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3 November 2022
Albany Police Department Receives Specialized Violent Crime Reduction and Prevention Technical Assistance by Justice Department’s CRI-TAC TeamRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – In an effort spear-headed by the Albany Police Department (APD) and provided at no cost to the city, a team of subject matter experts in policing from the Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services’ (COPS Office) Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC) are conducting a comprehensive site visit to APD today and tomorrow, Nov. 2-3.
CRI-TAC provides a continuum of technical assistance services to the law enforcement field nationwide. Through CRI-TAC’s “by the field, for the field” approach, the Justice Department is able to facilitate customizable, short-term technical assistance on more than 60 topics. Those topics vary to include gun violence reduction and prevention, officer safety and wellness, and community engagement. Specifically, APD requested support around developing a community-based intervention and prevention unit targeted toward violent crime reduction and prevention.
“I applaud the Albany Police Department’s commitment to strengthening its tactical approach to policing in order to reduce violent crime in the community,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “The Department of Justice supports our local law enforcement partners as they work to continually improve their approach in an ever-changing criminal landscape.”
“Addressing crime is a major community-wide concern. We’ve asked the Justice Department to help us create a community-based intervention and prevention unit aimed at lowering crime in our city,” said Albany Police Chief Michael Persley. “As we get our community partners onboard, the next step will be for us to hear directly from citizens. By creating this community-based team, APD will strengthen its ties to the community we serve, which will inform our policing.”
As part of the services CRI-TAC offers, subject matter experts from the field design tailored solutions in collaboration with each requesting agency to address its individual needs. Technical assistance timelines are established at the pace of the requesting agency, ranging from three to six months. Last year (2021), CRI-TAC worked with 171 law enforcement agencies.
Free to the community and managed out of the Justice Department’s COPS Office, CRI-TAC was established in 2017 and provides a wide range of targeted technical assistance services. Each level of the initiative’s assistance is completely voluntary and provided at the request of law enforcement agencies. The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide.
CRI-TAC involves a coalition of support and expertise from leading law enforcement stakeholder organizations. For more information about CRI-TAC, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/collaborativereform.
The CRI-TAC program is part of the Department of Justice’s broader resources addressing violent crime reduction, which is headlined by the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. 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.
Albany Felon Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Roderick Jones, age 43, of Albany, was sentenced today to 96 months in prison for two separate instances of unlawfully possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Eric Hawkins of the Albany Police Department.
As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Jones admitted that he possessed a loaded .380 caliber pistol in his vehicle when he was arrested on impaired driving charges on January 17, 2019, after crashing his vehicle into a building on Rensselaer Street in Albany. Jones further admitted that on September 29, 2019, he possessed a 9mm pistol that he discharged four times at two occupied residences in the Ida Yarbrough Homes in Albany. On both occasions, prior felony convictions for robbery prevented Jones from legally possessing firearms in New York.
United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also ordered Jones to serve a 3-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.
This case was investigated by the Albany Police Department and ATF, with the assistance of the Albany County District Attorney’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Segovia and Emmet O’Hanlon.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Alaska Businesswoman Indicted on Tax Evasion and Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed Nov. 1 charging an Alaska businesswoman with tax evasion and filing false tax returns that underreported income from the business she owned.
The indictment charges that, from approximately 2014 through 2018, Tina H. Yi, of Nome and Anchorage, evaded approximately $1.5 million in federal income taxes and filed false personal tax returns with the IRS. Yi allegedly was the sole owner and operator of SJ Investment LLC, a hotel, bar and liquor store that did business as Polaris HBL. According to the indictment, Yi created the business in approximately April 2007 and operated it in Nome until approximately October 2017, when the physical property was destroyed in a fire.
Yi allegedly maintained two sets of books and records relating to the business’s income and expenses for 2014 through 2017 – one of which accurately captured SJ Investment’s income and expenses, and one that understated the company’s income. Yi allegedly provided the false records to her accountant to use to prepare her tax returns for each year. By allegedly providing business records to her accountant that falsified SJ Investment’s income, Yi ensured that her personal tax returns – on which she reported SJ Investment’s income – would be false for each year. For 2018, Yi allegedly used a different tax preparer. She allegedly provided that preparer with false information as well, ensuring that her 2018 tax return also was false. In total, Yi allegedly did not report to the IRS more than $3.2 million in income from SJ Investment.
Yi made her initial court appearance yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, she faces a maximum of five years in prison for each of five counts of tax evasion and three years in prison for each of five counts of filing a false tax return. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Allen and George Tran are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Alaska Businesswoman Indicted on Tax Evasion and Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE – An indictment was unsealed charging an Alaska businesswoman with tax evasion and filing false tax returns that underreported income from the business she owned.
The indictment charges that from approximately 2014 through 2018, Tina H. Yi, of Nome and Anchorage, evaded approximately $1.5 million in federal income taxes and filed false personal tax returns with the IRS. Yi was the sole owner and operator of SJ Investment LLC, a hotel, bar and liquor store that did business as Polaris HBL. According to the indictment, Yi created the business in approximately April 2007 and operated it in Nome until approximately October 2017, when the physical property was destroyed in a fire.
Yi allegedly maintained two sets of books and records relating to the business’s income and expenses for 2014 through 2017 – one of which accurately captured SJ Investment’s income and expenses, and one that understated the company’s income. Yi allegedly provided the false records to her accountant to use to prepare her tax returns for each year. By allegedly providing business records to her accountant that falsified SJ Investment’s income, Yi ensured that her personal tax returns – on which she reported SJ Investment’s income – would be false for each year. For 2018, Yi allegedly used a different tax preparer. She allegedly provided that preparer with false information as well, ensuring that her 2018 tax return also was false. In total, Yi allegedly did not report to the IRS more than $3.2 million in income from SJ Investment.
Yi made her initial court appearance yesterday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, she faces a maximum of five years in prison for each of five counts of tax evasion and three years in prison for each of five counts of filing a false tax return. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Allen and George Tran and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Ahwatukee Shooter Sentenced to over 36 YearsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On October 26, 2022, Warren Evan Jose, 38, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 440 months in prison. Jose previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit with Endangerment During which Death Resulted, two counts of Assault on a Federal Officer with a Dangerous Weapon, and two counts of Discharge of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence.
On June 29, 2021, his co-defendant, Valentina Valenzuela, of Sells, Arizona, was sentenced by Judge Rash to 42 months in prison. She pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit with Endangerment During which Death Resulted and two counts of Transporting an Illegal Alien for Profit with Endangerment During which Death Resulted. A third co-conspirator, the decedent, died during the commission of the crimes.
During Jose’s guilty plea, he admitted that on or about April 11, 2019, the three co-conspirators agreed to pick up two undocumented noncitizens at or near Sells, Arizona and transport them to Phoenix. The three co-conspirators then picked up two undocumented noncitizens and planned to transport them to Phoenix, in return for payment.
While transporting the undocumented noncitizens, Jose, Valenzuela, and the decedent drank alcohol and used drugs. Agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) noticed the vehicle and activated their lights and sirens to stop the vehicle. The decedent, who was driving, failed to stop, and attempted to flee by crashing the vehicle into one of the agent’s vehicles.
Following the crash, Jose began firing on the federal agents, using a Century Arms, 7.62x39 pistol, an AK-47-style firearm. At his guilty plea hearing, Jose admitted that he knew they were law enforcement agents when he fired at them. The shots fired by Jose grazed one HSI agent on the head and hit him on the shoulder. Jose barely missed hitting a second HSI agent in the head.
At his guilty plea hearing, Jose admitted that his use of drugs and alcohol and his firing of the AK-47-style pistol were the proximate cause of the decedent’s death.
“This lengthy sentence serves as a testament to HSI’s commitment, alongside our law enforcement partners, to bring justice to a man for his vile attempt to kill the federal agents who were attempting to thwart his illegal activity – illegal activity that caused the death of another person,” said Scott Brown, special agent in charge for HSI Phoenix. “The men and women of HSI will not be deterred in their pursuit of those that use violence to further their human smuggling schemes. This sentence means the defendant will spend nearly the rest of his life in prison for his actions. We can rest assured that he will not present a threat to law enforcement, or the public, ever again.”
“Alien smuggling is a dangerous business under any circumstances,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “It’s much more so here, where the defendant possessed an assault weapon during the smuggling crime, and used it against law enforcement agents.”
Homeland Security Investigations, Sells, conducted the investigation in this case, with the assistance of the Phoenix Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Border Patrol, and the Tohono O’odham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Serra M. Tsethlikai, Robert A. Fellrath, and Erica Seger, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-1050-SHR-LCK
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-201_Jose, et al# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
2 November 2022
Violent Street Gang Member Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Machine Gun After He Had Been Released on BondRead the Press Release
DETROIT – – A man who illegally possessed a handgun equipped with an auto sear, commonly known as a Glock switch, which is designed to convert the handgun into an automatic weapon was sentenced yesterday in federal court, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
United States Attorney Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Paul D. Vanderplow, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Detroit Field Division.
United States District Linda V. Parker sentenced Dion Davis, 19, of Detroit, Michigan, to 41 months in prison for illegally possessing several firearms. Davis was indicted in July 2021 and pleaded guilty in May 2022.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that on April 25, 2021, Davis went live on Instagram, flaunting his possession of an illegal machine gun with a device known as an auto sear, a square device about the size of a thumbnail known on the street as a "switch" that turns the gun from a semi-automatic to an automatic weapon. Five days later, federal agents recovered the weapon from Davis while executing a search warrant. Davis had drawn the attention of federal agents after being involved in several shooting incidents on Detroit’s east side. At the time he possessed the firearm with the conversion switch, Davis was on pretrial release for felony cases in both Wayne and Macomb County.
Law enforcement has established that Davis is affiliated with the “700 Gang,” which is also known as the “Wax Gang” and “4GTMT.” During a three-year period, twelve members of the 700 Gang were charged with violent or firearms-related felonies. According to court records, at the time of his arrest, Davis had fanned the flames of a feud with a rival gang by participating in shootings, taunting and threatening rival gang members on social media, and continually flaunting his unfettered access to firearms.
"The sole and exclusive purpose of Glock switches, which are easily manufactured, is to convert an already dangerous firearm into an extremely dangerous machine gun," said United States Attorney Ison. We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute individuals that use and possess these dangerous devices in our community.”
“Conversion devices are NOT simple firearms parts or accessories but machineguns under federal law. The men and women at the ATF will find and remove these violent criminals from the community who continue to terrorize our State,” said, ATF Special in Charge Paul Vanderplow. “ATF stands proudly with our Federal, State, and Local law enforcement partners within the State of Michigan to prosecute these individuals.”
The case against Davis is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Lanning.
Vineland Boys Member Who Helped Run the Gang’s Drug Trafficking Operations Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for RICO, Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A member of the San Fernando Valley-based Vineland Boys who helped run the street gang’s drug trafficking operations has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for federal racketeering and narcotics crimes, the Justice Department announced today.
Mark Anthony Espinosa, 43, of Lancaster, was sentenced late Tuesday afternoon by United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald.
Espinosa pleaded guilty on April 7 to one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and one count of conspiracy to distribute drugs, including methamphetamine.
According to court documents, from November 2015 to November 2019, Espinosa was a member of the Pequeños clique of the Vineland Boys. Espinosa conspired with other Vineland Boys gang members to sell drugs throughout the gang’s “territory.” Espinosa also acted as a drug supplier and sell drugs within Vineland Boys territory, operate drug and firearms stash locations, and enforce the gang’s extortion of drug dealers, including through violence.
In his plea agreement, Espinosa admitted to committing a series of criminal activities, including a March 2016 meeting in which he discussed an incident in which he and another Vineland Boys gang member held a gun to the head of an individual in a back-alley confrontation.
Espinosa also admitted to engaging in a drug deal in June 2016, in which he and a co-defendant sold approximately 112 grams of methamphetamine to a buyer who paid $700.
In 2019, a federal grand jury indicted 31 Vineland Boys members and associates. So far, federal prosecutors have secured 29 convictions in this case, including 14 convictions that have resulted in prison sentences of at least 10 years. One of them, Vineland Boys gang member Jesus Gonzalez Jr., 29, “Lil Chito,” “Gunner” and “Chuy,” of Sun Valley, is serving a 31-year federal prison sentence for committing multiple felonies, including the attempted murders of three rival gangsters.
This case’s lead defendant, Mario Alberto Miranda, 31, of Sherman Oaks, an alleged Vineland Boys shot caller, and Ulises Botello, 46, of Palmdale, are scheduled to go to trial in October 2023 on racketeering conspiracy and narcotics charges.
The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, IRS Criminal Investigation and the Los Angeles Police Department investigated this matter. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Chou and Sara Vargas of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
Two Men Admit Trying to Bring 100 Pounds of Methamphetamine to the St. Louis AreaRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two men pleaded guilty Wednesday and admitted trying to pick up 100 pounds of methamphetamine that was being brought to the St. Louis area from Colorado.
