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Monday 19 September 2022
Oregon Man Pleads Guilty for Planned Parenthood Property DestructionRead the Press Release
An Oregon man pleaded guilty today after twice breaking windows and destroying property at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Grants Pass, Oregon, because the clinic provides reproductive health services.
Devin Friedrick Kruse, 27, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.
“The Justice Department will not tolerate unlawful and violent conduct that interferes with the work of reproductive health clinics,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This conviction should send a strong message that we will use federal civil rights law to protect clinics and staff that provide reproductive health services while safeguarding the rights of their patients.”
“The First Amendment does not allow individuals to violate the civils rights of others,” said U.S. Attorney Natalie Wight for the District of Oregon. “In this case, Mr. Kruse’s destructive and intimidating acts prevented women from accessing vital reproductive and pregnancy health services.”
“Citizens have a legal right to peacefully protest, but Mr. Kruse’s actions of repeated violence toward a Planned Parenthood clinic crossed a line,” said Special Agent in Charge Kieran L. Ramsey of the FBI Portland Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of our communities while respecting individuals’ First Amendment rights.”
According to court documents, on Nov. 23, 2021, Kruse broke five security cameras, a window, and a sign at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Grants Pass. Three days later, on Nov. 26, 2021, Kruse returned and threw a concrete block through the clinic’s window, tore down an intercom system and broke several light bulbs. Kruse later admitted to damaging the facility because he was angry at Planned Parenthood for killing unborn children.
On Feb. 24, 2022, Kruse was charged by misdemeanor criminal information with two counts of violating the FACE Act.
Misdemeanor violations of the FACE Act are punishable by up to one year in federal prison. Kruse will be sentenced on Jan. 5, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Ann L. Aiken.
As part of his plea agreement, Kruse has agreed to pay restitution in full to Planned Parenthood as identified by the government prior to sentencing and ordered by the court.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Grants Pass Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gavin W. Bruce and John C. Brassel for the District of Oregon, and Trial Attorney Cameron A. Bell for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
In 1994, Congress passed the FACE Act in response to an increase in violence toward patients and providers of reproductive health services. The FACE Act prohibits violent, threatening, damaging and obstructive conduct intended to injure, intimidate or interfere with an individual’s right to seek, obtain or provide reproductive health services.
If you or someone you know is in danger, please call 911.
Suspected violations of the FACE Act can be reported to the FBI by calling 1-800-225-5324 (1-800-CALL-FBI) or by visiting tips.fbi.gov.
North Idaho Woman Sentenced for Embezzling over 3.6 Million Dollars in Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE – Trina Welch, 49, of Osburn, Idaho was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for committing wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, Welch, was employed by Kasco of Idaho, LLC as a bookkeeper from 2012 until 2019. Kasco is a construction and telecommunication company that does work in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Alaska. Beginning in at least 2013 and continuing until the day she was terminated on July 3, 2019, Welch used her position as a bookkeeper to engage in a scheme and plan to defraud Kasco and obtain money and property for herself. Welch conducted the scheme by issuing 341 fraudulent checks to purchase properties, vehicles, and travel for herself, her family, and her friends.
In January of 2022, Welch pleaded guilty to the charge of wire fraud, admitting that in 2017 alone she took over $930,000 just to pay her Bank of America credit cards. As part of the plea agreement, Welch admitted writing the 341 fraudulent checks, and agreed to pay restitution and forfeit her interest in any of the properties she bought with the money. However, she contested that the entire amount of the checks represented a loss to Kasco. After a two-day hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye found that Welch’s scheme caused a $3,673,934.00 loss to Kasco.
Chief Judge Nye also ordered Welch to forfeit her interest in six different properties she bought with Kasco funds, and to pay restitution in the amount of $3,678,237.73.
Welch was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshal Service after the hearing to begin her prison sentence. After prison, Welch will serve 3 years of supervised release wherein she will be required to report to a U.S. Probation Officer.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit, of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Rathdrum Police Department which led to charges.
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North Carolina Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting Oregon Child OnlineRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—A Greensboro, North Carolina man was sentenced to more than 16 years in federal prison today for sexually exploiting an Oregon child using Musical.ly, a social media application now known as TikTok.
Andrew Thomas Tager, 32, was sentenced to 195 months in federal prison and 15 years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, in May 2018, when Tager was 28 years old, he posed as a female employee of Musical.ly and began communicating with a then-10-year-old Oregon child. He encouraged the child to participate in a fictional “crown program” wherein the child could earn a “crown” by sending the “employee” photos and videos of herself. The child believed earning a crown would give her access to various privileges on Musical.ly not available to other users.
Tager directed the child to produce and send him pornographic photos and videos of herself using Kik Messenger, an instant messaging mobile application. Tager instructed the child on how she should pose and move, what she should wear, what props she should use, and how long the videos needed to be. Tager further threatened the child, telling her that if she quit “the program,” her photos and videos would be released to others.
When the child’s parents found the sexually explicit photos and messages on the child’s phone, they reported the conduct to law enforcement. On May 30, 2019, after a lengthy investigation, Tager was arrested in North Carolina.
On May 2, 2019, Tager was charged by criminal complaint with production of child pornography. Later, on May 31, 2022, he was charged by criminal information with production and attempted production of child pornography. On June 6, 2022, Tager waived indictment and pleaded guilty.
As part of his sentence, Tager must also register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by FBI Portland’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) with assistance from the North Bend Police Department. It was prosecuted by Ashley R. Cadotte and Amy Potter, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
The FBI CETF conducts sexual exploitation investigations, many of them undercover, in coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. CETF is committed to locating and arresting those who prey on children as well as recovering and assisting victims of sex trafficking and child exploitation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Norfolk Woman Sentenced for Identity Theft Impersonation SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Norfolk woman was sentenced last week to 10 years in prison for misuse of a Social Security number, loan fraud, and identity theft.
According to court documents, Shaneca Moseley, 39, engaged in an identity takeover of C.J., a New Jersey resident. Between 2018 and 2020, Moseley impersonated C.J. by possessing and using a forged driver’s license containing C.J.’s personal identifying information, including name, date of birth, home address, and driver’s license number, and a Social Security card containing C.J.’s Social Security number. During these two years, Moseley used C.J.’s personal identifying information in acquiring an apartment lease; purchasing and obtaining a loan for a Mercedes Benz; purchasing furniture on credit; obtaining an email account, insurance, and other utilities; and masking her true identity during a traffic stop, among various other acts. Moseley’s activity left C.J. to deal with the results of various payment defaults and impacts to their credit.
Moseley pleaded guilty in 2009 to running another social security fraud scheme and was previously sentenced to 2 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Michael Goldsmith, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Samuels and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Danbee C. Kim 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. 4:21-cr-54.
Member of Large Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 168 Months in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced the sentencing of Kim K. Murphy, age 57, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as part of Operation Hidden Fee, an extensive federal, state, and local investigation by the Middle District Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) aimed at a drug trafficking network based and operating in Baton Rouge.
Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Murphy to 168 months in federal prison following his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine. Murphy must also serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, Murphy conspired with his co-defendant Travis James and others to obtain, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine. Pursuant to court orders, federal law enforcement agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) intercepted communications occurring over the cellular phones used by James. During those court-authorized wiretaps, Murphy brokered multi-ounce transactions of cocaine and crack cocaine for customers. Murphy and James would then set up meetings in Port Allen and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where James delivered those amounts either to waiting customers or to Murphy, who then supplied his buyers.
On or about January 11, 2018, James and Murphy were traveling from Texas to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in different vehicles when each of them were stopped separately for traffic violations. During Murphy’s traffic stop, he gave unreliable answers to law enforcement’s questions. Law enforcement sought and received Murphy’s written consent to search the vehicle wherein a green duffel bag was found in the trunk containing several vacuum sealed bags containing suspected bricked cocaine. Murphy claimed ownership of said bag.
To date, nine members of this large-scale conspiracy have been prosecuted and convicted.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration with invaluable assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Baton Rouge City Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police. Other agencies also assisted in apprehending the defendants, including the U.S. Marshal’s Service, and the Sheriffs’ Offices in Ascension, Iberville, and West Baton Rouge Parishes. These cases were prosecuted Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Piedrahita and Lyman E. Thornton III.
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.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty in $4 Million Romance Scam FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Massachusetts man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston in connection with a wire fraud and money laundering scheme involving funds obtained from “romance scam” victims.
Kofi Osei, a/k/a Paul Proia, a/k/a Kenneth Buck, a/k/a Jeffrey Anashe, a/k/a Author Ivey, a/k/a David Label, a/k/a Manuel Abdalla, a/k/a Andrew Matses, 30, pleaded guilty on Sept. 16, 2022 to seven counts of making a false statement to a bank, six counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Jan. 20, 2023. Osei was charged in February 2021.
Between no later than 2016 through at least 2020, Osei opened bank accounts in the greater Boston area using fake identity documents. Those bank accounts were used to receive fraudulently obtained funds from a number of victims of romance scams, in which perpetrators create fictitious online personas to develop online romantic relationships with individuals in the United States and then leverage those relationships to obtain money and/or property. Once the fraudulently obtained funds reached the accounts controlled by Osei, Osei generally withdrew the money in cash, used the funds to purchase cashier’s checks, or spent the money on personal purchases. During a search of Osei’s residence and vehicle in February 2021, additional fake identity documents in the names of other aliases were recovered. In total, Osei opened more than 40 bank accounts using seven aliases. Those accounts received more than $4 million in victim funds.
