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Tuesday 27 September 2022
Iowa City Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy and Distribution of Meth Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – Eric Johnathan Hojka, age 50 of Iowa City, was sentenced on Monday, September 26, 2022, to 240 months in prison following his plea to charges of Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and Distribution of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine Resulting in Death.
According to court documents, first responders went to Hojka’s Iowa City apartment in reference to an unconscious man. Paramedics were unable to revive the man and he was pronounced dead. An investigation revealed the man had ingested methamphetamine he received from Hojka and had died from methamphetamine intoxication. Hojka had been obtaining methamphetamine for several months and was distributing it.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa City Police Department and the Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office investigated the case.
Illinois Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Drug Trafficking & Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Myron Macon, 50, Hazel Crest, Illinois was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 9 years in federal prison for distributing crack cocaine, possessing crack cocaine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Macon pleaded guilty to these charges on June 1, 2022.
On five occasions in January and February 2021, Dane County Narcotics Task Force (DCNTF) officers purchased crack cocaine from Macon in Madison, Wisconsin. The quantities ranged from 31 to 51 grams per buy.
On March 2, 2021, DCNTF officers executed search warrants at two drug houses operated by Macon and co-defendant, Chaz Morris, in Madison. They leased the residences using aliases. At the residence leased by Macon, officers found 42 grams of fentanyl, 48 grams of crack cocaine, 206 grams of marijuana, a Taurus 9mm handgun in a safe with loaded magazines, over $33,000 in cash, four digital scales, and numerous cell phones. Macon was arrested at the residence.
Macon’s DNA was found on the Taurus firearm. Macon was prohibited from legally possessing a firearm and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions.
At sentencing, Judge Conley highlighted Macon’s lengthy prior history of drug trafficking and firearm possession. He noted that Macon continues to take advantage of other addicts through trafficking hard drugs. Judge Conley said Macon continuing to deal drugs and possess guns was a recipe for disaster.
Co-defendant Chaz Morris pleaded guilty to possessing over 40 grams of fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm as a felon and was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison by Judge Conley on August 17, 2022.
The charges against Macon and Morris were the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Madison Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this 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.
Hartford Man Sentenced for Drug Distribution and Gun Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SHANNON DAVIS, 29, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to approximately 34 months of imprisonment, time already served, and three years of supervised release, for drug distribution and firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2019, an investigation revealed that Davis was selling drugs from his Franklin Avenue residence. Davis was arrested on November 25, 2019, after a court-authorized search of his residence revealed approximately 100 dose bags of fentanyl, approximately 28 grams of crack cocaine, items used to process and package narcotics for distribution, and two loaded handguns.
Davis’ criminal history includes state felony convictions for firearm possession and assault offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Davis has been detained since his arrest. On March 23, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Hartford Police Department’s Vice, Intelligence and Narcotics Unit. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret M. Donovan and Brian P. Leaming.
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.
Harlan Man Sentenced for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Stormy Shaye Cole Trucke, age 29 of Harlan, was sentenced on September 7, 2022, to 42 months in prison following his plea to a charge of Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm.
In June 2021, officers responded to a domestic disturbance call at Trucke’s residence and observed drug paraphernalia. Officers obtained a search warrant and located a loaded firearm, assorted ammunition, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. Trucke is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony conviction and as a drug user.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Harlan Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Former USF Accounting Manager Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Mail Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Ralph Puglisi (60, Palm Harbor) to 10 years in federal prison for mail fraud. As part of his sentence, the court also ordered Puglisi to pay full restitution in the amount of $12,860,744.07 to the University of South Florida and entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $12,800,000, the proceeds of his mail fraud scheme. Puglisi had pleaded guilty on August 26, 2021.
According to court documents, Puglisi was employed as an accounting manager for the University of South Florida’s University Medical Services Association (UMSA). In this position, he was involved in overseeing the administration of UMSA’s credit cards. Beginning in or around June 2014, and continuing through November 2019, Puglisi defrauded UMSA by using several of that entity’s credit cards to make $12,860,744.07 in unauthorized charges for his own benefit, including rent payments, extensive home renovations, travel, chartered yachts, and contributions to women affiliated with an interactive adult website. Puglisi exploited his position as accounting manager to make false journal entries in records that created the illusion that his charges were related to UMSA’s business operations.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jay G. Trezevant and Julie Simonsen.
Former U.S. Congressman and Philadelphia Political Operative Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Election FraudRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced today that former U.S. Congressman Michael “Ozzie” Myers, 79, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to 30 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $100,000 in fines, with $10,000 of that due immediately, by United States District Court Judge Paul S. Diamond after pleading guilty to conspiracy to deprive voters of civil rights, bribery, obstruction of justice, falsification of voting records, conspiring to illegally vote in a federal election, and for orchestrating schemes to fraudulently stuff the ballot boxes for specific Democratic candidates in the 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 Pennsylvania elections. The defendant was immediately remanded into custody following today’s hearing.
In June 2022, the defendant admitted in court to bribing the Judge of Elections for the 39th Ward, 36th Division in South Philadelphia in a fraudulent scheme over several years. Myers admitted to bribing the election official to illegally add votes for certain candidates of their mutual political party in primary elections. Some of these candidates were individuals running for judicial office whose campaigns had hired Myers, and others were candidates for various federal, state, and local elective offices that Myers favored for a variety of reasons. Myers would solicit payments from his clients in the form of cash or checks as “consulting fees,” and then use portions of these funds to pay election officials to tamper with election results.
Myers also admitted to conspiring to commit election fraud with another former Judge of Elections for the 39th Ward, 2nd Division in South Philadelphia. Myers’ accomplice was the de facto Judge of Elections and effectively ran the polling places in her division by installing close associates to serve as members of the Board of Elections. Myers admitted that he gave his accomplice directions to add votes to candidates supported by him, including candidates for judicial office whose campaigns actually hired Myers, and other candidates for various federal, state, and local elective offices preferred by Myers for a variety of reasons.
“Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy. If even one vote has been illegally cast or if the integrity of just one election official is compromised, it diminishes faith in process,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “This defendant used his position, knowledge of the process, and connections to fix elections for his preferred candidates, which demonstrates a truly flagrant disregard for the laws which govern our elections. He will now spend 30 months in prison as penalty for his crimes.”
“Protecting the legitimacy of elections is critical to ensuring the public’s trust in the process,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Through his actions, Ozzie Myers pointedly disdained both the will of Philadelphia voters and the rule of law. He’s now a federal felon twice over, heading back behind bars, with time to consider the great consequence of free and fair elections.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Richard P. Barrett, Chief of the Criminal Division, and Eric L. Gibson with assistance from Richard C. Pilger, the former Director of Elections Crimes Branch (retired), Criminal Division, Public Integrity Section, U.S. Department of Justice.
Former Tri-State Airport Official Sentenced to Prison for Theft of Federal FundsRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Melissa Sue Hall, 46, of South Point, Ohio, was sentenced today to five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release with the first five months on home detention with electronic monitoring, for theft of federal funds. Hall was also ordered to pay $49,478.64 in restitution.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from September 2017 until January 8, 2021, Hall was the finance director of Huntington Tri-State Airport and responsible for the accounting, depositing and withdrawing of funds from multiple revenue sources including ATMs and vending machines. Hall admitted that between May 2020 and January 8, 2021, she stopped depositing the full amounts she collected from these machines into the airport’s bank accounts. Hall further admitted that she took money from those bank accounts intended for deposit in the ATMs. During this time period, Tri-State Airport received at least $10,000 per year in federal funding, which was deposited in its bank accounts. Hall admitted to diverting nearly $49,500.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Huntington Tri-State Airport Police and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-54.
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Former Naval Police Officer Charged for Making Threats in Interstate CommerceRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former naval police officer at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in New Hampshire was charged yesterday in connection with allegedly threatening his ex-wife and her mother in Iowa.
Luis De Leon, 30, of Middleton, a was charged with three counts of making threatening communications in interstate commerce. De Leon, who is currently in custody at the Middleton House of Corrections on unrelated state charges, will make an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Boston on Oct. 3, 2022.
According to the charging documents, from June 2021 until June 2022, De Leon was employed by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard as a Naval Police Officer.
It is alleged that on or about April 30, 2022, De Leon made a threatening phone call to his ex-wife in Iowa from a mobile telephone belonging to another individual. Specifically, during the call, De Leon allegedly made several threatening statements including, “You’re gonna f****** pay! Do you understand!? There will be death! There will be war in the street! You wanna to go war!? I’ll take you to f****** war!”
