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28 October 2022
Texas Man Sentenced to Prison for $375,000 Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Leonard Theodore Kern, 68, of Plano, Texas, was sentenced today to 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for obstruction of justice involving an investment scheme that cost a West Virginia woman $375,000. Kern must also pay $130,000 in restitution.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between May 17, 2012, and July 9, 2012, Kern convinced the victim to invest a total of $375,000 in a “Private Placement Platform” with two other individuals. Kern promised a low-risk financial transaction for an exclusive group of investors and an abnormally high rate of return over a period of just two months.
Kern admitted that he knew the victim’s funds were depleted by the middle of 2013, and she would receive no return on her investment. A federal investigation resulted, and grand jury subpoenas were served upon a company owned and controlled by Kern seeking documentation and records related to the investment transactions. Kern admitted that he intentionally obstructed the grand jury investigation by concealing hundreds of documents responsive to the grand jury subpoenas.
Kern further admitted that he personally benefited in the amount of approximately $130,000 from the unauthorized depletion of the victim’s money. Kern bought an expensive personal vehicle, made routine personal debit transactions, and spent the victim’s funds on home mortgage payments.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-183.
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Tennessee Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Tennessee man was sentenced today to five years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for the distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Mario Lavonta Ward, 47, of Memphis, admitted that he sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant for $200 near Beckley on June 8, 2021. Ward further admitted that on that same date, officers executed a search warrant at the residence where the drug transaction had occurred and found additional quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, a firearm, and $6,500 in cash. The cash recovered included the $200 used by the confidential informant to purchase the fentanyl.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Ward knew he was prohibited from possessing the firearm because of a prior felony conviction. Ward agreed to forfeit the firearm and the money.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit is comprised of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-229.
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Ten Men Charged with Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On September 15, 2022, a Tucson federal grand jury returned an indictment charging 51 firearms-related offenses against the following individuals:
- Julian Canastillo
- Daniel Canastillo Molina
- Omar Trujillo, Jr.
- Carlos Martinez
- Nicolas Meraz
- Timothy Scott Waltermire, Jr.
- Tylor Cody Joiner
- Roy Glen Cline III
- Corey Creasia
- David Rey Gonzalez
The indictment alleges that the 10 individuals were members of a Tucson-based firearms trafficking organization. The investigation leading to their indictment involved a series of firearms transactions that resulted in firearms being seized in the Republic of Mexico.
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.
All 10 individuals charged in the indictment face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela W. Woolridge, Matthew C. Cassell, and Craig Russell, District of Arizona, Tucson, are handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-1857-TUC-JCH-BGM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-196_Trujillo, 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.Two Venezuelans Apprehended Near St. Croix Sentenced in Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine on Board a Vessel CaseRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Francisco Rodriguez-Infante, age 28, and Johnny Rodriguez-Rodriguez, age 30, two of eleven Venezuelan nationals apprehended at sea off the coast of St. Croix, were sentenced on October 27, 2022 to 41 months imprisonment followed by 2 years supervised release by U.S. Judge Wilma Lewis on the charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine while on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. In addition, they must pay a $100 special assessment fee and are subject to deportation.
According to court documents, on the evening of September 25, 2019, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Donald Horsley intercepted a suspicious 55-foot vessel named La Gran Tormenta displaying Venezuelan nationality indicia approximately 38 nautical miles south of St. Croix. Occupants of the La Gran Tormenta failed to respond to USCG’s efforts to engage in questioning of the crew, and upon detection, the La Gran Tormenta changed course and began jettisoning packages. Crew members from the USCG Cutter Donald Horsley subsequently retrieved two bales from the water. The two jettisoned bales contained packages with brick-shaped objects which were subsequently laboratory tested and found to contain approximately 49 kilograms of cocaine hydrocholoride (powder cocaine).
After requesting and receiving permission to stop the vessel from Venezuela, the flag state, USCG personnel attempted a right-of-visit boarding which was ineffective because crew on the La Gran Tormenta disregarded the USCG’s instructions. Eventually, USCG personnel obtained control of the La Gran Tormenta through use of an entanglement tactic which stopped the vessel’s engine. A USCG counter-drug boarding team later encountered 11 persons, including the defendants.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and Customs and Border Protection. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz. This prosecution 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.
Statement of U.S. Attorney Damian Williams on the Conviction of Timothy SheaRead the Press Release
"Timothy Shea and his co-defendants orchestrated a crowdfunding scheme to purportedly raise funds to erect a border wall between Mexico and the United States. We Build The Wall’s public campaign promised that 100% of the funds raised would be used to build the wall, which induced over 100,000 victims to donate. Shea and his co-defendants lied. And they stole over $25 million from their victims.
Months ago, this Office stated our belief in the powerful and compelling evidence that showed Shea’s guilt. Today, a unanimous jury has convicted Shea on all counts in the indictment. I commend the prosecutors of this Office for their perseverance in ensuring justice was done."St. Charles County Man Admits Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Charles County on Friday admitted possessing and sharing child pornography online.
James Schoggins, 41, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel to one felony count of possession of child pornography.
Schoggins admitted possessing videos and images on his laptop computer of a teenage girl, dating back to when she was 13 or 14. Schoggins told the minor what type of images and videos to send to him and engaged in sexual communications with her, his plea says.
He also possessed 421 other videos and 148 images of child pornography.
Schoggins sent child pornography via Kik Messenger and recommended a way to share child sexual abuse material. Claiming to be a 17-year-old male, Schoggins communicated via WhatsApp with someone claiming to be 16 and exchanged nude pictures with her.
After Schoggins accessed multiple images containing child pornography on his Snapchat account, Snapchat reported him to the National center for Missing and Exploited Children, triggering an investigation by law enforcement.
Schoggins is scheduled to be sentenced February 3. He could face up to 20 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the St. Charles County Cybercrime Task Force and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is handling the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Trafficking Heroin Laced with FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield for drug trafficking offenses involving fentanyl.
David Cruz, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to three years in prison and three years of supervised release. On May 23, 2022, Cruz pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
In January 2021, Cruz sold 9,816 bags of fentanyl laced heroin, with a total weight of 120 grams, to a cooperating witness. In March 2021, a total of 55,703 bags – with a combined weight of 600 grams – of fentanyl laced heroin was seized from Cruz.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Holyoke Police Department, and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of Rollins’ Springfield Office prosecuted the case.
Spring Hill Man Found Guilty of Manufacturing and Aiding in Passing of Counterfeit Bills Throughout North FloridaRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Derrick Kamran Collins (31, Spring Hill) has been found guilty of manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve Notes (FRN), aiding and abetting the passing of counterfeit FRN, and possession of counterfeit FRN. Collins faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count and forfeiture of funds that represents the illicit proceeds from the offenses.
According to court documents, from 2017 to March 2019, Collins acted as the source of supply for counterfeit FRN for various individuals throughout the Middle District of Florida. Collins was part of a scheme to pass the counterfeit FRN in order to defraud businesses. After successfully passing counterfeit FRN at businesses, individuals would pay Collins a portion of the proceeds. On March 26, 2019, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that contained multiple people, including Collins, at the River City Marketplace shopping center for suspicion of passing counterfeit FRN. During a search of the vehicle, officers recovered multiple counterfeit $100 FRN throughout the vehicle and in the glove box. Subsequently, law enforcement was able to determine Collins as the source of supply for the counterfeit FRN that were passed by various individuals in the North Florida area, including at the River City Marketplace.
On November 21, 2019, the New Port Richey Police Department (NPRPD)
conducted a traffic stop at approximately 1:00 a.m. on a Dodge Charger driven by the registered owner, Collins. Upon making contact with Collins, law enforcement observed signs of impairment. During a subsequent DUI investigation, Collins refused to participate in field sobriety exercises and was arrested for DUI. During an inventory search in order to tow the vehicle from the area, the NPRPD located several sheets of counterfeit $100 bills in various stages of manufacturing in the trunk of the vehicle, and computer media. In the vehicle’s glove box, officers located completed counterfeit FRN and illicit proceeds from the passing of counterfeit FRN, bundled together.
