCoy is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Terrence G. Berg on March 16, 2023.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement (OCDETF) Southeast Regional Strike Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrea Hutting, Craig Wininger, and Gjon Juncaj prosecuted the case for the United States.
Federal Jury finds Defendant Guilty of Assault on Federal Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Following a three-day trial, a federal jury in Jackson returned a guilty verdict against a Jackson man for assault on a law enforcement officer and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
De’Vadrick Markevin Booker, 24, was found guilty in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
The evidence at trial showed that on September 8, 2020, an ATF Agent responded to assist Jackson Police Officers with an ongoing investigation of an exchange of gunfire in a residential area of the city. As the agent drove down a residential street in the area of the gunfire, Booker emerged and fired several gunshots into the agent’s car.
Booker is scheduled to be sentenced on February 1, 2022, and faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life. A federal district judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica S. Terrill, Kevin J. Payne, and Bert Carraway prosecuted the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Silver Spring Man on Gun and Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Late yesterday a federal jury convicted Darryl Colton Frazer, age 34, of Silver Spring, Maryland, on federal gun and drug conspiracy charges. Frazer’s co-defendant, Shamire Moore, age 31, of Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty on October 31, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute marijuana and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The guilty verdict and plea were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).
According to the evidence presented at his three-day trial, on July 25, 2019, MCPD officers investigating a recent shooting approached Frazer and co-defendant Shamire Moore after noting that Moore appeared to match the description of an individual involved in the shooting. When Frazer and Moore saw the officers, they ran into a nearby residential area. Officers followed them and found Frazer in a nearby apartment building.
Witnesses testified that Frazer was ordered to stop and to drop the black bag that he was carrying. Instead, Frazer threw the black bag from the stairwell and away from himself. The black bag was immediately recovered by police, and Frazer was arrested. The black bag contained: a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol; 103 grams of marijuana packaged into four separate plastic bags; a digital scale, and latex gloves.
At the time of his arrest, Frazer was on supervised release for a previous federal conviction. Frazer also knew that as a result of his previous conviction, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
According to Moore’s plea agreement, officers found Moore lying on the ground in a nearby wooded area. They ordered Moore to stand up and surrender, but instead, Moore scaled a fence and jumped onto an adjacent government property. Moore was eventually caught and arrested after a struggle. The black bag that Moore was carrying contained a loaded .38 caliber revolver, 106 grams of marijuana packaged into four separate plastic bags inside a larger Ziploc bag, and a digital scale, among other items. During a search of Moore’s clothing and effects, law enforcement also recovered $579 in cash, which represented proceeds of Moore’s drug trafficking offense. Moore admitted that he possessed the marijuana with intent to distribute it and that the firearm was in furtherance of drug trafficking since it was intended, at least in part, to defend his drug inventory and drug proceeds.
Frazer faces up to 20 years in federal prison for his conviction on charges of participating in a drug conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Separately, Frazer will be facing a maximum of two years in prison for violation of his supervised release in his previous federal case.
Moore and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Moore will be sentenced to at least five years, but not more than six years, in federal prison.
U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm has not scheduled a sentencing for date for Frazer or Moore.
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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and the Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam K. Ake and Joel Crespo and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Kibbe, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Erie Man Pleads Guilty in Project Safe Childhood CaseRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Randy Lee Eicher, 25, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from September 2018 to December 2018, Eicher received and distributed images and videos depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for March 1, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued Eicher on bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Boone, North Carolina Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Eicher.
Enterprise Man Sentenced to 92 Months in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms After a Fatal ShootingRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On Thursday, November 3, 2022, Dorian Lamont Bell, 42, from Enterprise, Alabama, was sentenced to 92 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart. Following his prison sentence, Bell will be on supervised release for three years. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on May 25, 2021, the Enterprise Police Department went to a residence in response to a reported altercation between two men. When officers arrived, they discovered that one of the men involved in the argument had been shot and killed in the front yard. Bell’s sister resided at the house and told the officers that, after the shooting, her brother ran from the front yard, through the house and out of the back door, leaving a gun inside. The officers arrested Bell nearby. They later found two handguns inside the sister’s residence. During Bell’s federal plea hearing on June 7, 2022, he admitted to possessing the two guns found at his sister’s house. Before these events occurred, Bell had been convicted of numerous felony offenses and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm. A state murder charge and related drug charges are pending against Bell in the Circuit Court of Coffee County.