On or about May 2, 2022, De Leon was arrested by Lawrence Police on unrelated charges including carrying a dangerous weapon (a hatchet knife), resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, threatening to commit a crime and motor vehicle offenses. De Leon has remained in custody since his arrest.
Between May and June 2022, while still in custody in Middleton House of Corrections, De Leon allegedly sent two letters containing threats to his ex-wife’s mother in Iowa. In the letters, it is alleged that De Leon wrote, among other things, “I’ll be heading over there soon […] God help you and your dysfunctional family if you try and stop me. I won’t be alone either just so you know and that’s for your safety NOT MINE!!! […] If you don’t believe me just look where I’m sending this from. I don’t really have much else to lose, and do you know what men with nothing left to lose usually do?”
The charge of making threatening communications in interstate commerce provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy H. Kistner of Rollins’ National Security Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Lawrence County Attorney Sentenced to 42 Months for Wire Fraud and Federal Program TheftRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – The former County Attorney for Lawrence County, Michael T. Hogan, and his wife and legal secretary, Joy M. Hogan, 41, were sentenced to 42 months and 12 months and one day, respectively, on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove, for wire fraud. Michael Hogan was also sentenced for federal program theft.
According to the Hogans’ plea agreements, the Hogans conspired with each other to commit wire fraud by issuing checks from a second delinquent tax account for the Lawrence County Attorney’s Office, the statements for which went to their personal residence. Michael Hogan and Joy Hogan would routinely prepare “bonus” checks issued to Joy, and signed by Michael, paid with delinquent tax funds that should have been used on operating expenses for the Lawrence County Attorney’s Office. The Hogans deposited these checks in Joy’s personal account and the couple’s joint accounts and spent the funds on personal expenses. Michael Hogan admitted he personally benefitted from these payments and knew some of these payments were not reasonable in amount, nor beneficial to the public. According to the indictment, between March 8, 2013, and April 30, 2020, Michael Hogan paid Joy Hogan more than $365,000 from the Lawrence County Delinquent Tax Account.
Michael Hogan also admitted to defrauding the Lawrence County Child Support Enforcement Office, part of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. According to his plea agreement, Hogan billed the program for more hours than he actually worked.
“Michael Hogan turned to his own self-interests and used taxpayer money for his and his wife’s personal benefit,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “As an elected County Attorney, he was responsible for upholding the law; instead, he brazenly broke it, at the expense of those who elected him. His conduct will leave lasting damage, both from the theft and from the resulting loss of faith in government officials and law enforcement. His prosecution and sentence are the first steps in the effort to restore that faith.”
“Public corruption erodes the people’s trust in our government officials and fuels divisiveness in our community. We have been crystal clear that corruption, at any level, will not be tolerated in Kentucky, ” said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office. “No one is above the law and the victim of this crime, the people of Kentucky, deserve better. Today’s sentence demonstrates that the FBI, and its law enforcement partners, will hold those who violate the public’s trust accountable for their actions."
As part of his plea agreement, Michael Hogan agreed to resign as the Lawrence County Attorney.
The Hogans pleaded guilty in March 2022.
Under federal law, the Hogans must serve 85 percent of their prison sentence. Upon their release from prison, both Michael and Joy Hogan will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
United States Attorney Shier; FBI Special Agent Cohen; and Col. Phillip Burnett, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Smith and James Chapman.
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Former Government Contractor Executive Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Campaign ContributionsRead the Press Release
A former government contractor executive pleaded guilty today to conspiring to make unlawful campaign contributions to a candidate for Congress and a political action committee (PAC), making unlawful campaign contributions, and causing the submission of false information to the Federal Election Commission.
According to court documents, Martin Kao, 48, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was the owner of a defense contractor prohibited from making contributions in federal elections. Kao and his co-conspirators created a shell company, which they used to make an illegal contribution – using government contractor funds – to a PAC supporting the election of a candidate for the U.S. Senate. Kao also used family members as conduits to make illegal contributions to the campaign committee of the same candidate, and then reimbursed them for those donations using funds obtained from Kao’s company.
Kao is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 9, 2023. He faces up to five 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.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia; Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Washington Field Office and DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Lauren Castaldi of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Aloi and Joshua Rothstein for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Government Contractor Executive Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Campaign ContributionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former government contractor executive pleaded guilty today to conspiring to make unlawful campaign contributions to a candidate for Congress and a political action committee (PAC), making unlawful campaign contributions, and causing the submission of false information to the Federal Election Commission.
According to court documents, Martin Kao, 48, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was the owner of a defense contractor prohibited from making contributions in federal elections. Kao and his co-conspirators created a shell company, which they used to make an illegal contribution – using government contractor funds – to a PAC supporting the election of a candidate for the U.S. Senate. Kao also used family members as conduits to make illegal contributions to the campaign committee of the same candidate, and then reimbursed them for those donations using funds obtained from Kao’s company.
Kao is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 9, 2023. He faces up to five 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.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia; Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Washington Field Office and DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Lauren Castaldi of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Aloi and Joshua Rothstein for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former CEO of St. Gabriel Health Clinic Convicted of $1.8 Million Medicaid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
After a week-long trial, a federal jury convicted the former CEO of St. Gabriel Health Clinic Inc. for conducting a multi-year, multi-million-dollar scheme to defraud the Louisiana Medicaid Program.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Victor Clark Kirk of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was the CEO of St. Gabriel Health Clinic Inc. (St. Gabriel), a Louisiana non-profit corporation that provided health care services to Medicaid recipients and others. St. Gabriel was a federally qualified health center (FQHC) that contracted with the Iberville Parish School Board to provide medical services within the school district. As a FQHC, St. Gabriel could provide primary care services to students as well as services related to the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses – provided that such services were medically necessary – among other requirements.
Evidence at trial showed that St. Gabriel practitioners, at Kirk’s direction, provided character development and other educational programs to entire classrooms of students during regular class periods. Kirk then caused the fraudulent billing of these programs to Medicaid as group psychotherapy. To facilitate the fraudulent scheme, Kirk directed that St. Gabriel practitioners falsely diagnose students with mental health disorders. From 2011 through 2015, Kirk caused over $1.8 million in fraudulent claims for purported group psychotherapy services.
Throughout the week, the federal jury heard testimony from former practitioners and employees of St. Gabriel, as well as former employees of East Iberville Elementary & High School and MSA East, two Iberville Parish schools where St. Gabriel operated satellite clinics. The jury also heard testimony from parents whose children received false Axis-I mental health diagnoses in their medical records as part of the fraudulent scheme.
U.S. Attorney Ronald Gathe, Jr. stated, “The Medicaid program was established to provide healthcare to those most in need. This verdict demonstrates that the Department of Justice, along with our federal and state partners, will marshal the necessary resources to protect the vulnerable who rely on that program as well as the taxpayers who fund it.”
"I am proud of my office’s work with our law enforcement partners to help achieve this conviction,” said Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry. “The mental health of our State’s most vulnerable, especially in our youth, should not be jeopardized or compromised by fraudsters. I would also like to applaud our Special Agent Joseph Springer for his exceptional work that helped secure this conviction.”
“Any time greed replaces medical necessity as the primary factor in behavioral health services, our most vulnerable citizens are imperiled,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Richards of the HHS Office of Inspector General's (OIG) Dallas Regional Office. “Our HHS OIG agents will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate providers who will stop at nothing to loot the Medicaid program.”
“Today’s guilty verdict sends a clear message that individuals like Mr. Victor Clark Kirk who engage in healthcare fraud will not go undetected and will be held accountable. The FBI is determined to identify, investigate, and bring to justice those who are committing healthcare crimes to enrich themselves at the expense of others,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams, Jr. “We thank our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana, the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Fraud Section, the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General for their strong partnership and unrelenting pursuit of justice.”
Kirk was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and five counts of health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 12, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison per count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. for the Middle District of Louisiana; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams, Jr. of the FBI; Director Jodi Edmonds LeJeune of the Louisiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU); and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI, MFCU, and HHS-OIG investigated the case, which was brought as part of the Gulf Coast Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen L. Craig for the Middle District of Louisiana and Assistant Chief Justin M. Woodard and Trial Attorney Kelly Z. Walters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
Kirk was initially charged as part of a National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action announced in September 2019, when the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced charges against six (6) individuals for health care fraud in Baton Rouge.
