Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
19 October 2022
Randolph County woman sentenced to 10 years for methamphetamine chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Tara Lynn Leary, of Valley Head, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 120 months of incarceration for a methamphetamine charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Leary, 32, pleaded guilty in May 2022 to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute at Least Fifty Grams of Methamphetamine.” Leary admitted to distributing at least 50 grams of methamphetamine fin January 2020 in Randolph County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Previously convicted felon sentenced to 11 years in prison for shooting a federal agentRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that on Oct. 18 Derick Martin Garcia Pacheco was sentenced to 11 years and 3 months in prison. Garcia Pacheco, 33, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty on May 10 to one count of assault on a federal officer using a deadly or dangerous weapon and inflicting bodily injury and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
On December 11, 2020, FBI Agents and task force officers arrived at Garcia Pacheco’s residence in Albuquerque to perform a search pursuant to a federal warrant. Agents in tactical gear with clear law enforcement markings knocked at the door and announced themselves as federal officers. Garcia Pacheco armed himself with a .357 revolver and fired through the door, striking one of the agents in the arm. The agent was seriously injured, requiring surgery and hospitalization.
After Garcia Pacheco shot the agent, other officers secured the scene and the FBI Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit responded to assist in executing the warrant, and Garcia Pacheco was detained. During a search of the residence, law enforcement located two firearms concealed between a mattress and box spring inside a rear bedroom. One of the firearms was the .357 revolver used to shoot the agent.
“We owe a special debt of gratitude to those in law enforcement who risk their lives to keep our community safe,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “It is an honor to serve with such courageous federal agents. Their bravery inspires all of us to relentlessly seek a more just, selfless, and safe world.”
“The FBI's motto is Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity, the virtues exemplified by our special agent injured in this senseless assault,” said Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. “As this hero continues to recover, the public can rest assured the FBI has a full division of agents on the streets ready and determined to put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe.”
In his plea, Garcia Pacheco acknowledged that he knew at the time of the incident that as a previously convicted felon he cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Upon his release from prison, Garcia Pacheco will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico prosecuted this case.
# # #
Over 40,700 South Carolina Students to Participate in State’s 21st Annual National Day of Concern & Student Pledge Against Gun ViolenceRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —United States Attorney Adair F. Boroughs, stated that today, October 19, 2022, the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO), along with their local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, will support schools across the state as they participate in South Carolina’s 21st Annual Student Pledge Against Gun Violence.
With a focus on keeping our schools and communities safe, students in middle school and high school are signing a voluntary pledge promising that they will never take a gun to school, will never resolve a dispute with a gun, and will use their influence to prevent friends from using guns to resolve disputes. Elementary school children are making a similar commitment—pledging that if they see a gun they will not touch it, they will tell a teacher or a trusted adult, and they will assume that any gun they see might be loaded.
The Student Pledge Against Gun Violence is a national program that recognizes the role young people, through their own decisions, can play in reducing gun violence. The program provides a means for beginning the conversation with young people about gun violence and encourages important conversations about gun safety and respectful ways to resolve disputes. Students from around the country will join together in pledging to do their part. For additional information concerning the pledge, visit the national Student Pledge website at www.pledge.org.
As it has done since 2002, the USAO reached out to all South Carolina law enforcement agencies and schools to make the pledges available to interested schools. The pledge effort is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a national program that has been historically successful in bringing together law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
The following South Carolina schools and law enforcement agencies are participating in this year’s pledge. For information on events scheduled for a particular school, please contact the respective school or local law enforcement agency.