This case was investigated by the Enterprise Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Russell T. Duraski prosecuted the case.
Doctor Convicted at Trial of Illegally Distributing Oxycodone from Midtown Manhattan PracticeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced earlier today that a federal jury found HOWARD ADELGLASS guilty for his participation in a conspiracy to illegally prescribe oxycodone. The defendant was found guilty following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff. Sentencing is scheduled for March 8, 2023, before Judge Rakoff.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Doctor Howard Adelglass was a drug dealer, but instead of peddling drugs on the street corner, he distributed drugs with a prescription pad from his Central Park South ‘pain-management clinic.’ For years, the defendant prescribed enormous quantities of highly addictive and deadly opioids to people he knew were suffering from substance abuse disorders or were dealers. By distributing mammoth quantities of oxycodone pills to people without a legitimate medical purpose, the defendant destroyed lives and families. Along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to hold accountable those responsible for fueling the opioid crisis that is ravaging our community and nation.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment, the evidence offered at trial, and matters included in public filings:
HOWARD ADELGLASS was a licensed physician. Together with Marcello Sansone, the defendant operated a pain-management clinic located in Midtown Manhattan (the “Clinic”). The Clinic serviced purported patients seeking oxycodone and other pain-relief medications commonly diverted for illicit purposes. In exchange for cash payments, and in some instances for cocaine, ADELGLASS wrote thousands of prescriptions for large quantities of oxycodone, and many he wrote to individuals whom ADELGLASS knew did not need the pills for a legitimate medical purpose. When they occurred, ADELGLASS’s examinations were perfunctory. The defendant’s purported patients included individuals addicted to opioids and, in some cases, who sold oxycodone on the street. Even when faced with clear evidence of his purported patients’ drug abuse and diversion, ADELGLASS continued to prescribe large quantities of oxycodone to them.
Initially, ADELGLASS staffed the Clinic with inexperienced young women, some of whom he addicted to oxycodone. In approximately October 2018, after serving as a primary source of patient referrals, Sansone took over as the Clinic’s office manager. In that role, Sansone helped to control access to ADELGLASS and the lucrative prescriptions he wrote for medically unnecessary oxycodone. With particularly vulnerable patients, the defendants solicited and, in some instances, received sex acts in exchange for oxycodone prescriptions.
Between in or about November 2017 and in or about September 2020, ADELGLASS prescribed more than 1.3 million oxycodone pills.
On October 13, 2022, Sansone pled guilty to conspiracy to illegally distribute oxycodone. Sansone is scheduled to be sentenced on February 13, 2023, before Judge Rakoff.
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ADELGLASS, 67, of New York, New York, was convicted of conspiracy to illegally distribute oxycodone, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas W. Chiuchiolo, Marguerite B. Colson, and Daniel G. Nessim are in charge of the prosecution.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Charges for Armed Carjacking and Robbery in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Devin Gatewood, also known as James J. Williams, 23, of Washington, D.C., has pleaded guilty to felony charges stemming from an armed carjacking and robbery in the Trinidad area of Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Gatewood pleaded guilty on Nov. 3, 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of robbery, one count of carrying a dangerous weapon, and one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle. The Honorable Jason Park scheduled sentencing for Jan. 6, 2023. At the time of the offense, Gatewood was on probation for an April 2022 misdemeanor firearms conviction in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable James A. Crowell IV has scheduled a probation revocation hearing in that case for Jan. 20, 2023.
According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of Aug. 28, 2022, Gatewood and an unidentified accomplice approached the victim, who was sitting in his parked vehicle in the 1100 block of Queen Street NE. The victim felt uneasy and got out of his car to make small talk with the men. Gatewood produced what appeared to be a 9mm handgun and communicated to the victim that he was being robbed. The victim laid down on the ground, while Gatewood and the accomplice took his iPhone, Apple Watch, car keys, and cash. Gatewood drove away in the victim’s vehicle, and the accomplice left in a separate vehicle.