The charge of making a false statement to a bank provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the scheme, whichever is greater. The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the criminally derived property. 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; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Maryland Man Ordered to Pay $90,000 for Role in Romance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Oluwabamishe Awolesi, 29, of Beltsville, Maryland, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation, including 60 days on home detention, and ordered to pay $90,000 in restitution for receipt of stolen money.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Awolesi, also known as Oluwabamise Johnson, admitted to his role in a romance fraud scheme that defrauded more than 200 victims, many of them elderly, of at least $2.5 million. One victim of the scheme transferred a total of $90,000 into Awolesi’s checking account in September 2018. Awolesi kept $12,000 of the total and forwarded the rest to others involved in the scheme.
Awolesi, a citizen of Nigeria and the United States, lived in Huntington during his involvement in the scheme. Three indictments targeting the scheme allege that from 2016 to 2020, multiple defendants participated in a series of romance and other online scams designed to coerce vulnerable victims into sending money to various bank accounts controlled by them. The indictments describe romance scams as online schemes that target individuals looking for romantic partners, friendship, and other close personal and business relationships on dating websites and other social media platforms. Members of the fraud and money laundering conspiracy created profiles using fictitious names, locations, and images which allowed them to cultivate relationships with the victims. To carry out the schemes alleged in the indictments, victims were often led to believe that they were in relationships with U.S. residents working abroad. However, the investigation revealed that the individuals the victims viewed as their romantic partners were false personas created by members of the fraud and money laundering conspiracies.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), the West Virginia State Police, and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Kathleen Robeson and R. Gregory McVey prosecuted the case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. 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 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday-Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-68.
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Martin Estrada Sworn in as United States Attorney, Becoming Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer in Nation’s Most Populous DistrictRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Martin Estrada was sworn in today as the United States Attorney for the Central District of California.
Estrada, 45, was sworn in by Chief United States District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez in a private ceremony this morning.
Estrada now oversees the largest United States Attorney’s Office outside of Washington, D.C. The office, which currently employs approximately 270 attorneys, serves approximately 20 million residents in the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo.
After being confirmed by the United States Senate on September 13, Estrada was given a four-year appointment by President Joe Biden.
“I am deeply honored to return to the United States Attorney’s Office and have the opportunity to serve the people of this district,” Estrada said. “As the leader of this office, I will be focused on protecting our community, safeguarding the rights of every individual in this district and upholding the rule of law. I will also work to further develop the office’s relationships with federal, state and local law enforcement and with our community partners. Working together, we will always put the people of this district first.”
Prior to becoming the United States Attorney, Estrada was a partner at the law firm of Munger, Tolles & Olson where he focused on trials, complex litigation and investigations. There, in addition to representing corporate clients, Estrada handled high-impact pro bono matters in the areas of education, immigration and equal justice.
Estrada is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He also was an Adjunct Professor for Loyola Law School’s Ninth Circuit Appellate Clinic, part of the Alarcón Advocacy Project, where his teams achieved success for indigent clients.
From 2007 to 2014, Estrada was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California. As a federal prosecutor, Estrada served as Deputy Chief of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and as the International Organized Crime Coordinator. He prosecuted a broad array of criminal violations, including the nation’s largest racketeering prosecution targeting members and associates of Eurasian organized crime; one of the country’s largest bank fraud and identity theft prosecutions, in which more than $8 million was stolen from elderly victims; and a major public corruption matter involving the illegal leaking of sensitive, under-seal information by a federal court clerk who tipped off organized crime figures before law enforcement could arrest them.
For his work as a prosecutor, Estrada received the U.S. Department of Justice’s prestigious Director’s Award for Superior Performance as well as other recognitions.
Estrada graduated with distinction from Stanford Law School and earned his undergraduate degree in history from the University of California, Irvine, where he graduated magna cum laude. Estrada served as a law clerk for U.S. District Judge Robert J. Timlin of the Central District of California and Judge Arthur L. Alarcón of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Man Sentenced After Performing Autopsies Using False CredentialsRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A man was sentenced today to 69 months in prison for engaging in a wire fraud scheme.
In May 2022, Shawn Lynn Parcells, 42, of Topeka pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. According to court documents, in July 2016, Parcells, as owner of National Autopsy Services LLC, convinced a client he was qualified to conduct an autopsy based on the false credentials. The client paid the defendant $5,000.00 and received an emailed copy of a final report from Parcells. The report included an opinion made within “a certain degree of medical certainty as a Forensic, Neuro, and Infectious Disease Epidemiology Fellow,” and appeared authored by the defendant. No pathologist participated in this examination or report.
According to court documents, between May 2016 and May 2019, the defendant used NAS to obtain fees from more than 350 clients for a total amount of $1,166,000. In many cases, the defendant failed to provide an authentic completed report.
“It’s troubling whenever criminals deceptively present themselves as professionals to commit fraud on unwitting victims, but the fact that Parcells’ schemes were predicated upon exploiting the grief and bereavement of others, makes his act a particularly predatory crime,” said U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard.
“During their most vulnerable state, Mr. Parcells willfully defrauded individuals while they were grieving the loss of a loved one. He used deception as a means to prey on those looking to find answers surrounding the death of their loved ones by claiming to be a pathologist and being able to provide those answers” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub. “Mr. Parcells fraudulently collected fees and profited on their grief for his own personal gain. Today’s sentencing sends a clear message - the FBI will hold those accountable who use deception and fraud to take advantage of others in our community.”
The FBI and the Office of the Kansas Attorney General investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney prosecuted the case.
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Lower Brule Man Returns to Federal Prison for over 33 Years for Leading a Meth and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering was sentenced on July 25, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Canbie Ryan Thompson, age 45, was sentenced to 400 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Thompson was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering by a federal grand jury in July of 2021. He pleaded guilty on May 5, 2022.
From December 2020 until on or about March 2021, Thompson reached an agreement to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere. On March 23, 2021, Thompson was transporting 4,989 grams of methamphetamine and was lawfully stopped and searched by police. During the search the police located and seized the 4,989 grams of methamphetamine. Thompson was also responsible for transporting and delivering other quantities of methamphetamine for further distribution.
Additionally, beginning in January of 2018, Thompson intentionally conspired to knowingly conduct and attempt to conduct financial transactions affecting interstate and foreign commerce, to wit: depositing U.S Currency at financial institutions and conducting wire/money transfers, which involved the proceeds of a specified unlawful activity, that is, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, with the intent to promote the carrying on of the unlawful activity, and that while conducting and attempting to conduct such financial transactions knew that the property involved in the financial transactions represented the proceeds of some form of unlawful activity. In that manner, Thompson, along with his co-conspirators, wired funds derived from the sale of methamphetamine by utilizing various financial institutions on behalf of the conspiracy. Thompson had bulk currency deposited into his Wells Fargo account, wired/sent thousands of dollars to co-conspirators, and sent money across state lines from South Dakota to California. Thompson attempted to conceal the fact that the money was acquired from the sale of methamphetamine.
Thompson had an obstruction of justice sentencing enhancement because after being indicted, he obtained discovery information from the case and disseminated it to an unauthorized individual. The dissemination of that discovery impeded the investigation and prosecution of the case by making the name of a cooperating witness public.
Thompson was previously convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance in South Dakota in 2010, for which he was sentenced to 63 months.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, IRS Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Thompson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Longmeadow Man Sentenced for Tobacco Tax Fraud and Illegal Check-Cashing BusinessRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Longmeadow man was sentenced on Sept. 15, 2022 in federal court in Springfield for two cases in connection with evading payment of tobacco sales tax and operating an illegal check-cashing business.
Satish Kumar, 67, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark. G. Mastroianni to one year of probation. In November 2015, Kumar pleaded guilty in one case to one count of conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. In the second case, Kumar pleaded guilty to one count of failure to register a money transmitting business.
In 2006, Kumar purchased a wholesale warehouse business in Berlin, Conn. Kumar systematically evaded Connecticut state tobacco taxes, in selling cigars and smokeless tobacco to convenience stores and gas stations. Kumar consistently failed to pay the required tobacco excise taxes to Connecticut, paying just two percent of the tax owed. In 2008, Kumar sold the business, but he continued to receive proceeds from the continuing tobacco tax fraud that occurred at the Berlin warehouse. In June 2012, the fraud ceased when federal agents executed a search warrant at the Berlin warehouse and 12 other locations in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. During the six-year scheme, Kumar and others helped to evade over $16 million in taxes owed to the state of Connecticut.
In the illegal check cashing case, Kumar owned a liquor store in Springfield, Mass. that also acted as an unregistered money transmitting business. Kumar cashed checks without the required registration despite warnings from his bank. Among the checks cashed were 195 United States Treasury tax refund checks worth approximately $1.2 million obtained through fraudulent returns filed with the IRS.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; Commissioner Geoffrey E. Snyder of the Massachusetts Department of Revenue; Acting Commissioner John Biello of the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services; and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Morgan and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Breslow of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the cases.
Littleton Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Katie Ricker, 22, of Littleton, New Hampshire, and formerly of South Ryegate, Vermont, pleaded guilty in federal court to bank fraud, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2018 and October 2021, Ricker was employed in various positions by a company in Sugar Hill, New Hampshire. In or about October 2021, Ricker stole blank checks belonging to the company. She wrote fraudulent checks addressed to herself, her co-defendant William Hill, and others to transfer funds from the company’s account to her joint bank account with Hill. Ricker forged the signature of the employee authorized to sign on the company’s account. The defendants were caught on camera cashing some of the fraudulent checks. In total, Ricker stole $46,055.35 from the company.