Participating Law Enforcement Agencies
Abbeville County Sheriff’s Office
Anderson County Sheriff’s Office
Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office
Cayce Police Department
Charleston Police Department
Chester County Sheriff’s Office
Columbia Police Department
Darlington County Sheriff’s Office
Easley Police Department
Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office
Florence County Sheriff’s Office
Hanahan Police Department
Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office
Lexington County Sheriff’s Office
Marion County Sheriff’s Office
Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office
Myrtle Beach Police Department
North Charleston Police Department
Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office
Richland County Sheriff’s Office
Rock Hill Police Department
Tega Cay Police Department
Williamsburg County Sheriff’s Office
Williamston Police Department
York County Sheriff’s Office
Participating Schools
Airport High School
Alcorn Middle School
Bethel-Hanberry Elementary School
Blythewood Middle School
Bookman Road Elementary School
Brockington Elementary Magnet School
Brookdale Elementary School
Brookland-Cayce High School
Busbee Creative Arts Academy
C.A. Johnson High School
Calhoun County High School
Carver Elementary Magnet School
Catawba Trail Elementary School
Center for Inquiry
Center For Knowledge
Center for Knowledge North
Chester High School
Chicora Elementary School
Clover High School
Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy
Darlington County Institute of Technology
Denmark-Olar Elementary School
Dreher High School
Dutchman Creek Middle School
E. L. Wright Middle School
Eau Claire High School
Edisto Elementary School
Elloree Elementary/Middle School
Fairfield Magnet School for Math and Science
Forest Lake Elementary NASA Explorer School
Gold Hill Middle School
Greeleyville Primary School
H.B. Rhame Elementary School
Hand Middle School
Hannah Middle School
Hemingway M.B. Lee Middle School
Heyward Gibbes Middle School
Jackson Creek Elementary School
Joseph Keels Elementary School
Killian Elementary S.T.E.A.M. Leaders Magnet School
Lady’s Island Elementary School
Lake Carolina Elementary Upper School
Lake Carolina Lower Elementary School
Langford Elementary School
Leslie M. Stover Middle School
Logan Elementary School
Long Cane Primary School
Lonnie B. Nelson Elementary School
Lowcountry Acceleration Academy
Malcolm C. Hursey Montessori School
McColl Elementary Middle School
McCormick Elementary School
McCrorey School of Technology
McKissick Academy of Science and Technology
MED at Bridge Creek Elementary School
MSAP Donaldson
Muller Road Middle School
Myrtle Beach Middle School
New Bridge Academy
Newberry High School
North Springs Elementary School
Northside Middle School
Palmetto High School
Pendergrass-Fairwold High School
Pineridge Middle School
Polo Road Elementary
Pontiac Elementary School
R.H. Fulmer Middle School
Rivelon Elementary School
Sanders Clyde Creative Arts Elementary School
Sangaree Middle School
Spring Valley High School
St. Stephen Elementary School
Summit Parkway Middle School
Virtus Academy of South Carolina
W.A. Perry Middle School
Wallace-Gregg Elementary School
Westwood High School
Whittaker Elementary School
Wren Middle School
Ohio man admits to methamphetamine chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Deonte Raymond James, of Euclid, Ohio, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
James, 35, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” James admitted to having methamphetamine in January 2022 in Marshall County.
James faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Moundsville Police Department investigated. The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, assisted.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 51 Months’ Imprisonment for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Gilroy Stewart, age 52, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to 51 months’ imprisonment on the charge of possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Stewart previously entered a guilty plea before Judge Mariani and admitted to possessing twenty kilograms of cocaine for further distribution. The charge stems from an incident on August 28, 2018, in which members of the Pennsylvania State Police made a traffic stop of a vehicle on Interstate Route 80 in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. Stewart was the sole occupant of the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of twenty kilograms of cocaine found in a hidden compartment inside the vehicle.
The investigation was conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles:
fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
###
Oelwein Man Who Possessed Loaded Guns and Fled from Police Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed eight loaded guns and fled from the police was sentenced today to more than five years in federal prison.
Justin James Gallmeyer, age 39, from Oelwein, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 14, 2022 guilty plea to possessing firearms as a felon. He has a prior federal felony conviction for possessing a firearm as a drug user.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that Gallmeyer possessed a total of eight guns over the course of approximately one year. In August 2020, he fled from the police with two loaded guns tucked into the waistband of his pants. In the summer of 2021, he traded a gun for methamphetamine. In November 2021, Gallmeyer hid in a toolbox at his home when law enforcement officers arrived at the home. Officers later found five guns at his house.