This prosecution was part of a long-term investigation into counterfeit FRN being passed in the areas of New Port Richey and North Florida. To date, Collins is the fourth individual prosecuted in connection with this activity. In February 2020, Charles Alexander Coriaty, III (Tampa) was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison for passing counterfeit FRN supplied by Collins and was ordered to pay restitution to the businesses that he defrauded. In June 2020, Brett Lawrence Rozenburgh (Tampa) was sentenced to 13 months’ imprisonment for passing counterfeit FRN supplied by Collins and was ordered to pay restitution to the businesses that he defrauded. In September 2020, Samantha Jade Falcone (Tampa) was sentenced to 2 years’ federal supervision for passing counterfeit FRN supplied by Collins and was ordered to pay restitution to the businesses that she defrauded.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the New Port Richey Police Department, and the United States Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Mai Tran.
Spokane Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Senior United States District Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson sentenced Bobby Charles Owens, 46, of Spokane, Washington, to 12 years in federal prison for persuading a minor girl to produce sexual images of herself and then meeting her in person for the purpose of engaging in sex with her. Judge Peterson also ordered Owens to serve the remainder of his life on federal supervision after he is released from prison. Owens pleaded guilty earlier this year.
According to court documents and proceedings, Owens used Facebook to solicit the minor girl to engage in sexual misconduct with him. Knowing that the girl was between 14 and 18, Owens met her in person for the purpose of having sex with her, after requesting that she take and send him sexual images of herself. Owens was charged with child sex trafficking and child pornography crimes.
Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, praised the victim’s bravery and commended the FBI’s sensitive and victim-centered approach to its investigation. “Children must be safe from sexual predators, whether they are online or in person,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “FBI and the Spokane Police Department, along with victim specialists and forensic examiners all took care to put the minor’s needs at the forefront of their investigation. Protecting children from harm, especially sexual exploitation online and IRL (in real life), is critical to building a safe and strong Eastern Washington community.”
“It is difficult to think of an act more despicable than victimizing a child,” said Richard Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Seattle Field Office. “I especially appreciate the professionalism of the investigators who worked on this case. I hope today’s sentence provides some comfort to a young person who endured a situation no one should ever have to face.”
Project Safe Childhood Coordinator David M. Herzog added, “Above all, I commend the victim on having the strength to come forward and shine a light on Mr. Owens’ misconduct. Today this strong, brave young woman can turn the page on this chapter in her life and look forward to a bright future.”
This case was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the United States Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
This case was investigated by the Spokane Resident Office of the FBI, with significant assistance from the Spokane Police Department. The case was prosecuted by David M. Herzog, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
South Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm Charges Related to Gun Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, announced that MARQUIS JEROME POLLARD, 42, of Yemassee, South Carolina, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the Spring of 2021, ATF Task Force officers learned that Pollard used straw purchasers to obtain firearms in South Carolina, and sold the firearms in Connecticut. On April 19, 2021, investigators made a controlled purchase of a 9mm Glock handgun and a drum magazine from Pollard and Quinn Mooring in New Haven in exchange for $1,500. The firearm was one of five 9mm handguns that had been purchased by an individual at a pawn shop in Port Royal, South Carolina, in the month prior to the transaction in Connecticut.
Pollard was arrested on May 3, 2021, in South Carolina. At the time of his arrest, he possessed three handguns.
Pollard’s criminal history includes a state felony conviction for second degree burglary, as well as other offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Pollard was charged by indictment in both the District of Connecticut and in the District of South Carolina. The South Carolina case was transferred to Connecticut for further prosecution.
Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for January 20, 2023, at which time Pollard faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Pollard has been detained since his arrest.
On January 13, 2022, Mooring, of New Haven, pleaded guilty of possession of a firearm by a felon. He awaits sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), West Haven Police Department and New Haven Police Department. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Konstantin Lantsman. The South Carolina case was handled by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carra J. Henderson in the District of South Carolina.
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.
Simulation Training Shows Community Stakeholders What it’s Like for Former Inmates to Reintegrate into SocietyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Many criminal justice professionals have tried this exercise and struggled. It’s not easy, but a recent Re-Entry Simulation training held at Riverside House in Miami gave community stakeholders a look at what it’s like for former inmates trying to make it in society.
Sponsored by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, this simulation used real-life situations to test the patience and resolve of staff from Riverside House (a halfway house), churches, and other non-profit organizations. Each attendee was faced with common hurdles to re-entry such as trying to re-enter the work force, complying with supervision obligations, finding affordable housing, and just getting their lives in order.
Stations such as quick loan, pawn shop, social services, counseling, drug testing, church, career center, and others lined the walls of the conference room and participants had to visit them for either tasks or assistance. The simulation was broken into four 20-minute segments, which equaled four weeks in the life of a returning citizen. All tasks had to be completed each week or the participant wound up in jail.
The difficulty of the simulation came as a surprise to participants.
“The first couple of weeks are very tough,” said Candido Tejado, Riverside House facility director. “It gets better as it progresses but it’s frustrating in the beginning. We were laughing before it started because you know, it’s a simulation, but we ended up getting upset. There was a lot of misinformation and catch-22s. How can you move forward?
Simulation Moderator and Chief of the Law Enforcement Coordination and Community Outreach Section at the U.S. Attorney’s Office J.D. Smith gave encouragement to the participants as the weeks played out.
“This is the reality,” he said. “You’re learning first-hand. Welcome to the club. I learned that too. You can do this. Don’t give up on yourself.”
If this is the reality, with the barriers and frustration when trying to re-enter society, it’s no wonder some reoffend. That is why trainings like this are great for community members to experience. Perhaps it will lead to more empathy and the feeling of walking in someone else’s shoes.
“I think the participants learn the barriers and hurdles that our folks face when transitioning back into society,” said Smith. “Society requires you to pay your debt, but when you get out of prison, society makes you pay again. When they get out of prison, society sets up barriers when we should be knocking down those barriers. This is eye opening.”
Riverside House Chief Operating Officer David McSherry did this simulation one time before, but on this day he manned a Career Center table.
“People like me come to work, go home, and live a normal life,” he said. “But Riverside residents cannot come and go as they please. It’s important to see these situations from both sides. We all have the same passion to serve our reintegration population and it’s important to show empathy to those doing that.”
Scranton Man Sentenced to 57 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jean Hernandez, age 33, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 57 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for a drug trafficking offense.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Hernandez previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine. As part of his guilty plea, Hernandez admitted to that in between April and May of 2021, he had knowingly received multiple mail packages each containing approximately two kilograms of cocaine at his Scranton residence, with the intent that the cocaine would later be distributed.
In addition to the fifty-seven-month imprisonment sentence, Judge Mannion ordered Hernandez to serve four years of supervised release upon his release from prison.
The matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Scranton Police Department, and the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney James Buchanan prosecuted the case.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Scranton Man Sentenced to 12 Months’ Imprisonment for Passing Counterfeit United States Currency at Luzerne County CasinosRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Askia Riddick, age 25, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for passing counterfeit federal reserve notes.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Riddick passed a total of $1,800 in counterfeit federal reserve notes at the Mohegan Sun Casino and the Mt. Airy Casino between November and December of 2021.
Judge Mannion also ordered that Riddick serve two years of supervised release upon his release from custody, and that Riddick pay $1000 in restitution for related conduct to the Wind Creek Casino located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
The matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the New Jersey State Police, the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ), and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Buchanan prosecuted the case.
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Scranton Man Sentenced to 12 Months’ Imprisonment for Passing Counterfeit United States Currency at Luzerne County CasinosRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Askia Riddick, age 25, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for passing counterfeit federal reserve notes.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Riddick passed a total of $1,800 in counterfeit federal reserve notes at the Mohegan Sun Casino and the Mt. Airy Casino between November and December of 2021.
Judge Mannion also ordered that Riddick serve two years of supervised release upon his release from custody, and that Riddick pay $1000 in restitution for related conduct to the Wind Creek Casino located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
The matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the New Jersey State Police, the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ), and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Buchanan prosecuted the case.
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San Antonio Woman Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio woman was sentenced on Wednesday to 33 months in prison and ordered to pay $124,780 in restitution for her part in a multi-year tax evasion scheme.
According to court documents, Cynthia J. Moak, 67, evaded paying taxes for 2009 through 2012, by falsifying her income tax returns. Among other methods, Moak applied for non-profit status for one of her companies and then solicited charitable donations that she converted to her use.
On January 14, 2020, Moak pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion.
“Every U.S. taxpayer is obligated to pay their fair share,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “Ms. Moak does not get to scam her way out of paying taxes while others follow the law. The sentence of 33 months is indicative of this office’s resolve to address tax evasion, ensure fairness to all taxpayers and protect the U.S. Treasury.”