Ricker is scheduled to be sentenced on December 29, 2022. Hill pled guilty on June 27, 2022.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Sugar Hill Police Department and Lisbon Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen.
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Lawrence Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking and Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for charges related to fentanyl trafficking and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Luis Berroa, 33, was sentenced on Sept. 15, 2022 by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to seven years in prison followed by four years of supervised release. On May 18, 2022, Berroa pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Berroa has remained in federal custody since his arrest in May 2019.
During a search of Berroa’s residence in March 2019, more than 70 grams of fentanyl, a metal drug press, two handguns and ammunition were found in Berroa’s bedroom. Berroa is not licensed to carry firearms, had not applied for a license and did not purchase the handguns from a licensed federal firearms dealer. On his cellular phone, law enforcement found photographs of numerous handguns, including one of the handguns seized from Berroa’s bedroom.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Lawrence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Ferguson and Stephen Hassink of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Kentucky Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Harvest of PaddlefishRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – Two Kentucky men were sentenced recently by the U.S. District Court for felony charges arising out of the illegal harvest of paddlefish and paddlefish roe from closed waters in Mississippi.
According to court documents, James Lawrence “Lance” Freeman, 27, of Eddyville, Kentucky, and Marcus Harrell, 34, of Murray, Kentucky, plead guilty to conspiring to violate the Lacey Act by travelling from Kentucky to Mississippi on multiple occasions between November 6, 2018, and January 5, 2018, for the purpose of harvesting paddlefish from Moon Lake in Coahoma County, which was closed to paddlefish harvest. Freeman or Harrell would take the harvested paddlefish roe back to Kentucky to sell to commercial processors, falsely claiming that the paddlefish had been caught in the Ohio River or other places in or near Kentucky where the harvest of paddlefish was legal.
Freeman was sentenced on September 15 in Oxford before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills. Freeman was sentenced to 6 months incarceration, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $20,000.00 to the Lacey Act Reward Account. Freeman, a commercial fisherman, was further banned from all fishing, both commercial and recreational, for a period of 5 years. Freeman is scheduled to report to prison on November 28.
Harrell was sentenced on July 26 in Oxford before U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock. Harrell was sentenced to 5 years probation and ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $7,500.00 to the Lacey Act Reward Account. Harrell, who is also a commercial fisherman, was banned from all fishing in the State of Mississippi for a period of 5 years and further banned from harvesting fish roe of any species in any state for a period of 5 years.
Following the sentence, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement Assistant Director Edward Grace stated, “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement is committed to conducting criminal investigations with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks in an effort to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats. The Office of Law Enforcement takes violations of the Lacey Act seriously. The investigation involving the 2 defendants who were involved in the unlawful harvest and dealing of paddlefish roe is no exception. We will continue to work closely with our state partners to conduct these important joint investigations.”
“I am extremely proud of these Officers for their hard work and dedication they put forth in bringing these violators to justice,” remarked Col. Jerry Carter of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. “Thanks for the joint effort by all agencies State and Federal that were involved, it truly sends a message that unlawful acts such as this will not be tolerated in our state and that we will use all the manpower and equipment available to protect our natural resources.”
U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner of the Northern District of Mississippi and Edward Grace, Assistant Director of the Office of Law Enforcement for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made the announcement.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigated the case, along with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.
Jury Convicts Sparks Man of Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A Sparks resident was convicted by a jury on Friday, September 16, for distribution of fentanyl — a deadly synthetic opioid.
After a five-day trial, Jaime Collazo Munoz, aka “Chivo,” (36) was found guilty of two counts of distribution of a fentanyl. Chief U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du presided over the jury trial and scheduled sentencing for December 16, 2022. Munoz faces a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison. Each count of conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison.
According to evidence presented at trial and court documents, from July to November 2020, Munoz distributed at least 80 grams of fentanyl in exchange for over $10,000. Munoz distributed the fentanyl pills out of Stay Faded Barbershop in Sparks, Nevada.
U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the DEA, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), United States Marshals Service (USMS), Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, and Regional Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andolyn Johnson and Andrew Keenan are prosecuting the case.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine: only a few milligrams of this chemical compound, equivalent to a few grains of table salt, are enough to cause a fatal overdose.
If you have information of a potential violation of controlled substances laws and regulations, including the growing, manufacture, distribution or trafficking of controlled substances, please contact the DEA at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States, using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Downloading Videos and Images of Children Being Sexually AbusedRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Michael Ray King (42, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to using the internet to download and receive videos and images of children being sexually abused. King faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and forfeit certain computer media. King was arrested by FBI agents on November 18, 2021. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to court documents, in 2021, the FBI was investigating individuals who were using online networks to receive and share child sexual abuse materials. The investigation revealed that in July, August, and September 2021, King used a computer connected to the internet at his residence to access videos depicting young children being sexually abused.
On November 18, 2021, during the execution of a federal search warrant at King’s home, FBI personnel seized an external computer hard drive that was connected by a cable to a gaming computer. A forensic examination of this external drive revealed that it contained at least 250 images and at least 50 videos depicting child sexual abuse material, including young children being sexually assaulted, bestiality, and bondage. This drive also contained evidence showing dates and times that King had downloaded these child sexual abuse materials from the internet.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown. Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran is handling the forfeiture of assets.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Indianapolis Felon Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm while on Community CorrectionsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Steven Williams Jr., 39, of Indianapolis, was sentenced Friday to fifty-seven months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on September 13, 2019, a Marion County Community Corrections officer, and officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) conducted a compliance check at William’s residence. Officers found in plain view, evidence of illegal drug activity. During the execution of a search warrant, officer located a loaded 9mm handgun, cocaine, marijuana, digital scales, a pill press, baggies, and U.S. currency from William’s bedroom. Further investigation led to the discovery of two loaded 9mm handguns two .223 caliber rifles, and three 30 round high-capacity magazines.
Williams is prohibited from lawfully possessing firearms due to multiple prior felony convictions in Marion County, including dealing in cocaine, dealing in methamphetamine, and reckless homicide.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and IMPD Chief Randal Taylor made the announcement.
ATF and IMPD investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II following the defendant’s guilty plea. As part of the sentence, Judge Sweeney ordered that the defendant be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney William L. McCoskey who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Illinois Man Sentenced to Ten Years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine Possession on AmtrakRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Shawron Thomas, 47, of Calumet City, Illinois, was sentenced on September 16, 2022, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, after being convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Thomas to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On January 16, 2021, a Nebraska State Patrol trooper doing routine interdiction work encountered Thomas on the Amtrak train in Omaha. Thomas had a suitcase at his feet below the seat in which he was sitting. The trooper and Thomas engaged in a conversation about Thomas’s travel, during which the trooper noticed signs of possible drug trafficking.
Thomas consented to have a drug detection canine sniff the suitcase. The canine alerted to the suitcase and it was searched. Inside, agents found seven bundles of methamphetamine weighing a total of 5,049 grams. One bundle, weighing 467 grams, was submitted to the crime laboratory for testing, which determined it was 100 percent pure methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Illinois Man Convicted of Attempted Online Enticement and Sex Trafficking of A ChildRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Timothy Streitmatter, age 44, of Peoria, Illinois, was found guilty on September 16, 2022, of attempted online enticement and attempted sex trafficking of a child, after a five-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, jurors deliberated for a little more than an hour before rendering guilty verdicts against Streitmatter for using the internet and an electronic device to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a person who he believed to be 13 years old to engage in unlawful sexual activity, and to engage in a commercial sex act in exchange for U.S. currency.
Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office offered testimony from multiple special agents from the FBI-Allentown Office and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and an FBI special agent from the Philadelphia Office who offered expert testimony in cell phone forensics and undercover online child exploitation investigations.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Philadelphia Division, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Olshefski and Sean Camoni prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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 justice.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law is life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, sex offender registration under the Adam Walsh Act, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Curtis Leroy Hayes Jr., 47, of Huntington, was sentenced today to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute heroin and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 10, 2021, law enforcement officers observed multiple suspected hand-to-hand drug transactions at a Fifth Avenue residence in Huntington involving an individual later identified as Hayes. When Hayes left the residence in a vehicle, officers initiated a traffic stop of the vehicle. Hayes was arrested, and officers found approximately 6.4 grams of suspected heroin on his person. Hayes admitted to officers that he had been selling heroin for several months. Officers executed a search warrant at Hayes’ residence that day and recovered a loaded Bryco Arms, Jennings Model Nine 9mm pistol in his bedroom.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Hayes knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his convictions for first-degree murder and second-degree murder in Cabell County Circuit Court on December 19, 1995, and for possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on March 27, 1995.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-251.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marquette Damon Eanes, 50, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Eanes admitted that he ran from law enforcement officers when they approached him on the 300 block of Olive Street in Huntington on December 12, 2019. The officers caught Eanes after a brief chase and recovered approximately 26 grams of methamphetamine from Eanes’ right vest pocket, a loaded Ruger 9mm pistol from his waistband, and a loaded Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver from his right pants leg. Eanes admitted that he intended to sell the methamphetamine and that he possessed the firearms to protect himself while selling it.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Eanes knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his conviction for using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime on February 3, 1998, and his two convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm, on June 28, 2004, and May 25, 2011, all in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-306.