Gallmeyer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Gallmeyer was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Gallmeyer is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Devra Hake and Adam Vander Stoep and investigated by the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, and the Oelwein Police Department.
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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-2001.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Newark Man Charged with Carjacking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was arraigned for his alleged role in an armed carjacking in Montclair, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Andy Cook, 23, of Newark, was charged by indictment on Oct. 4, 2022, with one count of carjacking, one count of conspiracy to use a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence. He was arraigned on Oct. 18, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Julien X. Neals in Newark federal court and pleaded not guilty.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Dec. 6, 2021, Cook’s accomplice approached the victim, who was inside her car that was parked on her driveway. The accomplice pointed a firearm at the victim and ordered the victim to leave her belongings and exit the car. Cook then entered the car and drove it away. After the victim called the police, law enforcement officers spotted the vehicle. Cook abandoned the vehicle in Newark and fled on foot before being apprehended.
The count of carjacking carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The count of conspiracy to use a firearm during a crime of violence carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The count of using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum penalty of seven years and a maximum potential penalty of life imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
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 the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dong Joo Lee of the Narcotics/Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Nashville Social Club Owner Pleads Guilty to Campaign Finance SchemeRead the Press Release
The former owner and operator of a social club in Nashville pleaded guilty today to violating campaign finance laws to benefit Tennessee State Senator Brian Kelsey’s 2016 campaign for U.S. Congress.
According to court documents, Joshua Smith, 45, of Nashville, Tennessee, secretly and unlawfully funneled $67,000 of what is commonly referred to as “soft money” (funds not subject to the limitations, prohibitions, and reporting requirements of the Federal Election Campaign Act [FECA]) from Kelsey’s Tennessee State Senate campaign committee to a national political organization that funded advertisements urging voters to support Kelsey in the August 2016 primary election.
Smith pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the solicitation, receipt, direction, transfer, and spending of at least $25,000 in “soft money” in connection with a federal election. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In connection with this scheme, Kelsey was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2021 and charged with conspiracy to defraud the Federal Election Commission, illegally transferring “soft money” as a federal candidate, illegally transferring “soft money” as a state officeholder, and making and accepting excessive contributions to a federal campaign. The case is scheduled for trial in January 2023.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney John Taddei of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Klopf for the Middle District of Tennessee and David Pritchard for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Nashville Social Club Owner Pleads Guilty to Campaign Finance SchemeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – The former owner and operator of a social club in Nashville pleaded guilty today to violating campaign finance laws to benefit Tennessee State Senator Brian Kelsey’s 2016 campaign for
U.S. Congress.According to court documents, Joshua Smith, 45, of Nashville, Tennessee, secretly and unlawfully funneled $67,000 of what is commonly referred to as “soft money” (funds not subject to the limitations, prohibitions, and reporting requirements of the Federal Election Campaign Act [FECA]) from Kelsey’s Tennessee State Senate campaign committee to a national political organization that funded advertisements urging voters to support Kelsey in the August 2016 primary election.
Smith pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the solicitation, receipt, direction, transfer, and spending of at least $25,000 in “soft money” in connection with a federal election. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In connection with this scheme, Kelsey was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2021 and charged with conspiracy to defraud the Federal Election Commission, illegally transferring “soft money” as a federal candidate, illegally transferring “soft money” as a state officeholder and making and accepting excessive contributions to a federal campaign. The case is scheduled for trial in January 2023.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and
U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.Trial Attorney John Taddei of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S.
Attorneys Amanda Klopf for the Middle District of Tennessee and David Pritchard for the Western
District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Nashville Social Club Owner Pleads Guilty to Crime Involving Campaign Finance SchemeRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A Nashville, Tennessee man pleaded guilty today to violating campaign finance laws to benefit Tennessee State Senator Brian Kelsey’s 2016 campaign for U.S. Congress.
According to court documents, Joshua Smith, 45, secretly and unlawfully funneled $67,000 of what is commonly referred to as “soft money” from Kelsey’s Tennessee State Senate campaign committee to a national political organization that funded advertisements urging voters to support Kelsey in the August 2016 primary election.