The victim called the Metropolitan Police Department, which located the victim’s vehicle within minutes. Police followed behind the vehicle, which came to an abrupt stop. Gatewood jumped out of the vehicle’s driver’s seat and began to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended. No firearm was recovered. Gatewood has remained in custody since his arrest.
In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Crystal L. Waddy. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Delaware Man Charged with Interstate Transportation of Stolen GoodsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Delaware man was arrested for transporting stolen goods obtained through a string of jewelry store thefts in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Michael Larbi, 24, of Dover, Delaware, is charged by complaint with five counts of interstate transportation of stolen goods from October 2020 through February 2021. He made his initial appearance on Nov. 3, 2022, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Arpert in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From October 2020 through February 2021, Larbi engaged in a string of jewelry store thefts in multiple states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware, which resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in stolen jewelry. On Oct. 28, 2020, Larbi entered a jewelry store in Marlton, New Jersey, and asked to look at two engagement rings. Larbi then took two rings that were left on a counter and took a ring from the store employee’s hand and ran out of the store. The value of the three stolen rings was $77,420. Larbi then traveled with the rings across state lines to Philadelphia.
On Nov. 2, 2020, Larbi entered a jewelry store in Haddon Heights, New Jersey. After asking to see jewelry, he forcibly took a box containing diamonds valued at $97,829 from the store employee’s hands and fled to Philadelphia. On Jan. 11, 2021, Larbi entered a jewelry store in Blackwood, New Jersey, and stole two rings valued at approximately $8,500 before fleeing to Delaware. On Feb. 6, 2021, Larbi entered a jewelry store in Clifton, New Jersey, stole two rings valued at approximately $15,600, and fled to Bronx, New York.
Each count of interstate transportation of stolen goods is punishable by a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire; officers of the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; and the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the FBI in Newark, Delaware, and Wilmington, Delaware, officers of the Evesham, New Jersey, Police Department, Hainesport, New Jersey, Police Department, Haddon Heights, New Jersey, Police Department, Gloucester Township, New Jersey, Police Department, and the Clifton, New Jersey, Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Suggs of the U.S. Attorney’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Danville Woman Pleads Guilty to Student Loan FraudRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Danville, Virginia woman, who used the personal identifying information of others to submit and receive fraudulent student loans, pled guilty this week in federal court.
Karren Warren, 43, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today to one count of student loan fraud and one count of unlawful transfer or possession of identification affecting interstate commerce.
According to court documents, between 2013 and 2018, Warren devised a scheme to defraud the United States Department of Education (USDOE), the American Public University System (APUS) and Capella University by preparing and submitting false FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) forms.
Warren admitted to recruiting others to provide her with their personal identifying information, which she then used to prepare and submit fraudulent enrollment applications to USDOE, APUS, and Capella.
Once the financial aid was obtained, Warren enrolled the individuals, whose names had been submitted using the false FAFSAs, in online educational institutions. Most individuals enrolled in this manner either did not participate or withdrew from the courses. Warren then converted the federal financial aid funds for her personal use, thus failing to use the funds solely for education-related expenses as required by USDOE.
In all, Warren caused a loss of at least $264,000 to APUS, Capella, and the USDOE.
Warren faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia made the announcement.
The United States Department of Education and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlene R. Day is prosecuting the case.
Convicted Leader of Meth, Fentanyl Trafficking Network Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A documented member of a criminal street gang organization who led a drug distribution network responsible for trafficking more than 150 kilograms of methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin and other illegal drugs into Southwest Georgia was sentenced to federal prison today for his crimes.
Jamie Lorell Keith aka JGottiDaBoss aka Cocho, 41, of Albany, was sentenced to serve 420 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release after he was convicted on June 27 of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine following a week-long jury trial before U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner. There is no parole in the federal system.
A co-defendant, Artarious Davis aka Showboat aka Boat, 41, of Albany, was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl during the same trial and faces a maximum of life imprisonment. His sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 15.
“This case is a significant victory for the overall safety of our region,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Thanks to the efforts of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and our federal prosecution team, a dangerous criminal network pushing large volumes of the deadliest controlled substances into Southwest Georgia has been stopped.”