Demond Benard McDaniels Jr., 26, of St. Charles, and Dawuane Lamont Rhodes Jr., 25, of St. Louis, each pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp to one felony count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The case stemmed from an Oct. 8, 2020 traffic stop in Kansas. A Geary County Sheriff’s deputy stopped a van and found two duffle bags containing roughly 100 pounds of methamphetamine that was being driven from Colorado to the St. Louis area. The Drug Enforcement Administration then arranged for the controlled delivery of the drugs to McDaniels.
McDaniels first arranged to have Rhodes pick up and pay for the methamphetamine at a University City garage. After Rhodes arrived and was arrested with $15,005 in cash, an assault-style weapon and a pistol, McDaniels was told that Rhodes didn’t show. McDaniels was then arrested with $6,930 in cash and jewelry when he came to pick up the methamphetamine.
Investigators later found $93,820 in cash and a pistol at McDaniels' home.
Both men agreed as part of their pleas to forfeit more than $155,000 seized during the investigation, as well as a 2016 Dodge Charger Hellcat, a 2015 Mercedes Sprinter van and a 2015 Dodge Charger Hellcat.
McDaniels is scheduled to be sentenced January 31 and Rhodes on February 1. The charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul D’Agrosa prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Three Men Plead Guilty to Roles in Staging the Armed Robbery of A Cash Courier VanRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced today that three men—Paschal Osinachi Uchendu, 27, of Mason, Stephen Ikechuwku Uchendu, 21, of Mason, and Todd Lamonte Harris, Jr., 20, of Grand Rapids—pleaded guilty to their roles in staging the armed robbery of a courier van transporting over $1.2 million in cash.
“This inside job was a foolish endeavor that earned these young men serious felony charges and federal criminal records,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “I commend law enforcement for quickly solving this crime through a thorough and effective investigation.”
Paschal Uchendu organized the staged armed robbery of the cash courier van that he was driving on February 15, 2022. Stephen Uchendu and Todd Harris followed the van in another vehicle and faked a car accident in Okemos. Todd Harris engaged Paschal Uchendu, who exited the van, while Stephen Uchendu entered the passenger side of the van with an unloaded AR-15 rifle. Paschal Uchendu drove the van to another location and unlocked the vault for Stephen Uchendu and Todd Harris. Together, the men stole approximately $1,244,483, including money belonging to an area financial institution. Stephen Uchendu and Todd Harris each received $25,000 for their role in the staged armed robbery. When officers subsequently contacted Todd Harris, he and Stephen Uchendu left the State of Michigan and took a portion of their theft proceeds on a trip to Georgia. Over $700,000 of the stolen money remains outstanding.
The three men were charged in a Felony Information on September 21, 2022. On October 12, 2022, Paschal Uchendu pleaded guilty to bank larceny. On September 28, 2022 and November 2, 2022, respectively, Stephen Uchendu and Todd Harris pleaded guilty to the interstate transportation of stolen property. All three men face up to ten years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and fines in excess of $250,000. Stephen Uchendu will be sentenced on March 7, 2023. Paschal Uchendu will be sentenced on March 8, 2023. Todd Harris is awaiting a sentencing date.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with prior assistance from the Meridian Township Police Department.
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Texas Man Sentenced to 12 Months and 1 Day for His Role as Executive National Marketing Director in Operating Sham Medical Reimbursement Account ProgramRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOSEPH ANTHONY BORINO, age 65, a resident of Spring Hill, Texas, was sentenced on November 1, 2022 to 12 months and 1 day in prison by United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter after previously pleading guilty to a one-count superseding bill of information charging him with misprision of a felony, namely, wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 4, for his role in a wide-ranging scheme that defrauded thousands of individuals and companies across the United States. Judge Vitter also sentenced BORINO to one (1) year of supervised release after his release from prison and ordered that he pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Judge Vitter scheduled a restitution hearing for February 13, 2023 at 10:00 am.
According to court documents, The Total Financial Group (TTFG) was a Louisiana business incorporated by Denis and Donna Joachim with the Louisiana Secretary of State on about January 6, 2005. TTFG was most recently located in Covington, Louisiana and had at least 13 employees and 56 independent sales agents. BORINO, employed with TTFG since 2012, served as its National Executive Marketing Director. In that capacity, BORINO supervised, trained, and instructed TTFG’s regional sales personnel. BORINO primarily handled and resolved issues that agents, prospective clients, and enrolled clients encountered.
TTFG and its owners, along with BORINO and others, created and marketed a Medical Reimbursement Account program called “Classic 105.” Classic 105 claimed to be a multiple employer welfare arrangement that was marketed to employers as a supplemental benefits plan to reimburse their employees for medical expenses such as co-pays and deductibles. Participants in Classic 105 were required to have a primary health insurance plan unrelated to and in addition to Classic 105. Classic 105 claimed to be comprised of several components: a tax-exempt contribution of between $1,000 and $1,600 per month made by an employee (which reduced the employee’s taxable income), a loan from a lender back to the employee to make up for the contribution, an insurance policy payable to the lender at the employee’s death to repay the loan, and fees paid by the employee and the employer directly to TTFG. TTFG told prospective employer-clients that participants would never have to make out-of-pocket payments to repay the loan and that as a result of the tax savings, most participants would receive an increase in their net take home pay. TTFG’s marketing program told prospective employer-clients that the contributions would be stored in a unique account for each employee-participant and that any money not used by the end of each calendar year would revert to TTFG. TTFG also charged employee-participants a fee of between $150 and $250 per month and the employer a fee of five percent of each employee’s contribution amount. At its peak, over 350 employer-clients and 4,400 employee-participants nationwide were enrolled in TTFG’s Classic 105 program.
According to court documents, TTFG committed wire fraud by virtue of how it actually operated Classic 105. TTFG never obtained a single loan or insurance policy for the Classic 105 program, and participants never made any actual contributions. The only money tendered to TTFG by employer-clients and employee-participants were fees. As a result, employee-participants and employer-clients were defrauded into enrolling in, and paying fees for, the Classic 105 program by means of fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. Additionally, participants and employers were exposed to potential adverse financial consequences, including not only unpaid taxes, fees, and penalties, but also ineligibility from certain government programs, including unemployment payments, and reduced Social Security payments.
Despite having knowledge of these events, which constituted wire fraud, on multiple occasions, BORINO did not make known the information and attempted to conceal it. For example, in September 2014, BORINO was told that “TTFG has not made any deals with any banks in any state” and also had “not solicited nor [sic] received any pooling of funds from a group of individuals.” In the subsequent months, when subordinates asked BORINO specific questions about the loan component and passed along concerns that Classic 105 was “a scam and likely an illegal tax dodge,” BORINO failed to disclose what he had been told: that there were no entities providing loans. In subsequent years, BORINO continued to represent to subordinates and prospective customers that loans from “Wall Street banks,” community banks, and various “investing vehicles” funded the loan component. During her sentencing of BORINO, Judge Vitter noted his senior level at TTFG, an organization that “was based on nothing but fraud.”
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General and Employment Benefits Security Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and IRS-Criminal Investigations in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg, Andre Lagarde, and Maria Carboni were in charge of the prosecution.
Tankship Commercial Manager Convicted of Violation for Air PollutionRead the Press Release
Ionian Management Inc. (IONIAN M), a New York-based company that commercially manages three vessels, including the M/T Ocean Princess, was sentenced yesterday in the District of the Virgin Islands before U.S. District Court Judge Wilma A. Lewis in St. Croix, after pleading guilty to a violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships. IONIAN M was sentenced to pay a fine of $250,000 and placed on probation for one year.
While vessels are operating within the U.S. Caribbean Emissions Control Area (ECA), they must not use fuel that exceeds 0.10% sulfur by weight to help protect air quality. Between Jan. 3, 2017, and July 10, 2018, the M/T Ocean Princess entered and operated within the ECA using fuel that contained excessive sulfur on twenty-six separate occasions. The fuel was petroleum cargo that had been transferred to the fuel tanks as authorized by IONIAN M. Once authorized, the crew of the M/T Ocean Princess transfered the higher sulfur fuel from the cargo tanks into the bunker tanks and use it to fuel the vessel, even though it exceeded the 0.10% sulfur by weight maximum.
U.S. Coast Guard inspectors boarded the M/T Ocean Princess on July 10, 2018, to conduct an inspection. During the inspection, the U.S. Coast Guard discovered the vessel’s use of fuel with an excessive sulfur content.
“The sentence imposed on this commercial vessel manager for intentionally violating environmental laws designed to protect the air quality of the United States sends a strong message that the United States will not tolerate such violations and will hold violators accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.
“The pristine beauty of our Virgin Island waters is one of our most precious resources, essential to our tourism and our fragile marine ecosystem,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney John Kuhn for the District of the Virgin Islands. “Today’s sentencing of Ionian Management Inc. for its role in causing high sulfur fuel to be burned within the Caribbean Emissions Control Area, and here in the waters near St. Croix, sends a strong message to commercial managers of ships that such conduct will not be tolerated. To protect the territory of the Virgin Islands, we will continue to pursue criminal enforcement of environmental laws.”
“Ocean going vessels emit hazardous air pollutants or air toxics that are associated with adverse health effects impacting populations living near ports and coastlines,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Amon of EPA’s Criminal Enforcement Program in the Virgin Islands. “EPA, along with its law enforcement partners are committed to ensuring the shipping industry continues to comply with laws designed to protect air quality.”
“The results announced today are the culmination of four years’ worth of unyielding effort to hold accountable those who knowingly violate our federal laws,” said Rear Adm. Brendan C. McPherson, commander of the Seventh Coast Guard District. “I am exceptionally proud of the dedicated work by our Coast Guard Resident Inspection Office in St. Croix, our Coast Guard Sector San Juan marine inspectors who identified the violation, and our Coast Guard Investigative Service agents who worked with the Environmental Protection Agency in San Juan to investigate this case. Our cooperative efforts with the Department of Justice and environmental protection partners will continue to hold accountable anyone who prioritizes profit over policies designed to safeguard our maritime environment for future generations.”
The M/T Ocean Princess was owned by Lily Shipping Ltd. and operated by Ionian Shipping and Trading, both Greece-domiciled companies. These two companies previously pleaded guilty to felony violations related to the use of non-compliant fuel and falsification of records and were sentenced to pay a combined criminal fine of $3,000,000, serve a three-year period of probation, and implement an Environmental Compliance Plan. The sentencing of Ionian M is the final chapter in this multi-year investigation and prosecution of the companies and individuals involved in the use of non-compliant, high-sulfur fuel in the operation and management of the M/T Ocean Princess.
The Coast Guard Investigative Service and the Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation. Senior Trial Attorney Kenneth Nelson of the Environment and Natural Resource Division, Environmental Crimes Section, and Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Chisholm and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Huston for the District of the Virgin Islands prosecuted the case.
Suburban Chicago Dentist Sentenced to Two and a Half Years in Federal Prison for Orchestrating $1.2 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago dentist has been sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining $1.2 million in medical care loans for purported dental work that was never performed.
MICHAEL D. EGAN, 57, of Orland Park, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to a wire fraud charge. U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang imposed the sentence on Tuesday after a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and John S. Morales, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman.
Egan owned and operated a dental practice in Tinley Park, Ill. In 2015 and 2016, Egan submitted fraudulent applications to a lending company for medical care loans that would purportedly finance certain patients’ dental care. In reality, Egan knew that he would not, and in fact did not, perform the dental work on those patients. In some instances, after a loan was approved, Egan caused the amount to be increased by falsely informing the lending company that additional dental work was needed, when, in fact, Egan knew that no additional treatment – or any treatment at all – would be performed.
Egan paid a portion of the fraudulently obtained loan proceeds to the purported dental patients as well as to recruiters who had identified the patients to apply for the loans.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Fatal 2019 CarjackingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a St. Louis man to 25 years in prison for his role in a fatal 2019 carjacking that was caught on tape.
Jalen Exavier Simms, 27, pleaded guilty August 1 to one count of attempted carjacking resulting in death. He admitted that on June 3, 2019 at just after 6 a.m., he and another armed man saw Jabari Clark sleeping in the driver’s seat of Clark's 2012 Dodge Ram truck in front of his home in the 3000 block of Rauschenbach Avenue in St. Louis.
Simms approached Clark on the driver’s side of the truck while the other man approached the passenger side of the vehicle. Simms tried to remove Clark from the truck at gunpoint. After a struggle, Simms’ companion fired, hitting Clark multiple times. Both men then fled.
The incident was caught by Clark’s surveillance camera. Simms also dropped a phone charging cord that had his DNA on it
Judge Autrey ordered the 25-year sentence to run consecutive to any sentence Simms receives for a pending St. Louis County homicide charge, an arson charge in Ste. Genevieve County and an aggravated assault charge in Madison County.
Investigators are still seeking the identity of the shooter. Anyone with information is asked to call St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Division at 314-444-5371 or report information anonymously via St. Louis Regional Crimestoppers at 866-371-TIPS.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Shannon Man Sentenced to More than a Decade in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – A Shannon man was sentenced Tuesday to over 13 years in prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and illegal firearm possession.