“While not common, it takes an incredibly deceitful person to perpetuate the type of scam that Cynthia Moak orchestrated,” said Special Agent in Charge, Ramsey E. Covington, of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Houston Field Office. “IRS-CI continues to be relentless in our mission to investigate tax crimes and dismantle these types of illicit scams to bring criminals like Moak to face justice.”
IRS-CI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William R. Harris prosecuted the case.
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Rhode Island Man Pleads Guilty to Charges for Swindling Victims Who Thought They Were Investing in ‘Magic Mike’ Stage ShowRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Rhode Island man has pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges, admitting he defrauded investors out of more than $4.2 million in connection with the “Magic Mike Live” stage show in Las Vegas, the Justice Department announced today.
John A. Santilli Jr., 48, of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, pleaded guilty late Thursday to one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud.
According to his plea agreement, Santilli managed and partly owned Aloris Entertainment, LLC, which acquired an interest – through securities called “Class A Units” – in Mike’s Mobile Detailing, LLC, the company that operates the “Magic Mike Live” stage show, which is based on two “Magic Mike” movies that chronicle the life of a male stripper.
From June 2016 to February 2020, Santilli raised funds from victims by soliciting investments in “Aloris Magic Mike LP,” a different business that he falsely told investors owned the Class A Units. Santilli lied to investors, telling them that, in return for their investment, they would receive “shares” in Aloris Magic Mike LP that corresponded to a particular number of Class A Units and entitled them to a percentage of the profits from “Magic Mike Live.” To bolster his false claims, Santilli used a doctored legal document that made it appear that Aloris Magic Mike LP was a shareholder of Mike’s Mobile Detailing.
Santilli misappropriated a significant portion of his victims’ investments, including by withdrawing more than $1 million at casinos across the United States, where he used investors’ money for gambling. To raise more funds, Santilli falsely told his victims that new investment opportunities had arisen, resulting in Santilli selling shares in his businesses that corresponded to nearly double the number of Class A Units of Mike’s Mobile Detailing that his company actually owned.
In total, Santilli caused approximately $4,258,679 in losses to his victims.
United States District Judge Fernando M. Olguin scheduled an April 20 sentencing hearing, at which time Santilli will face a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Alexander B. Schwab of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.
Previously Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Machine GunRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A convicted felon pleaded guilty yesterday to illegally possessing a handgun and a “Glock switch” device which allows a semi-automatic handgun to function as an automatic. Glock switches are defined as machine guns under federal law.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to court documents, Jeremiah Neal, 30, of Louisville, illegally possessed a handgun equipped with a Glock switch on April 14, 2022. Neal was also a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Neal pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and to illegal possession of a machine gun. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 9, 2023, and he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being investigated by the ATF with the assistance of the Kentucky Department of Probation and Parole.
Assistant United States Attorney Josh Porter is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Major Role in Beckley-Philadelphia Firearms Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Hassan Abdullah, also known as “San,” 28, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today to interstate travel with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license. Abdullah admitted to a role in a conspiracy to traffic over 140 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 17, 2020, Abdullah traveled from Philadelphia to Beckley with co-defendants Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh,” Derrick Woodard, also known as “D,” and Shyheem Woodard-Smith, also known as “Peanut” and “Nut,” and obtained firearms that were later sold for a profit in Philadelphia. Abdullah admitted to obtaining these firearms with the other traffickers from a Beckley gun store.
Abdullah further admitted to obtaining over 140 firearms with Jones, Woodard-Smith and Woodard from early 2020 until at least mid-2021. Approximately 45 of those trafficked firearms were recovered at crime scenes primarily in Philadelphia, and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses.
Abdullah is scheduled to be sentenced on February 10, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Woodard previously pleaded guilty to interstate travel with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license. Seven other co-defendants have pleaded guilty to making false statements in acquisition of firearms, admitting to making straw purchases in the conspiracy. An additional seven individuals have pleaded guilty to firearms offenses related to the same interstate gun trafficking conspiracy.
“The illegal trafficking of firearms has harmful, real-world consequences both here in the Southern District of West Virginia and in communities throughout our nation,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “This office is committed to halting the flow of illegally obtained firearms and the violence they fuel. I commend the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the ongoing prosecution of this large-scale case by Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani.”
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing.
Jones and co-conspirator Shakyrah Ross are scheduled for trial on November 29, 2022. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-46.
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Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Making Threats to Kill United States CongressmanRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JOSHUA HALL pled guilty to a Superseding Information charging him with making threats to kill a member of the United States Congress. HALL previously pled guilty to wire fraud for impersonating family members of the then-President of the United States on social media to fraudulently raise funds for a fictitious political organization (the “Fraud Scheme”). At the time HALL made the threats to kill a member of the United States Congress, he was on pretrial release pending sentencing for the Fraud Scheme. HALL was arrested the same day the threats were made and was subsequently ordered detained pending sentencing. HALL pled guilty before United States District Judge Gregory H. Woods, before whom sentencing will be held on December 8, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Joshua Hall made terrifying threats to the staff of a United States Congressman whom he disliked rather than attempting to effect change through any of the freedoms of expression that all Americans enjoy. These threats of violence endanger our public officials and thwart common decency, which is why this Office will continue to prosecute crimes like those committed by Joshua Hall.”
According to the Superseding Information:
On or about August 29, 2022, HALL placed a series of telephone calls from in or around Yonkers, New York, to the California office of a member of the United States Congress (the “Congressman”). During those telephone calls, HALL conveyed threats to kill the Congressman to at least three different members of the Congressman’s staff (“Staff Member-1,” “Staff Member-2,” and “Staff Member-3”).
On a telephone call with Staff Member-1 and Staff Member-2, HALL stated, in substance and in part, that he had a lot of AR-15s; that he wanted to shoot the Congressman; that he intended to come to the Congressman’s office with firearms; and that if he saw the Congressman, he would kill him. He further stated, in substance and in part, that he wanted to “beat the shit out of” the Congressman and that he would find the Congressman wherever he was and hurt him. On a telephone call with Staff Member-3, HALL stated, in substance and in part, that he intended to come to the Congressman’s office to kill the Congressman with firearms.
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HALL, 22, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, pled guilty to one count of making interstate communications with a threat to injure, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. HALL previously pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the United States Capitol Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and thanked the City of Yonkers Police Department for their assistance.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit and General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexandra S. Messiter and Robert B. Sobelman are in charge of the prosecution.
Paving Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA, AR – An Arkansas man pleaded guilty on October 25, 2022, to filing a false tax return with the IRS on which he did not report all of the income he earned from his business.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Clarence A. Joles, Sr., age 51, of Texarkana, owned Rock Hard Paving, an asphalt paving business, which he operated as a sole proprietorship. Joles admitted that he deposited Rock Hard Paving’s gross receipts into approximately nine different bank accounts, then intentionally withheld from his tax preparer records from some of those accounts. As a result, the tax preparer did not have access to Rock Hard Paving’s true income, and Joles caused a false 2015 personal tax return to be filed with the IRS. In total, Joles did not report more than $1 million in Rock Hard Paving receipts.
Joles is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for filing a false tax return. He also faces a period of supervised release, monetary penalties, and restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes for the Western District of Arkansas and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Greg Tortella and Trial Attorney Isaiah Boyd, III of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Firearm and Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Andrew Buffkins, 34, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for possession with the intent to distribute marijuana and possessing a firearm in furtherance of the crime. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Buffkins to 120 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a four-year term of supervised release. Buffkins was also ordered to pay a $2,821 fine.
Between January 13, 2020, and July 24, 2020, law enforcement executed three controlled buys of marijuana and one controlled buy of Alprazolam from Buffkins. On July 29, 2020, officers searched Buffkins’s Omaha residence and located approximately 0.140 kilograms of marijuana, a digital scale, a .38 caliber revolver, and fifty (50) rounds of ammunition. Officers located $821 in the residence and another $2,000 in a truck parked outside. DNA testing showed that Buffkins’s DNA was on the revolver.
Buffkins is a convicted felon, including multiple convictions for drug trafficking crimes. In 2009, he was convicted federally of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and sentenced to 60 months in prison. In 2015, he was convicted in Douglas County, Nebraska of attempted manufacturing, distribution, delivery, or possession with intent to distribute cocaine and sentenced to prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Omaha Police Department and is part of the Safe Streets Task Force. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Ohio Man Indicted for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Ohio man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Thiago da Silva Pinheiro, 42, of Cincinnati, Ohio was indicted on one count of possession of child pornography. Pinheiro was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Sept. 21, 2022.