“These criminals once profited by spreading this insidious poison throughout a number of communities in Southwest Georgia, but the DEA and our law enforcement partners are in the business of protecting lives and serving those communities,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Justice was served thanks to strong and strategic partnerships between the DEA and its local law enforcement counterparts.”
“This case demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies at every level to end an epidemic in our society that is killing our citizens,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will continue to work diligently along our partners in the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force to investigate and dismantle drug trafficking organizations.”
“These convictions illustrate that drug trafficking will not be tolerated in Georgia. The GBI is committed to investigating and dismantling large scale drug trafficking organizations such as this one operating in Southwest Georgia, in coordination with our local and federal partners,” said GBI Director Michael Register.
“The Albany Police Department will continue working with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to combat drug trafficking and its associated crimes in Albany, Dougherty County and Southwest Georgia. This sentencing warns those seeking fortune from this illicit trade that ill-gotten gains lead to harsh consequences,” said Albany Police Department Chief Michael Persley.
“The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is working with all of our law enforcement partners at every level to combat criminal activity in our community and ultimately put a dent in crime,” said Lee County Sheriff Reggie Rachals.
“The Worth County Sheriff’s Office has and will continue to work diligently with local, state and federal law enforcement and community partners across the area to find, investigate and prosecute criminals trafficking drugs in Worth County and the Southwest Georgia area,” said Worth County Sheriff Don Whitaker. “Drugs are a multibillion-dollar criminal enterprise that targets our vulnerable populations, our neighbors and even our family members. Because of this, we can’t slow down, we must aggressively pursue this criminal element. We have found that by taking down these drug distributors, it also helps in the reduction of other crimes. With this in mind, we welcome a partnership with all agencies to fight this problem and make our communities safer.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Keith and Davis were criminally involved in a large drug trafficking network responsible for distributing more than 150 kilograms of methamphetamine, more than 2000 fentanyl tablets pressed to resemble Percocet, more than one kilogram of heroin, more than five kilograms of cocaine and other drugs in the metro Albany area in 2019. Trial testimony revealed that now-deceased co-defendant Demarcus Cook, of Sylvester, Georgia, was a documented member of the Piru set of the Bloods criminal street gang organization. Keith, a member of a rival organization and the leader of this drug trafficking organization, bonded Cook—who was ill—out of jail in exchange for access to Cook’s drug sources of supply and customers. Using Cook’s sources and Keith’s cash and distribution network, the two began delivering large quantities of drugs to Albany and Sylvester to be sold at locations including 122 Moultrie Road and 610 Johnson Road in Albany and 214 Albany Avenue in Sylvester. Cook has since died of cancer. Keith was the manager of the drug network. Davis protected the drug loads on behalf of the organization and served a subsidiary customer base of drug users and redistributors in the Albany area.
The other 29 defendants federally prosecuted as part of this investigation have pleaded guilty for their crimes.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. The case was investigated by FBI, DEA, GBI, the Albany Police Department, Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Worth County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah McEwen prosecuted the case.
Cleveland Man Sentenced to Prison for COVID-19 Loan Fraud and Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Demetrius Moore, 42, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022, to three and a half years in prison by U.S. District Judge Pamela A. Barker and was ordered to pay $183,215.47 in restitution to the Small Business Administration (SBA). Judge Barker pronounced the sentence after Moore pleaded guilty to his role in a scheme to defraud the (SBA) by unlawfully acquiring Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loan funding.
Moore previously pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds, two counts of wire fraud and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, between July 2020 and March 2021, Moore devised and participated in a scheme to defraud the SBA by obtaining PPP and EIDL loans through false and fraudulent pretenses and spent loan funding on personal expenses, such as a Rolex watch, a Volvo Sleeper Truck Tractor and retail purchases at Best Buy and Louis Vuitton.
As part of the scheme, in July 2020, Moore opened a business bank account in the name of a purported investment company with no legitimate business operations and no employees. Moore and an unnamed coconspirator then used that bank account to apply for and receive PPP and EIDL loans.
Court documents state that Moore provided false and fictitious information on his PPP and EIDL loan applications, including declaring that his company had 10 employees and substantial annual revenues when, in fact, it had neither. As a result of these fraudulent loan applications, Moore received $183,215.47 in funding from both the PPP and EIDL. After the funds were deposited into his bank account, Moore then used the funds to make personal purchases.