According to court documents, Demond Fleming, 43, of Shannon, Mississippi, was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock to serve a total of 160 months in prison following his previous guilty plea to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Fleming was sentenced to 120 months for the firearms offense and 160 months for the drug offense with the sentences ordered to run concurrent to each other. Upon release from incarceration, Fleming will be placed on supervised release for a period of four years. Following the sentencing hearing, Fleming was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner of the Northern District of Mississippi made the announcement following Tuesday’s sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, North Mississippi Narcotics Unit, and Tupelo Police Department.
This operation was one of many parts 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.
Rochester Man Indicted for Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Richard J. Crispin, 26, of Rochester, NH, was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 24, 2022 and charged with sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.
Crispin has been in custody since April 2021 on related charges in Maine. He had an initial appearance on Tuesday, and he will remain in custody pending resolution of his federal and state criminal matters.
The charges in the indictment are only allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Somersworth, NH Police Department, the Strafford County Sheriff’s Office, the North Berwick, ME Police Department, and the Rochester, NH Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cam T. Le.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Robber Is Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man who robbed three businesses was sentenced to 120 months in prison today, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell also ordered John Paul Gaddy, 35, to serve three years of supervised release after he is released from prison.
Michael C. Scherck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, Chief Bence Hoyle of the Huntersville Police Department, and Chief Josh Watson of the Troutman Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, between March and April 2021, Gaddy used a BB gun to rob three businesses. On March 12, 2021, Gaddy robbed the Lucia Food Mart located at 104 Killian Road in Stanley, North Carolina, followed by another robbery on April 25, 2021, of the Fast Phil’s convenience store located at 502 Gilead Road in Huntersville, North Carolina. Court records show that, during the second robbery, Gaddy pointed a BB gun at the clerk, giving her the impression that it was real gun, ordered the clerk to back up, and then grabbed cash from the register. The third robbery occurred three days later, on April 28, 2021. According to court records, Gaddy entered a Dollar Tree store located at 611 N. Main St. in Troutman, North Carolina. As with the previous robbery, Gaddy pointed the BB gun at the clerk, who thought it was a real gun, and said, “If you don’t put all of your money in the bag, I’m going to kill you.” As the clerk attempted to escape, Gaddy grabbed the entire cash register drawer and left the store.
On May 4, 2021, a Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Gaddy was the passenger. Over the course of the traffic stop, Gaddy resisted arrest and fought with CMPD officers before he was detained.
On June 7, 2022, Gaddy pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prison upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the FBI, the Huntersville Police Department, and the Troutman Police Department for their investigation of the case, and thanked CMPD for their invaluable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kelly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Recidivist Bank Robber Sentenced to 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Oxford, Mississippi– A Tupelo man was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Tuesday following his conviction for bank robbery. Jasper Wagner, 57, appeared for sentencing before United States District Judge Sharion Aycock, who departed upward from a lower suggested sentencing range and sentenced Wagner to the maximum sentence of 20 years. In imposing the sentence, Aycock noted that Wagner had 10 prior convictions for bank robbery and that the sentence was necessary to deter him from similar future conduct.
According to court documents, Wagner entered the Community Bank located at 307 West Main Street in Tupelo on April 6, 2022 and presented a teller with a demand note which read: “Stay calm no alarms, no dye packs, turn your money machine on till I say stop - $100s 4 50s Keep your hands from under the counter.”
Upon realizing that the robber was serious, the teller noticed that she could not see the robber’s hands or determine whether he had a gun, and she gave him $5,000. The teller recognized the robber as a bank customer and Wagner was subsequently identified from surveillance video released to the public. Investigating officers tracked Wagner to a hotel in Leeds, Alabama where they obtained a search warrant for his room on the day of the robbery and recovered $4,850 of the stolen money.
Court records indicate that Wagner had previously been convicted of multiple counts of bank robbery in 2001 and 2012.
“This defendant’s actions violently interrupted what should have been a normal workday for bank employees and victims,” stated U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “The Department of Justice and this office will always do our utmost to protect our community from violence, threats of violence, and repeat offenders who seek to prey upon others. We commend the Tupelo Police Department, the Leeds Police Department, and the FBI for their outstanding work and coordinated efforts to apprehend this offender so quickly.”
Following the sentencing, Tupelo Police Chief John Quaka remarked, “I am very proud of the concentrated efforts of the Tupelo Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Mississippi, in this case. Jasper Wagner’s maximum sentence of twenty years is a direct reflection of the outstanding investigative and prosecutorial skills of these agencies.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby also reiterated the importance of this investigation and prosecution. “The FBI is committed to safeguarding the financial institutions and the citizens of our community,” stated Fomby. “We remain devoted to tirelessly investigating the nefarious actions of criminals, like Mr. Jasper Wagner, and successfully bringing them to justice.”
The Tupelo Police and FBI investigated the case with significant assistance from the Leeds, Alabama Police Department who arrested Wagner the day of the bank robbery.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Roberts prosecuted the case.
Raleigh Man Is Sentenced to More Than 12 Years for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced Marvin Maurice Williams, 54, of Raleigh, North Carolina, to 151 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for an armed robbery offense, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Michael C. Scherck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Bence Hoyle of the Huntersville Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed documents and statements made in court, on September 7, 2021, at approximately 8:00 a.m., Williams entered the Valero gas station located at 502 Gilead Road in Huntersville, N.C. Upon entering, Williams approached the cashier and asked to buy cigarettes. When the cashier turned around Williams brandished a firearm. Court records show that, while brandishing the firearm, Williams went behind the counter, grabbed the cashier by her shirt collar and forced her to the back office. Williams then ordered the cashier to hand over the store’s cash. When the cashier replied that the money was located at the front of the store in a deposit bag, Williams forced the cashier back to the front of the gas station. The defendant then grabbed the deposit bag and fled the scene in his vehicle. According to court documents, the cashier and another individual who observed the robbery in progress called 911 to report the incident. Officers located Williams’s vehicle and he was arrested shortly thereafter. Over the course of the arrest, law enforcement also located the firearm Williams had brandished during the robbery on the vehicle’s front passenger seat.
On March 1, 2022, Williams pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prison upon designation of a federal facility.
The FBI and the Huntersville Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Prospect Man Sentenced to More Than 19 Years in Prison for Engaging in Sexual Activity with MinorRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DENNIS ANTHONY SZANTYR, JR., 48, of Prospect, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 235 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for engaging in illegal sexual activity with a minor.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on multiple occasions between November 2018 and October 2019, Szantyr used smart phones, tablets and other computer devices, and an interactive computer service, to entice a minor victim under the age of 16 to engage in sexual acts. At times, including during the commission of the sexual acts between Szantyr and the minor victim, the victim was in the custody, care or supervision of Szantyr. Szantyr also took videos of his sexual contact with the victim.
Szantyr has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on October 31, 2019. On December 6, 2021, he pleaded guilty in federal court to enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Connecticut State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Konstantin Lantsman.
U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Preston County man indicted on firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Ricky R. Johnson, of Masontown, West Virginia, was indicted today on a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Johnson, 41, was indicted today on one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Johnson, a person prohibited from having firearms because of prior convictions, is accused of having a .22 caliber pistol in December 2021 in Preston County.
Johnson faces 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 and the Preston County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Presque Isle Woman Sentenced to 10 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking Following Guilty PleaRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Presque Isle woman pleaded guilty and was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Crystal Greenlaw, 32, to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release following her guilty plea. Greenlaw had previously pleaded guilty in August 2021 to a conspiracy charge that required a mandatory minimum sentence. She pleaded guilty today to a substitute charge that did not include a mandatory minimum sentence.
According to court records, between approximately July 2018 and May 2019, members of the conspiracy obtained methamphetamine in western and southern states from sources in Mexico. Greenlaw and her co-conspirators then distributed the drugs in Aroostook County and other parts of central and northern Maine. Greenlaw made at least two trips to obtain methamphetamine and transport it back to Maine.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated this case with the assistance of multiple state and local law enforcement agencies.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Port Neches, Houston Men Guilty of Trafficking Fentanyl through Southeast TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – Two Southeast Texas men have pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Arthur Wilson McDaniels, 46, of Houston. and Marcus Terrance Weathersby, 49, of Port Neches, each pleaded guilty to drug trafficking violations today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn.
According to court documents, beginning in January 2022, local law enforcement and federal agents began an investigation into a drug trafficking conspiracy involving phencyclidine (PCP) and fentanyl in Jefferson County. The investigation revealed McDaniels was supplying drugs from Houston to Weathersby in Port Neches for further distribution in the area. Law enforcement ultimately seized approximately 1.7 kilograms of PCP and three ounces of fentanyl during the course of the investigation. McDaniels and Weathersby were indicted by a federal grand jury on May 11, 2022.
McDaniels pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute PCP and fentanyl. Weathersby pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
“If you are dealing dangerous drugs in our community we are coming after you,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “These drugs are capable of killing many people. There is a dangerous wave of illegal fentanyl poisoning our citizens. Please talk about this, discuss this, share this message with others to save a life. In 2022, fentanyl is suspected of killing more Americans than car crashes and gun crimes combined. This is a problem.”
McDaniels faces up to 40 years in federal prison. Weathersby faces up to life in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentences prescribed by Congress are provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Port Arthur Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Anderson.
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Poplar woman admits involuntary manslaughter charge in fatal crash on Fort Peck Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Poplar woman today admitted to a charge stemming from the death of a passenger when the vehicle she was driving crashed on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Rachel Aileen Goodbird, 29, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Goodbird faces a maximum of eight years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Chief Judge Morris set sentencing for March 9, 2023. Goodbird was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court records that on July 24, 2021, Goodbird was driving the vehicle of the victim, Jane Doe, who was a passenger, in a reckless manner. Goodbird and Jane Doe had been drinking alcohol that evening prior to Goodbird driving the vehicle. An investigation determined that seconds before the accident, Goodbird was driving at approximately 80 mph in a 35-mph speed zone in the Poplar area. The vehicle was unable to make a turn, entered a ditch and hit an embankment. Jane Doe was found unresponsive in the front passenger seat and transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The victim was not wearing a seatbelt and the cause of her death was determined to be blunt force injuries.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy A. Johnson is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Fort Peck Law Enforcement, Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Highway Patrol.
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Owner of New York Commercial Drum Company Pleads Guilty to Fraudulent Billing SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Robert A. DiNoto, age 48, of Huntington, New York, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in connection with a fraudulent billing scheme involving a manufacturing company with facilities in Harford County, Maryland.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
According to his guilty plea, Robert A. DiNoto, is the owner and President of American Pride Distributors (“American Pride”), located in, Woodbury, New York. American Pride sold commercial drum containers used by manufacturers to store and transport products. Robert DiNoto is the brother of Eugene DiNoto (E. DiNoto), a former longtime employee of Company 1, a family-owned global business headquartered in New York, but with manufacturing facilities in Belcamp and Abingdon, Maryland, both in Harford County.
As detailed in his plea agreement, beginning no later than 2014, Robert and E. DiNoto agreed to execute a fraudulent billing scheme to defraud Company 1, through the submission of false invoices for undelivered drums. As the facility manager for Company 1, E. DiNoto oversaw the purchasing and storing of drums for use at the Harford County manufacturing facilities and had the authority to review drum invoices and authorize payments to the drum vendors. Robert DiNoto approached E. DiNoto about how he could start his own drum vending company. E. DiNoto subsequently told Robert DiNoto about other drum vendors that were defrauding Company 1 using a fraudulent billing scheme. Robert DiNoto, who was in the real estate business at the time, decided to use a company he owned, called Sandpiper Properties, Inc., trading as American Pride Distributors, to facilitate the scheme to defraud Company 1.
Once American Pride Distributors was formed, Robert DiNoto began receiving drum purchase orders from E. DiNoto for Company 1 to establish a legitimate pattern of drum sales between American Pride and Company 1. However, because Robert DiNoto was never in the business of manufacturing or reconditioning drums, he filled Company 1’s orders by buying the requisite number of drums from an actual drum manufacturer and arranging to ship them to Company 1’s facilities in Harford County, Maryland. Robert DiNoto billed Company 1 for the drums using American Pride invoices, which E. DiNoto approved for payment via emails to Company 1’s accounting department in New York.
Soon thereafter, Robert DiNoto began fraudulently invoicing Company 1 for drums that he and American Pride never delivered to the company. To conceal the fraudulent invoices, he would intermittently send the bogus invoices before and after sending legitimate ones. For example, in 2017, Robert DiNoto sent legitimate invoices #1555 through #1558 between February 15 and April 12 in the amounts of $19,223, $19,419, $18,038, and $20,908, respectively. He then submitted a fraudulent invoice, #1559, and received a payment from Company 1 for $19,448 for a shipment of 358 “NEW 55 GALLON STEEL DRUMS” that were never delivered.
Between December 2016 and August 2019, Robert DiNoto used American Pride’s invoices to bill and receive a total of approximately $257,181 from Company 1 for nonexistent drum deliveries. Robert DiNoto used the proceeds from the fraudulent billings for personal expenses, including to pay his credit card bills.