The Gulf Coast Strike Force is part of a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and HHS to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country. Since its inception in March 2007, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 16 strike forces operating in 27 districts, has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
Former Army Reservist Convicted of Acting Within the United States as an Unregistered Agent of the People’s Republic of ChinaRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Chinese national and former Army Reservist yesterday for acting within the United States as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ji Chaoqun, 31, of Chicago, was found guilty on one count of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government, specifically the People’s Republic of China, without first notifying the Attorney General; one count of acting as an agent of the People’s Republic of China without first notifying the Attorney General; and one count of making a material false statement to the U.S. Army. The jury acquitted Ji on two counts of wire fraud.
Evidence presented at the two-week trial revealed that Ji worked at the direction of a high-level intelligence officer in the Jiangsu Province Ministry of State Security (JSSD), a provincial department of the Ministry of State Security for the People’s Republic of China. Ji, a Chinese citizen residing in Chicago, was tasked with providing the intelligence officer with biographical information on certain individuals for possible recruitment by the JSSD. The individuals included Chinese nationals who were working as engineers and scientists in the United States, some of whom were U.S. defense contractors.
In 2016, Ji enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves under the Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) program, which authorized the U.S. Armed Forces to recruit certain legal aliens whose skills are considered vital to the national interest. In his application to participate in the MAVNI program, Ji falsely stated that he had not had contact with a foreign government within the past seven years. In a subsequent interview with a U.S. Army officer, Ji again failed to disclose his relationship and contacts with the intelligence officer.
Ji faces up to 10 years in prison for acting within the United States as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China and up to five years for the conspiracy and false statement offenses. A sentencing date has not been scheduled yet. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch Jr. for the Northern District of Illinois; and Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Army 902nd Military Intelligence Group.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vikas Didwania and Barry Jonas for the Northern District of Illinois and Senior Trial Attorney Heather Schmidt of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to $8.3 Million Pharmacy Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Florida man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit health care fraud in an $8.3 million scheme where pharmacy owners paid kickbacks and bribes to telemarketers and telemedicine providers to secure orders for medically unnecessary prescriptions that were billed to Medicare.
According to court documents, Michael Murphy, 37, of Fort Lauderdale, invested in Cure Pharmacy in Jacksonville and two other pharmacies that participated in the Medicare program. From in or around November 2019 through in or around March 2021, Murphy and his co-conspirators paid kickbacks and bribes to telemarketing companies in exchange for recruiting Medicare beneficiaries to accept prescriptions for various medications – mainly topical creams – which the beneficiaries usually did not want or need.
Murphy and his co-conspirators also paid kickbacks and bribes to telemedicine companies that employed or contracted with physicians who signed the prescriptions. The physicians had no physician-patient relationship with the beneficiaries and typically signed the prescriptions after a cursory telephone conversation with the beneficiary or with no contact at all. After obtaining Medicare beneficiary information and the signed prescriptions, Murphy and his co-conspirators submitted claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary medications, sometimes through multiple pharmacies they owned and controlled in a practice known as “recycling,” and were reimbursed $8.3 million by Medicare Part D.
Murphy pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Murphy will be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Sherri Onks of the FBI Jacksonville Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI Jacksonville Field Office and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Gary Winters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Mesrobian for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to $8.3 Million Pharmacy Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Florida man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit health care fraud in an $8.3 million scheme where pharmacy owners paid kickbacks and bribes to telemarketers and telemedicine providers to secure orders for medically unnecessary prescriptions that were billed to Medicare.
According to court documents, Michael Murphy, 37, of Fort Lauderdale, invested in Cure Pharmacy in Jacksonville and two other pharmacies that participated in the Medicare program. From in or around November 2019 through in or around March 2021, Murphy and his co-conspirators paid kickbacks and bribes to telemarketing companies in exchange for recruiting Medicare beneficiaries to accept prescriptions for various medications – mainly topical creams – which the beneficiaries usually did not want or need.
Murphy and his co-conspirators also paid kickbacks and bribes to telemedicine companies that employed or contracted with physicians who signed the prescriptions. The physicians had no physician-patient relationship with the beneficiaries and typically signed the prescriptions after a cursory telephone conversation with the beneficiary or with no contact at all. After obtaining Medicare beneficiary information and the signed prescriptions, Murphy and his co-conspirators submitted claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary medications, sometimes through multiple pharmacies they owned and controlled in a practice known as “recycling,” and were reimbursed $8.3 million by Medicare Part D.
Murphy pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Murphy will be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Sherri Onks of the FBI Jacksonville Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI Jacksonville Field Office and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Gary Winters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Mesrobian for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Final Co-Defendant in SEPTA Bribery and Fraud Scheme Case Sentenced to Three Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Steven Kish, 66, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to three years in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $259,019 in forfeiture and $353,488 in restitution by United States District Court Judge C. Darnell Jones. Defendant Kish was the most prolific of the numerous SEPTA managers who participated in a scheme to defraud SEPTA of approximately $900,000.
In January 2022, the defendant pleaded guilty to theft from an organization receiving federal funds, money laundering, and wire fraud. From about 2013 through 2019, the defendant and other management-level employees working in SEPTA’s Bridges and Buildings Department (“BBD”), engaged in bribery and theft schemes with two SEPTA vendors. The BBD is responsible for maintaining, repairing, and renovating SEPTA facilities throughout the southeastern Pennsylvania region. To facilitate this work, SEPTA issued “procurement cards” (also known as P-Cards) to management-level employees working in the BBD. The P-Cards, which operate as SEPTA credit cards, are to be used for purchasing items needed for the legitimate work of the BBD.
In about 2013, a codefendant, who was the Senior Director of Maintenance at SEPTA, agreed with two other codefendants, who were SEPTA vendors, to exploit the P-Card system for their mutual benefit. The Senior Director solicited the vendors to provide him with regular cash payments of approximately $1,000 to $2,000 per month. In exchange for those payments, the vendors falsely billed SEPTA through the P-Card system for items that the vendor was not providing to SEPTA. The false charges to SEPTA covered the cash payments, plus a substantial additional amount to generate fraud proceeds for the vendor. As part of the corrupt deals with the vendors, the Senior Director encouraged other BBD managers, including Kish, the Director of Maintenance just below the Senior Director of Maintenance, to use and continue to use the vendors for SEPTA purchases, growing the vendors’ business with SEPTA.
The defendant separately asked both vendors to provide him with personal products and cash with the understanding that the vendors would use the SEPTA P-Cards to fraudulently bill SEPTA for those personal products and cash and generate additional fraud proceeds for the vendors. The total value of those items and the cash was approximately $259,000, resulting in approximately $353,488 in fraudulent billing to SEPTA. In particular, one of the vendors purchased for Kish approximately $215,000 in the form of gold bullion, gold coins, and other precious metals. The purchases included several American Gold Eagle Coins, Gold American Buffalo Coins, South African Gold Krugerrand Coins, Canadian Gold Maple Leaf Coins, Royal Canadian Mint Gold Bars, and PAMP Suisse Gold Bars. Kish also obtained from the other vendor thousands of dollars in cash and personal products, such as a gas grill.
Then in June 2019, Kish attempted to conceal the scheme from authorities by having a different SEPTA manager purchase from eBay one of the gold coins (a Canadian Mint Gold Bar for approximately $4,272) that Kish had previously obtained from a vendor as part of the scheme. Kish then provided the coin to the vendor so that he could make it appear that he had purchased that coin for himself.
All of the other codefendants in this case, including the two vendors and other former SEPTA managers, were sentenced earlier this year.
“Philadelphians deserve public employees who do their jobs honestly, without gaming the system to line their own pockets,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “The defendant’s participation in this scheme was extensive, and as one of the highest-level managers in his department, he should have known better than to engage in this level of criminal behavior.”
SEPTA Inspector General, Denise S. Wolf, said: “SEPTA employees are hard-working and dedicated to providing our customers with safe and efficient public transportation. These bad actors were the unfortunate exception, and, through these criminal prosecutions, justice was ultimately served. The SEPTA Office of Inspector General appreciates its partnership with the FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office in investigating this matter.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the SEPTA Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen. SEPTA Office of Inspector General (OIG) launched an investigation after its internal auditors detected fraud, and subsequently the OIG shared its findings with the FBI.
FCI Allenwood Inmate Pleads Guilty to Possessing Homemade Knife in PrisonRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christian Mendez-Castro, age 29, an inmate of Federal Correctional Institution Allenwood (FCI Allenwood), White Deer, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on September 21, 2022, before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann, to possessing contraband in prison.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Mendez-Castro admitted that he possessed a homemade weapon while he was an inmate at FCI Allenwood. The charge stemmed from an incident on November 16, 2019, when a correctional officer searched Mendez-Castro and found a hard piece of plastic fashioned into a knife with a rubber handle, as well as papers that were soaked in synthetic cannabinoids.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew O. Inman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur are prosecuting the case.