On Nov. 19, 2020, during the execution of a search warrant, authorities found Moore to be in possession of a firearm. Moore is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to previous drug trafficking and firearms offense convictions in the United States District Court and the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas.
At the time of the offense conduct, Moore was on federal supervised release for some of these violations.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigations (CI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) . This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret A. Sweeney, Elliot D. Morrison and Alejandro A. Abreu.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security ("CARES") Act was a federal law enacted in or around March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the CARES Act, the SBA provided financial assistance, in part, via the EIDL and PPP program to businesses negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
City of Kyle Agrees to Ensure Persons with Disabilities Equal Access to Its Reduced-Fare Transportation ProgramRead the Press Release
AUSTIN – U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas announced today that the City of Kyle (“Kyle” or the “City”) has entered into a settlement agreement with the United States to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to the City’s reduced-fare transportation program.
The “Uber Kyle $3.14 Program” allows Kyle residents and visitors to travel in an UberX vehicle to anywhere within Kyle’s city limits for as little as $3.14. After a rider pays the first $3.14 of an UberX fare for a qualifying trip, the City subsidizes the next $10. Individuals with disabilities may participate in the program by requesting wheelchair accessible vehicles through the UberWAV platform. Individuals who request UberWAV vehicles also pay the first $3.14 of a qualifying trip, while the City subsidizes the next $10 plus any additional charges specific to providing UberWAV services.
In 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office opened an investigation to determine whether the Uber Kyle $3.14 Program complied with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). Under Title II, no qualified individual with a disability may be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs or activities of a public entity.
During its investigation, the United States observed significant disparities in the availability of UberX vehicles and UberWAV vehicles in Kyle. UberWAV vehicles were not available more than 40% of the time. Even when an UberWAV vehicle was available, the average wait time was substantially longer than the average wait time for an UberX vehicle. The United States also learned that a Kyle resident who uses a wheelchair had complained to the City regarding the lack of accessible vehicles in the Uber Kyle $3.14 Program.
After the United States informed it of these findings, the City proactively contracted with a vendor to supplement the Uber Kyle $3.14 Program with additional wheelchair accessible vehicles. The settlement requires the City to maintain its contract or a similar contract or program that will increase the availability of wheelchair accessible vehicles. Among other things, the settlement also requires the City to track response time details for requests for wheelchair-accessible vehicles compared to requests for non-wheelchair-accessible vehicles. The City must also advertise the improvements that are being made to the Uber Kyle $3.14 Program to increase accessibility on the City’s website and Twitter account.
“In the Western District of Texas, people with disabilities must be able to count on accessible transportation service that is equal to the service provided to others,” said U.S. Attorney Hoff. “We commend the City’s collaborative approach to promoting equal access for Kyle residents with disabilities.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Liane Noble and Thomas Parnham handled this matter for the United States. As part of the agreement, the City did not admit to any past wrongdoing or violation of law or applicable law or regulations.
For more information on the ADA or this settlement agreement, please call the toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TDD) or access the ADA website at http://www.ada.gov.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Charity Operator Charged with Diverting Millions of Dollars of Charitable Funds and Evading Federal Income TaxRead the Press Release
MIAMI - Douglas Sailors, 71, formerly of Parkland, Fla., and now living in Owensboro, Ky., was charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud as well as subscribing to a false tax return.
As set forth in the indictment, from approximately 2009 through 2018, Sailors formed and operated charities for his personal benefit. He hand-picked nominees to serve as board of directors and officers of the charities to conceal his participation in the fraud scheme. Sailors also had a nominee apply for tax exempt status from the IRS and secure a nonprofit designation. To confuse donors, he chose names that sounded similar to legitimate charities—such as Breast Cancer Research and Support Fund; Disabled Veterans Services; United States Firefighters Association, among others.
To further the scheme, Sailors directed the officers and directors of the charities to pay unreasonable fees to management companies owned by nominees yet controlled by Sailors. These management fees were the proceeds of the fraud scheme, which Sailors appropriated for himself to fund his lavish lifestyle.