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Houston woman admits to importing meth in “aloe vera” jugsRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 28-year-old Houston woman has entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to import 40.5 kilograms of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
As part of her plea, Evelyn Fabiola Ramirez admitted that on April 3, she attempted to enter the United States from Mexico driving an SUV at the Lincoln Juarez Bridge Port of Entry in Laredo. She was carrying several jugs which she claimed was aloe vera.
Authorities referred her to secondary inspection after it appeared someone had tampered with the lids and due to the unusual color of the liquid.
There, they opened one of the jugs and inspected the liquid. It tested positive for meth and weighed 40.5 kilograms.
Ramirez admitted someone hired her to move the drugs into the country. She was told to bring her children along for the ride to make the trip look legitimate. Ramirez was given $500 for expenses and traveled to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, to pick up the narcotics. She believed she would be paid $3,000 to move the narcotics.
She actually thought she was transporting cocaine.
Ramirez has been in custody, but could be released upon posting bond. Sentencing will be det at a later date, at which time she faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Harrison is prosecuting the case.
Greenville Man Sentenced to More Than a Dozen Years in Prison for Drugs Sales and Illegal GunsRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – A Greenville man was sentenced Friday to 12 years and 7 months in prison for selling drugs and for possessing guns as a previously convicted felon.
According to court documents, William L. Mays, Jr., 45, of Greenville, Mississippi, pled guilty in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi to one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The felon-in-possession charge arises out of Mays’ sale of firearms to a confidential informant. Mays was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Glen H. Davidson to 151 months for the distribution of methamphetamine and 120 months for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, to run concurrently. He was further sentenced to 3 years of supervised release following his release from prison. Mays is currently in custody.
“The trafficking of illegal narcotics and illegal gun sales are key drivers of violent crime across the Northern District of Mississippi, and it is imperative that offenders are held accountable if we wish to reduce violent crime,” remarked U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “There can be no doubt that the sentence imposed in this case will help make the community of Greenville safer.”
“We are pleased with the hard work between the Greenville Police Department and our federal partners” stated Chief Marcus Turner, Greenville P.D. “Although there is much work to be done, it is encouraging to know that the long hours of investigating these crimes are followed to its disposition. We thank the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office for their help in making our community safer.”
The case was investigated by the Greenville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by AUSA Robert Mims.
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.
Fugitive Extradited from Dominican Republic to Face Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the extradition of Jose Ramon Tejeda-Guerrero (38) from the Dominican Republic to the United States. Tejeda-Guerrero was charged in a 2012 indictment with fraudulent possession of counterfeit or unauthorized access devices and four counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Tejeda-Guerrero faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for the access device fraud charge, and a mandatory two-year consecutive term of imprisonment for each of the aggravated identity theft charges. He made his initial appearance in Orlando before U.S. Magistrate Embry J. Kidd on September 15, 2022, and has been ordered detained pending trial.
According to court documents and information disclosed during his initial appearance, on July 20, 2007, Tejeda-Guerrero was arrested at the Orlando International Airport on state charges for possession or transfer of credit card-making equipment. During a search incident to his arrest, the police confiscated a laptop and two flash drives. The laptop contained approximately 13,000 credit card numbers, including active accounts belonging to individuals all around the world. The laptop also contained instructions on how to make, evaluate, and test magnetic stripes of credit cards and instructions on how to clean a card maker and its components. The actual fraud loss associated with credit card accounts found on that laptop exceeds $1 million.
Tejeda-Guerrero was released on bail in connection with his state charges on August 23, 2007, and fled. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2012.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Kissimmee Police Department, with assistance from the Orlando Police Department and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in the Dominican Republic to secure the arrest and extradition of Tejeda-Guerrero to the United States. The U.S. Marshals Service also provided critical assistance. This case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily C. L. Chang.
Franklin County Man Sentenced to 162 Months for Receiving of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FRANFORT, Ky. — A man residing in Frankfort, Kentucky, Marcus Tate, 39, was sentenced on Friday to 162 months in federal prison, by U.S. District Judge Gregory VanTatenhove, for the receipt of child pornography.
According to Tate’s plea agreement, on May 13, 2017, he knowingly received sexually explicit videos and/or images of minors, using a peer-to-per file sharing program. Tate admitted that he knowingly searched for and received these images, and he knew the content was produced using minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Tate pleaded guilty in February 2022.
Under federal law, Tate must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jerry Templet, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations; and Col. Phillip Burnett, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations and KSP. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Fourth and Final Co-Defendant in Brutal West Philly Sex Trafficking Case Sentenced to 17 ½ Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Rafael Robinson, 35, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to seventeen years and six months in prison, ten years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $459,000 restitution by United States District Judge C. Darnell Jones II, for sex trafficking of an adult by force.
The defendant is the fourth and final member of a brutal sex trafficking ring in West Philadelphia to be sentenced. According to court documents, the four defendants ran a strip club, known as “Club Passions,” and a brothel, known as “Passionate Touch,” at a leased property in the Mill Creek section of West Philadelphia. Along with his three co-defendants, the defendant engaged in acts of force, threats, fraud and coercion to cause a young woman referenced as “Person 1” in the second Superseding Indictment to engage in prostitution over the course of approximately three years, including subjecting her to repeated acts of sadistic torture.
The defendant and his co-defendant, Kevino Graham, were convicted by a jury on February 5, 2016. Graham was convicted of two counts of sex trafficking by force, and attempted sex trafficking by force, and was sentenced to 100 years in prison. Co-defendant Brian Wright pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 21 years and ten months in prison. Co-defendant Renato Teixeira pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight years and six months in prison.
“The crimes committed in this case were truly horrific,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “And while the victims may never fully recover from the crimes committed against them, they can rest assured that these four perpetrators have now been brought to justice. Our Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners at all levels to relentlessly investigate and prosecute human trafficking crimes.”
“The actions of Rafael Robinson and his co-defendants were unconscionable,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “While it’s gratifying to see the last member of this sex trafficking ring handed a lengthy term, no sentence can make up for the terrible physical and emotional harm these men inflicted. We hope those they victimized continue to heal with each new day that passes. Combatting sex trafficking remains squarely in the FBI’s sights, as we work to free victims from such cruel and calculating exploitation and to hold accountable the ruthless criminals who would engage in such heinous acts.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department Special Victims Unit and the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Morgan.
Four Charged with Conspiring to Steal $425,000 in Fitness TrackersRead the Press Release
Four defendants have been charged with systematically stealing fitness trackers from a warehouse in Corsicana, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. The scheme, which spanned about four months, allegedly netted them more than $425,000 in value.
Antonio Marcell Lewis, 41, Samuel Earl Lewis, 36, Aaron Lincoln, 43, and Ricka Smith, 37, were indicted for conspiracy to commit theft from interstate shipment on Sept. 8. They were arrested Thursday and made their initial appearances on Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renee Toliver.
According to the indictment, Antonio Lewis and Mr. Lincoln, both shipping and receiving employees for a department store distribution center in Corsicana, allegedly stole fitness trackers and accessories destined for retail stores, unloading them from freight trailers by the pallet full and placing them near the facility’s loading docks. Ms. Smith, a driver for a commercial freight carrier, allegedly parked her truck near the loading docks, so that Antonio Lewis and Mr. Lincoln could load the trackers onto her truck. Ms. Smith would allegedly met up with Antonio Lewis and his brother, Samuel Lewis, after each of the thefts to unload the stolen fitness trackers from her truck. The brothers then sold the fitness trackers to unauthorized retailers.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All four defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, they face up to five years in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations’ Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Briggs is prosecuting the case.
Former Tribal IT Director Sentenced in Federal Court for Roles in Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Florida man convicted of Bribery Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds, was sentenced on September 12, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann.
Sven Schreiber, age 54, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a $15,000 fine. He was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Schreiber was indicted for Bribery Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds by a federal grand jury in May of 2021. Schreiber pled guilty on May 23, 2022.
Schreiber’s co-defendant, Arnaldo Piccinelli, was also charged, and he pled guilty to Embezzlement from an Indian Tribal Organization on May 19, 2022. Piccinelli was sentenced to two years of probation.
According to court documents, in or around December 2015, Schreiber became the Director of the Information Technology Department of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Schreiber’s duties included serving as the Tribe’s primary contact with outside vendors and generating bids, contracts, and agreements relating to the work of the Tribe’s Information Technology Department.
On behalf of the Tribe, Schreiber contracted with Piccinelli to provide information technology services on a contract basis with the Tribe. Schreiber served as Piccinelli’s point of contact regarding all of the contracts with the Tribe. The Tribe paid Piccinelli or his company, Hexagon Code, Incorporated, at the direction of Schreiber. At some time after Piccinelli entered into the contract, Schreiber solicited Defendant Piccinelli for money. As a result, Defendant Schreiber received cash payments of approximately $15,000.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Schreiber must self-report to the institution designated or the U.S. Marshals Office by 2:00pm on November 15, 2022.