To avoid scrutiny throughout the conspiracy, the DiNotos kept their familial relationship with American Pride a secret from Company 1 employees. Despite their best efforts, third-party vendors used by American Pride would sometimes inadvertently forward an email or invoice intended for the Robert DiNoto to Company 1. E. DiNoto would criticize Robert DiNoto for the mistake and ask him to remind his third-party vendors never to send correspondence to Company 1’s address. On at least one occasion, Robert DiNoto used an alias to conceal his identity when communicating with Company 1 employees.
Robert DiNoto faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He will also be required to forfeit and pay restitution in the full amount of the loss, $257,181. U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby has scheduled sentencing for Robert DiNoto on March 21, 2023 at 2:00 p.m.
Eugene Andrew DiNoto, age 51, of Bel Air, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, engaging in an illegal monetary transaction, and filing a false tax return, in connection with schemes that defrauded his employer of more than $29 million. He is awaiting sentencing.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Martin J. Clarke and Harry M. Gruber, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Owner and Employees of the Sayville Motor Lodge Indicted for Sex Trafficking and Managing a Drug PremisesRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Central Islip charging Narendarakuma Dadarwala, his wife Shardaben Dadarwala, their son Jigar Dadarwala, Ashokbhai Patel, and Himanshu, Inc. d/b/a Sayville Motor Lodge with sex trafficking conspiracy. The Dadarwalas, Patel, and Himanshu, Inc. are also charged with managing a drug premises, and Narendarakuma Dadarwala is charged with distribution of proceeds of prostitution and narcotics businesses. Patel was arrested yesterday in Nebraska and will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date. The other defendants were arrested this morning and will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Lee G. Dunst. A fifth co-conspirator remains at large.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Rodney K. Harrison, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), and Raymond A. Tierney, Suffolk County District Attorney, announced the indictment and arrests.
“As alleged, the defendants made the Sayville Motor Lodge a money-making refuge for prostitution and narcotics trafficking, and a blight on the surrounding community,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “With these arrests, we send a clear message that our Office will prosecute those who use motels or any other venue as their base of operations for trafficking human beings and drugs.”
Mr. Peace also thanked the United States Marshal Service, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, United States Customs and Border Protection, and Homeland Security Investigations for their assistance.
“We allege the owner and employees of the Sayville Motor Lodge looked the other way when pimps trafficked human beings in their hotel. More egregiously, we allege they took money from those pimps and drug dealers, who beat and abused the women involved in front of them. Other hotel owners who operate in a similar fashion should take heed, we will hold them accountable for their actions in allowing sex trafficking to take place in their establishments. We're asking anyone who is a victim of human trafficking, or believes they know of someone who is, to call us at 1-800-CALL-FBI," stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.
“From the outside, the Sayville Motor Lodge appeared to be a typical roadside motel, but in reality, there was far more than just overnight stays occurring there,” stated SCPD Commissioner Harrison. “The owners and employees facilitated sex trafficking and drug sales for financial gain at the expense of women, including a minor. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to stop those who exploit victims of human trafficking and will continue to help these victims receive the services they need to get their lives back on track.”
“These defendants are alleged to have not only knowingly allowed criminal behavior to run rampant at the Motor Inn for years, they also financially benefited from these same illegal activities directly through kickbacks," stated District Attorney Tierney. "Thanks to our partnership with U.S. Attorney Breon Peace and the Suffolk County Police Department, this blight on the community will no longer be open for illicit business.”
As set forth in court filings, the Dadarwalas have owned and operated the Sayville Motor Lodge since approximately 1984. They reside and work at the motel. From 2017 to 2019, Ashokai Patel was employed and also lived there. The Dadarwalas and Patel facilitated the criminal activity at the Sayville Motor Lodge and profited from the prostitution and narcotics activity that routinely took place there. Specifically, the Dadarwalas and Patel conspired with traffickers. They exercised control over room rentals and booked dates and set room rates for commercial sex. They were aware that women engaged in prostitution, including at least one minor trafficking victim. They warned traffickers and women engaged in prostitution when law enforcement was on the premises and observed traffickers inflict physical violence on their victims and customers. They also financially benefited from the commercial sex activity at the Sayville Motor Lodge. The traffickers, sex workers, and drug dealers at the Sayville Motor Lodge frequently interacted with the staff and called Narendarakuma Dadarwala “Dad” and “Pa” and Shardaben Dadarwala “Mom” and “Ma.”
From approximately 2014 until 2018, an unapprehended co-conspirator allegedly operated his sex trafficking business out of the Sayville Motor Lodge, in coordination with the Dadarwalas and Patel. The co-conspirator trafficked several women out of the motel, including a minor, and routinely subjected the women who worked for him to physical violence. In furtherance of his operation, the co-conspirator kept the women who worked for him addicted to drugs and introduced them to prostitution in exchange for drugs, posted ads on the internet and set rates for commercial sex acts, confiscated proceeds from prostitution, and mentally and physically abused the women and minors who worked for him.
In addition, from 2014 to the present, the Dadarwalas, Patel, and Himanshu, Inc. profited from the narcotics trafficking that was conducted openly on Sayville Motor Lodge property. The defendants allowed customers to freely use drugs, including heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine, in plain view and in motel rooms. Much like the traffickers, drug dealers paid the Sayville defendants for the privilege of selling drugs at the Sayville Motor Lodge. Narendarakuma Dadarwala wired funds from the rental of rooms for prostitution and narcotics trafficking to his son and Patel.
Further, as set forth in the indictment, the government is seeking to forfeit the Sayville Motor Lodge. To ensure the property is preserved for forfeiture, the United States has obtained an order restraining the defendants from transferring, encumbering or operating the Sayville Motor Lodge in violation of law.
If convicted, the defendants each face a minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment on the sex trafficking charge. Jigar Dadarwala, Narendarakuma Dadarwala, Shardaben Dadarwala and Ashokai Patel face up to 20 years for the managing a drug premises charge; and Narendarakuma Dadarwala faces up to 5 years on distribution of proceeds of prostitution and narcotics businesses charge.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If you were a victim, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Section and Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Catherine M. Mirabile, Samantha S. Alessi and Special Assistant United States Attorney Vanessa McEvoy are in charge of the prosecution. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Morris of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.The Defendants:
JIGAR DADARWALA (also known as “Cobra”)
Age: 44
Sayville, New YorkNARENDARAKUMA DADARWALA (also known as “Naren,” “Pa” and “Dad”)
Age: 76
Sayville, New YorkSHARDABEN DADARWALA (also known as “Sharda,” “Ma” and “Mom”)
Age: 69
Sayville, New YorkASHOKBHAI PATEL, also known as “BG”
Age: 58
Omaha, NebraskaHIMANSHU, INC. d/b/a Sayville Motor Lodge
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-22-CR-494 (JS)
Oklahoma Man Sentenced for Transporting a Minor Across State Lines for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Fort Worth, Texas, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, has been sentenced in federal court to 78 months’ incarceration and 15 years of supervised release on his conviction of violating the Mann Act by transporting a minor across state lines for the purpose having the minor engage in prostitution and conspiracy, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence yesterday on Oscar Carter, 38, formerly of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
On July 11, 2022, Carter pleaded guilty and admitted that he agreed and conspired with another individual, Shelby Summer Brown, to commit an offense against the United States, that is, to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an individual, Minor A (an individual who had not yet attained the age of 18 years) to travel in interstate commerce, from Ohio to Pennsylvania, to engage in prostitution and any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, and did so, from March 6, 2018 through March 14, 2018.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Pittsburgh Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes members of the Cranberry Township Police Department and the City of Pittsburgh Bueau of Police, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Carter.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Two Carjacking OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on October 25, 2022, MERVIN BAILEY, age 20, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to a three-count superseding bill of information. The charges include Count 1, carjacking in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1); Count 2, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924 (c)(1)(A)(ii); and Count 3, attempted carjacking in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1).
According to court documents, Counts 1 and 2 arose from the carjacking of a BMW X7 SUV in New Orleans, Louisiana on June 3, 2021. As the victim was pulling out of her driveway, BAILEY jumped out of a white truck while brandishing a firearm. He forced the victim out of her car, demanding her keys and drove off in her vehicle. The victim immediately flagged down a pedestrian and used their cell phone to call the New Orleans Police Department (“NOPD”). BAILEY initially evaded NOPD on a high-speed chase, but officers later located the abandoned SUV and the K-9 unit found him hiding nearby. A black CZ-PF10F 9mm Luger handgun with an obliterated serial number was found in the area and personal property belonging to the victim was found on BAILEY.
Court documents also reveal BAILEY committed an attempted carjacking on October 4, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. In that instance, BAILEY used a cellular phone to request a ride on the Lyft ride-sharing application. When the victim arrived in her Kia Optima, BAILEY and an accomplice attempted to carjack the vehicle while brandishing a firearm.
The maximum penalty BAILEY faces for Counts 1 and 3 is up to 15 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee, as to each count. The maximum penalty he faces for Count 2 is a mandatory minimum of 7 years imprisonment up to a maximum of life, to run consecutive to all other sentences, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to five years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles D. Strauss is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Admits to Using Stolen Identity at Local StoresRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that COREY THOMAS, age 49, from New Orleans, pled guilty to wire fraud, stemming from fraudulent charges he made in someone else’s name at local stores.
According to court documents, THOMAS used a victim’s personal identifying information to make fraudulent charges at Best Buy and several Lowe’s Home Improvement stores in New Orleans and the surrounding parishes. THOMAS attempted the purchases on behalf of other actual customers, offering to charge the goods on a store credit card in exchange for a cash payment that was less than the purchase price. Under the terms of the plea agreement, THOMAS agreed to repay a total of $77,781.98 to Synchrony Bank, which issued the Lowe’s credit cards that THOMAS used in his scheme.
At sentencing, THOMAS faces up to twenty years in prison. Following any term of imprisonment, THOMAS faces up to three years of supervised release, as well as a fine of up to $250,000 and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle set sentencing for February 15, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Duo Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Interstate Motorcycle Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A pair of New Orleans, Louisiana men were each sentenced to two years in federal prison for a scheme to steal motor vehicles and transport them across state lines.
According to court documents, Tim Jackson, 27, and Jerrell Maxon, 25, were part of a group of individuals from New Orleans called the “East Side Wheelie Kings,” who were responsible for breaking into motorcycle shops along the Gulf Coast and stealing motorcycles, dirt bikes, and four-wheelers.
In the early morning hours of May 1, 2018, Jackson, Maxon, and several other individuals stole two trucks from a U-Haul location in Mobile. Surveillance video showed the thieves entering the U-Haul facility through a hole in the fence, starting the stolen trucks by breaking their key cylinders, and ramming the trucks through the property’s gate. A short time later that morning, the defendants and their coconspirators used the stolen U-Haul trucks to ram into the front entrance of Hall’s Motorsports, a motorcycle shop in Mobile. The group stole several motorcycles and dirt bikes from the business and took them back to New Orleans. Law enforcement later recovered some of the stolen bikes and the stolen U-Haul trucks in Alabama and Louisiana.
Detectives analyzed the defendants’ cell phone geo-location records, both of which placed them in the vicinity of the victim businesses at the time of the break-ins. Law enforcement executed search warrants at the defendants’ houses in New Orleans and found, among other things, clothing matching that worn by the burglars, a stolen dirt bike, keys for four-wheelers, and handwritten notes for motorcycle shops in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Maxon made recorded calls from jail admitting that he had been “hitting the businesses all over the South.” Jackson admitted that he participated in the burglaries, and records from his Instagram account revealed that he offered one of the motorcycles stolen from Hall’s Motorsports for sale. In total, the victim businesses suffered $147,795 in financial losses due to building damage and stolen property.
Senior United States District Judge William H. Steele ordered the defendants to serve three-year terms of supervised release upon their release from prison, during which time they will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not order a fine, but Judge Steele ordered the defendants to pay $147,795 in victim restitution and a total of $300 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Mobile Police Department, the Louisiana State Police, and the New Orleans office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bishop Ravenel and Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
New Haven Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Cocaine Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE RODRIGUEZ-CARABALLO, also known as “Puma,” 33, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 144 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for cocaine trafficking offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in November 2020, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force executed a federal search warrant on a suspicious package that had been sent through the U.S. Mail from New Haven to an address in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The package contained $102,450 in cash. The investigation revealed that an associate of Rodriguez-Caraballo was supervising the receipt of numerous parcels containing kilogram quantities of cocaine that had been shipped from Puerto Rico to addresses in and around New Haven, the resale of the cocaine to others, and the shipment of narcotics proceeds to individuals in Puerto Rico. During the investigation, law enforcement intercepted multiple parcels of cocaine and U.S. currency that was sent through the U.S. Mail.
The investigation revealed that Rodriguez-Caraballo picked up cocaine parcels from the addresses they were shipped to, repackaged the cocaine, and helped distribute it to other drug sellers and customers.
Rodriguez-Caraballo was arrested on March 18, 2021, after he traveled with a co-conspirator to a location in Milford to sell two kilograms of cocaine for $86,000. Investigators seized the cocaine and a loaded 9mm handgun from their vehicle.