Sailors used lawyers and accountants to create opinion letters that falsely stated that the fees paid to him were reasonable. He diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars from a charity that was intended to financially support nurses in the Dominican Republic. Management fees were deposited in a defined benefit pension plan where Sailors unlawfully withdrew those funds for his personal benefit and failed to report the income on his personal income tax returns.
Sailors faces a statutory maximum term of imprisonment of 29 years and a fine of $1,000,000 or twice the amount of the gross gain or gross loss.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Matthew D. Line, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office, and Robert Dewitt, acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
IRS-CI and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Schwartz and Jeffrey N. Kaplan are prosecuting it.
An Indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Bronx Gang Member Charged with 2021 MurderRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging JALEEL SHAKOOR with racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, murder with a firearm, and illegal possession of ammunition. The charges relate to SHAKOOR’s murder of Gerry Mazzella on June 3, 2021, in the Bronx, New York. As alleged in the Indictment, SHAKOOR shot Mazzella in the back of the neck from point-blank range.
SHAKOOR, who was already in federal custody, will be presented today before Magistrate Judge Barbara C. Moses. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendant committed a murder as part of his gang membership: he shot Gerry Mazzella from point-blank range, killing him. With these charges, we continue our daily work of investigating and prosecuting those who perpetrate these senseless acts. We hope this prosecution brings some measure of comfort to the victim’s loved ones.”
NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “This case is an outstanding example of what the NYPD and our law enforcement partners can accomplish when we strike back at the relatively few people responsible for spreading violence and fear in New York City. Together, we remain committed to thwarting gang activity in all its forms, and to reinforcing the severe consequences that await anyone who dares to jeopardize safety in our neighborhoods.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
From at least 2020 to 2022, JALEEL SHAKOOR, a/k/a “Midnight,” was a member of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation (“Gorilla Stone”), which is a set of the national Bloods gang. Gorilla Stone operated primarily in the northeast United States, including in the Bronx, and in the jails and prisons of New York City and the State of New York.
Members of Gorilla Stone committed robberies and distributed controlled substances in order to enrich themselves. They also murdered and assaulted members of rival gangs and members of Gorilla Stone in order to resolve disputes within the gang. Gorilla Stone members promoted and celebrated the gang’s criminal conduct — including drug distribution, acts of violence, and firearms usage — on social media.
On June 3, 2021, in the vicinity of West 165th Street and Woodycrest Avenue in the Bronx, SHAKOOR shot Mazzella in the back of the neck, causing Mazzella’s death. SHAKOOR committed this murder to maintain and increase his position in Gorilla Stone.
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SHAKOOR, 27, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of death or life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison; one count of murder through use of a firearm, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of death or life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of possessing ammunition after a felony conviction, which carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD. He also thanked the Bronx District Attorney’s Office for its assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent & Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher D. Brumwell, Emily A. Johnson, and Patrick R. Moroney are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
Baltimore Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Using Female Aliases on Social Media and Messaging Applications to Entice Boys to Send Him Sexually Explicit Images and VideosRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Matthew K. Walsh, age 25, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to 20 years in federal prison, followed by 30 years of supervised release, for sexual exploitation of a minor in order to produce child pornography. Specifically, Walsh created fictitious online profiles purporting to be a teenage girl to contact and induce minor males between the ages of 12 and 17 to send sexually explicit images and videos to the individual they believed to be a minor female, but was, in fact, Walsh.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, from at least 2016 through 2021, Walsh created fictitious profiles on several online platforms posing as a minor female to make contact with minor males between the ages of twelve and seventeen to induce them to produce sexually explicit images and videos to send to the purported minor female. Once Walsh obtained the sexually explicit images and videos, he extorted the minor males into producing more sexually explicit images and videos at his instruction and threatened that if they failed to do so, Walsh would send the previously provided images and videos to the minor victims’ friends, family, and classmates. Walsh directed the minor males to send him the images and videos he directed them to produce, and that the images and videos needed to include their face.