Chief Judge Brann ordered the U.S. Probation Office to complete a presentence investigation report for Mendez-Castro. Sentencing has not been scheduled.
The maximum penalty for possessing contraband in prison is five years’ imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.
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Elk County Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Kersey, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to violation of federal narcotics laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Cindy Chung announced today.
Melvin Shelander, age 31, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possesses with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand. Shelander was one of 47 defendants charged in six related indictments as part of the Return to Sender investigation.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Shelander was a methamphetamine distributor who obtained between 350 grams and 500 grams of methamphetamine as part of a large-scale methamphetamine distribution conspiracy and redistributed it to methamphetamine users.
Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for Williams on January 31, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a sentence of not less than five years to a maximum of forty years in prison, a fine not to exceed $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The court ordered that the defendant remain on bond pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Michael R. Ball are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Eldridge Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – Nicholas Robert Walker-Bennett, age 33 of Eldridge, was sentenced on Monday, September 26, 2022, to 180 months in prison following his plea to a charge of Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography. Walker-Bennett was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to each of his fourteen victims, totaling $42,000.
According to court documents, a cybertip received by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children traced back to Walker-Bennett. Walker-Bennett admitted to using a social media application for the exchange of child pornography. Further investigation also revealed that Walker-Bennett engaged in similar conduct for over eleven years, taking many steps to conceal his crime by setting up numerous email addresses.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Scott County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
East Bay Resident Convicted of Abetting Airport Smuggler Sentenced to Ten Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO - Lemack Bellot was sentenced to ten years in prison for attempting to aid and abet possession with intent to distribute cocaine in connection with a scheme to smuggle drugs through San Francisco International Airport (SFO), announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Drug Enforcement and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Acting Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Vince Chhabria, United States District Judge.
Bellot, 43, of Hayward, Calif., was convicted of the crimes on March 4, 2022, after a week-long trial. At trial, the government demonstrated Bellot attempted to facilitate the smuggling of cocaine through SFO in May 2018 and in November 2018. Unbeknownst to Bellot, the shipments were not actually cocaine because he was negotiating with a confidential source (CS) working for the DEA. The DEA was investigating Bellot based on information that Bellot had been paying airport employees to allow drugs to be smuggled past airport security. The CS, posing as an Atlanta-based drug trafficker, met with Bellot at a bar in Hayward, Calif., where the two discussed using Bellot’s connections at Bay Area airports to smuggle drugs. Over the next eight months, Bellot made arrangements on six occasions in an attempt to assist the CS to smuggle drugs through Bay Area airports.
In February 2019, a federal grand jury indicted Bellot for attempting to aid and abet the possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(ii)(II), and attempting to aid and abet the possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A)(ii)(II). In March of 2022, a federal jury found Bellot guilty of both counts.
Papers submitted by the government after Bellot’s conviction describe additional facts considered by the court in connection with Bellot’s sentencing. According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, Bellot tried on multiple occasions to sell heroin to the CS and to buy cocaine from him. In addition, shortly before his originally scheduled sentencing in July 2022, Bellot attempted to flee the United States. Specifically, Bellot boarded a commercial cargo freighter that was leaving from Miami, Fla. and was bound for Haiti. The U.S. Coast Guard learned of Bellot’s plans after which agents arrested Bellot aboard the vessel.
In addition to the 10-year prison term, Judge Chhabria ordered Bellot to serve a term of five years of supervised release.
Assistant United States Attorneys Molly A. Smolen and Daniel Pastor prosecuted the case. This investigation and prosecution is part of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement (OCDETF) Section, which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA.
Duquesne Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Controlled Substances and Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Duquesne, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Brandon McCaskill, age 28, pleaded guilty to two counts before Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on August 17, 2020, officers with the Duquesne Police Department attempted to locate a suspect in an unrelated investigation at Brandon McCaskill’s residence in Duquesne, PA. Upon arriving at the residence, officers observed McCaskill seated on the front porch with a backpack between his legs. ]Officers also detected the strong odor of marijuana. As a result, law enforcement applied for and obtained a search warrant for the porch of the residence.
The backpack between McCaskill’s legs contained a loaded handgun, controlled substances packaged into 11 bricks stamped “Dr. Pepper”, and several plastic bags. A “brick” is typically comprised of 50 glassine bags. From on and underneath a couch on the porch, officers recovered two digital scales, bulk United States currency, and additional packaged controlled substances. The Drug Chemistry Section of the Office of the Medical Examiner, Allegheny County, tested the seized substances. The laboratory confirmed that the bricks marked “Dr. Pepper” contained a mixture of fentanyl and tramadol; that other bricks contained a mixture of heroin, fentanyl, and tramadol; and that some plastic baggies contained cocaine.
Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for Jan. 26, 2023, at 11:00 a.m.. The law provides for a total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $1,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the City of Duquesne Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of McCaskill.
Drug Traffickers Involved in Fatal Eastern Avenue Gunfight Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – Two more Roanoke men involved in a fatal shooting at an Eastern Avenue drug house in the City of Roanoke pleaded guilty today in federal court for their roles in the shootings and related drug trafficking activity.
Chad Matthew Custer, 23, and Aaron Lee Woods, 28, pled guilty today to one count each of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 100 kilograms or more of marijuana as well as one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Darion Mantez Harvey, 24, previously pleaded guilty to similar charges and was sentenced in May 2022 to 26 years in federal prison. Custer and Woods face a sentence of 10 years to life in prison.
“The rise in violent crime we have seen in the Western District of Virginia must be met by an all-hands-on-deck approach to law enforcement. Local, state, and federal agencies are working together to bring to justice those individuals who act with brazen disregard for human life,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “In this gun battle, a young man lost his life, and three others will be changed forever. Violence is never a solution, and those who choose to engage in violence will be held accountable.”
“We are fully prepared to handle to the challenges that surround combating violent gun crime and narcotics distribution within our communities,” said ATF Washington Field Division Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson. “We will continue to utilize intelligence led policing methods as we work alongside our law enforcement partners. This collaboration will continue to aid in dismantling drug trafficking organizations and disrupting the illegal possession of firearms that often plague our neighborhoods.”
“Gun violence is often a companion to drug trafficking, and this is an unfortunate result of that pairing. Nothing can erase the pain that the family and loved ones of this young man feel after his life was taken, but we hope this plea brings some amount of peace and comfort to them,” said Roanoke Police Chief Sam Roman. “This investigation was difficult and lengthy, but we are glad we could work with our partners at the state, local, and federal level to achieve this outcome. Violent crime has no place in Roanoke. The members of the Roanoke Police Department are committed to doing all we can to identify those who are perpetrating violent crime in our community and hold them accountable for their actions.”
According to court documents, in October 2018, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating a drug trafficking organization involving Woods, Custer, and Harvey.
During the course of the investigation, authorities learned that Woods, Harvey, Custer, and other co-conspirators used Woods’ apartment on Eastern Avenue as the primary site for their large-scale distribution of marijuana in the Roanoke Valley from late 2017 through approximately August 2019. Witnesses told police that customers would stream in and out of the apartment at all hours of the day and night buying marijuana from the defendants, who kept their loaded firearms in plain view.
In the early evening hours of July 10, 2018, a car containing five individuals arrived at the Eastern Avenue apartment where a gun battle broke out with Harvey, Woods, and Custer on one side and the newly-arrived individuals on the other. While four of the individuals fled on foot, a fifth individual was in a vehicle driving away from the scene when a bullet struck him in the back of the head and killed him.
Investigators recovered multiple firearms used by Woods, Harvey, and Custer during the shootout, including high-powered, military-style rifles with laser sights as well as multiple handguns and ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the City of Roanoke Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kari K. Munro, Charlene R. Day, and Matthew M. Miller prosecuted the case for the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Dripping Springs Woman Found Guilty of FraudRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Today a federal jury convicted a Dripping Springs woman for defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) of over $300,000.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Josephine Casandra Perez-Gorda, 39, defrauded the VA and SSA by overstating the severity and extent of her spouse’s disability from October 2011 through August 2017. Mr. Perez, now deceased, was an Army veteran who participated in the fraud. The Perezes claimed Mr. Perez was paralyzed from the waist down from an injury he suffered while on active duty. The ruse included applying for and receiving a specially equipped vehicle, a specially adapted home and additional compensation based on his disability rating.