Rodriguez-Caraballo has been detained since his arrest. On January 27, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the New Haven Police Department. The Task Force includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden and Town of Groton Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Konstantin Lantsman and Karen Peck through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Violent Home Invasion in YorkRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Manchester, New Hampshire man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy, robbery and firearm charges stemming from a violent home invasion in York, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
According to court records, in August 2019, Jason Candelario, 33, and three other co-conspirators met in Hooksett, New Hampshire and planned a home invasion of a York residence to rob marijuana and marijuana sale proceeds from the home’s resident. The group traveled to the York residence where Candelario and one co-conspirator, armed with handguns and wearing masks, waited in the woods for the victim to return home. When the victim arrived home, accompanied by two others, a violent physical altercation ensued. During the fight, a firearm was discharged, and the bullet struck the victim in the lower abdomen. Candelario and the co-conspirator fled. Police arrived approximately 15 minutes later, and the victim was rushed to the hospital where he underwent surgery to remove a .45 caliber bullet from his lower abdomen.
At the time of the home invasion Candelario had four prior felony convictions and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
Candelario faces a period of imprisonment of up to 20 years on the conspiracy charge, up to 20 years on the robbery charge and up to 10 years on the firearm charge. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-conspirator Derek Daprato, 34, from Hookset, New Hampshire entered a plea of not guilty and is scheduled for trial in December.
The FBI, in conjunction with the York Police Department and the York County Sheriff’s Office, investigated the case.
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Michigan man admits to role in a drug conspiracy in Harrison CountyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Drake D. Dodson-Williams, of Southgate, Michigan, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Dodson-Williams, also known as “KO,” 31, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Dodson-Williams admitted to having methamphetamine in October 2021 in Harrison County.
Dodson-Williams faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. 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.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Bauer is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Mexican national sentenced to four years, nine months in prison for carjackingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Gael Rodriguez was sentenced on Nov. 1 to four years and nine months in prison for carjacking. Rodriguez, 20, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty on March 23.
On Jan. 16, Rodriguez approached an elderly victim in northwest Albuquerque outside her apartment complex and asked her for a cigarette. The victim responded that she had no cigarettes and Rodriguez then demanded her purse and the keys for her vehicle. When the victim resisted, Rodriguez stabbed her hand with a knife, causing her to drop the keys. Rodriguez grabbed the keys and fled in the victim’s vehicle.
An Albuquerque Police Officer was dispatched to the scene and relayed a description of the vehicle and Rodriguez to the Rio Rancho and Corrales police departments. Police were able to locate the vehicle in Corrales. After a pursuit on foot, police subdued and arrested Rodriguez.
Upon his release from prison, Rodriguez will be subject to three years of supervised release and will be subject to deportation.
The FBI’s Albuquerque Violent Crimes Task Force (VCTF) investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department and the Corrales Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaymie L. Roybal prosecuted the case.
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Mexican National Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Illegally Reentering the U.S.Read the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GERMAN EDUARDO MARTINEZ FRANCO, 42, a citizen of Mexico last residing in West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 37 months of imprisonment for illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on seven occasions between 1998 and 2015, Martinez was encountered in Arizona was subsequently removed to Mexico. In the District of Arizona, in 2010, Martinez was convicted of illegal entry and sentenced to 90 days of imprisonment. In 2011, he was convicted of illegal reentry and sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment; In 2014, he was convicted of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and was sentenced to 33 months of imprisonment. Martinez was last removed to Mexico in December 2015.
On July 1, 2021, Martinez, who was using another identity, was arrested in West Haven and charged in state court with possession with intent to sell greater than one ounce of heroin or methamphetamine, possession with intent to sell a narcotic substance, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, criminal impersonation, and forgery in the first degree.
Martinez has been detained since July 1, 2021. On August 8, 2022, he pleaded guilty in federal court to illegal reentry.
Martinez pleaded guilty in state court and was sentenced to 72 months of incarceration.
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with the assistance of the West Haven Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.
Medical Doctor Plus Eight Others Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On September 28, 2022, a grand jury in Phoenix, Arizona returned a 34-count indictment against nine individuals, including:
- Yvette Porras-Ochoa, 40, of Wittmann, Arizona
- Ricardo Ochoa, 41, of Mesa, Arizona
- Kourtney Moore, 40, of Akron, Ohio
- George Martinez-Aviles, M.D., 55, of Peoria, Arizona
- Vanessa Quijada, 36, of Phoenix, Arizona
- Josefina Thomas, 57, of Glendale, Arizona
- Angel Borunda, 26, of Odessa, Texas
- Ibis Efren Miranda Hernandez, 43, of Peoria, Arizona
- Kristel Pimentel, 37, of Buckeye, Arizona
A 2021 investigation revealed that Martinez-Aviles, M.D., Porras-Ochoa, Ochoa, Moore, Quijada, Thomas, and Pimentel, each conspired to distribute oxycodone knowingly and intentionally, and to distribute promethazine-codeine outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. Furthermore, Porras-Ochoa, Moore, Ochoa, and Borunda each face additional charges for conspiring to distribute cocaine for profit. Lastly, Moore also faces additional charges for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Six of the defendants were also charged with related money-laundering offenses.
Over the course of this investigation, law enforcement officers seized cocaine, marijuana, oxycodone, promethazine-codeine, and counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation with significant contributions from Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Marshals Service, the Phoenix Police Department, the Surprise Police Department, the Peoria Police Department, the Glendale Police Department, and the Goodyear Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-1265-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-199_Porras-Ochoa, et al# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
MS-13 Members Sentenced for Kidnapping and Murdering Two JuvenilesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Five members of the transnational street gang La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, have received sentences of life imprisonment for their roles in the kidnapping and murder of two adolescent boys in 2016.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, MS-13 gang members Elmer Zelaya Martinez, Ronald Herrera Contreras, Henry Zelaya Martinez, Pablo Velasco Barrera, and Duglas Ramirez Ferrera, along with their co-conspirators, targeted E.E.E.M., a 17-year-old resident of Falls Church, who they erroneously suspected was a member of the rival 18th Street gang. On the night of August 28, 2016, the gang lured E.E.E.M. to Holmes Run Stream Valley Park in Fairfax County under the pretense that there was going to be a gang meeting there. Instead, in a wooded area of the park, gang members restrained, attacked, and killed E.E.E.M., stabbing and chopping him more than 100 times with knives, a machete, and a pickaxe. Afterwards, the gang broke one of E.E.E.M.’s legs so that his body would fit into the pre-dug hole that was nearby.
Court records and evidence presented at trial also established that the same gang members, along with their co-conspirators, targeted S.A.A.T., a 14-year-old resident of Alexandria, who they erroneously suspected was a police informant. On the evening of September 26, 2016, the gang told S.A.A.T. that there was going to be a gang meeting later that night and encouraged him to attend. Not long thereafter, S.A.A.T. went outside in his pajamas, telling his mother he was just taking out the trash. Eventually, several gang members picked up S.A.A.T. and drove him to the same park where they had killed E.E.E.M. The gang members restrained, attacked, and killed S.A.A.T., stabbing and chopping him with knives, machetes, and a pickaxe. They also filmed the murder with a cell phone so that they could prove to gang leaders in the United States and in El Salvador that they deserved to be promoted in rank. Once S.A.A.T. was dead, the gang broke his legs and tied him up with his own pajama pants so that he would fit into the shallow grave that was dug for him that night.
“Words alone are incapable of describing the tragedy and senselessness that mark this case. Mere proximity to MS-13 and its twisted code cost two unassuming teenage boys their lives. In the wake of their appallingly violent murders lie wrecked families and fear-stricken communities,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The sentences of life imprisonment imposed by the court are fitting; they will protect the public from these five defendants, send a message to other members and associates of MS-13 that there will be severe consequences for committing violent crimes in furtherance of their gang’s illicit activities, and provide a measure of justice for the victims and their families. EDVA remains steadfast in its commitment to prosecuting members of street gangs and deterring acts of violence perpetrated in their name.”
“Brutality is the hallmark of MS-13. The defendants kidnapped and murdered two innocent teenagers, shattering their dreams and stoking fear in the communities we live and work in," said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division. “This joint investigation demonstrates the FBI and our law enforcement partners' refusal to tolerate violent gang members who terrorize our neighborhoods and ruthlessly murder rival gang members and innocent civilians.”
“This is a profoundly disturbing case involving gang members taking the lives of young members of our community. We are proud to work with our Federal partners on cases like this to keep Fairfax County and surrounding communities safe,” said Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police.
To date, a total of 17 defendants have been charged in this case, five of whom went to trial and were convicted of all charges. Nine defendants pleaded guilty prior to trial. See the table below for additional information on the defendants who were convicted at trial.
Name
Age
Country of Origin
Convictions
Sentence
Elmer Zelaya Martinez
31
El Salvador
Conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering activity; conspiracy to kidnap; murder in aid of racketeering activity; kidnapping resulting in death
Sentenced to six terms of life imprisonment and two terms of 120 months, all to run concurrently
Ronald Herrera Contreras
24
El Salvador
Conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering activity; conspiracy to kidnap; murder in aid of racketeering activity; kidnapping resulting in death
Sentenced to six terms of life imprisonment and two terms of 120 months, all to run concurrently
Henry Zelaya Martinez
28
El Salvador
Conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering activity; conspiracy to kidnap; murder in aid of racketeering activity; kidnapping resulting in death
Sentenced to six terms of life imprisonment and two terms of 120 months, all to run concurrently
Pablo Velasco Barrera
24
El Salvador
Conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering activity; conspiracy to kidnap; murder in aid of racketeering activity; kidnapping resulting in death
Sentenced to six terms of life imprisonment and two terms of 120 months, all to run concurrently
Duglas Ramirez Ferrera
26
El Salvador
Conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering activity; conspiracy to kidnap; murder in aid of racketeering activity; kidnapping resulting in death
Sentenced to six terms of life imprisonment and two terms of 120 months, all to run concurrently
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr.
The FBI Washington Field Office, the Fairfax County Police Department, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Washington Field Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Alexandria Police Department, the Prince William County Police Department, the Montgomery County (MD) Police Department, and the Marin County (CA) Sheriff’s Office provided significant assistance on the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander E. Blanchard and Cristina C. Stam and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebeca H. Bellows prosecuted the case.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-123.
Lowell Postal Carrier Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Bribe Supervisor to Divert Packages of CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell postal worker pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to attempting to bribe a postal supervisor and sell them cocaine.
John Noviello, of Nashua, N.H., 61, pleaded guilty to one count of bribery of a public official and one count of distribution of cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for Feb. 14, 2023. Noviello was charged on May 11, 2022.
Noviello was a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in Lowell. On Feb. 15, 2022, Noviello approached a U.S. Postal supervisor seeking their assistance in a scheme to divert postal packages suspected of containing cocaine. Noviello offered to pay the supervisor $1,750 per kilogram of cocaine successfully obtained from any diverted packages. On Feb. 17, 2022, Noviello left $850 in cash, concealed in a Dunkin’ bag, inside the supervisor’s vehicle in an attempt to encourage the supervisor to agree to the scheme. Noviello, referring to the $850, later commented to the supervisor, “that was a nice envelope for starters.” After contacting authorities, the supervisor conducted a controlled purchase from Noviello during which the defendant distributed approximately 3.7 grams of cocaine for $200.
The charge of bribery of a public official provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of distribution of cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Office; and Ketty Larco Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Local man sent to prison for conspiracy to transport 124 peopleRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 67-year-old Laredo man has been sent to federal prison following his conviction of conspiring to transport people in a sealed trailer, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
A federal jury deliberated for approximately two hours following a two-day trial before returning a guilty verdict July 20 on one count of conspiracy against David William McKeon.
Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo ordered McKeon to serve 57 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court repeatedly emphasized McKeon’s actions resulted in endangering over 100 people.
On April 20, McKeon arrived at the Laredo North Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint while driving a tractor-trailer. At that time, law enforcement heard suspicious noises coming from the trailer. They opened a vent door and discovered 124 locked behind the doors.
At trial, the jury heard that McKeon had said he was recruited for the job at his birthday party a few days earlier. They heard he picked up the tractor-trailer from a dirt road then was given a fraudulent bill of lading in the parking lot of a Popeye’s restaurant before driving to the checkpoint.
However, the defense attempted to convince the jury that McKeon didn’t know there were aliens inside the trailer. The jury ultimately found him guilty of engaging in a conspiracy to transport the aliens.
McKeon has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Bajew and David Fawcett prosecuted the case.
Lincoln Woman Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Ashley O’Connell, 33, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced O’Connell to 150 months for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. Following her term of imprisonment, O’Connell must serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Law enforcement investigation revealed that from about November 1, 2017, and continuing to about November 27, 2019, O’Connell conspired with at least eight other individuals to distribute methamphetamine in the Lincoln area. During the course of the conspiracy, O’Connell obtained methamphetamine in quantities ranging from a quarter ounce to a half pound from several individuals and sold methamphetamine to several others in quantities ranging from one-sixteenth ounce to a quarter pound. On November 27, 2019, law enforcement stopped a stolen vehicle driven by O’Connell in Lincoln. O’Connell was the sole occupant of the vehicle. The vehicle was subsequently searched. Law enforcement found in the vehicle two baggies of methamphetamine weighing over a gram, a firearm, and a digital scale with methamphetamine residue.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force and the Lincoln Police Department
Las Vegas Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident pleaded guilty to multiple child sexual exploitation crimes one day before the start of his federal jury trial.