According to the charging documents, on Sept. 20, 2022, Pinheiro flew from Ontario, Canada to Boston with an ultimate destination of Brazil. During screening at Logan Airport, customs officers observed apparent CSAM on Pinheiro’s tablet. Preliminary review of the tablet allegedly revealed approximately 2,800 videos and images depicting apparent CSAM, some of which depicted children as young as two to four years old. Further forensic review of Pinheiro’s cell phone uncovered alleged additional videos and images depicting CSAM.
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan C. Cleary of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ocean County Felon Convicted of Drug Trafficking, Firearm Possession, and Possessing Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County, New Jersey, man was convicted on drug and weapon charges, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Dyshawn Moss, 43, of Manchester, New Jersey, was convicted on Oct. 27, 2022, following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp on five charges: possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to documents in this case and evidence at trial:
On May 24, 2019, law enforcement agents went to arrest Moss outside of his apartment building in Manchester, New Jersey. Inside his apartment, Moss possessed over 1,000 grams of fentanyl, over 1,300 grams of heroin, and over 2,600 grams of cocaine; drug-packaging materials; over $150,000 in cash; and a 9mm Taurus handgun loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition.
The drug trafficking charges carry a minimum potential penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a maximum fine of $10 million. The firearm possession charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime charge carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for March 29, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited members of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson; and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago, with the investigation leading to the conviction.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vera Varshavsky and Olta Bejleri of the Criminal Division in Newark.
Norwich Man Charged with Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston, announced that SHELDON THOMSON, 34, of Norwich, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with possession of child pornography.
Thomson appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven and was ordered detained.
As alleged in court documents, in 2007, Thomson was convicted in state court of sexual assault in the first degree, involving sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 13, and of risk of injury to a child. He was released from prison in November 2015 and began serving a term of probation. In May 2022, Thomson’s state probation officer seized multiple cellphones, a tablet and a storage card from Thomson, his vehicle and his residence. Analysis of the seized devices revealed numerous images and video depicting the sexual abuse of children, including prepubescent children.
If convicted of possession of child pornography, Thomson faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. The penalties in this matter are enhanced based on Thomson’s prior conviction.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of Connecticut’s Office of Adult Probation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings.
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.
New Orleans Man Convicted of Federal Tax CrimeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOEY J. STEVENSON, age 40, from New Orleans, pled guilty on October 25, 2022 for failing to pay the IRS employment taxes for his business, Community Care Solutions, Inc.
STEVENSON was indicted for failure to pay over employment taxes due to the IRS, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7202. According to court documents, STEVENSON owned and operated Community Care Solutions, Inc., and from 2015 through 2019, he withheld over $500,000 in Medicare, Social Security, and income taxes from his employees’ paychecks, but STEVENSON did not pay that money to the IRS. STEVENSON also failed to pay an additional $254,181.21 in taxes for the employer’s share of Medicare and Social Security taxes. In total, STEVENSON failed to pay $796,077.41 in taxes owed to IRS in connection with Community Care’s employees. STEVENSON agreed to repay that amount to the IRS as restitution.
STEVENSON faces up to five years in prison. STEVENSON also faces up to three years of supervised release after release from prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain to STEVENSON or the gross loss to any victims, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee per count. The Honorable Ivan L.R. Lemelle set sentencing for February 15, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of IRS Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses is in charge of the prosecution.
New Laguna woman arraigned for assault on a federal officerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Lynnette Chavez was arraigned on Oct. 25 on an indictment charging her with assault on a federal officer. Chavez, 26, of New Laguna, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Laguna, will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Chavez on April 22, 2021. According to the indictment, on Dec. 18, 2018, Chavez allegedly assaulted a Laguna Police officer, who is a federal officer by virtue of his Special Law Enforcement Commission from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The alleged assault occurred on the Pueblo of Laguna.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Chavez faces up to eight years in prison.
The BIA investigated this case with assistance from the Laguna Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores is prosecuting the case.
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Morris County Man Admits Tax Evasion over Several YearsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County, New Jersey, man today admitted his role in evading taxes for the tax years 2015 through 2018, United States Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Robert Lambert, 57, of Budd Lake, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Julien X. Neals by videoconference to an information charging him with four counts of tax evasion.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2015 through 2018 Lambert failed to file tax returns with the IRS. To conceal his income, Lambert, among other things, cashed checks at various check cashing facilities. Lambert’s conduct caused a total tax loss to the IRS of $140,541. Lambert also had an outstanding balance in taxes due and owning to the IRS for the years 2008 through 2011 of $42,597.
The charge to which Lambert pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 fine, or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for March 9, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Possessing Fentanyl with Intent to Sell and Possessing a Machine GunRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 72 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a machine gun, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on June 23, 2021, law enforcement was looking for Brian Silva, 21, who had multiple active state warrants for his arrest. Police officers were able to track Silva to a hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota. Officers conducted surveillance of Silva’s vehicle in the parking lot and placed spokes behind Silva’s car in case he tried to flee. Silva eventually got into his car, backed up, punctured his tires, and then fled on foot through the parking lot. During the foot chase, Silva discarded a satchel before surrendering to police. Inside of the satchel, officers found 331 counterfeit prescription pills that contained fentanyl, an unloaded 9mm Glock handgun with an auto sear attached (commonly referred to as a "switch,” enabling the firearm to fire as an automatic machinegun), a 30-round magazine loaded with 9mm ammunition, and approximately $4,800 cash. In July 2021, federal agents arrested Silva in Arizona following a drug transaction and found Silva in possession of over 327 grams of fentanyl pills, and over $1,550 in cash.
Silva was sentenced today by U.S. District Senior Judge Susan Richard Nelson. On June 15, 2022, Silva pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a machinegun and one count of intent to distribute fentanyl.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Bloomington Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Wesley and Benjamin Bejar prosecuted the case.
Memphis Man Pleads Guilty to Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Memphis man pled guilty to sex trafficking of a minor and interstate sex trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca, Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch.
Wayne Edwards Settles, 30, pled guilting on October 25, 2022, in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wayne Edwards Settles, 30, was actively involved with the sex trafficking of a minor and an adult whom he transported from Louisiana to Mississippi to perform commercial sex acts in August and September 2020.
Settles will be sentenced on February 7, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, and the Richland Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Purdie is prosecuting the case.
Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Launder Drug Proceeds to VenezuelaRead the Press Release
A Puerto Rico man was sentenced today to nine years and seven months in prison for laundering over $2.5 million in drug proceeds.
According to court documents, Osvaldo Villegas Rivera, 57, of Rio Piedras, conspired with others to transfer over $2.5 million in drug proceeds from Miami to Venezuela between 2017 and 2019. The proceeds consisted of five deliveries of bulk cash picked up in the New York and New Jersey area that Villegas knew to be traceable to the sale of cocaine. Villegas also employed a network of couriers to move the funds.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA Miami Field Division made the announcement.
The DEA Miami Field Division investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department.
Deputy Chief Joseph Palazzo of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Emery for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.
Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jonathan Orlando Fontanez, age 37, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday October 26, 2022, to 40 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, for conspiracy and possessing with intent to distribute in excess of 5 kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Fontanez was part of a drug trafficking organization distributing large quantities of cocaine, and fentanyl tablets disguised as 30 milligram oxycodone pills. On September 22, 2021, a federal search warrant executed on Fontanez’s residence, as well as search warrants served on other locations related to the drug trafficking organization, resulted in the seizure of nearly $100,000 in cash, approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills and more than 10 kilograms of cocaine.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Los Angeles Man Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Narcotics on the Dark WebRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — William James Farber, 43, of Los Angeles, was sentenced Thursday to four years and nine months in prison for a conspiracy to distribute narcotics, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Farber and his co-conspirators, operating under the name PureFireMeds, sold narcotics including marijuana, cocaine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, psilocybin, MDMA (Ecstasy), LSD, and ketamine on dark web marketplaces, including Silk Road. After Silk Road was shut down by law enforcement in October 2013, Farber and his co‑conspirators began selling on the AlphaBay dark web marketplace under the name HumboldtFarms. It became one of the largest vendors on AlphaBay, completing tens of thousands of orders for marijuana on the site to customers throughout the United States.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Bakersfield Police Department with assistance from the Los Angeles Joint Regional Intelligence Center. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Spivak and Ross Pearson prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Lexington Park Woman Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Obtaining over $1 Million in Fraudulent Disability BenefitsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Angela Marie Farr, age 36, of Lexington Park, Maryland, yesterday to 30 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit theft of government property and for theft of government property, in connection with a scheme to obtain fraudulently disability benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”) and the Social Security Administration (“SSA”). Judge Xinis also ordered Farr to forfeit an amount equal to the proceeds obtained as a result of the fraud by paying a money judgment of $475,751, and ordered Farr pay restitution in the full amount of the government’s losses, which is at least $1,010,702.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Kim R. Lampkins, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), Mid-Atlantic Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Michael McGill of the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Philadelphia Field Division.