The investigation began after KENS5 ran a news story titled, “Homes for Our Troops Questions Veteran’s Paralysis after Video.” The news story involved a specially adapted house in Dripping Springs that was gifted to the Perezes by the non-profit foundation Homes for Our Troops in December 2013. Although Mrs. Perez claimed her husband was “paralyzed from the belly button down,” Mr. Perez was seen walking around the neighborhood and playing basketball. VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) agents videotaped Mr. Perez walking around without assistance.
Mrs. Perez furthered the scheme by completing all the VA and SSA paperwork claiming Mr. Perez was paralyzed in both legs.
Mrs. Perez was found guilty of 11 counts of wire fraud; one count of mail fraud; one count of health care fraud; three counts of false statements related to a health care matter; one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud; and one count of theft of government funds. Sentencing is set for December 20, 2022. She faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the wire fraud and mail fraud charges; up to 10 years in prison on each of the health care fraud charges and the theft of government funds charge; and up to five years in prison on each of the false statements related to a health care matter.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas, VA-OIG SAC Jeffrey Breen and SSA-OIG SAC Jason Albers made the announcement.
The VA-OIG and SSA-OIG are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Surovic and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Miller are prosecuting the case.
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Dover Man Who Impersonated a Federal Officer Sentenced to Six Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that a Dover man was sentenced to six months in federal prison for impersonating a federal officer. The sentence was pronounced by Chief U.S. District Judge Colm F. Connolly.
According to court documents, David Perrera, 50, called a Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee from Delaware pretending to be a member of the U.S. Marshals Service. Perrera used this false identity to obtain personal information about another person, including that person’s address and the make and model of that person’s vehicle. This is the latest in Perrera’s decades-long criminal history, including multiple prior crimes involving deceit, as well as theft and firearms offenses.
“Serving as a law enforcement officer is an honorable profession. Perrera’s deceitful conduct put both the public and law enforcement at risk. Fraudsters cannot be allowed to erode confidence in our public servants,” stated U.S. Attorney Weiss.
U.S. Marshal for the District of Delaware Michael McGowan stated, “These are challenging times for law enforcement. Mr. Perrera’s illegal representation of himself as a Deputy U.S. Marshal damages the trust and faith that the public should have in law enforcement. We appreciate our agency’s partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office who brought this case to a successful conclusion.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Robinson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-28.
District Heights Drug Dealer Sentenced to over Seven Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a .357 Caliber Machinegun and for Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Larry Clinton Proctor, age 33, of District Heights, Maryland, today to 87 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and cocaine, and for illegal possession of a machinegun.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to Proctor’s guilty plea, between May 13, 2021 and June 24, 2021, law enforcement arranged four controlled purchases of a total of approximately 194 grams of crack cocaine from Proctor. On each occasion, Proctor confirmed the amount of the purchase and the meeting time and location. At the direction of law enforcement, the person conducting the buys would meet with Proctor, obtain the narcotics, pay Proctor, then leave the area.
As detailed in his plea agreement, after the controlled buy on June 24, 2021, law enforcement stopped Proctor’s vehicle and Proctor was arrested. The serial numbers of the cash recovered from Proctor’s vehicle matched the serial numbers of the pre-recorded funds used by law enforcement in the drug transaction with Proctor.
A search warrant was also executed at Proctor’s residence on June 24, 2021. Law enforcement recovered 27 firearms from Proctor’s home, including a .357 caliber machinegun with an obliterated serial number and a 3D printed switch, which made the firearm fully automatic. The other guns recovered included: two 12-gauge semi-automatic shotguns; a .357 caliber semi-automatic pistol; three .44 caliber revolvers; a 9mm semi-automatic pistol; five .45 caliber semi-automatic pistols—two with obliterated serial numbers; two 7.62x25 caliber semi-automatic pistols; a .45 caliber/.410 gauge caliber revolver; two .500 caliber revolver; three 7.62x39mm caliber semi-automatic pistols—one with an obliterated serial number; a.22LR caliber semi-automatic pistol; two .50 caliber semi-automatic pistols; a .308 caliber semi-automatic pistol with an obliterated serial number; and two firearms silencers. In addition, law enforcement recovered approximately 1,358 rounds of ammunition; multiple high-capacity magazines; a tactical scope; speed loaders; two body armor vests; other firearms parts and accessories; and a digital scale with cocaine residue.
A gold Mercedes sedan was parked in front of Proctor’s home during the search. A canine unit performed a scan of the Mercedes and provided a positive alert on the vehicle. Law enforcement subsequently obtained and on June 30, 2021, executed, a search warrant on the Mercedes. Approximately 351 grams of cocaine and approximately 75 grams of crack cocaine was found in the car.
Proctor admitted that he possessed the crack cocaine and cocaine with intent to distribute it and that he possessed the machinegun and other firearms to facilitate his drug distribution.
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. 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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam K. Ake and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Engelking, 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 https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Detroit man admits to firearm chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Tommie D. Rice, of Detroit, Michigan, has admitted to conspiring with another individual to violate federal firearms laws, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Rice, 22, pleaded guilty this week to one count of “False Statement During Purchase of Firearm.” Rice admitted to knowingly making a false and fictitious written statement to purchase a firearm in April 2019 in Harrison County.
Rice is facing up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Bauer is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Department of Justice Announces Results of Enforcement Surge to Reduce the Fentanyl Supply Across the United StatesRead the Press Release
The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced today the results of an enforcement operation that spanned from May to September and resulted in significant fentanyl seizures across the United States.
As part of the One Pill Can Kill initiative, the DEA and its law enforcement partners seized more than 10.2 million fentanyl pills and approximately 980 pounds of fentanyl powder during the period of May 23 through Sept. 8, 2022. The amount of fentanyl taken off the streets during this surge is equivalent to more than 36 million lethal doses removed from the illegal drug supply. Additionally, 338 weapons were seized, including rifles, shotguns, pistols, and hand grenades.
Of the 390 cases investigated during this period, 51 cases are linked to overdose poisonings and 35 cases link directly to one or both of the primary Mexican cartels responsible for the majority of fentanyl in the United States – the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). In addition, 129 investigations are linked to social media platforms, including Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and TikTok. These results build upon the One Pill Can Kill Phase II results announced by DEA Administrator Anne Milgram in December 2021.
“Across the country, fentanyl is devastating families and communities, and we know that violent, criminal drug cartels bear responsibility for this crisis,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department, including the extraordinary professionals of the DEA, is working to disrupt and dismantle the operations of these cartels, remove deadly fentanyl from our communities, and save Americans’ lives.”
“For the past year, confronting the fentanyl crisis has been the top priority for DEA. The most urgent threat to our communities, our kids, and our families are the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG who are mass producing and supplying the fentanyl that is poisoning and killing Americans,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “The Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG are ruthless, criminal organizations that use deception and treachery to drive addiction with complete disregard for human life. To save American lives, the DEA is relentlessly focused on defeating the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG by degrading their operations to make it impossible for them to do business.”
Fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing this nation. In 2021, a record number of Americans – 107,622 – died from a drug poisoning or overdose. Sixty-six percent of those deaths can be attributed to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.
Drug traffickers have expanded their inventory to sell fentanyl in a variety of bright colors, shapes, and sizes. Rainbow fentanyl was first reported to DEA in February 2022, and it has now been seized in 21 states.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin. Just two milligrams of fentanyl, or the amount that could fit on the tip of a pencil, is considered a potentially lethal dose.
As part of DEA’s ongoing efforts to educate the public and encourage parents and caregivers to talk to teens and young adults about the dangers of fake pills and illicit drugs, DEA has also created a new resource, “What Every Parent and Caregiver Needs to Know About Fake Pills.”
In September 2021, DEA launched the One Pill Can Kill enforcement effort and public awareness campaign to combat the fake pill threat and educate the public about the dangers of fentanyl pills being disguised and sold as prescription medications, despite these pills not containing any of the actual medications advertised. The only safe medications are ones prescribed by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. All other pills are unsafe and potentially deadly.
Additional resources for parents and the community can be found on the DEA’s Fentanyl Awareness page.
Defendant charged in Zuni shooting caseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Nicholas Pinto has been charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence in Indian Country. Pinto, 23, of Zuni, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, appeared for a detention hearing on Sept. 26, and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to a criminal complaint, on Sept. 17, Pinto and another person arrived at the home of a Zuni resident, identified as John Doe. Pinto allegedly had a conflict with one of the people at the residence. To avoid any fighting in the residence, John Doe forced Pinto to leave.