Stephen Thomas Parshall, aka “Kiwi,” (38) pleaded guilty on October 31, 2022, to two counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of coercion and enticement, and one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey scheduled sentencing for February 6, 2023.
According to court documents, during protests on May 30, 2020, law enforcement learned of Parshall’s membership in the “Boogaloo” movement and his involvement in a conspiracy to cause destruction of government property in Las Vegas. The “Boogaloo” movement is a decentralized ideological network that believes in a coming second U.S. civil war and espouses anti-government and anti-law enforcement rhetoric. Law enforcement officers located 10 images of child sexual abuse material, and numerous images of child erotica, on Parshall’s cellular phone after he was arrested. Investigators identified Victim 1, a child under the age of 18 years old, in two of the child sexual abuse images located on Parshall’s phone. Parshall forced Victim 1 to perform sex acts upon him while he photographed it.
Investigators also located social media conversations on a second cell phone owned by Parshall, under account names “cptkiwi1”, “nopictoobad”, and “pervysage”. In some of those social media conversations, Parshall messaged with Victim 2, another child under 18 years old, and convinced Victim 2 to take sexually explicit pictures. Victim 2 sent the requested child sexual abuse material to Parshall.
Additionally, in separate social media conversations, Parshall traded child pornography material with other users.
At sentencing, Parshall faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison for each count of sexual exploitation, a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to a maximum of life in prison for coercion and enticement, a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to a maximum of 20 years in prison for receipt and distribution of child pornography, a $250,000 fine for each count, and a $5,000 assessment under the Justice for Victims Trafficking Act for each count. Under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Parshall will also be required to register as a sex offender.
U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bianca Pucci and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Portz are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Department of Justice’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.
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Justice Department Announces Takedown of Nationwide Catalytic Converter Theft RingRead the Press Release
Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners from across the United States executed a nationwide, coordinated takedown today of leaders and associates of a national network of thieves, dealers, and processors for their roles in conspiracies involving stolen catalytic converters sold to a metal refinery for tens of millions of dollars.
Arrests, searches, and seizures took place in California, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, and Virginia. In total, 21 individuals in five states have been arrested and/or charged for their roles in the conspiracy.
The 21 defendants are charged in two separate indictments that were unsealed today in the Eastern District of California and the Northern District of Oklahoma following extensive law enforcement arrest and search operations. In addition to the indictments, over 32 search warrants were executed, and law enforcement seized millions of dollars in assets, including homes, bank accounts, cash, and luxury vehicles.
“Amidst a rise in catalytic converter thefts across the country, the Justice Department has today carried out an operation arresting 21 defendants and executing 32 search warrants in a nation-wide takedown of a multimillion-dollar catalytic converter theft network,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will continue to work alongside our state and local partners to disrupt criminal conspiracies like this one that target the American people.”
“This national network of criminals hurt victims across the country,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “They made hundreds of millions of dollars in the process—on the backs of thousands of innocent car owners. Today’s charges showcase how the FBI and its partners act together to stop crimes that hurt all too many Americans.”
“With California’s higher emission standards, our community has become a hot bed for catalytic converter theft,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “Last year approximately 1,600 catalytic converters were reportedly stolen in California each month, and California accounts for 37% of all catalytic converter theft claims nationwide. I am proud to announce that we have indicted nine people who are at the core of catalytic theft in our community and nationwide.”
“In Tulsa alone, more than 2,000 catalytic converters were stolen in the past year,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “Organized criminal activity, including the large-scale theft of catalytic converters, is costly to victims and too often places citizens and law enforcement in danger. The collective work conducted by federal prosecutors and more than 10 different law enforcement agencies led to the filing of charges in the Northern District of Oklahoma against 13 defendants operating an alleged catalytic converter theft operation.”
“The success of this national takedown highlights the importance and necessity of dynamic law enforcement partnerships that we foster at DHS every single day,” said Deputy Secretary John K. Tien of the Department of Homeland Security. “This calculated, cooperative whole-of-government approach across multiple states illustrates our commitment to protecting the homeland from those who seek to profit from sophisticated schemes. Homeland Security Investigations [HSI] will continue to focus its efforts on keeping these types of criminal elements off our streets while dismantling the groups behind these and other thefts.”
“Just like the precious metal inside every catalytic converter, there’s a money trail at the core of every criminal scheme,” said Chief Jim Lee of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Our IRS-CI special agents and partners are incredibly well-versed at unraveling financial trails, and this case is not unique. There are real victims here – friends, neighbors, and businesses – and our hope is that today’s arrests will deter similar criminal activity.”
Catalytic Converters
Catalytic converters are a component of an automotive vehicle’s exhaust device that reduce the toxic gas and pollutants from a vehicle's internal combustion engine into safe emissions. Catalytic converters use precious metals in their center, or “core,” and are regularly targeted for theft due to the high value of these metals, especially the precious metals palladium, platinum, and rhodium. Some of these precious metals are more valuable per ounce than gold and their value has been increasing in recent years. The black-market price for catalytic converters can be above $1,000 each, depending on the type of vehicle and what state it is from. They can be stolen in less than a minute. Additionally, catalytic converters often lack unique serial numbers, VIN information, or other distinctive identification features, making them difficult to trace to their lawful owner. Thus, the theft of catalytic converters has become increasingly popular because of their value, relative ease to steal, and their lack of identifying markings.
Eastern District of California Case
A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of California returned a 40‑count indictment charging nine defendants with conspiracy to transport stolen catalytic converters, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and other related charges.
According to court documents, Tou Sue Vang, 31, and Andrew Vang, 27, and Monica Moua, 51, all of Sacramento, California, allegedly operated an unlicensed business from their personal residence in Sacramento where they bought stolen catalytic converters from local thieves and shipped them to DG Auto Parts LLC (DG Auto) in New Jersey for processing. The defendants allegedly sold over $38 million in stolen catalytic converters to DG Auto.
Defendants Navin Khanna, aka Lovin Khanna, 39; Tinu Khanna, aka Gagan Khanna, 35; Daniel Dolan, 44; Chi Mo, aka David Mo, 37; Wright Louis Mosley, 50; and Ishu Lakra, 24, all of New Jersey, operated DG Auto in multiple locations in New Jersey. They knowingly purchased stolen catalytic converters and, through a “de-canning” process, extracted the precious metal powders from the catalytic core. DG Auto sold the precious metal powders it processed from California and elsewhere to a metal refinery for over $545 million.
“This national takedown exemplifies the complexities of organized criminal operations and stresses the importance of law enforcement collaboration to identify and disrupt all facets of a criminal enterprise,” explained Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “This case demonstrates how investigations often evolve to expose the higher level organizations that fuel street-level crime. While catalytic converter thefts are a significant and pervasive challenge for local law enforcement agencies, these street-level crimes often benefit larger criminal networks. Organized crime must be addressed comprehensively and collaboratively to disrupt these networks and reduce crime in our communities. We are grateful for the commitment and partnership of our local, state, and federal law enforcement colleagues who worked tirelessly to ensure this criminal enterprise was effectively disrupted.”
Northern District of Oklahoma Case
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Oklahoma returned a 40‑count indictment charging 13 defendants with conspiracy to receive stolen catalytic converters, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and other related charges.
According to court documents, together the defendants bought stolen catalytic converters from thieves on the street, then re-sold and shipped them to DG Auto in New Jersey for processing. Over the course of the conspiracy, defendant Tyler James Curtis received over $13 million in wired funds from DG Auto for the shipment of catalytic converters and received over $500,000 from Capital Cores for catalytic converters. Defendant Adam G. Sharkey received over $45 million in wired funds from DG Auto. And defendant Martynas Macerauskas received over $6 million in payments from DG Auto for catalytic converters. In all these incidents, most of the catalytic converters sold to DG Auto were stolen, and DG Auto knew or should have known that when they paid for them.
The 13 defendants are Navin Khanna, 39, of Holmdel, New Jersey; Adam Sharkey, 26, of West Islip, New York; Robert Gary Sharkey, 57, of Babylon, New York; Tyler James Curtis, 26, of Wagoner, Oklahoma; Benjamin Robert Mansour, 24, of Bixby, Oklahoma; Reiss Nicole Biby, 24, of Wagoner, Oklahoma; Martynas Macerauskas, 28, of Leila Lake, Texas; Kristina McKay Macerauskas, 21, of Leila Lake, Texas; Parker Star Weavel, 25, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma; Shane Allen Minnick, 26, of Haskell, Oklahoma; Ryan David LaRue 29, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma; Brian Pate Thomas, 25, of Choteau, Oklahoma; and Michael Anthony Rhoden, 26, of Keifer, Oklahoma.
Trial Attorney Danbee C. Kim of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría for the Eastern District of California, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reagan Reininger and David Nasar for the Northern District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the cases.
The FBI Sacramento, IRS-CI Sacramento, HSI Tulsa, and IRS-CI Tulsa are investigating the cases.
FBI Las Vegas (NV), FBI Richmond (VA), FBI Charlotte (NC), FBI Newark (NJ), FBI Dallas (TX), HSI Dallas (TX), HSI Houston (TX), HSI Amarillo (TX), HSI St. Paul (MN), HSI Long Island (NY), HSI Newark (NJ), IRS-CI Chicago Field Office (IL), IRS-CI Oakland Field Office (CA), IRS-CI Dallas Field Office (TX), IRS-CI Newark Field Office (NJ), Tulsa Police Department (OK), Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office (OK), Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OK), Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office (OK), Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office (OK), Houston Police Department (TX), Amarillo Police Department (TX), Broken Arrow Police Department (OK), Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department (CA), Sacramento Police Department (CA), Davis Police Department (CA), Auburn Police Department (CA), Livermore Police Department (CA), San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (CA), Customs and Border Protection (NJ), Port Authority Police Department of New York and New Jersey (NY; NJ), Hudson County Sheriff’s Office (NJ), Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ), Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office (NJ), Morris Township Police Department (NJ), Springfield Police Department (NJ), New Jersey State Police (NJ), Union County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ), Port Authority of NY & NJ (NY; NJ), Howell Police Department (NJ), Warren Township Police Department (NJ), Freehold Borough Police Department (NJ), Middletown Police Department (NJ), Marlboro Police Department (NJ), Manalapan Police Department (NJ), Ocean County Sheriff’s Office (NJ), Burlington Police Department (NJ), Willingboro Police Department (NJ), Waterfront Commission of NY Harbor (NY), Nassau County Police Department (NY), Suffolk County Police Department (NY), Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (NV), Greensville County Sheriff’s Office (VA), Emporia Police Department (VA), Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office (VA), Halifax County Sheriff’s Office (NC), Saint Paul Police Department (MN), Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau (MN), Blaine Police Department (MN), McLeod County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Anoka County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Carver County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Roseville Police Department (MN), Plymouth Police Department (MN), Bloomington Police Department (MN), Eagan Police Department (MN), Woodbury Police Department (MN), Brown County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Brooklyn Park Police Department (MN), Fridley Police Department (MN), Mendota Heights Police Department (MN), Chaska Police Department (MN), and Coon Rapids Police Department (MN) provided assistance.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department Announces Takedown of Nationwide Catalytic Converter Theft RingRead the Press Release
Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners from across the United States executed a nationwide, coordinated takedown today of leaders and associates of a national network of thieves, dealers, and processors for their roles in conspiracies involving stolen catalytic converters sold to a metal refinery for tens of millions of dollars.
Arrests, searches, and seizures took place in California, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, and Virginia. In total, 21 individuals in five states have been arrested and/or charged for their roles in the conspiracy.
The 21 defendants are charged in two separate indictments that were unsealed today in the Eastern District of California and the Northern District of Oklahoma following extensive law enforcement arrest and search operations. In addition to the indictments, over 32 search warrants were executed, and law enforcement seized millions of dollars in assets, including homes, bank accounts, cash, and luxury vehicles.
“Amidst a rise in catalytic converter thefts across the country, the Justice Department has today carried out an operation arresting 21 defendants and executing 32 search warrants in a nation-wide takedown of a multimillion-dollar catalytic converter theft network,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will continue to work alongside our state and local partners to disrupt criminal conspiracies like this one that target the American people.”
“This national network of criminals hurt victims across the country,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “They made hundreds of millions of dollars in the process—on the backs of thousands of innocent car owners. Today’s charges showcase how the FBI and its partners act together to stop crimes that hurt all too many Americans.”
“With California’s higher emission standards, our community has become a hot bed for catalytic converter theft,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “Last year approximately 1,600 catalytic converters were reportedly stolen in California each month, and California accounts for 37% of all catalytic converter theft claims nationwide. I am proud to announce that we have indicted nine people who are at the core of catalytic theft in our community and nationwide.”
“In Tulsa alone, more than 2,000 catalytic converters were stolen in the past year,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “Organized criminal activity, including the large-scale theft of catalytic converters, is costly to victims and too often places citizens and law enforcement in danger. The collective work conducted by federal prosecutors and more than 10 different law enforcement agencies led to the filing of charges in the Northern District of Oklahoma against 13 defendants operating an alleged catalytic converter theft operation.”