According to her guilty plea, Farr organized a conspiracy in which she submitted false and fraudulent documents to the VA in support of her disability compensation claims, as well as for the disability claims for her then-husband, Michael Vincent Pace, and for her father, Individual 1. The fraudulent documents stated that Farr, Pace, and Individual 1 were homebound and required full-time assistance for basic tasks such as eating, bathing, and dressing. In fact, all three individuals lived active lives and did not require such assistance.
Farr served in the U.S. Navy from August 2, 2005 until April 19, 2007, when she was administratively discharged. In 2009, Farr filed a claim to the VA for disability compensation stating that she suffered post-traumatic stress disorder after being sexually assaulted while on duty three years earlier. At the same time, Farr also falsely claimed to the VA that she was seriously injured in a traffic accident when she was struck by a drunk driver while driving on duty in 2006. Farr claimed that she suffered from chronic neck and back pain as a result of the accident.
In support of these claims, Farr filed an entirely fabricated medical record allegedly from the Navy consisting of over 70 pages of documents purportedly authored by criminal investigators, psychologists, and physical therapists. Based on the injuries claimed and the forged supporting medical documentation, on October 6, 2007, the VA rated Farr 70 percent disabled.
In 2015, Farr sought additional compensation claiming that she suffered a traumatic brain injury and other grave health consequences as a result of the 2007 vehicle accident. Farr again submitted dozens of forged fraudulent medical documents in support of her claim, using the names of both real and fictitious physicians. The documents claimed that Farr was paralyzed from the waist down, suffered multiple seizures daily, required round-the-clock care for basic functions such as toileting and showering, and claimed that she also suffered from an aneurysm, heart attack, and leukemia. Based on the fraudulent documentation, VA increased Farr’s disability rating to 100 percent, and awarded Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) for her in-home nursing care requirements.
In approximately April 2016, Farr applied online for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits on the basis of the same disabilities she cited in her VA claims. In that application, Farr claimed that she was unable to work, despite the fact that she was working for the Department of Defense at the time she applied, but claimed she was forced to medically retire. The Social Security Administration awarded SSDI benefits to Farr on September 17, 2016.
Farr also conspired with and assisted Pace, a former member of the United States military, to exaggerate his existing condition using forged and fraudulent documents, resulting in an increased rating of 100%. Pace received the highest amount of disability compensation and SMC paid by the VA, in addition to a Caregiver Stipend he received in the amount exceeding $2,500 monthly, for purportedly serving as Farr’s caregiver, despite claiming to be completely disabled himself.
Farr also conspired with her mother, Mary Francis Biggs, age 65 of Lexington Park, Maryland, to exaggerate Individual 1’s claims, which involved the submission of fraudulent and fictitious medical documents. As a result, the VA rated Individual 1 to be 100 percent disabled and awarded him SMC. Biggs and Farr also conspired to conceal from VA the fact that Individual 1 was working, and as part of a VA field interview on September 13, 2017, Biggs did not disclose the fact that Individual 1was employed and completed a form stating that Individual 1 had no employment income. Biggs spent the fraudulently received disability compensation payments on daily living expenses, cruise vacations, and a kitchen renovation, even though she was aware that her husband was not entitled to the payments.
Farr received approximately $440,085 in VA benefits and approximately $35,666 in Social Security benefit payments, resulting in a loss to the United States of $475,751 on Farr’s claims alone. Pace received $370,912 in VA benefits to which he was not entitled. Biggs and her husband received more than $168,000 in VA benefits to which they were not entitled.
Pace previously pled guilty, and Biggs was convicted on August 15, 2022 after a jury trial, for conspiracy and for theft of government property in connection with the scheme. Biggs faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for the conspiracy and a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for theft of government property. U.S. District Judge Xinis has scheduled sentencing for November 16, 2022.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the VA OIG and SSA OIG for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Coreen Mao, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources to report fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Ladson Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA —Devin Lewis Vandeneynde, 27, of Ladson, was sentenced to four years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that on January 9, 2020, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents at HSI Charlotte received information from HSI London in reference to a British target of investigation, who was a user on the social media platform Kik. The target had been exchanging child pornography with another Kik user with the username of “dadof2b.” HSI London had determined that “dadof2b” utilized an iPhone to access the Kik service and that the IP addresses were associated with Vandeneynde’s residence.
On February 6, 2020, HSI Charleston agents executed a federal search warrant on Vandeneynde’s residence. Vandeneynde confessed to possession of child pornography. Forensics review showed that Vandeneynde possessed less than 20 images of child pornography, including images of prepubescent minors. The investigation further revealed that Vandeneynde was convicted in 2019 at a General Court-Martial of Wrongful Possession of Child Pornography and Distribution of Child Pornography and sentenced to six months confinement and a dishonorable discharge from the United States Army.
United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Vandeneynde to 48 months imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by HSI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean H. Secor prosecuted the case.
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Justice Department Observes National Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
The Justice Department joins law enforcement agencies, victim service providers, survivors, victims, advocates and communities nationwide in recognizing the month of October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). Domestic violence is serious and prevalent, and its impact does not stay within the home; it ripples out into workplaces, schools and entire communities. DVAM is a time to show support for those who are experiencing or have experienced domestic violence, and to give gratitude to first responders and victim service providers. DVAM encourages communities to bolster prevention efforts, improve responses to meet survivors’ needs, promote best practices and expand access to justice to all communities, especially for those who are underserved and marginalized.
The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) is announcing nearly $70 million in fiscal year 2022 grant funding, including 39 awards totaling $29,916,258 under OVW’s Improving Criminal Justice Responses (ICJR) to Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Grant Program. The funding supports partnerships between victim service providers and the criminal justice system to implement effective and trauma-informed responses that protect survivors. The ICJR Program provides resources, training and service coordination for law enforcement, victim advocates, court personnel, probation and correction officers, mental health professionals, child protection staff and others who respond to and investigate domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking cases.
“Domestic Violence Awareness Month gives us the opportunity to share the incredible work our grantees do every day – and rededicate ourselves to the mission of bringing an end to violence,” said OVW Acting Director Allison Randall. “OVW changes the world through the lifesaving work of our grantees. This idea of a coordinated community response is the thread that runs through all grant programs funded by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). It’s the way by which communities in every state and territory have charted navigable paths for survivors escaping violence and pursuing justice. Technical assistance provides grantees with the capacity to significantly improve safety in their communities. And research and evaluation give our grantees the innovative and effective strategies they need to better serve survivors.”
To equip service providers with the knowledge and skills they need to respond competently and compassionately when a survivor asks for their help, 59 awards totaling $36.9 million under the Training and Technical Assistance Program will assist OVW grantees in aligning their work with best practices. OVW grantees and subgrantees will receive expertise and support required to develop and implement successful projects. Illustrative of these efforts are two awards to the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Police Executive Research Forum to develop tools and trainings to identify gender bias in policing when responding to domestic violence and sexual assault.
OVW also awarded $3.4 million under the Research and Evaluation Initiative for nine projects to conduct evaluations of promising practices for combating domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking, and to research emerging issues. By generating knowledge about strategies for serving survivors, communities that benefit from OVW funding will be better equipped to align their work with proven practices and be more capable of building empirical knowledge on the efficacy of promising new ways of making communities safer and more just.
In the coming months, OVW will release new grant solicitations. OVW’s anticipated fiscal year 2023 solicitation release plan is posted on the website. Please note this information is subject to change. It is crucial that applicants begin preparing application materials as early as practicable – if possible, before solicitations are posted. For more information for grant applicants, see OVW’s how to apply for OVW funding website and resources for applicants website.
In recognition of DVAM, OVW also held a fireside chat with OVW Acting Director Randall and Deputy Director Nadine Neufville of OVW’s Grant Development and Management Division. OVW leadership discussed why DVAM is so important to department and the office, and acknowledged the important work of service providers and advocates in the field.
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of VAWA and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies, and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
Jury convicts Colerain Township man of taking sexually explicit photographs while 9-year-old and 12-year-old victims sleptRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal jury convicted a registered sex offender on all counts following a four-day trial in Cincinnati.