Later, in the early morning of Sept. 18, Pinto allegedly returned to the residence. John Doe answered a knock at the door to find Pinto with a shotgun. As John Doe attempted to walk away, Pinto allegedly shot him in the leg. Pinto allegedly attempted to shoot John Doe again, but the shotgun failed to fire.
John Doe, who is an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, received emergency treatment at the scene and was transported to the University of New Mexico Hospital for care.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Pinto faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Nayback is prosecuting the case.
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Couple from Many, Louisiana Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Elena E. Rivers, 30, and Tryton Alonzo Thomas, 33, both of Many, Louisiana, have been sentenced for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine in the Sabine Parish area. United States District Judge Donald E. Walter sentenced the defendants as follows:
Thomas was sentenced to 262 months (21 years, 10 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Rivers was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Sabine Parish Tactical Narcotics Team began an investigation into the drug trafficking activities in the Many, Louisiana area. According to evidence presented to the court, Thomas sold methamphetamine to numerous individuals. Specifically, law enforcement agents obtained video evidence in September 2021, when Thomas sold over 100 grams of methamphetamine on four occasions. On September 29, 2021, agents observed Rivers drive Thomas from her house to conduct a drug transaction. When Thomas and Rivers arrived, law enforcement agents attempted to make a traffic stop but Rivers placed the car in gear and fled the scene. As she fled, she narrowly missed hitting two deputies who were on foot. During the chase that ensued, deputies observed Thomas throw a bag containing a white substance from the car. Deputies were able to locate and recover the bag which contained methamphetamine. Rivers and Thomas were apprehended by law enforcement agents. Following the chase, deputies executed a search warrant on Rivers’ residence and discovered methamphetamine, marijuana, 60 ecstasy pills, and numerous prescription drugs.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Sabine Parish Tactical Narcotics Team and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Moody. This effort is part of an ongoing 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.
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Council Bluffs Man Sentenced for Child Pornography and Enticement OffensesRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Jason Lauran Kinman, age 40 of Council Bluffs, was sentenced on September 20, 2022, to 25 years in prison following his plea to charges of Distribution and Production of Child Pornography and Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Kinman must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
In July 2021, a concerned family member made a police report after finding Kinman in a car with a 13-year-old girl in the backseat with him. Officers obtained Kinman’s social media history and found that Kinman was communicating with several minor females in an inappropriate sexual manner, including requesting naked photos or videos from them, and sending sexual photos and videos of himself and other minor females. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Kinman’s residence in Council Bluffs and seized electronic evidence. A forensic examination identified numerous images of child pornography.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Internet Crimes Against Children, and Council Bluffs Police Department investigated the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
Conehatta Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sexual Abuse of ChildRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Conehatta man was sentenced today to 180 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for the sexual abuse of child less than 12 years of age, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, Kenneth John, 48, of the Conehatta Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation sexually abused a 12-year-old female child.
A bill of information filed in May of 2022 charged John with abusive sexual contact of a minor under the age of 12. John subsequently pled guilty to the charge.
United States Attorney LaMarca commended the work of the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who investigated the case.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian Burns.
Clearfield Woman Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison and 3 Years of Supervised Release for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Clearfield, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 57 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release on her conviction of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Nicole Gaines, age 42, of Clearfield, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, from July 2019 to June 2020, Gaines conspired to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Ms. Chung commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Gaines. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Chadron Man Found Guilty of Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that William Bear Robe, age 39, of Chadron, Nebraska, was found guilty of Abusive Sexual Contact following a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on September 22, 2022.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in custody, a $250,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release.
The conviction stems from Bear Robe engaging in sexual contact with a child under the age of 12 in 2012 at Oglala, South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date will be set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Bullhead Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that a Bullhead, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on September 26, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann.
Eric Paul Archambault, age 33, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Archambault was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in October of 2021. He pleaded guilty on June 27, 2022.
Between 2018 and 2020, Archambault knowingly conspired with others to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Corson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, Standing Rock Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.
Archambault was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Brooklyn Center Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn.– A Brooklyn Center man has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on January 17, 2021, Ezell Michael Tribett, 29, was riding in a vehicle that struck a parked car. Tribett admitted that, prior to the crash, he was in possession of a Glock, Model 23, GEN4, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol that he gave to the driver of the car. After the crash, the driver exited his vehicle, walked behind a nearby parked car, and dropped the firearm in the snow. Officers with the Minneapolis Police Department stopped to investigate the crash and recovered the firearm from the snow. Because Tribett has prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Tribett pleaded guilty on September 21, 2022, before Judge Eric C. Tostrud to one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
This case was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp is prosecuting the case.
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Box Elder Woman Sentenced to 10 Years for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Box Elder, South Dakota woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on September 7, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Alexandria Warner, 29, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Alexandria Warner was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in February of 2022. She pleaded guilty on June 17, 2022.
Warner assisted a co-conspirator in distributing between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine upon its arrival in the Rapid City area. The methamphetamine was distributed to others for use and further distribution. Warner also collected money for methamphetamine that she provided to her co-conspirator, who is currently awaiting trial.
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Warner was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Belmont County man sentenced for drug chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – William Tyrone Stovall, of Bridgeport, Ohio, was sentenced today to 100 months of incarceration for a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Stovall, 37, pleaded guilty in January 2022 to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base within 1000 feet of a Protected Location.” Stovall admitted to selling cocaine base, also known as “crack,” near Wheeling Central Catholic High School in Ohio County in August 2020.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Augusta Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Federal Officer at Edmund S. Muskie Federal BuildingRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: An Augusta man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to assaulting a federal officer, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced. The charge stems from an April incident at the Edmund S. Muskie Federal Building in Augusta.
According to court records, on April 20, 2022, Derik Broox Wight, 41, entered the Muskie Federal Building and approached the security screening station, which was staffed by personnel contracted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service. Wight pressed a security officer against a wall and put a knife to the area of his throat. A second security officer drew his service weapon and ordered Wight to drop the knife. When Wight refused to comply, the officer fired a single shot, striking him. Wight was transported to an area hospital where he was subsequently charged.
Wight faces up to 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“The Muskie Building houses multiple federal agencies, and the actions of these two security officers protected the lives of the many federal employees who work there,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee. “They should be commended for their brave actions which ensured that Mr. Wight was stopped at the security screening station, and no one else could be harmed.”
“Anyone who assaults a law enforcement officer is dangerous and an extreme threat to public safety. Derik Wight is no exception, having admitted to pinning a protective security officer up against the wall with a knife at his throat, prompting another officer to take immediate action to prevent his colleague and innocent bystanders from being seriously hurt or killed,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “We are incredibly thankful for that officer’s bravery, service, and dedication. Assaults on law enforcement officers undermine the rule of law, and those behind them will face significant consequences.”
The FBI and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service investigated the case, with assistance provided by the Augusta Police Department.
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Armed Norwich Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMES BAKER, 37, of Norwich, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 3, 2021, Norwich Police stopped Baker for a motor vehicle violation and found a loaded, .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol under the driver’s seat of the vehicle, and more than 600 bags of fentanyl on his person.
Baker’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for assault, burglary, weapon and drug offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Baker has been detained since February 3, 2021. On June 27, 2022, he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Norwich Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth through the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program.
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.
Armed Fayetteville Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 90 MonthsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Lamarious Brown, 25, of Fayetteville was sentenced today to 90 months imprisonment followed by 60 months of supervised release for armed drug trafficking after a security check at a Fayetteville club uncovered multiple loaded firearms, ammunition, and quantities of narcotics in Brown’s car.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Fayetteville Police Department was conducting a security check in a parking lot outside a club in Fayetteville after receiving complaints of drug activity and shootings. As they walked past a Chevrolet Tahoe, an officer saw an AR style rifle on the rear floorboard of the vehicle. The officers waited to see who came out to the car. Sometime later, Brown came out of the club and unlocked the car with a key fob. When officers approached Brown to talk to him, he ran away from the officers but was apprehended shortly thereafter.
A K9 was called to the parking lot and alerted to the odor of narcotics on the car. A search of the car ensued, and officers found a loaded AR-15 rifle with a 30-round magazine, a loaded .40 caliber firearm with 20 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition, 46 rounds of .223 ammunition, 5.77 grams of heroin and 1.93 grams of cocaine. After his arrest, law enforcement heard Brown talking on jail calls where he admitted to selling drugs to someone right before he went to the club and tried to convince another person to say the firearms belonged to them so that he could avoid further charges since he was a felon. Brown pleaded guilty on June 24, 2022, to Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin and Cocaine and for Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing was concluded. U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III presided over the sentencing. The Fayetteville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:18-cr-00259-D-1.