“The success of this national takedown highlights the importance and necessity of dynamic law enforcement partnerships that we foster at DHS every single day," said Deputy Secretary John K. Tien of the Department of Homeland Security. “This calculated, cooperative whole-of-government approach across multiple states illustrates our commitment to protecting the homeland from those who seek to profit from sophisticated schemes. Homeland Security Investigations [HSI] will continue to focus its efforts on keeping these types of criminal elements off our streets while dismantling the groups behind these and other thefts.”
“Just like the precious metal inside every catalytic converter, there’s a money trail at the core of every criminal scheme,” said Chief Jim Lee of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Our IRS-CI special agents and partners are incredibly well-versed at unraveling financial trails, and this case is not unique. There are real victims here – friends, neighbors, and businesses – and our hope is that today’s arrests will deter similar criminal activity.”
Catalytic Converters
Catalytic converters are a component of an automotive vehicle's exhaust device that reduce the toxic gas and pollutants from a vehicle's internal combustion engine into safe emissions. Catalytic converters use precious metals in their center, or “core”, and are regularly targeted for theft due to the high value of these metals, especially the precious metals palladium, platinum, and rhodium. Some of these precious metals are more valuable per ounce than gold and their value has been increasing in recent years. The black-market price for catalytic converters can be above $1,000 each, depending on the type of vehicle and what state it is from. They can be stolen in less than a minute. Additionally, catalytic converters often lack unique serial numbers, VIN information, or other distinctive identification features, making them difficult to trace to their lawful owner. Thus, the theft of catalytic converters has become increasingly popular because of their value, relative ease to steal, and their lack of identifying markings.
Eastern District of California Case
A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of California returned a 40‑count indictment charging nine defendants with conspiracy to transport stolen catalytic converters, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and other related charges.
According to court documents, brothers Tou Sue Vang, 31, and Andrew Vang, 27, and Monica Moua, 51, all of Sacramento, California, allegedly operated an unlicensed business from their personal residence in Sacramento where they bought stolen catalytic converters from local thieves and shipped them to DG Auto Parts LLC (DG Auto) in New Jersey for processing. The Vang family allegedly sold over $38 million in stolen catalytic converters to DG Auto.
Defendants Navin Khanna, aka Lovin Khanna, 39; Tinu Khanna, aka Gagan Khanna, 35; Daniel Dolan, 44; Chi Mo, aka David Mo, 37; Wright Louis Mosley, 50; and Ishu Lakra, 24, all of New Jersey, operated DG Auto in multiple locations in New Jersey. They knowingly purchased stolen catalytic converters and, through a “de-canning” process, extracted the precious metal powders from the catalytic core. DG Auto sold the precious metal powders it processed from California and elsewhere to a metal refinery for over $545 million.
Northern District of Oklahoma Case
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Oklahoma returned a 40‑count indictment charging 13 defendants with conspiracy to receive stolen catalytic converters, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and other related charges.
According to court documents, together the defendants bought stolen catalytic converters from thieves on the street, then re-sold and shipped them to DG Auto in New Jersey for processing. Over the course of the conspiracy, defendant Tyler James Curtis received over $13 million in wired funds from DG Auto for the shipment of catalytic converters and received over $500,000 from Capital Cores for catalytic converters. Defendant Adam G. Sharkey received over $45 million in wired funds from DG Auto. And defendant Martynas Macerauskas received over $6 million in payments from DG Auto for catalytic converters. In all these incidents, most of the catalytic converters sold to DG Auto were stolen, and DG Auto knew or should have known that when they paid for them.
The 13 defendants are Navin Khanna, 39, of Holmdel, New Jersey; Adam Sharkey, 26, of West Islip, New York; Robert Gary Sharkey, 57, of Babylon, New York; Tyler James Curtis, 26, of Wagoner, Oklahoma; Benjamin Robert Mansour, 24, of Bixby, Oklahoma; Reiss Nicole Biby, 24, of Wagoner, Oklahoma; Martynas Macerauskas, 28, of Leila Lake, Texas; Kristina McKay Macerauskas, 21, of Leila Lake, Texas; Parker Star Weavel, 25, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma; Shane Allen Minnick, 26, of Haskell, Oklahoma; Ryan David LaRue 29, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma; Brian Pate Thomas, 25, of Choteau, Oklahoma; and Michael Anthony Rhoden, 26, of Keifer, Oklahoma.
Trial Attorney Danbee C. Kim of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría for the Eastern District of California, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reagan Reininger and David Nasar for the Northern District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the cases.
The FBI Sacramento, IRS-CI Sacramento, HSI Tulsa, and IRS-CI Tulsa are investigating the cases.
FBI Las Vegas (NV), FBI Richmond (VA), FBI Charlotte (NC), FBI Newark (NJ), FBI Dallas (TX), HSI Dallas (TX), HSI Houston (TX), HSI Amarillo (TX), HSI St. Paul (MN), HSI Long Island (NY), HSI Newark (NJ), IRS-CI Chicago Field Office (IL), IRS-CI Oakland Field Office (CA), IRS-CI Dallas Field Office (TX), IRS-CI Newark Field Office (NJ), Tulsa Police Department (OK), Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office (OK), Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OK), Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office (OK), Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office (OK), Houston Police Department (TX), Amarillo Police Department (TX), Broken Arrow Police Department (OK), Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department (CA), Sacramento Police Department (CA), Davis Police Department (CA), Auburn Police Department (CA), Livermore Police Department (CA), San Bernardino County Sherriff’s Department (CA), Customs and Border Protection (NJ), Port Authority Police Department of New York and New Jersey (NY; NJ), Hudson County Sheriff’s Office (NJ), Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ), Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office (NJ), Morris Township Police Department (NJ), Springfield Police Department (NJ), New Jersey State Police (NJ), Union County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ), Port Authority of NY & NJ (NY; NJ), Howell Police Department (NJ), Warren Township Police Department (NJ), Freehold Borough Police Department (NJ), Middletown Police Department (NJ), Marlboro Police Department (NJ), Manalapan Police Department (NJ), Ocean County Sheriff’s Office (NJ), Burlington Police Department (NJ), Willingboro Police Department (NJ), Waterfront Commission of NY Harbor (NY), Nassau County Police Department (NY), Suffolk County Police Department (NY), Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (NV), Greensville County Sheriff’s Office (VA), Emporia Police Department (VA), Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office (VA), Halifax County Sheriff’s Office (NC), Saint Paul Police Department (MN), Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau (MN), Blaine Police Department (MN), McLeod County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Anoka County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Carver County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Roseville Police Department (MN), Plymouth Police Department (MN), Bloomington Police Department (MN), Eagan Police Department (MN), Woodbury Police Department (MN), Brown County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Brooklyn Park Police Department (MN), Fridley Police Department (MN), Mendota Heights Police Department (MN), Chaska Police Department (MN), and Coon Rapids Police Department (MN) provided assistance.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department Announces Takedown of Nationwide Catalytic Converter Theft RingRead the Press Release
Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners from across the United States executed a nationwide, coordinated takedown today of leaders and associates of a national network of thieves, dealers, and processors for their roles in conspiracies involving stolen catalytic converters sold to a metal refinery for tens of millions of dollars.
Arrests, searches, and seizures took place in California, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, and Virginia. In total, 21 individuals in five states have been arrested and/or charged for their roles in the conspiracy.
The 21 defendants are charged in two separate indictments that were unsealed today in the Eastern District of California and the Northern District of Oklahoma following extensive law enforcement arrest and search operations. In addition to the indictments, over 32 search warrants were executed, and law enforcement seized millions of dollars in assets, including homes, bank accounts, cash, and luxury vehicles.
“Amidst a rise in catalytic converter thefts across the country, the Justice Department has today carried out an operation arresting 21 defendants and executing 32 search warrants in a nation-wide takedown of a multimillion-dollar catalytic converter theft network,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will continue to work alongside our state and local partners to disrupt criminal conspiracies like this one that target the American people.”
“This national network of criminals hurt victims across the country,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “They made hundreds of millions of dollars in the process—on the backs of thousands of innocent car owners. Today’s charges showcase how the FBI and its partners act together to stop crimes that hurt all too many Americans.”
“With California’s higher emission standards, our community has become a hot bed for catalytic converter theft,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “Last year approximately 1,600 catalytic converters were reportedly stolen in California each month, and California accounts for 37% of all catalytic converter theft claims nationwide. I am proud to announce that we have indicted nine people who are at the core of catalytic theft in our community and nationwide.”
“In Tulsa alone, more than 2,000 catalytic converters were stolen in the past year,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “Organized criminal activity, including the large-scale theft of catalytic converters, is costly to victims and too often places citizens and law enforcement in danger. The collective work conducted by federal prosecutors and more than 10 different law enforcement agencies led to the filing of charges in the Northern District of Oklahoma against 13 defendants operating an alleged catalytic converter theft operation.”
“The success of this national takedown highlights the importance and necessity of dynamic law enforcement partnerships that we foster at DHS every single day," said Deputy Secretary John K. Tien of the Department of Homeland Security. “This calculated, cooperative whole-of-government approach across multiple states illustrates our commitment to protecting the homeland from those who seek to profit from sophisticated schemes. Homeland Security Investigations [HSI] will continue to focus its efforts on keeping these types of criminal elements off our streets while dismantling the groups behind these and other thefts.”
“Just like the precious metal inside every catalytic converter, there’s a money trail at the core of every criminal scheme,” said Chief Jim Lee of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Our IRS-CI special agents and partners are incredibly well-versed at unraveling financial trails, and this case is not unique. There are real victims here – friends, neighbors, and businesses – and our hope is that today’s arrests will deter similar criminal activity.”
Catalytic Converters
Catalytic converters are a component of an automotive vehicle's exhaust device that reduce the toxic gas and pollutants from a vehicle's internal combustion engine into safe emissions. Catalytic converters use precious metals in their center, or “core”, and are regularly targeted for theft due to the high value of these metals, especially the precious metals palladium, platinum, and rhodium. Some of these precious metals are more valuable per ounce than gold and their value has been increasing in recent years. The black-market price for catalytic converters can be above $1,000 each, depending on the type of vehicle and what state it is from. They can be stolen in less than a minute. Additionally, catalytic converters often lack unique serial numbers, VIN information, or other distinctive identification features, making them difficult to trace to their lawful owner. Thus, the theft of catalytic converters has become increasingly popular because of their value, relative ease to steal, and their lack of identifying markings.
Eastern District of California Case
A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of California returned a 40‑count indictment charging nine defendants with conspiracy to transport stolen catalytic converters, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and other related charges.
According to court documents, brothers Tou Sue Vang, 31, and Andrew Vang, 27, and Monica Moua, all of Sacramento, California, allegedly operated an unlicensed business from their personal residence in Sacramento where they bought stolen catalytic converters from local thieves and shipped them to DG Auto Parts LLC (DG Auto) in New Jersey for processing. The Vang family allegedly sold over $38 million in stolen catalytic converters to DG Auto.
Defendants Navin Khanna, aka Lovin Khanna, 39; Tinu Khanna, aka Gagan Khanna, 35; Daniel Dolan, 44; Chi Mo, aka David Mo, 37; Wright Louis Mosley, 50; and Ishu Lakra, 24, all of New Jersey, operated DG Auto in multiple locations in New Jersey. They knowingly purchased stolen catalytic converters and, through a “de-canning” process, extracted the precious metal powders from the catalytic core. DG Auto sold the precious metal powders it processed from California and elsewhere to a metal refinery for over $545 million.
Northern District of Oklahoma Case
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Oklahoma returned a 40‑count indictment charging 13 defendants with conspiracy to receive stolen catalytic converters, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and other related charges.
According to court documents, together the defendants bought stolen catalytic converters from thieves on the street, then re-sold and shipped them to DG Auto in New Jersey for processing. Over the course of the conspiracy, defendant Tyler James Curtis received over $13 million in wired funds from DG Auto for the shipment of catalytic converters and received over $500,000 from Capital Cores for catalytic converters. Defendant Adam G. Sharkey received over $45 million in wired funds from DG Auto. And defendant Martynas Macerauskas received over $6 million in payments from DG Auto for catalytic converters. In all these incidents, most of the catalytic converters sold to DG Auto were stolen, and DG Auto knew or should have known that when they paid for them.
The 13 defendants are Navin Khanna, 39, of Holmdel, New Jersey; Adam Sharkey, 26, of West Islip, New York; Robert Gary Sharkey, 57, of Babylon, New York; Tyler James Curtis, 26, of Wagoner, Oklahoma; Benjamin Robert Mansour, 24, of Bixby, Oklahoma; Reiss Nicole Biby, 24, of Wagoner, Oklahoma; Martynas Macerauskas, 28, of Leila Lake, Texas; Kristina McKay Macerauskas, 21, of Leila Lake, Texas; Parker Star Weavel, 25, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma; Shane Allen Minnick, 26, of Haskell, Oklahoma; Ryan David LaRue 29, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma; Brian Pate Thomas, 25, of Choteau, Oklahoma; and Michael Anthony Rhoden, 26, of Keifer, Oklahoma.