Nicholas J. Veerkamp, 30, of Colerain Township, Ohio, sexually exploited a 9-year-old victim and a 12-year-old victim and kept images of the exploitation.
The verdict was announced yesterday evening following a trial that began on Oct. 24 before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett.
According to court documents and trial testimony, in August 2017, Veerkamp sexually exploited a 12-year-old victim to create three images of child pornography.
In October 2017, Veerkamp sexually exploited a 9-year-old child for the purpose of making child pornography. Veerkamp created 19 images of the victim, including images in which he exposed the child’s genitals while the victim slept.
The defendant also possessed other images of minor females on his electronic devices.
Veerkamp was convicted of sexual imposition in 2016, and as a result, was required to register as a sex offender.
Sexually exploiting a minor is a federal crime punishable by a range of 15 to 30 years in prison. Possessing child pornography carries a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Committing a felony offense involving a minor while registered as a sex offender mandates an additional 10 years in prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed.
Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Colerain Township Police Chief Edwin C. Cordie III; Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey’s Regional Electronics Crimes Investigations unit and other members of the FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children task force, announced the verdict. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle J. Healey and Jennifer K. Weinhold are representing the United States in this case.
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Jury Convicts Leader of Worldwide Tax Return SchemeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA - The leader of an international conspiracy to file false U.S. tax returns and obtain millions of dollars in refunds has been convicted in federal court in West Virginia.
United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced today that Ayodele Arasokun was convicted by a jury on twenty-one counts of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. From a location just outside of Paris, France, Arasokun orchestrated a scheme to file 1,701 false returns and claim $9.1 million in refunds. West Virginians were among those who had their identities stolen and false returns filed in their names. A total of $2.2 million in fraudulent refunds were actually paid by the Internal Revenue Service.
“The jury’s verdict sends a clear message to criminals everywhere: don’t mess with the IRS,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “We have the best cybercrime investigators in the world and if you tamper with our tax system, we will find you, extradite you, and incarcerate you.”
Evidence presented at trial established that Arasokun caused the money obtained from the IRS to be transferred to pre-paid debit cards or to checking accounts that he was monitoring. Investigators discovered that he was tracking approximately 700 U.S.-based accounts containing more than $50 million.
Originally from Nigeria, Arasokun is incarcerated at the Eastern Regional Jail in Martinsburg where he will remain until sentencing. His punishment will be based upon the amount of loss, his prior criminal history, and the penalties called for by statute.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Cogar and Eleanor Hurney. It was investigated by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) - Cybercrime Investigations Division, and the IRS-CI, Los Angeles field office.
TIGTA investigates abuses of the IRS’s online electronic portals, including the Electronic Filing Pin application, which was compromised in this case.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Jury Convicts Catawba Co. Man of Bank Robbery, COVID-19 Fraud, and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
STATESVILLE, N.C. – A federal grand jury sitting in Statesville has convicted Spenc’r Denard Rickerson, 35, of Claremont, N.C., of bank robbery, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell presided over the two-day trial which ended today.
U.S. Attorney King is joined in making today’s announcement by Michael C. Scherck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division.
According to court documents, witness testimony and evidence presented at trial, between June 30, 2020, and March 20, 2021, Rickerson used false information to apply for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan and multiple Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Trial evidence established that, in order to obtain the PPP loan, Rickerson submitted a fraudulent application for a non-existent company that contained a number of false information, including the purpose of the loan and the company’s payroll costs. Rickerson also submitted fraudulent applications for several loans under the EIDL program, in which he provided fake information about the number of company employees and gross revenues. According to trial evidence, as a result of the fraudulent PPP and EIDL loan applications, Rickerson allegedly received over $84,233 in fraudulent funds intended to assist businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
According to evidence presented at trial, in addition to the fraudulent loan scheme, on March 18, 2021, Rickerson committed an armed robbery of a BB&T Bank located at 12 North Main Avenue, in Newton, N.C. Rickerson used the stolen funds from the fraudulent loan scheme and the bank robbery to pay bills and to buy cryptocurrency.
Rickerson remains free on bond. The maximum statutory penalty for the bank robbery offense is 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory two-year prison term consecutive to any other prison term imposed. A sentencing date has not been set.
The FBI in Charlotte investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lambert Guinn and Jenny G. Sugar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are in charge of the prosecution.
To report suspected COVID-19 fraud, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) at (866) 720-5721 or file an online complaint at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. Complaints filed will be reviewed by the NCDF and referred to federal, state, local or international law enforcement or regulatory agencies for investigation. Members of the public in the Western District of North Carolina are also encouraged to call 704-344-6222 to reach their local Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator.
Jamaican National Sentenced for Stealing Money from Elderly Americans through Jamaica-Based Lottery ScamRead the Press Release
A Jamaican national was sentenced today to three years in prison for conspiring to run a Jamaica-based lottery scam that targeted elderly American consumers.
According to court documents, Greg Warren Clarke, 30, of Montego Bay conspired to operate a fraudulent lottery scheme. From in or around September 2013, through in or around August 2015, Clarke worked with co-conspirators, including Claude Anthony Shaw, in a scheme to defraud in which victims were called and falsely told that they had won over $1 million dollars in a lottery and needed to pay fees or taxes to claim their winnings. Victims were instructed to send their money through wire transfers or the mail to Shaw and other individuals. As part of the conspiracy, Clarke and Shaw discussed (over the phone and through cell phone text messages) plans to receive victims’ money. At Clarke’s direction, Shaw received money from victims through wire transfers and the mail. Clarke and Shaw discussed arrangements for victims to send money to other individuals with whom Shaw worked. Clarke then instructed Shaw to send the victims’ money to Clarke in Jamaica, usually through wire transfers. Victims who sent money to Clarke and his co-conspirators never received any lottery winnings. Clarke pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud for his role in the scam on Aug. 19.
Shaw previously pleaded guilty to mail fraud in the U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale. In June 2017, he was sentenced to three years in prison.
“Today’s sentencing demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to combatting foreign-based lottery fraud schemes targeting American consumers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The perpetrators of these schemes will be prosecuted, regardless of where they live and operate.”
“The Postal Inspection Service will continue to actively investigate fraudulent lottery schemes based in Jamaica directed at fleecing victims in the United States,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Miami Division. “We will not allow the fraudsters responsible for these Jamaican lottery scams to use the U.S. mail to commit their crime.”
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Jamaica to secure the arrest and extradition of Clarke.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated this case.
Senior Trial Attorney Arturo DeCastro of the Civil Division's Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case.
The department’s extensive and broad-based efforts to combat elder fraud seek to halt the widespread losses seniors suffer from fraud schemes. The best method for prevention, however, is by sharing information about the various types of elder fraud schemes with relatives, friends, neighbors and other seniors who can use that information to protect themselves.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud, and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
Jamaican National Extradited to the United States in Connection with Fraudulent Lottery Scheme that Targeted Elderly Victims in the United StatesRead the Press Release
A resident of Montego Bay, Jamaica, was extradited to the United States and made his initial appearance in federal court in Charlotte, North Carolina, on charges relating to his participation in a fraudulent lottery scheme that targeted elderly victims in the United States, the Department of Justice and U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced today.
Antony L. Stewart, 38, was charged in a nine-count indictment with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina in December 2019 and was unsealed after the defendant’s extradition.
According to the unsealed indictment, Stewart and his co-conspirators sought to unlawfully enrich themselves through a fraudulent lottery scheme targeting the elderly. Victims throughout the United States received phone calls in which they were falsely informed that they had won cash prizes totaling over $1 million and needed to pay fees in order to claim their winnings. The indictment alleges that victims were instructed on how to send their money, including through the use of money transmitter services, wire transfers, and the U.S. Postal Service, and to whom. The indictment further alleges victims were instructed to purchase electronics and other expensive goods and to send them to Stewart’s co-conspirators, who ultimately forwarded the goods and money to Stewart in Jamaica. The victims never received any “winnings.”
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Jamaica to secure the arrest and extradition of Stewart.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Raquel Toledo and Ryan E. Norman of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny Sugar for the Western District of North Carolina.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
The department’s extensive and broad-based efforts to combat elder fraud seek to halt the widespread losses seniors suffer from fraud schemes. The best method for prevention, however, is by sharing information about the various types of elder fraud schemes with relatives, friends, neighbors and other seniors who can use that information to protect themselves.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Isleta man sentenced to two years in prison for domestic violenceRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Jonathan Jojola was sentenced on Oct. 26 to two years in prison. Jojola, 34, of Isleta, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Isleta Pueblo, pleaded guilty on May 6 to assault of an intimate partner by strangling.