AARP discusses elder fraud with U.S. Attorneys Thompson and IhlenfeldRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA - The AARP of West Virginia hosted a town hall today so that its members could learn more about trends in elder fraud from the state's top federal law enforcement officials.
United States Attorneys Will Thompson and William Ihlenfeld shared their insight on the latest scams with hundreds of citizens during a conference call this morning. Each explained the efforts that they are undertaking to protect seniors and discussed notable cases they have prosecuted.
“This is a subject where the more education we can provide to our citizens, the better,” said U.S. Attorney Thompson. “These criminals are very, very good at what they do. They have the social engineering skills and know how to wreak havoc with people. There should be no embarrassment when you need to report these crimes and time is of the essence, particularly when you’re dealing with internet-based fraud. If you do feel that you are a victim, reach out to someone in law enforcement quickly so we can possibly get your money back.”
"Con artists continue to prey upon older West Virginians but the good news is that these crimes are preventable," said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. "Seniors can protect themselves and their savings by being careful with whom they interact on the Internet, being skeptical of strangers who ask for money, and being cautious when providing a power of attorney.”Victims over the age of 60 lost $1.7 billion to fraud in 2021, according to the FBI. Romance scams topped the list of crimes causing the greatest loss, followed by email compromise, investment schemes, and fake tech support calls.
For more information about how to protect yourself and your loved ones from elder fraud, go to justice.gov/elderjustice.
AARP discusses elder fraud with United States Attorneys Thompson and IhlenfeldRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The AARP of West Virginia hosted a town hall today so that its members could learn more about trends in elder fraud from the state's top federal law enforcement officials.
United States Attorneys Will Thompson and William Ihlenfeld shared their insight on the latest scams with hundreds of citizens during a conference call this morning. Each explained the efforts that they are undertaking to protect seniors and discussed notable cases they have prosecuted.
“This is a subject where the more education we can provide to our citizens, the better,” said U.S. Attorney Thompson. “These criminals are very, very good at what they do. They have the social engineering skills and know how to wreak havoc with people. There should be no embarrassment when you need to report these crimes and time is of the essence, particularly when you’re dealing with internet-based fraud. If you do feel that you are a victim, reach out to someone in law enforcement quickly so we can possibly get your money back.”
“Con artists continue to prey upon older West Virginians but the good news is that these crimes are preventable,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “Seniors can protect themselves and their savings by being careful with whom they interact on the Internet, being skeptical of strangers who ask for money, and being cautious when providing a power of attorney.”
Victims over the age of 60 lost $1.7 billion to fraud in 2021, according to the FBI. Romance scams topped the list of crimes causing the greatest loss, followed by email compromise, investment schemes, and fake tech support calls.
For more information about how to protect yourself and your loved ones from elder fraud, go to https://justice.gov/elderjustice.
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.
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23-Year-Old with 3 Prior Felonies and an Outstanding Warrant Sentenced to 51 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Troy Harris, 23, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on September 14, 2021, deputies with the U.S. Marshals Service were assisting the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) with executing an arrest warrant for Harris, who had been charged with burglary in Marion County, Indiana. Officers saw Harris exit an apartment near east 16th Street in Indianapolis and leave in a vehicle. Officers stopped the vehicle to arrest Harris. When Harris exited the vehicle, officers saw that he had a firearm sticking out of his waistband. Officers seized the loaded handgun and arrested Harris.
At the time of his arrest, Harris was legally prohibited from possessing firearms due to his prior convictions for auto theft and escape. Following his September 14, 2021, arrest, Harris was convicted of burglary. During the burglary, Harris broke into a victim’s home and threatened to kill the victim and her friend with a gun if they did not perform sexual acts for him.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division, made the announcement.
ATF investigated the case in conjunction with the IMPD. The U.S. Marshals Service provided valuable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. As part of the sentence, Judge Stinson ordered that Harris be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Abhishek S. Kambli who prosecuted this 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.
Monday 26 September 2022
U.S. Attorney's Office Warns Skilled Nursing Facilities Not to Refuse Treatment to People with Opioid Use DisorderRead the Press Release
BOSTON – As part of its response to the opioid crisis, United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins sent a letter to all skilled nursing facilities in Massachusetts warning that refusing to provide care for persons with opioid use disorder (OUD) violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will aggressively enforce these protections.
The ADA, which prohibits discrimination based on disability, protects individuals with OUD. Since 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has entered into 10 settlement agreements with entities owning a total of 51 skilled nursing facilities for refusing to admit individuals prescribed medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), including buprenorphine (Suboxone), vivitrol and methadone. To ensure compliance with the nondiscrimination provisions of the ADA, skilled nursing facilities must evaluate each applicant individually to determine suitability for admission, rather than enacting a blanket policy denying admissions to all persons treated with MOUD.
“Medications can be a crucial tool in battling the opioid crisis. In many instances, these prescription treatments save lives,” said U.S. Attorney Rollins. “Yet each year, countless people are turned away from skilled nursing facilities solely because they are on prescribed MOUD. This puts vulnerable people in the awful position of either risking their life by not taking their MOUD or risking their life by continuing their opioid use. Denying access to necessary healthcare, based solely on someone’s substance use disorder exacerbates the tremendous damage opioids already cause residents of our Commonwealth and their loved ones.”
Courts may impose civil penalties for ADA violations, which could be as high as $92,383 for a first violation, and potentially double that amount for subsequent violations. These ADA enforcement actions are part of a larger effort by the United States Attorney’s Office to eliminate discriminatory barriers to treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in the medical community, in the criminal justice system, and in housing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Dorchak of Rollins’ Civil Rights Unit handled this matter.
The Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office was established in 2015 with the mission of enhancing federal civil rights enforcement. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-ma/civil-rights.
Two Iowa Companies Sentenced in Wire Fraud Scheme Involving Ethanol PlantRead the Press Release
Two Iowa companies were sentenced in federal court on September 21, 2022. Energae, LP, and I-Lenders, LLC, received the sentences after they each pled guilty to one count of wire fraud on December 1, 2020.
The companies’ admissions at the plea hearing, as well as evidence presented in other court proceedings, established that Darrell Smith was a broker and adviser for several investment firms. He was also a responsible corporate officer of both companies. From 2010 to 2015, Smith perpetuated a fraud scheme in which he made withdrawals of over $2.4 million in funds from ten of his investment clients’ accounts without those clients’ knowledge or authorization. In some instances the clients discovered the fraud, but in other instances they did not learn of the theft because Smith would periodically send the clients checks from an account held in the name of the companies and on which Smith falsely represented was principal or interest on an investment. Smith used the stolen funds to pay expenses related to the operation of Permeate Refining, LLC, which operated a now-defunct ethanol plant in Hopkinton, Iowa. In order to transfer funds from client accounts, Smith used authorizations purportedly signed by the client authorizing the withdrawal of funds from the investment account. He either forged his clients’ signatures on the authorizations or used pre-signed, blank authorization forms without the clients’ approval.
The companies were sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Each company was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to make $1,056,909.68 in restitution to ten victims. The Court also imposed a $2,405,409.68 forfeiture money judgment upon each corporation. The corporations surrendered over 57 million shares of stock in another company and abandoned certain tax credits the companies claimed to possess.
The sentencing of the companies follows the sentencing of Darrell Smith and his brother, David Smith, in recent years. In 2018, Darrell Smith, of Forest City, Iowa, was sentenced to more than 14 years in federal prison upon his conviction of one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. In 2019, David Smith, of Pocatello, Idaho, was sentenced to two months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct, influence, and impede an official proceeding.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Service Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-2007.
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Twin Brothers from Miami Sentenced to 52 Months in Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining Millions Worth of Apple Products through Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - Twin brothers from Miami, Florida, who participated in a nationwide scheme in which they fraudulently gained access to approximately 2,366 AT&T mobile accounts, were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Pamela A. Barker to 52 months in prison and ordered to pay $360,937 in restitution after they both pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme.
According to court documents, from March 2019 to January 2020, Luis Hernandez Socarras and Jorge Hernandez Socarras, both age 27, were part of a nationwide scheme in which they fraudulently gained access to approximately 2,366 AT&T mobile accounts and proceeded to charge millions of dollars' worth of electronic devices through the victim’s accounts for products such as iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches.
After gaining access to victim accounts, court documents state that the brothers later re-sold the electronic devices in their hometown of Miami, Florida. As part of the scheme and in an effort to evade police detection, court records show that the brothers rented trucks and made trips across the country, stopping at various electronics retailers in 26 states to pick up the devices they fraudulently ordered.