This case was brought pursuant to the Guardians Project, a federal law enforcement initiative to coordinate efforts between participating agencies, to promote citizen disclosure of public corruption, fraud, and embezzlement involving federal program funds, contracts, and grants, and to hold accountable those who are responsible for adversely affecting those living in South Dakota’s Indian country communities. The Guardians Project is another step of federal law enforcement’s on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination, and positive action on behalf of tribal communities. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the participating agencies include: the FBI; the Offices of Inspector General for the Departments of Interior, Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration, Agriculture, Transportation, Education, Justice, and Housing and Urban Development; IRS Criminal Investigation; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.
For additional information about the Guardians Project, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (605) 330-4400. To report a suspected crime, please contact law enforcement at the federal agency’s locally listed telephone number.
Former San Quentin Prison Guard and Three Others Plead Guilty to Bribery and Smuggling Contraband into Death RowRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO - Keith Christopher, Isaiah Wells, and Dustin Albini pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday to charges of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and bribery of a public official, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan. Another co-defendant, Tanisa Smith-Symes, pleaded guilty earlier to the same charges based on the same underlying conduct. The pleas were entered before United States District Judge Susan Illston.
On September 29, 2021, Keith Christopher, 38, of Pittsburg, Calif.; Isaiah Wells, 33, of Tracy, Calif.; Tanisa Smith-Symes, 46, of Las Vegas, Nevada; and Dustin Albini, 38, of Pittsburg, Calif., were charged in a federal indictment with bribery of a public official and conspiring to smuggle numerous cell phones into San Quentin State Prison (SQP) located in Marin County. Each defendant entered a plea agreement admitting their own participation in the criminal conspiracy and briberies.
Christopher was employed as a Correctional Officer at SQP and, as described in the indictment, worked in SQP’s East Block, known as Death Row. Cell phones are deemed contraband for prisoners in all parts of the prison as they create safety and security risks for prison employees and other inmates. The California Code of Regulations accordingly prohibits prisoners from possessing cell phones.
Christopher admitted in his plea agreement that as a correctional officer in 2019 he orchestrated a conspiracy involving Wells, Albini, Smith-Symes, and a condemned inmate referred to in the plea agreement only as “Inmate 1.” According to Christopher’s plea agreement, the object of the conspiracy was to pay Christopher bribes in exchange for his smuggling of contraband cell phones into SQP. He delivered the cell phones to Inmate 1, who in turn sold the phones to other inmates.
Christopher’s plea agreement includes descriptions of two instances in which he arranged to receive bribes in exchange for smuggling cell phones into the prison. In the first instance, Christopher admitted that in December 2019, Inmate 1 arranged for 10 cell phones to be shipped to the Nevada residence of an associate. That associate was Smith-Symes. Christopher instructed Smith-Symes to send the cell phones to Albini’s residence in Pittsburg, Calif. Christopher then collected the 10 cell phones from Albini and smuggled them into SQP for Inmate 1. Inmate 1 was the ultimate source of the bribes, and Smith-Symes informed Inmate 1 that Christopher’s price for smuggling the phones was $5,000. At Christopher’s direction, Smith-Symes sent some of the $5,000 to Albini and some to Wells. Christopher admitted that he collected the bribe money from both Wells and Albini.
The second example in Christopher’s plea agreement of smuggling cell phones into SQP in exchange for bribes involves a May 2020 transaction. Christopher admitted that he agreed to smuggle 15 more cell phones into SQP for Inmate 1 and requested a bribe of $7,500. Inmate 1 once again arranged to have the phones shipped to Smith-Symes. Christopher directed Smith-Symes to send those cell phones to the Tracy, Calif. address for Wells, which she did. Smith-Symes also forwarded a text message from Inmate 1 to Christopher requesting that Christopher reduce his smuggling fee from $7,500 to $6,500. Christopher agreed and directed Smith-Symes to send the $6,500 payment to Wells. Christopher retrieved the 15 cell phones and approximately $6,000 in cash from Wells, leaving Wells the balance as his fee. Christopher admitted he then smuggled the 15 cell phones into SQP and delivered them to Inmate 1.
For her part, Smith-Symes described in her plea agreement that in 2018 she began a romantic relationship with the condemned Inmate 1 at SQP. Starting in 2019, Inmate 1 began asking for favors, eventually asking her to help smuggle contraband cellphones into SQP. She agreed and followed Inmate 1’s direction to work with a SQP Corrections Officer she knew as “Dude,” who was Christopher. Smith-Symes admitted she conspired with Christopher as well as Wells and Albini to smuggle the cell phones into SQP and to pay bribes to Christopher.
In their plea agreements, both Wells and Albini admitted they joined the conspiracy to pay bribes to Christopher in exchange for his use of his official position to smuggle cell phones into SQP. Each admitted that they knowingly and willingly engaged in their respective roles in the conspiracy and briberies.
Each defendant pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud in violation of 18 USC §§ 1343, 1346, and 1349, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Each defendant also pleaded guilty to two counts of bribery of a public official in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 666(a)(2), which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. However, any sentence following a conviction is imposed by a court only after the court’s consideration of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 USC § 3553.
U.S. District Judge Illston scheduled sentencing hearings for Christopher and Wells for January 13, 2023, and set status hearings for Albini and Smith-Symes for September 15, 2023.
Assistant US Attorney Casey Boome is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Erick Machado and Margoth Turcios. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Office of Internal Affairs.
Former Hinsdale Man Pleads Guilty to Crack Cocaine Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Michael Racine, 50, formerly of Hinsdale, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2019, Racine worked with another individual to distribute crack cocaine in and around the Hinsdale, New Hampshire and Brattleboro, VT areas. Specifically, on at least two occasions, investigators either directly or through intermediaries purchased crack cocaine from Racine. On a third occasion, Racine fled after being provided with buy money but before providing the crack cocaine. Racine was arrested in February 2022, and has been detained pending trial.
Racine is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2023.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Keene, NH Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
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Florida Man Pleads Guilty to $223,000 Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Homosassa, Florida man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a $223,000 money-laundering conspiracy, which was part of an email hacking scheme that targeted a program at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., as well as victims in Tennessee and Idaho.
Franklin D. Huggins, 54, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Huggins admitted that he participated in a money-laundering conspiracy related to a $223,427 wire fraud scheme from Jan. 1, 2017, to Jan. 28, 2019. Huggins’s co-conspirators targeted Fort Leonard Wood and two businesses through a business email compromise scheme. In a business email compromise scheme, conspirators hack into a business email account, then send an email from what appears to be an employee of the business, instructing that money be sent to certain bank accounts.
Conspirators sent emails to individuals associated with businesses in an attempt to gain unlawful access to business email accounts. After hacking the email accounts, conspirators then utilized the business email accounts to portray themselves as those businesses and individuals. Under such assumed identities, conspirators engaged in what seemed to be normal financial transactions with other victim businesses, individuals, and entities, requesting money for certain purposes. These victims, believing they were conducting business with the real individuals, sent money to the conspirators based upon those false representations.
Huggins received the victims’ money in one of his own bank accounts. He withdrew cash, used the proceeds for his own personal benefit, and transferred the money to other individuals or entities, for purposes other than what was represented to the victims.
Huggins and his co-conspirators stole $164,568 from the Fort Leonard Wood branch of the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation. Conspirators hacked the email of an Illinois business that provided charter bus services then sent emails to Fort Leonard Wood purportedly from the business, which provides transportation for military service members during the winter holidays – including round-trip bus transportation to airports for military service members to be with their families during the holidays.
Huggins and his co-conspirators also stole $9,000 from an individual in Tennessee, and stole $49,859 from a business in Idaho.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Huggins must forfeit to the government a money judgment of $223,427.
By pleading guilty today, Huggins admitted that he conducted a financial transaction in excess of $10,000 in value, through a financial institution, that involved the proceeds of wire fraud, knowing that the transaction was designed in part to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds. Huggins admitted that, while conducting the financial transaction, he knew the proceeds were of some form of unlawful activity.
Under federal statutes, Huggins is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Money Mule Initiative. The Money Mule Initiative targets networks of individuals through which international fraudsters obtain proceeds of fraud schemes. These individuals, sometimes referred to as money mules, receive money from fraud victims and forward the illicit funds, often to overseas perpetrators. By receiving and transferring illicit funds, money mules facilitate a wide range of fraud schemes, including those that often predominately impact older Americans — like romance scams and lottery fraud — and those that target companies through business email compromise schemes.
More information about money mules is available at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch/money-mule-initiative.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, the Citrus County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office, and the Belle Meade, Tenn., Police Department.
Florida Jury Convicts Miami Woman of Making False Statement in Connection with Pediatric Asthma Drug StudyRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Florida woman on September 13 of making a false statement to a government investigator related to her role in a clinical trial that studied the effectiveness of asthma drugs in children.
According to evidence presented at trial, Jessica Palacio, 36, of Miami, worked from 2013 to 2015 as a clinical research coordinator at a clinical trial firm in Miami called Unlimited Medical Research. Unlimited Medical Research was one of many companies hired to conduct a clinical trial designed to investigate the safety and efficacy of an asthma medication in children. The drug manufacturer identified issues in the trial performed by the company based on a review of data and notified the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In May 2021, a grand jury in Miami returned a two-count indictment against Palacio alleging a scheme to falsify medical records to make it appear as though pediatric subjects made scheduled visits to Unlimited Medical Research, received physical exams from a clinical investigator, and took study drugs as required, when in fact these things had not occurred. The indictment alleged that when Palacio was confronted by an FDA regulatory investigator about her role in the clinical trial conducted by United Medical Research, she made a false statement by submitting a false affidavit claiming that she had performed a screening visit of a child subject when she had not.