On March 19, 2021, Jojola assaulted his intimate partner, identified as Jane Doe, at his home on the Isleta Pueblo. In his plea agreement, Jojola admitted that he strangled Jane Doe during the assault.
Upon his release from prison, Jojola will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The Isleta Police Department investigated this case. Special Assistant United States Attorney Chelsea Van Deventer prosecuted the case.
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Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Oct. 28 was:
Isidro Vega Carmona, 27, of Bozeman and Mexican national; Victor Daniel Mejia Ocampo, 21, a Mexican national; Riesela Anahid Heredia Soberanes, 32, a Mexican national; and Jose Maria Jurado, 52, of Billings and Mexican national, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, the defendants face a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. All defendants were detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-126.
Jeffrey Wayne Follet, 34, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Follet faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Follet was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Billings Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-120.
Lyzette Vargas, 40, of Spokane, Washington, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Vargas faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Vargas was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-125.
Appearing on Oct. 27 was:
Calico Patrice Allard, 40, a transient, on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. If convicted of the most serious crime, Allard faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the wire fraud crime and a mandatory minimum two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release on the aggravated identity theft crime. Allard was detained pending further proceedings. The Billings Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-118.
Timothy James Lucas, 40, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lucas faces a mandatory minimum10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug crime and a mandatory minimum five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm crime. Lucas was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-124.
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Oct. 27 was:
Christopher Todd Boudreau, 41, of Anaconda, on charges of attempted coercion and enticement and possession of child pornography. If convicted of the most serious crime, Boudreau faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Boudreau was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and Missoula County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-46.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Illinois Lawyer Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Sophisticated Wire Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Belgian and Lebanese national holding an Illinois law license was sentenced today for his role in a scheme to defraud victims in multiple states, many of whom thought they were closing real estate transactions or sending money to romantic partners. Once the lawyer received the funds, he sent large sums to fellow fraudsters overseas and took a cut for himself, which he used to spend on luxury items and an international lifestyle.
Hassan A. Abbas, 55, of Belgium, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release. Abbas was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $2,001,853 and to pay a $600 special assessment. In May 2022, Abbas was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of money laundering conspiracy, one count of money laundering, two counts of wire fraud, and two counts of unlawful monetary transactions.
“Mr. Abbas abused his law degree in furtherance of a scheme that stole millions of dollars from innocent victims across the country. All of Mr. Abbas’s lies and schemes have finally caught up with him. He was an equal opportunity scammer. Whether it was a fake romance or a fake real estate deal, he took advantage of victims by laundering their hard-earned money. He will now have nine years to realize the error of his ways,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins.
“With today’s sentence, Hassan Abbas has learned his fate for exploiting his law degree to defraud unwitting victims and moving that money overseas in a sophisticated scheme to avoid getting caught,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “The FBI is committed to holding the criminals behind these scams accountable for the harm they do to everyday citizens and our financial institutions resulting in millions of dollars in losses.”
Between June 2017 and January 2019, Abbas and others defrauded victims through a series of romance, business email compromise (BEC), and other scams designed to trick victims into wiring funds to bank accounts that Abbas controlled. A BEC scheme is a type of sophisticated fraud that typically targets individuals and businesses that engage in wire transfer payments. The fraud is carried out by compromising and/or “spoofing” legitimate business email accounts and then communicating with victims through email to cause them to transfer funds to accounts controlled by the scammers. In romance scams, perpetrators generally create fictitious online personas to develop online romantic relationships with individuals in the U.S.; they then leverage those relationships to obtain money and/or property. Abbas participated in both types of scheme by receiving victims’ money and moving funds abroad before victims could recall the wires or banks became suspicious.
Abbas incorporated at least five shell companies with no legitimate business and opened bank accounts in their names. Individual and corporate victims of BECs and romance scams were instructed to wire funds to Abbas’s sham corporate accounts. Some victims, including two Massachusetts residents, were tricked into wiring money to Abbas while in the process of closing on a home purchase. The perpetrators also instructed victim businesses to remit invoice payments to Abbas’s accounts. Other victims, including a Massachusetts woman, were led to believe they were transferring funds for the benefit of their romantic partners.
Upon receiving money from victims, Abbas transferred a portion to his personal bank accounts and spent victim funds on personal expenses, including luxury goods and international travel. He also wired victim funds to foreign bank accounts of overseas co-conspirators.
When approached by financial institutions about his account activity, Abbas disguised the purposes of wire transfers to bank investigators, claiming that certain transfers were for non-existent “clients” and, in one instance, insisting that information about the wires was protected by the attorney-client privilege.
U.S. Attorney Rollins and FBI SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mackenzie A. Queenin and David M. Holcomb of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Idaho Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Criminal Clean Air Act Violation in Connection with Asbestos ExposureRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Alexander Borys Mischenko, age 75, of Priest River, Idaho, pled guilty to criminal violation of the Clean Air Act in connection with asbestos contamination at a site in Spokane in 2018. Senior District Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson accepted Mischenko’s guilty plea, and set sentencing for January 24, 2023, at 2 p.m. in Spokane, Washington.
According to the plea agreement and other information disclosed during court proceedings, in October 2017, Mischenko and his company, Buck Creek Sales, signed a contract to dismantle a legacy industrial building located on Magnesium Road in North Spokane and known as “Building 5.” Mischenko’s contract included funding to commission and perform an asbestos survey to determine whether and to what extent Building 5 contained asbestos.
Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral that, due to its insulating and fire-resistant properties, was a commonly-used material in buildings constructed prior to 1980, such as Building 5. Because inhalation of asbestos fibers has been linked to various dangerous lung conditions, including mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer, asbestos-containing material is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and, in Spokane County, by the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency (SRCAA).
According to information disclosed in court, in late 2017, a certified asbestos inspector did perform an asbestos survey of Building 5. The survey showed significant quantities of asbestos-containing material in Building 5, including approximately 2,600 linear feet of asbestos-containing material known as thermal systems insulation (TSI). The survey noted that the asbestos-containing TSI was “friable” (that is, easily crumbled with hand pressure), and, therefore, “will require removal by a licensed asbestos contractor prior to any renovation or demolition activity that would directly impact these materials.” Mischenko was provided a copy of the survey report on or about December 4, 2017.
Subsequent to receiving the survey results, Mischenko, who was not a licensed asbestos contractor, and at least one employee, cut the asbestos-containing TSI off of the pipe and disposed of the pipe. Mischenko then placed the asbestos-containing TSI into 14 unsealed sacks and one open-top wooden crate, and moved the sacks and the crate to a nearby building, where they remained until they were found by inspectors from SRCAA and, later, EPA. Mischenko did not notify SRCAA or EPA prior to engaging in the work, which, due to the work methods employed by Mischenko, released significant quantities of asbestos fibers into the air as well as scattered on the floor of Building 5.
In summer 2022, U.S. Attorney Waldref, who previously served as Trial Attorney with DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and an environmental law professor at Gonzaga University’s School of Law, was selected to lead the Environmental Justice & Environmental Issues Subcommittee for the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee. As the subcommittee chair, U.S. Attorney Waldref plays a key role in leading and coordinating DOJ’s criminal and civil environmental enforcement efforts.
“Environmental Justice is a critical public health priority,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “When businesses or individuals cut corners to save money, and fail to take seriously the public health risk posed by dangerous contaminants like asbestos, the entire community is harmed, but the harm falls disproportionately on marginalized and disadvantaged members of our community who are more likely to be affected and less likely to have access to health care and other services.”
Pursuant to the terms of the Plea Agreement, Mischenko faces up to two years in federal prison for failing to notify EPA and SRCAA prior to undertaking the asbestos work, and must make full restitution to all victims in an amount to be determined at sentencing.
“I commend the wonderful work by the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency in uncovering this dangerous situation and quickly working to address it, as well as the stellar investigative work by EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division,” added Assistant United States Attorney Dan Fruchter, the District’s Environmental Crimes Coordinator. “We will continue to work with our state and federal law enforcement partners to protect public health and our precious natural resources.”
U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref encourages residents to contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (590) 835-6306 or by email at [email protected] when also contacting local, state, or federal agency hotlines or websites to report environmental, health and safety concerns. Air quality violations can be reported to the EPA at: https://echo.epa.gov/reportenvironmental-violations.