Court documents state that in January 2020, law enforcement authorities identified the two brothers as they were making fraudulent purchases of iPhones and iPads charged to numerous AT&T accounts at various electronics retailers in the Northern District of Ohio. Authorities later obtained a warrant and searched a vehicle belonging to Luis Socarras that was left behind in the parking lot of a retailer. Inside the vehicle, authorities located 29 Apple iPhones, 11 Pro Max cell phones, six Apple iPad Pro tablets, three Apple Watches, a firearm, other electronic devices and a passport.
The brothers were subsequently arrested in March 2021.
In total, court records show that the overall scheme caused a total loss of $2,155,483.78 to all victims.
Louis and Jorge Socarras both pleaded guilty to two counts of access device fraud, interstate transfer of stolen property and aggravated identity theft in April 2022.
This case was investigated by the Cleveland FBI and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Payum Doroodian.
Turtle Creek Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Using Stolen Credit Cards at Area Retail StoresRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to five years of imprisonment on his conviction of identity theft offenses, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Iklas Reginald Davis, age 41. Davis is currently incarcerated.
According to information presented to the court, the evidence at trial established that in the summer of 2017, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Allegheny County Police investigated a series of vehicles that had been broken into while parked at various entertainment venues, including the Boyce Wave Pool, the Pittsburgh Zoo and similar venues. The victims reported the theft of their credit cards and means of identification and the use of the credit cards, typically on the same day as the break-ins. Investigators secured video of Davis using and attempting to use some of the stolen credit cards at various retail establishments. The later investigation revealed that an individual named Terry Porterfield broke into the vehicles and then transferred the credit cards to Davis and others, who then used the credit cards to purchase primarily gift cards and electronic equipment.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the United States Secret Service, along with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Allegheny County Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Davis.
Three Men Charged with International Market Manipulation SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An indictment unsealed today charges three men with orchestrating a large-scale market manipulation scheme related to two publicly traded companies, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
James Patten, 63, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Peter Coker Sr., 80, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and Peter Coker Jr., 53, of Hong Kong, China, are each charged in a 12-count indictment with conspiracy to commit securities fraud, securities fraud, and conspiracy to manipulate securities prices. Patten is also charged with four counts of manipulation of securities, four counts of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering.
Patten and Coker Sr. were arrested today and are scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge L. Patrick Auld in federal court in the Middle District of North Carolina. They will appear in court in the District of New Jersey at a date to be determined. Coker Jr. remains at large.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2014 through September 2022, Patten, Coker Sr., and Coker Jr. conspired to enrich themselves through a scheme to manipulate securities prices via a pattern of coordinated trading, which injected inaccurate information into the marketplace, creating false impressions of supply and demand for these securities.
As part of the securities fraud scheme, the defendants targeted two publicly traded companies – Hometown International Inc. and E-Waste Corp. – which were both traded on the OTC Link Alternative Trading System, also known as the OTC Marketplace. The OTC Marketplace is an alternative trading system that contains three tiers of markets, which are largely based on the quality and quantity of the listed companies’ information and disclosures.
Patten, Coker Sr., and Coker Jr. took steps to gain control of both entities’ management and stock with the ultimate intention of entering reverse mergers, a transaction through which an existing public company merges with a private operating company. A successful reverse merger would allow the defendants to sell shares of each entity at a significant profit.
In or around 2014, two New Jersey residents began the process of opening a local deli in Paulsboro, New Jersey. One of the individuals discussed his interest in opening the deli with Patten, a long-time friend, who suggested the creation of Hometown International, an umbrella corporation, under which the deli would operate as a wholly owned subsidiary. Unbeknownst to the deli owners, almost immediately after Hometown International was formed, Patten and his associates began positioning Hometown International as a vehicle for a reverse merger that would yield substantial profit to them.
Around October 2019, Hometown International began selling shares on the OTC Marketplace. Shortly thereafter, Patten, Coker Sr., And Coker Jr. undertook a calculated scheme to gain control of Hometown International’s management and its shares from the deli owners. Patten, Coker Sr., and Coker Jr. took similar actions to gain control of E-Waste Corporation’s stock and management.
Once the defendants gained control of Hometown International and E-Waste’s shares, they arranged for the transfer of millions of shares of stock to a number of nominee entities, including entities controlled by Coker Jr., in an effort to mask their control of the shares.
In addition, the defendants transferred shares to family members, friends, and associates and gained control over their trading accounts by obtaining their log-in information in order to conceal the defendants’ involvement. The defendants then used those accounts to commit a number of coordinated trading events, often referred to as match and wash trades, to trade in Hometown International and E-Waste Corp.’s stock on both sides of the transaction.
These tactics artificially inflated the price of Hometown International and E-Waste’s stock by giving the false impression that there was a genuine market interest in the stock. Their scheme had the ultimate impact of artificially inflating Hometown International’s stock by approximately 939 percent and E-Waste’s stock by approximately 19,900 percent.
The securities fraud and manipulation of securities prices counts each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine. The wire fraud and money laundering counts are punishable by a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. The counts of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and conspiracy to manipulate securities prices both carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense whichever is greatest.
In a separate civil action, the Securities and Exchange Commission today filed a complaint in the District of New Jersey charging Patten, Coker Sr., and Coker Jr. based on the allegations underlying the market manipulation scheme.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire, and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark, with the investigation. He also thanked special agents from FBI Charlotte, FBI Los Angeles, FBI San Francisco, FBI Denver, and FBI Knoxville, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren E. Repole, Chief of the General Crimes Unit, and Shawn P. Barnes, of the Economic Crimes Unit.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Tennessee Woman Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Prison for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Knoxville, Tennessee woman was sentenced to 54 months in prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft after pleading guilty to those offenses in April 2022.
According to court documents, Ramie Renee Marston, 53, was previously convicted and served prison time for various federal felony fraud convictions in the District of New Hampshire. Those crimes included access device fraud, fraud in connection with identification documents, false representation of a social security number, and bankruptcy fraud. Marston was released from federal prison on August 10, 2018, and married her codefendant, Robert Alan Peters, shortly thereafter. Peters was also a convicted felon, having previously been convicted of armed bank robbery and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime in the District of Oregon. Marston and Peters relocated to the Southern District of Alabama, where Peters was being supervised by the U.S. Probation Office.
On August 13, 2018, three days after Marston was released from federal custody, she and Peters visited a branch of Regions Bank in Tillman’s Corner. As captured on bank surveillance video, Marston and Peters opened two new Regions accounts and used fraudulent checks to fund them. Marston admitted that she knew the checks used to open the accounts were fraudulent and contained inaccurate and invalid account numbers. Marston and Peters later withdrew money from the accounts, generating a loss to the bank.
On December 7, 2018, Marston submitted an application containing false information to Sallie Mae for a student loan to attend Remington College in Mobile. In the loan application, Marston fraudulently represented that an individual was a cosigner on the loan when she knew he was not. Marston used the victim’s name, social security number, and date of birth in the application without the victim’s knowledge and authorization.
Senior United States District Judge Callie V.S. Granade ordered Marston to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon her release from prison, during which time she will undergo testing and treatment for substance abuse, will receive mental health evaluation and treatment, and will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Granade ordered Marston to pay $12,858.35 in victim restitution and $200 in special assessments.Marston’s codefendant, Peters, died in May 2022 while awaiting trial in this case.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The United States Secret Service investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sinan Kalayoglu and Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
St. Louis County Sex Offender Admits Second Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Manchester, Missouri who had previously been convicted of a charge of possession of child pornography admitted on Monday being caught again with child sexual abuse material.
Eric D. Goodwin, now 41, was sentenced in 2020 to two years in prison and a life term of supervised release. In June of 2022, while Goodwin was on house arrest after his release from prison, a U.S. probation officer doing a home visit discovered that Goodwin had access to a room with computers and electronic devices. Goodwin then admitted possessing an iPhone, a tablet computer and a USB drive containing at least 882 images and 624 videos of child sexual abuse that he found using the Telegram app and on the dark web.
Goodwin was also sharing child pornography with someone via SnapChat, his plea agreement says.
Goodwin, by pleading guilty to a charge of possession of child pornography as a prior offender, now faces 10 to 20 years in prison when sentenced Jan. 4, 2023. Both prosecutors and Goodwin's attorney agreed as part of the plea to recommend a ten-year term. He was taken into custody at the end of Monday’s plea hearing.
The U.S. Probation Office and the FBI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.