Operation Heavy Metal was led by Homeland Security Investigations and IRS-Criminal Investigation. Oklahoma agencies that also contributed to the lengthy investigation included the Tulsa Police Department, Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office. (see a complete list of participating agencies at the bottom of the press release. Also see attachments for NDOK indictment and Regional law enforcement leadership quotes from HSI-Dallas, IRS-Criminal Investigation-Dallas, Tulsa Police Department, Tulsa County Sheriff's Office, and the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office)
Trial Attorney Danbee C. Kim of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría for the Eastern District of California, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reagan Reininger and David Nasar for the Northern District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the cases.
The FBI Sacramento, IRS-CI Sacramento, HSI Tulsa, and IRS-CI Tulsa are investigating the cases.
FBI Las Vegas (NV), FBI Richmond (VA), FBI Charlotte (NC), FBI Newark (NJ), FBI Dallas (TX), HSI Dallas (TX), HSI Houston (TX), HSI Amarillo (TX), HSI St. Paul (MN), HSI Long Island (NY), HSI Newark (NJ), IRS-CI Chicago Field Office (IL), IRS-CI Oakland Field Office (CA), IRS-CI Dallas Field Office (TX), IRS-CI Newark Field Office (NJ), Tulsa Police Department (OK), Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office (OK), Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OK), Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office (OK), Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office (OK), Houston Police Department (TX), Amarillo Police Department (TX), Broken Arrow Police Department (OK), Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department (CA), Sacramento Police Department (CA), Davis Police Department (CA), Auburn Police Department (CA), Livermore Police Department (CA), San Bernardino County Sherriff’s Department (CA), Customs and Border Protection (NJ), Port Authority Police Department of New York and New Jersey (NY; NJ), Hudson County Sheriff’s Office (NJ), Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ), Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office (NJ), Morris Township Police Department (NJ), Springfield Police Department (NJ), New Jersey State Police (NJ), Union County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ), Port Authority of NY & NJ (NY; NJ), Howell Police Department (NJ), Warren Township Police Department (NJ), Freehold Borough Police Department (NJ), Middletown Police Department (NJ), Marlboro Police Department (NJ), Manalapan Police Department (NJ), Ocean County Sheriff’s Office (NJ), Burlington Police Department (NJ), Willingboro Police Department (NJ), Waterfront Commission of NY Harbor (NY), Nassau County Police Department (NY), Suffolk County Police Department (NY), Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (NV), Greensville County Sheriff’s Office (VA), Emporia Police Department (VA), Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office (VA), Halifax County Sheriff’s Office (NC), Saint Paul Police Department (MN), Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau (MN), Blaine Police Department (MN), McLeod County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Anoka County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Carver County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Roseville Police Department (MN), Plymouth Police Department (MN), Bloomington Police Department (MN), Eagan Police Department (MN), Woodbury Police Department (MN), Brown County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Brooklyn Park Police Department (MN), Fridley Police Department (MN), Mendota Heights Police Department (MN), Chaska Police Department (MN), and Coon Rapids Police Department (MN) provided assistance.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jury convicts felon of illegally carrying firearmRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A U.S. District Court jury convicted a Richmond County man of illegally carrying a gun after previously being convicted of a felony.
Christopher Fitzgerald Jones, 35, of Augusta, was found guilty of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Jones’ conviction subjects him to a statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison, without parole.
“Convicted felons perpetuate violent crime in our communities by illegally carrying guns,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to remove these criminals from our streets.”
As presented at trial, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office investigators were planning to arrest Jones in October 2021 on a felony warrant when he drove away from a home under surveillance. As the investigators followed his vehicle, Jones abruptly stopped his car and stepped out, facing the police vehicle. As he was taken into custody, the investigators found a loaded 9 mm semiautomatic pistol in Jones’ back pocket.
From the beginning of the trial, both sides agreed that Jones knew, as a previously convicted felon, that it was illegal for him to carry a firearm. Jones has a violent criminal history, including convictions in state court for domestic violence and illegal gun possession.
Sentencing before U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall will be scheduled following completion of a pre-sentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services.
“Today’s announcement is a perfect answer to one of our most important ‘whys’ – why we chose to protect and serve the public. Illegal firearm possession in our communities is dangerous and damaging to everyone involved in the criminal activity,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “ATF will remain in lockstep with our local, state and federal partners in our continuing effort to combat violent crime and maintain public safety.”
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry W. Syms Jr. and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Spitulnik.
Jury Convicts Independence Man Following Home InvasionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man has been convicted by a federal trial jury of illegally possessing the firearm he used in a home invasion robbery.
Theodore Watkins Jr., 32, was found guilty on Tuesday, Nov. 1, of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Independence police officers were called to a residence at 11:25 a.m. on May 12 by a neighbor who reported that he saw Watkins push his way into the residence of an elderly woman. The caller said they thought they observed something in the man’s hand when he forced entry.
Officers arrived at the residence and established a perimeter. A SWAT unit and hostage negotiators also arrived, and after making announcements on the loudspeaker, the victim came out of the residence through the front door. A short time later, Watkins came out of the residence and was taken into custody.
The victim, who was visibly shaken and had bruising on her right arm, told investigators that Watkins originally came to her door and offered to mow her lawn. He came back a few minutes later, she said, and forced the door open, forcing his way into the residence. Watkins pointed a loaded Sig Sauer 9mm handgun at her and said, “Where’s the money?”
Watkins dumped out her purse and took the money from it, then began going through her dresser drawers, closets, and other areas of the house. He used her cordless phone and her cell phone to make calls, including a call to his wife. At one point, while he was on the phone telling his wife to come and pick him up, he asked the victim for her address.
When police arrived, Watkins told the victim to tell officers they were friends and he was helping her do yard work. Watkins threatened that, if she didn’t, he would have his friends come back and kill her. Watkins hid his gun in a furnace return air vent in the bedroom. Police officers found the firearm when they searched the house.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Watkins has two prior felony convictions for robbery, two prior felony convictions for burglary, two prior felony convictions for armed criminal action, and prior felony convictions for drug trafficking, kidnapping, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for about an hour and 15 minutes before returning a guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark, ending a trial that began Monday, Oct. 31.
Under federal statutes, Watkins is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefan C. Hughes. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Jacksonville Armed Meth Trafficker Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Lee Graham, a 31-year-old Jacksonville man, was sentenced on November 2, 2022, to 180 months in prison and 60 months of supervised release for trafficking more than 229 grams of crystal methamphetamine and using a firearm in connection with such drug trafficking. On August 4, 2022, Graham, who has three prior state drug trafficking convictions, pled guilty to the federal charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Jacksonville Police Department (“JPD”) had received information that led them to believe that Graham was trafficking in large quantities of crystal meth. From November 2020, through mid-January 2021, the JPD utilized an undercover agent and a cooperating informant to conduct ten controlled purchases of illegal drugs from Graham. During the controlled purchases, Graham sold a total of 229 grams of crystal meth (having a purity rate of 98-99%), 12 grams of fentanyl, and quantities of crack cocaine and heroin. Graham, who was on state probation at the time he was involved in his most recent drug trafficking, used and carried a Smith and Wesson handgun during the last controlled purchase.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Jacksonville Police Department, the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, the Carteret County Sheriff’s Office, and the ATF Wilmington Resident Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis M. Duffy 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. 2:21-CR-00018-BO.
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Instagram Personality Known as “Jay Mazini” Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud Conspiracy and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Jebara Igbara, also known as “Jay Mazini,” pleaded guilty in federal court in Brooklyn to a three count information charging him with wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering. As set forth in the information, up until March 2021, Igbara maintained a popular Instagram account under the name “Jay Mazini,” where he would post videos depicting, among other things, occasions during which he would hand out large amounts of cash to various individuals as gifts. In reality, Igbara was perpetrating overlapping fraud schemes, scamming investors out of at least $8 million.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI) announced the guilty plea.
“With today’s plea, the defendant has admitted to leveraging his Instagram popularity to prey upon innocent investors and steal at least $8 million of their hard-earned money,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Together with our agency partners, this Office is committed to bringing scammers to justice.”
“As he admitted today, Igbara deliberately operated multiple scams to cheat a multitude of investors out of their money. The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to stopping fraudsters of all types and holding them accountable in the criminal justice system,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.
“All the victims in this case were promised something that was too good to be true. Those in the Ponzi scheme were all assured a high rate of return in a short amount of time, while the victims of the Bitcoin advance fee scheme were guaranteed above current market value for their Bitcoin. This multi-million dollar case is a reminder for anyone thinking of investing: Be skeptical of any investments with larger than life promises, because if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Fattorusso.
As detailed in the information, Igbara is charged with perpetrating a scheme to defraud members of the Muslim-American community in New York by soliciting their money for purported investments in stock, electronics resale, and purchases of COVID-19 related personal protective equipment (PPE). In reality, Igbara was operating a Ponzi scheme, and misappropriated nearly all of the money for his personal expenses and gambling.
To raise money in order to pay his investors “returns,” and keep them on the hook, Igbara also perpetrated a second fraudulent scheme, wherein he posted on his Instagram and other social media accounts that he was willing to pay above-market prices for various cryptocurrencies. He would then send his victims doctored images of wire transfer confirmations that purported to show he had sent money for the cryptocurrency as promised, when in reality, the payment was never sent, and Igbara was merely stealing the cryptocurrency sent by his victim.
When sentenced, Igbara faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business & Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Howard Elbert is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JEBARA IGBARA (also known as “Jay Mazini”)
Age: 27
Edgewater, New JerseyE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-424 (FB)
Hartford Gang Member Guilty of 2013 Drug-Related MurderRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Hartford Police Chief Jason Thody today announced that a federal jury in Hartford has found ANTWANE WILLIAMS-BEY, also known as “Buck,” 31, guilty of the drug-related murder of Valentin Santos Jr., 21, in Hartford in 2013.
The trial before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea began on October 20 and the jury returned the guilty verdict this afternoon.
According to evidence at trial, on August 12, 2013, Williams-Bey, a member of the Orange Street Killas (OSK) street gang, shot and killed Santos, also known as “Macho” and “Ubby,” on Linnmoore Street in Hartford in retaliation for a theft of Williams-Bey’s drug stash/money. Santos was shot approximately 12 times, mostly in the back.
At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Williams-Bey faces a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
Williams-Bey has been detained in federal custody since February 2017 and is currently serving an 84-month federal sentence for distributing heroin and crack cocaine.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department's Major Crimes Division. The Task Force includes members of the FBI, Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Leaming and Robert S. Ruff.
Former Rikers Correction Officer Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Taking Bribes to Smuggle Contraband to InmatesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that RASHAWN ASSANAH was sentenced today to 27 months in prison and more than $18,000 in financial penalties for taking bribes from inmates to smuggle contraband into a Rikers Island facility. ASSANAH previously was arrested on May 26, 2021, and later pled guilty to bribery and conspiracy charges. United States District Judge Colleen McMahon imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Rashawn Assanah violated his oath to protect inmates in his care when he accepted cash bribes to smuggle dangerous contraband into Rikers Island. That conduct was outrageous and unacceptable. His prison sentence should send a clear message to any correction officer who may be tempted to smuggle contraband to inmates: this is a serious crime that leads to serious jail time.”
As reflected in the Indictment, public filings, and statements made in public proceedings:
RASHAWN ASSANAH abused his position as a correction officer to smuggle contraband, including cigarettes, K2, and a weapon, into the Robert N. Davoren Center on Rikers Island in return for over $7,500 in bribes from at least in or about November 2020 up through and including in or about February 2021.
Following ASSANAH’s guilty plea and before sentencing, and in order to adjourn his sentencing, ASSANAH lied to the court by claiming to have cancer and be undergoing chemotherapy — even submitting a forged note from a doctor who does not exist to substantiate his bogus claims.
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ASSANAH, 26, of Queens, New York, pled guilty on October 22, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to commit federal crimes and one count of federal program bribery. In addition to his prison term, ASSANAH was sentenced to three years of supervised release, ordered to forfeit $7,500.00, and directed to pay $10,935.60 in restitution to the New York City Department of Correction.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Department of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit, and Assistant United States Attorneys Marguerite Colson and Jarrod L. Schaeffer are in charge of the prosecution.
Former High School Teacher and Theme Park Employee Sentenced to 10 Years for Attempting to Meet A Minor for SexRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Dennis Lee Line (53, Winter Springs) to 10 years in federal prison for attempting to coerce or entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. A federal jury had found him guilty on August 11, 2022.
According to evidence admitted during trial, Line, who most recently taught at Oviedo High School for 18 years (ending in 2019), met who he believed to be a 15-year-old girl on a dating application on February 9, 2022. Later that day, the 15-year-old girl and Line began sending text messages to each other. In the text messages, Line initiated a discussion about sex and meeting later that night so that he could teach her about sex and perform oral sex on her.
Line agreed to meet the 15-year-old girl in Orange County after he left his job at a theme park. Unbeknownst to Line, the 15-year-old girl was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Line was arrested when he arrived at the meeting location.
This case was investigated by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Orlando Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn P. Napier.