Hartford Man Who Illegally Possessed Handgun in Manchester Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL JONES, 26, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 18 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing a firearm. Judge Underhill also ordered Jones to serve the first six months of his supervised release in home confinement and to perform 100 hours of community service.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 24, 2021, Jones pointed a firearm at another individual outside of a hookah lounge on Broad Street in Manchester. When Manchester Police arrived on the scene, Jones attempted to flee and discarded the firearm in the rear parking lot of the lounge. Jones was apprehended and the firearm, a loaded Taurus G2C 9mm pistol with an extended magazine and an obliterated serial number, was recovered.
Prior to July 2021, Jones was convicted in state court of criminal possession of a firearm. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Jones has been detained since his arrest. On June 15, 2022, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Connecticut Violent Crime Task Force, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Manchester Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie T. Levick and Patricia Stolfi Collins.
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.
Grand Rapids Man Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Prison for Unlawfully Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced today that Ernest James Jones, Jr., 22, of Grand Rapids, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms. U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney also imposed a 3-year period of supervised release to follow Jones’s incarceration.
“Reducing gun crime and preserving the safety of our communities are priorities for my office,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “We are committed to working with the ATF and our law enforcement partners to disrupt illegal, black market weapon sales to minimize illegal guns on the streets of West Michigan.”
In December 2021, Jones was sentenced to jail on a state weapons conviction. The day he was released from jail in January 2022, Jones offered to sell guns to a confidential informant working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Jones sold stolen guns to the informant on four different occasions and believed, based on conversations with the informant, that the informant was also involved in illegal gun sales. Two of the guns Jones sold were used in shootings in Grand Rapids in 2020.
“This case illustrates how ATF utilizes crime gun intelligence to effectively identify and remove violent criminals from our communities,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai, “The efforts of our federal, state, tribal, and local partnerships have had a significant impact on reducing the threat of gun violence.”
Judge Maloney described Jones’s conduct as “grave indeed” and “emblematic of what is going on in communities across the State of Michigan and the country.” Jones is a “threat to the public,” Judge Maloney said, and those who illegally possess and traffic guns need to know that “they will face a significant penalty if convicted.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case was investigated by the ATF and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Townshend.
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Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Darien Williams, 24, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Aug. 26, 2021, in Fresno, law enforcement officers tried to stop a car in which Williams was a passenger. The driver failed to yield, sped away, and crashed into another car. After the crash, Williams fled on foot. While fleeing, he discarded a loaded handgun that officers found after they caught and arrested Williams. Williams is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior felony record.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Williams faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is 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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.
Fredericksburg Meth Dealer Sentenced to 18 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Fredericksburg man was sentenced yesterday to 18 years in prison for distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute high-grade methamphetamine.
According to court documents, between October 19, 2021, and November 10, 2021, Briceton Grant, 36, distributed or possessed with the intent to distribute approximately 8 pounds—nearly four kilograms—of methamphetamine having purity levels well in excess of 90%. This grade of methamphetamine is referred to as “Ice” or “Crystal Meth” and is often manufactured in super labs outside of the United States. In addition to the methamphetamine, at the time of his arrest, Grant was also in possession of 90 pills containing fentanyl, three grams of cocaine, and $4,590 in United States currency.
Grant was named in a four-count criminal indictment that was returned by a Richmond federal grand jury on June 7 and entered a guilty plea on June 21 to one count of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Richmond Field Office; and Brian Layton, Chief of Fredericksburg Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.
This case was investigated by the FBI Richmond’s Fredericksburg Regional Narcotics Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Mastandrea-Miller prosecuted the case.
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. 3:22-cr-078.
Four Suspected Niagara Falls Gang Members Charged with Narcotics ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that four defendants have been charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribute, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Named in the complaint are:
• Cameron Lee a/k/a Killer a/k/a Killer Cam, 28; • Michael Pryor a/k/a Ikey, 25; • Shawn Pryor a/k/a Ghost, 31; and
• Ahmadja Greene, 28, all of Niagara Falls, NY.Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in January 2022, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, Niagara Falls Police Department, and Niagara County Sheriff's Office began investigating a criminal street gang with ties to the “Crips,” operating in and around Niagara Falls and Rochester, NY. Lee, Michael Pryor, Shawn Pryor, and Greene were identified as members/associates of the Crips. The investigation revealed that the four defendants conspired to sell crack cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin. Between March and July 2022, investigators conducted seven controlled purchases from the defendants. In addition, between August and October 2022, investigators conducted six controlled purchases from Michael Pryor and between August and September 2022, they conducted three controlled purchases from Shawn Pryor. The investigation also determined that during the conspiracy, Michael Pryor and Shawn Pryor pistol whipped and beat a person believed to be involved in narcotics trafficking.
On October 13, 2022, a search warrant was executed Cameron Lee’s Orleans Avenue residence, during which investigators seized approximately 59 grams of suspected cocaine, approximately 78 grams of suspected heroin/fentanyl, jewelry, three cellular telephones, and approximately $19,000 in United States currency.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Michael Stansbury, the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Chief John Faso, and the Niagara County Sheriff's Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Four Southern Missouri Men Sentenced for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Four southern Missouri men were sentenced in federal court today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine.
Patrick A. Dodson, also known as “Julio,” 42, and Leslie O. Collins, 48, bdoth of West Plains, Mo., Samuel L. Pyatt, also known as “Tippy,” 47, of Pomona, Mo., and Christopher L. Dusenbury, 32, of Bowling Green, Mo., were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips.
Dodson was sentenced to 23 years in federal prison without parole. Pyatt was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Dusenbury was sentenced to 11 years and three months in federal prison without parole. Collins was sentenced to four years in federal prison without parole.
Dodson and Pyatt pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Feb. 28, 2017, to Feb. 28, 2020. Dodson and Pyatt obtained methamphetamine from co-defendant James W. Fithen, Jr., also known as “Boss,” 37, of West Plains, who acquired kilogram-level quantities of methamphetamine from Mexico. Dodson and Pyatt then distributed the methamphetamine to others. Dodson admitted he was involved in the distribution of methamphetamine for approximately four years. During that time, the Fithen drug-trafficking organization was selling, on average, 10 kilograms of methamphetamine per month, at a profit of approximately $100,000 per month.
Dodson also pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and to two counts of being a felon and unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm. Dodson admitted that he was in possession of a Ruger 9mm pistol on Oct. 6, 2019, in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and while he was a felon and a drug user. Dodson also admitted that he was in possession of a Bryco 9mm pistol on Dec. 17, 2019, while he was a felon and a drug user.
Dusenbury pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Collins pleaded guilty to controlling a place for the distribution of illegal drugs.
Fithen has pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy, as well as to aiding and abetting the attempted possession of methamphetamine to distribute, and awaits sentencing.
Co-defendant Bradley J. Russell , 58, of West Plains, was sentenced on Oct. 6, 2021, to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Seven additional co-defendants also have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
Dodson was the passenger in a vehicle that led police officers on a high-speed chase in Howell County, Mo., on Oct. 6, 2019. A Howell County sheriff’s deputy saw several items being thrown out of his vehicle during the chase. The driver lost control of the vehicle and struck an embankment, knocking down two fence posts. The deputy saw the loaded Ruger pistol thrown from the vehicle, to which Dodson later admitted possessing. Dodson and the driver were arrested; Dodson was in possession of .82 grams of methamphetamine and $170 in cash. Officers recovered two boxes with fentanyl patches and a plastic bag that contained marijuana, which had been thrown from the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and found methamphetamine, fentanyl patches, marijuana, cash and drug paraphernalia.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Dodson has five prior felony convictions, including a conviction for possession of a controlled substance.
On April 16, 2020, law enforcement was informed that a county employee who was grading the gravel road on County Road 2630, approximately a quarter mile north of State Route N Highway, had located an unknown quantity of suspected methamphetamine inside a .30-caliber ammunition container. At that time, the officer recalled having a conversation with Dodson in late 2019 in which Dodson stated he had placed an ammunition can containing approximately one to two kilograms of methamphetamine somewhere around State Route N in Pomona. Dodson told the officer he was high when he hid it and had spent two weeks trying to locate it. The officer recovered the container and the methamphetamine.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the South Central Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Howell, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the West Plains, Mo., Police Department, the Arkansas State Police, the Fulton County, Ark., Sheriff’s Department, and the Arkansas 16th Judicial Drug Task Force.