Following trial, the jury found Palacio guilty of both conspiring to commit wire fraud and with making a false statement. U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles subsequently granted a defense motion for a judgment of acquittal on the conspiracy charge but denied a motion for judgment of acquittal as to the false statement charge.
“The safety of our nation’s prescription medications depends on the accuracy of the clinical studies reported to the FDA,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of this important process.”
“This announcement demonstrates that those who attempt to subvert the regulatory functions of the FDA by making false statements to the agency will be held accountable for their actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin C. Fielder of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office. “We commend the efforts of the Department of Justice for vigorously pursuing the prosecution of this matter.”
Palacio is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 21, 2022.
The FDA Office of Criminal Investigations investigated the case.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel David A. Frank and Trial Attorney Marilee L. Miller from the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, with the assistance of Kyrsten Melander, Associate Chief for Enforcement at the FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel.
Fitchburg Man Sentenced in Wide-Ranging Fentanyl, Heroin and Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fitchburg man was sentenced on Sept. 16, 2022 in federal court in Worcester for his role in a wide-ranging fentanyl, heroin, crack and cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
Kevin Martinez, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 22 months in prison and six years of supervised release. On March 23, 2022, Martinez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 280 grams or more of cocaine base (commonly known as crack cocaine) and 500 grams or more of cocaine.
According to court documents, following a fatal fentanyl overdose in September 2018, law enforcement began an investigation into a drug trafficking organization (DTO) in the Fitchburg area led by co-conspirators Pedro Baez and Anthony Baez. Intercepted communications identified the DTO’s cocaine, heroin and fentanyl suppliers, which included Martinez. In October 2019, Martinez delivered nearly 500 grams of cocaine to Pedro Baez.
Over the course of the investigation, agents seized over 1.8 kilograms of a heroin and fentanyl mixture, over 3.6 kilograms of cocaine and over 50 grams of crack cocaine, as well as a stolen, loaded handgun, drug manufacturing equipment and over $376,000.
Martinez was charged along with 17 others in July 2020. Martinez is the ninth defendant to be sentenced in the case. In December 2020, Anthony Baez was sentenced by Judge Hillman to 13 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Pedro Baez pleaded guilty on Feb. 2, 2021 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 3, 2022. Three of the remaining defendants, Branny Taveras, Jessica Hughes, and Hector Matos have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Four defendants have pleaded not guilty and are pending trial.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. The Fitchburg Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Lunenburg Police Department also provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
The operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Fayette County Man Sentenced to 360 Months for the Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. —Christopher Wayne Livingood, 50, of Lexington, Ky., was sentenced on Friday to 360 months in federal prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, for production of child pornography.
According to Livingood’s plea agreement, he used the Kik social media application to communicate with another individual about sexual acts that he wanted to perform on a minor. Livingood also admitted to sending sexually explicit images of the minor to the same individual. In addition to the images he produced, he was also in possession of child sexual abuse material on various electronic devices.
Livingood pleaded guilty in May 2022.
Under federal law, Livingood must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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District Man Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder While Armed in Slaying of 71-Year-Old ManRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Edward Brown, 60, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury today of first-degree (premeditated) murder while armed in the stabbing of a 71-year-old man in an apartment building in Northwest Washington.
The verdict, returned in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
In addition to the murder charge, the jury found Brown guilty of a second count of second-degree murder while armed, arising from the same offense. Both charges also carry potential sentencing enhancements because the victim was a senior citizen. The Honorable Rainey R. Brandt scheduled sentencing for Dec. 9, 2022.
On the morning of Feb. 5, 2018, the Metropolitan Police Department was called to an apartment in the 2300 block of 11th Street NW for a report of an unconscious person. They discovered the victim, Michael Mahoney, inside his apartment, fatally stabbed in the neck. Brown, who was temporarily staying in the apartment, was the last person to be seen on video surveillance going into and out of the apartment before Mr. Mahoney’s body was discovered by his concerned and vigilant senior friends.
Brown was arrested Feb. 27, 2018. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S Attorneys John Giovannelli, Sharon Donovan, Daniel Lenerz, and Jeffrey Wojcik; Paralegal Specialists Grazy Rivera, Kelly Blakeney, and Stephanie Siegerist; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Litigation Technology Specialist Charlie Bruce; Katina Adams-Washington, LaJune Thomas, and Nikiya Burnette of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit; former Victim/Witness Advocate Diana Lim, and Victim/Witness Advocate Karina Hernandez.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Prava Palacharla and Monica Trigoso, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Puja Bhatia, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Denham Springs Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Richard Culver, age 41, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, to 240 months in federal prison following his conviction for receipt of child pornography. Following his term of imprisonment, Culver will have to serve six years of supervised release and register as a sex offender for life. Chief Judge Dick also ordered Culver to pay restitution to his victims in the amount of $126,000.
According to admissions made during his plea, from June 6, 2019 to June 8, 2019, Culver posed as a 13-year-old girl and communicated with a 9 year-old girl via a social media application. During those communications, Culver sent the minor victim at least 15 images of child pornography and requested the minor victim to take and send similar photographs of herself to him. Based on Culver’s persuasion, the minor victim sent him images and video, which portrayed the minor victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Louisiana State Police and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jamie A. Flowers, Jr., who also serves as Chief of the Criminal Division.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Cumberland Man to Plead Guilty in Largest Meth-Laced Pill SeizureRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – According to documents filed in federal court in Rhode Island, a Cumberland, RI, man has agreed to plead guilty to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in connection with the seizure of approximately 660,500 methamphetamine-laced counterfeit Adderall® pills, the largest known seizure of its kind in the country, announced United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island Zachary A. Cunha.
Dylan Rodas, 27, has been detained in federal custody since his arrest on March 28, 2022, as an expansive Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation continues following the seizure of approximately 660,500 methamphetamine-laced counterfeit Adderall® pills, weighing a total of approximately 660 pounds; approximately eleven kilograms of methamphetamine powder; 1,000 fake Oxycodone fentanyl-laced pills; two motorized pill presses; 250 grams of cocaine; $15,000 in cash; and seven handguns, including two “ghost guns." This is believed to be the largest seizure of counterfeit Adderall pills to date, and among the largest single methamphetamine seizures by DEA’s New England Field Division.
In remarks delivered today at a press conference to announce the seizure, charges, and plea agreement, United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha remarked that “the quantity of methamphetamine represented by this seizure – methamphetamine that was packaged and ready to flow out onto the street, to devastating effect in our communities – is staggering.”
Addressing the burgeoning trafficking of methamphetamine into Rhode Island and New England, United States Attorney Cunha commented that, “…for a long time, we here in New England have been spared the full impact of methamphetamine, a drug that has blighted lives in so many other communities across the country. Those days, I regret to say, are over, with meth increasingly making its presence felt in Rhode Island and across the Northeast.” Mr. Cunha added, “This prosecution, which involves the seizure of what I can only term industrial scale quantities of meth, is a wake-up call that we cannot be complacent- that we cannot treat meth as a problem that happens elsewhere.”
“DEA is committed to investigating individuals like Mr. Rodas who are responsible for distributing lethal drugs, like the fake pills containing methamphetamine in this case, to the citizens of Rhode Island,” said DEA New England Division Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Illegal drug distribution ravages the very foundations of our families and communities so every time we take methamphetamine off the streets, lives are saved. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative local, state and federal law enforcement efforts in Rhode Island and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey P. Veroni.
A federal information is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The defendant's sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force is comprised of members of the Cranston, Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, South Kingstown, Warwick, Woonsocket and Amtrak Police Departments; and the Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General.
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United States Attorney's Office and DEACumberland County Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison on Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Cumberland County, New Jersey man was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Charles Sistrunk Jr., 40, of Millville, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler to an information charging him with possession with intent to distribute 500 mg or more of a substance containing methamphetamine.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Oct. 13, 2020, agents of the FBI executed a court-authorized search warrant at Sistrunk’s residence and found over 3.7 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, or “ice.” Sistrunk admitted to possessing the methamphetamine with intent to distribute it to others.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced Sistrunk to three years of supervised release and ordered the forfeiture of $2,900 of drug proceeds seized from the defendant’s residence.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the New Jersey State Police; the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office; the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office; the Atlantic City Police Department; the Pleasantville Police Department; and the Millville Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew B. Johns of the Criminal Division in Camden.
Defense counsel: Maggie Moy Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Camden
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison on Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a convicted felon on a drug charge, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley.
U.S. District Court Judge Karon O. Bowdre sentenced Terry Roshaun Pruitt, 37, of Birmingham, to 180 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base, commonly known as crack cocaine.
According to court documents, in September 2021, Pruitt ignored officer commands and drove through a license and insurance checkpoint being conducted by Birmingham Police officers. A brief chase ensued in which Pruitt crashed his vehicle into a tree and fled on foot. Officers pursued and caught him in an alley after he tripped over brush. In attempting to handcuff him, an officer found him holding a grocery bag under his body that contained crack cocaine weighing 291 grams.
In October 2008, Pruitt pleaded guilty to trafficking 50 grams or more of cocaine base and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama and was sentenced to 151 months in prison. Pruitt was on supervised release at the time of his arrest on the new charge.
“Arising from a simple traffic enforcement checkpoint, Pruitt was caught again with dangerous drugs he intended to distribute in our communities,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “We are grateful for the coordinated work of our federal and local law enforcement partners in taking this dealer off the street.”