In some of the communications, by text, email, and video, the minor victims are crying and begging Walsh not to send the images and videos to their families and classmates, to leave them alone, and not to make them do more, but Walsh persisted with his threats and demands. Walsh admitted that he harassed some of the victims for years and obtained hundreds of files depicting sexually explicit conduct from some of the victims. In total, Walsh obtained approximately 2000 images and videos depicting sexually explicit conduct of the various minor males.
As detailed in the plea agreement, once Walsh received the sexually explicit files from the victims, he saved them into folders of fake names or a variation of the victim’s real name in a cloud storage account. Walsh also uploaded the minor males’ files to various Twitter accounts and sold the sexually explicit files of the minors to others, obtaining approximately $8000 from the sale of the files. Specifically, Walsh communicated with at least 50 different Twitter users interested in purchasing either individual files of child sex abuse material (CSAM), or Walsh’s “collections” of CSAM. The “collections” contained over 100 different victims’ files. In several messages, the Twitter users were aware that some of the individuals in the sexually explicit files were as young as 14-years-old. Several Twitter users exchanged “tips” with Walsh on how to evade law enforcement and discussed methods for enticing and extorting victims’ nude images and videos. Walsh was also a member of online groups which included other offenders who would post, sell, and trade CSAM.
During the investigation, federal search warrants were executed on 17 Google accounts, 22 Twitter accounts, 4 Facebook accounts, 7 Instagram accounts, 6 Snapchat accounts, 3 Dropbox accounts, 3 TextNow accounts, a Kik account, an Apple account, and an Oath/Yahoo! account, all created and utilized by Walsh. To date over 40 minor males have been positively identified as victims of Walsh’s conduct. At least 30 victims’ pictures and videos were sold and/or distributed to others by Walsh.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Noblesville, Indiana Police Department for its assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Atlanta-area man and his company charged in attempted stolen-car smuggling operationRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Douglas County man and his company are named in a 16-count federal indictment alleging a scheme to ship stolen cars to another country.
Prince Bediako, 40, of Douglasville, Ga., and his Atlanta company, Fastlane Logistix LLC, are charged with four counts of Submitting False or Misleading Export Information; four counts of Smuggling; and eight counts of Interstate Transport of Stolen Property, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charges carry a statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison and substantial financial penalties, and up to three years of supervised release following completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The vigilant staff at the Port of Savannah perform a tremendous duty in protecting our country from dangerous imports, and identifying those who use the ports for illegal export activity,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “These charges should send a warning to those intent on circumventing our nation’s import and export controls.”
As described in the indictment, in early 2020, Bediako and Fastlane are alleged to have transported eight stolen vehicles to Georgia from Florida, North Carolina, Mississippi, Missouri, and New Hampshire. They are then alleged to have provided false and fraudulent information to a freight company in an attempt to ship the vehicles to another country.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security Office of Export Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Savannah Ports Police, and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jenna G. Solari and Darron J. Hubbard.
5 local men sentenced to prison for participating in methamphetamine ringRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Five are men were sentenced in U.S. District Court today to prison for their roles in a drug trafficking organization distributing bulk amounts of methamphetamine to the greater Dayton region.
They include:
Name
Age
City
Prison Sentence Imposed
Justus Ruby
26
Englewood, Ohio
78 months
William Green III
27
Dayton, Ohio
97 months
Robert Walker
30
Dayton, Ohio
110 months
Andre Figures
38
Dayton, Ohio
36 months
D’Erius Warfield
28
Dayton, Ohio
74 months
According to court documents, from September 2020 until January 2021, investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated a group of individuals who used the alias “Jose” and distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Dayton area.
The defendants distributed and possessed with the intent to distribute more than 400 grams of methamphetamine and other narcotics.
During the investigation, investigators witnessed Ruby selling fentanyl to drug users from the state of Indiana. When they executed a search warrant at his properties, agents discovered bulk amounts of methamphetamine, a loaded firearm, and more than $13,000 in cash.
Investigators also executed a search warrant at Green’s property. Officers seized a respirator, rubber gloves, paraphernalia, and bulk amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Walker is currently incarcerated in Indiana for conspiracy to commit murder. He will serve his federal sentence partially consecutive to his state term of imprisonment.
Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant is determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration; announced the sentences imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is representing the United States in this case.
This investigation was conducted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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