“The sentencing today of Terry Roshaun Pruitt sends a message to all who engage in the distribution of illegal drugs: we will work together to see that anyone involved in this illicit trade will be brought to justice,” Byerley said.
The DEA investigated the case, along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Baty prosecuted the case.
Cleveland Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession of a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Diante S. Colthirst, 32, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced today to 78 months in prison, with 60 months to be served consecutively with a state sentence, by U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko after he pleaded guilty in May 2022 to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on March 2, 2020, law enforcement authorities attempted to arrest Colthirst in Orange, Ohio, due to an outstanding warrant for failure to appear for sentencing in the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. Colthirst fled from authorities in a vehicle as they attempted to arrest him and eventually abandoned his vehicle and ran from the scene on foot. Authorities searched the vehicle and located a firearm inside under the passenger seat.
Colthirst is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to previous convictions of attempted felonious assault, carrying a concealed weapon and having weapons while under disability and felonious assault and aggravated robbery in the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.
Colthirst was later arrested by the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive United States Marshal Task Force on March 11, 2020.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), United States Marshals Service (USMS) and the Orange Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Scott C. Zarzycki.
Bryan man sent to prison for receiving PPP funds while under indictmentRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 46-year-old Texan has been ordered to prison following his conviction of wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Keith Anton Johnson pleaded guilty March 10.
Today, U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes ordered Tran to serve 14 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court considered Johnson’s fraudulent statements on multiple official documents he used to secure $123,000 in Payroll Protection Loans. Specifically, he falsely claimed he was not currently under indictment for any other crime. In imposing the sentence, Judge Hughes noted that Johnson stole not just from the government, but the taxpaying citizens of the United States who made the emergency relief possible.
At the time of his plea, Johnson admitted that in 2020, he lied on multiple documents while applying for a Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan. At the time of his application, Johnson was under indictment in Harris County for theft over $300,000 in connection with construction fraud allegedly committed in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Johnson would have been ineligible to receive PPP funds due to that indictment.
Johnson applied for the fraudulently obtained PPP loan by claiming the loan was to be used for the employees of a bar and live music venue he owned in Bryan called Southerns. That venture failed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Johnson was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI and Harris County Precinct One Constable’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas H. Carter prosecuted the case.
Brockton Woman Sentenced for Role in Conspiracy to Operate a Prostitution BusinessRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton woman was sentenced on Sept. 15, 2022 in federal court in Boston for her involvement in a conspiracy that involved coercing young women to engage in prostitution.
Natashia Bowman, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Alison D. Burroughs to three years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution to victims. In September 2020, Bowman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit interstate travel in aid of a racketeering enterprise related to a prostitution business.
Bowman was charged by an Information in November 2019 for her involvement in a sex trafficking business ran by co-conspirator Matthew Engram, a/k/a “Magic.” From January 2009 until August 2015, Bowman assisted Engram in the recruitment and trafficking of multiple victims from a residence in Brockton and elsewhere to engage in commercial sex acts and took all or part of the proceeds for the financial benefit of the enterprise.
Engram and Bowman recruited multiple victims by falsely promising good earnings. Engram and Bowman advertised the victims on websites and Engram exchanged text messages with Bowman to share advertisements, organized prostitution dates and reserved hotel rooms. To maintain control, Engram used physical violence, intimidation and isolation to create a climate of fear that compelled the victims to continue engaging in commercial sex acts for the profit of the prostitution business. When the victims did not comply with Engram’s demands or did not make enough money, he physically assaulted them or directed Bowman to physically assault them. Engram or Bowman also transported the victims to other states, including Florida, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, and Pennsylvania, to perform commercial sex acts for the business.
On May 19, 2022, Engram was sentenced by Judge Burroughs to 12 years in prison and five years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, two counts of transportation of an individual for purposes of prostitution and one count of conspiracy to commit interstate travel in aid of a racketeering enterprise.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Philadelphia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit and Trial Attorneys Shan Patel and Vasantha Rao of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
Boston Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Pandemic Fraud, Identity Theft, Firearm and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced on Sept. 15, 2022 for fraud, identity theft, firearm and drug offenses.
Jammy Alphonse, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 94 months in prison and four years of supervised release. On May 19, 2022, Alphonse pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, false representation of a Social Security number, aggravated identity theft, possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Beginning in or around May 2020, Alphonse conspired to obtain Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits, which were made available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. Specifically, Alphonse conspired to submit false PUA claims in other persons’ names and using other persons’ personally identifiable information. Alphonse and his co-conspirators created email accounts for the purpose of submitting fraudulent PUA claims from Alphonse’s Everett residence and other locations. The fraudulently obtained funds were then directed into accounts held in Alphonse’s name or in the name of a co-conspirator.
Additionally, in February 2021, Alphonse submitted an application to rent a property in East Boston using the name, Social Security number and date of birth of another person. As a result, Alphonse resided in that apartment from approximately February 2021 through Aug. 6, 2021, when he was arrested on a federal firearms offense. A search of the apartment recovered a loaded Glock model 43X, 9-millimeter firearm, 47 rounds of ammunition, and approximately 75 grams or more of fentanyl, among other things.
Alphonse was previously arrested and charged in August 2021 with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon following a shooting in Cambridge, Mass., in July 2021. Alphonse has remained in custody since that date.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Mackenzie Duane of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Boston Man Charged with Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man has been charged in federal court in Boston in connection with illegally possessing ammunition.
Tyreek Hall, 20, was charged by criminal complaint on one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition. Following an initial appearance today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell, Hall was detained pending a probable cause hearing scheduled for Oct. 3, 2022.
According to the charging documents, on June 9, 2022, Hall was found in possession of a semi-automatic pistol, bearing no manufacturer serial number (commonly known as a “ghost gun”), that being a Glock-style, 9x19mm caliber privately made firearm and eight rounds of ammunition. Hall is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.
The felon in possession charge provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $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; Douglas Bartlett, Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Dawley of Rollins’ Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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.
Barrow County man sentenced for kidnapping ex-girlfriendRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, Ga. - Ralph Haywood Jones, Jr., has been sentenced after shooting two women on June 10, 2019, including his ex-girlfriend – the mother of his children – whom he shot, kidnapped, and drove to South Carolina where he abandoned her in a parking lot without seeking medical attention. Jones left the other woman, a friend of his ex-girlfriend, lying in a driveway in Winder, Georgia, and bleeding from a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
“Jones’s horrific violence resulted in significant trauma to his victims, their families, and his children,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Fortunately, the quick response of our local law enforcement partners prevented the victims’ deaths. The intersection of domestic and firearms violence poses a serious risk to public safety and remains a top priority for our office and federal, state, and local law enforcement.”
“The only thing to be thankful for after Jones’s reign of terror is that no one was killed, even though he showed a disregard for human life,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Through the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, the FBI will continue to work with our partners to save lives and remove violent offenders from our streets.”
“This investigation represents a great example of several layers of agencies working together to help protect our citizens and help bring justice to victims of a terrible violent crime. Officers and medical responders of local agencies in Georgia initially responded and then collaborated with officers in South Carolina and helped get treatment for the injured and arrest Jones. During the investigation, federal authorities became involved to assist in the investigation and the US Attorney’s office persistently pursued a strong prosecution. A great team effort of multiple agencies. The Winder Police department appreciates the teamwork. Because of these efforts, a violent offender is taken off the streets,” said Chief Jim Fullington, Winder Police Department.
“Cooperation between law enforcement agencies is critical to citizen safety and the events of June 10th, 2019, demonstrates that,” according to Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw. “After receiving information from the Winder Police Department that a suspect in a crime from their jurisdiction may be located in Oconee County, SC, we located the victim in a vehicle in the parking lot of the store in Fair Play. Based on information we had obtained, Jones was located just down the road and was arrested and charged with a being a Fugitive from Justice in our County. The Sheriff's Office also assisted Winder Police with obtaining a search warrant for the vehicle. The importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies cannot be overstated and we are grateful that Jones is being held accountable for the crimes he has committed.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: On June 10, 2019, Ralph Jones and his ex-girlfriend were scheduled to visit their children during a supervised visitation. His ex-girlfriend asked a friend to accompany them on the trip because she did not want to be left alone with Jones during the car ride.
As the trio prepared for the drive, Jones shot the friend of his ex-girlfriend in the abdomen and left her lying in a driveway in Winder, Georgia. He also shot his ex-girlfriend in the back of the neck. Jones drove his ex-girlfriend to Fair Play, South Carolina, where he abandoned her, along with his car, in a store parking lot. Officers found her bleeding and incoherent from the gunshot wound. Jones was arrested hiding in bushes near the store.
Ralph Haywood Jones, Jr., 30, of Winder, Georgia, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Jones pled guilty to kidnapping on April 18, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Winder Police Department, and the Oconee County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In keeping with the Attorney General’s mission to reduce violent crime, the Northern District of Georgia’s PSN program focuses on prosecuting those individuals who most significantly drive violence in our communities, and supports and fosters partnerships between law enforcement and schools, the faith community, and local community leaders to prevent and deter future criminal conduct.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Keen prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Area man who claimed to be African prince convicted by jury of several fraud crimesRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A federal jury convicted a Dayton man, who as part of his fraud scheme purported he was a Ghanian prince, to 10 counts of various federal fraud crimes.
Daryl Robert Harrison, also known as Prince Daryl R. Attipoe and Prophet Daryl R. Attipoe, 44, defrauded at least 14 victims of more than $800,000. He was convicted of mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and witness tampering.
The verdict was announced at 9pm on Sept. 16 following a trial that began on Sept. 5 before U.S. District Judge Michael J. Newman.
According to court documents and trial testimony, from January 2014 until September 2020, Harrison defrauded victims who thought they were investing in African trucking and mining companies.
Harrison – falsely holding himself out to be a royal prince from the African national of Ghana – told investors he had direct connections with these companies, and that they could expect an investment return of 28 to 33 percent.
Harrison and his stepfather claimed to be ministers with Power House of Prayer Ministries, which sponsored religious services in various church facilities and private residences throughout the Greater Dayton area, Southwestern Ohio area and Parker, Colorado. Many investor victims were members of the congregation.
Harrison routinely withdrew thousands of dollars in cash from the Ministries bank accounts shortly after receiving investments. Harrison and his stepfather used the investment funds to rent a house in Colorado, purchase luxury vehicles, airplane tickets, hotel accommodations and rental cars.
The defendant was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2020.
Harrison will be sentenced at a future sentencing hearing. He faces up to 20 years in prison. 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, and Jaime Carazo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, announced the verdict. Assistant United States Attorneys Dwight K. Keller and Ryan A. Saunders are representing the United States in this case.
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Friday 16 September 2022
Worcester Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced on Sept. 14, 2022 in federal court in Worcester for unlawful firearm possession and trafficking in fentanyl, heroin and cocaine.
Daniel Donald, 41, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 16 years in prison followed by eight years of supervised release. In October 2021, Donald was convicted by a federal jury of one count of possession with intent to distribute over 100 grams of heroin, over 500 grams of cocaine, over 28 grams of cocaine base (a/k/a crack cocaine), and fentanyl; and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Based on his criminal history, the Court determined that Donald qualified as a Career Offender with respect to his drug convictions and an Armed Career Criminal with respect to his possession of the firearm.
In April 2017, law enforcement began investigating drug sales by Donald and his co-defendant Robert Young on Groton Street in Worcester. On Nov. 30, 2017, searches of two apartments leased by Donald at the property resulted in the discovery of a “hide” located between the exterior and interior walls of the detached apartment located at the rear of the property. One kilogram of cocaine, 345 grams of heroin, over 80 grams of crack cocaine, approximately 200 pills containing fentanyl and a loaded 9 mm firearm were seized.
In November 2021, Young was sentenced to five years in prison and three years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office; and the Westborough, Wellesley, Douglas, and Southbridge Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg A. Friedholm, John T. Mulcahy and Lucy Sun of Rollins’ Criminal Division 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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Warren Man Sentenced to More Than 24 Years in Prison After Pleading Guilty to Leading Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Vincent Richardson Jr., 30, of Warren, Ohio, was sentenced on Wednesday, September 14, 2022, to more than 24 years in prison and ordered to pay a $4,000 special assessment by U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko after he pleaded guilty in May 2022 to 40 counts of charges related to his role in leading a drug trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents, from March 2019 to February 2020, Richardson operated a drug trafficking organization in the Youngstown-Warren areas and supplied drugs, including cocaine, cocaine base (crack), heroin, fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, to other members of the organization to be further distributed throughout the region.
As part of an investigation into Richardson and the drug trafficking organization, authorities conducted multiple controlled purchases of narcotics from members of the organization, including Richardson. In some instances, Richardson would direct another individual to deliver drugs to the buyer.
Investigators later executed multiple search warrants related to the investigation, including three that focused on Richardson’s residence. During the execution of these warrants, investigators obtained drug trafficking paraphernalia, a firearm, over $4,000 cash, a drug press and multiple quantities of drugs, including heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base (crack) and fentanyl analogues.
The investigation preceding the indictments was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), FBI, Mahoning Valley Violent Crimes Task Force, Trumbull Action Group, Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office and the Warren Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Toepfer and Damoun Delaviz.
Vision Center in Colonial Heights Agrees to Settle ADA AllegationsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The United States Attorney’s Office announced a settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with Colonial Heights Vision Center Optometry, PC (CHVC), a professional eye care center located in Colonial Heights.
The settlement agreement resolves allegations that CHVC’s eye exam chair and equipment were not accessible to patients with mobility disabilities, who may use mobility equipment such as walkers, scooters, or wheelchairs, and that CHVC had a practice of asking patients who use mobility devices to bring an attendant—such as a family member or friend—to facilitate manual transfer into the exam chair.
Medical facilities are not accessible under the ADA standards unless medical equipment, such as diagnostic and treatment equipment, is made accessible to all patients, including those with mobility disabilities. Accessible health care for people with disabilities is especially critical in detecting and treating serious medical conditions, which may become life-threatening if patients with disabilities do not receive equal access to care. Manual transfer of individuals with mobility disabilities can be dangerous for both patients and health care staff, unnecessarily risking bodily injury.
“The resolution of this case represents this office’s ongoing commitment to ensuring compliance with the ADA’s requirement that people with disabilities have equal access to and independence when accessing health care,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “No patient should be denied health care as a result of a mobility disability.”
To resolve this complaint, CHVC agreed to supplement its exam equipment, adopt new ADA policies that ensure that patients with mobility disabilities may attend appointments independently, transfer safely to the exam chair, and receive full and equal access to eye examinations. CHVC has also agreed to pay $1,000 to the complainant patient, for whom CHVC was unable to provide an eye exam.
The case was handled by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren “Lo” Stadler and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Gordon, who is the Civil Rights Enforcement Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The Department of Justice has several resources available to assist healthcare entities in complying with the ADA, including a Technical Assistance Publication entitled: Access to Medical Care for Individuals with Mobility Disabilities. For more information on the ADA and to access these publications, please visit http://www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TDD). ADA complaints may be filed by email to [email protected].
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
The civil claims asserted are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
U.S. Promoter of Foreign Cryptocurrency Company Sentenced to Prison for Role in Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorneys Carl Brooker, Lisa Sanniti, and Mark Pletcher
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY—September 16, 2022
SAN DIEGO— A Los Angeles man was sentenced in federal court today to 38 months in prison for his participation in BitConnect, a massive fraudulent cryptocurrency investment scheme, which defrauded thousands of investors from the United States and abroad.
According to court documents, Glenn Arcaro, 44, conspired with others to exploit investor interest in cryptocurrency by fraudulently marketing BitConnect’s proprietary coin offering and digital currency exchange as a lucrative investment. Arcaro and others misled investors about BitConnect’s “Lending Program.” Under this program, Arcaro touted BitConnect’s purported proprietary technology, known as the “BitConnect Trading Bot” and “Volatility Software,” as being able to generate substantial profits and guaranteed returns by using investors’ money to trade on the volatility of cryptocurrency exchange markets.
In truth, however, BitConnect operated a textbook Ponzi scheme by paying earlier BitConnect investors with money from later investors. Furthermore, Arcaro and others ensured up to 15 percent of the money invested into BitConnect went directly into a slush fund to be used for the benefit of the owner and promoters of BitConnect. The BitConnect Ponzi scheme ensnared 4,154 victims from 95 countries making it a true worldwide Ponzi scheme.
U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said, “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is committed to ensuring justice for victims of this Ponzi scheme. Putting a technical sheen on a vintage scheme will not stop this office’s pursuit of a just outcome.” Grossman praised the work of FBI’s Cleveland Field Office, as well as IRS-CI, the Financial Investigations and Border Crimes Task Force - a multiagency task force based in San Diego and Imperial counties that is funded by the Treasury Executive Office of Asset Forfeiture.
“Identifying and investigating criminals who commit complex financial crimes under the guise of a sound investment strategy are a priority of the FBI,” said Cleveland FBI Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen.
“The global reach and thousands of victims Mr. Arcaro impacted underscores the fact that fiscal crimes that combine the allure of cryptocurrency with new technology and a savvy marketing strategy are borderless and often begin through a relationship built on trust, hope, and promise. The FBI, together with our federal, state, and local partners, will continue to work tirelessly to ensure conniving criminals are no longer a threat to any individual or business in our society.”
“Glenn Arcaro and his co-conspirators created a global web of deception and fraud,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher. “IRS-CI and our law enforcement partners diligently unraveled this web of lies, and today’s sentencing is a reminder that fraud does not pay. You will be caught, and you will go to prison.”
Arcaro admitted that he earned no less than $24 million from the BitConnect scheme, all of which, according to court documents, will now be repaid to investors in restitution or forfeited to the government. Arcaro took steps to transmit the BitConnect proceeds that he earned to offshore accounts, transform some of the proceeds into precious metals storage, and obtain foreign passports. Arcaro’s goal was to avoid paying federal and state income taxes on his income earned from the scheme and to shield his assets from collection by the Internal Revenue Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carl Brooker, Lisa Sanniti, and Mark W. Pletcher of the Southern District of California and Trial Attorney Kevin Lowell of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. The Department of Justice Office of International Affairs and United States Postal Inspection Service provided indispensable assistance to the investigation.
DEFENDANT Case Number 21CR2542-TWR
Glenn Arcaro Los Angeles, CA Age: 45
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud—Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349
Criminal Forfeiture—Title 18, U.S.C., Section 982
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison, $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater; forfeiture and restitution
AGENCIES
FBI
IRS Criminal Investigation—Financial Investigations and Border Crimes Task Force
United States Postal Inspection Service