Smith pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the solicitation, receipt, direction, transfer, and spending of soft money in connection with a federal election. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw, Jr. will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Smith and Kelsey were indicted in October 2021 by a federal grand jury in Nashville. Kelsey is scheduled for trial on January 23, 2023 and is presumed innocent.
U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Klopf of the Middle District of Tennessee and David Pritchard of the Western District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney John Taddei of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice are prosecuting the case.
# # # # #
Monmouth County Man Convicted of Trafficking Crack and Powder CocaineRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man was convicted of multiple narcotics trafficking offenses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Damion Helmes, 42, of Cliffwood, New Jersey, was convicted on Oct. 17, 2022, of four counts of an indictment, following a two-week trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson in Trenton federal court. Helmes was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Helmes was found not guilty of two firearms offenses.
In August 2019, Helmes, and 19 other individuals were charged by complaint with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and conspiracy to distribute cocaine after an extensive investigation by the FBI’s Jersey Shore Gang and Criminal Organization Task Force. On Aug. 25, 2022, a grand jury sitting in Trenton returned a six-count third superseding indictment charging Helmes with conspiracy and substantive cocaine and crack cocaine offenses as well as firearms offenses. Helmes is the last of the 20 defendants charged in the original criminal complaint to be convicted of one or more federal crimes.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Between April 2019 and August 2019, Helmes, his codefendants, and others engaged in a narcotics conspiracy distributing cocaine and cocaine base for profit that operated primarily in municipalities throughout Monmouth County – including Cliffwood, Keansburg, Matawan, Keyport, Red Bank, Long Branch, Neptune, and Asbury Park, as well as Brick Township in Ocean County. Helmes obtained regular supplies of cocaine from his conspirators, cooked portions of that cocaine into crack cocaine, and redistributed cocaine and crack cocaine for profit to other conspirators, distributors, sub-dealers, and end users throughout Monmouth County.
Helmes faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a potential maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, and a fine of up to $5 million fine on the counts of conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base and possessing 28 grams or more of cocaine base with the intent to distribute. He also faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison as well as a $1 million fine on the cocaine conspiracy and cocaine distribution counts of conviction.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the FBI, Newark Division, Red Bank Resident Agency, Jersey Shore Gang and Criminal Organization Task Force (including representatives from the Bradley Beach, Brick, Howell, Toms River, Union Beach and Marlboro police departments, and the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office) under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the Red Bank Police Department, under the direction of Chief Darren McConnell; the Keansburg Police Department, under the direction of Chief Andrew Gogan; the Middletown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Craig Weber; the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago; the Highlands Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert Burton; the Holmdel Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Frank Allocco; and the Long Branch Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director William Broughton, with the investigation leading to the guilty verdict.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ian D. Brater and Alexander E. Ramey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
Mobile Man Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced to 25 months in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, from at least March 2021 through February 2022, Tyler Keith Coleman, 25, executed a scheme to defraud multiple victims by making numerous fraudulent and unauthorized deposits of altered and counterfeit payroll checks worth more than $47,000 into his various personal bank accounts. The victims of Coleman’s fraud scheme included several businesses in Mobile and Baldwin County where Coleman had previously worked. Coleman used legitimate payroll checks from those businesses to generate counterfeit checks that he later deposited, causing financial losses to the victims. In connection with the scheme, Coleman admitted that he possessed and used means of identification of real people—namely, the signatures of various authorized signatories on the fraudulent checks.
United States District Judge Kristi K. DuBose ordered Coleman to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo testing and treatment for substance abuse, will receive mental health evaluation and treatment, and will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge DuBose ordered Coleman to pay $47,779.67 in victim restitution and $200 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Mission Man Sentenced for EscapeRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that a Mission, South Dakota man convicted of Escape from Custody was sentenced on October 14, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Steven Burning Breast, 26, was sentenced to four months in federal prison and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Steven Burning Breast was indicted for Escape from Custody by a federal grand jury in August 2022. He pleaded guilty on September 2, 2022.
Burning Breast was in Bureau of Prisons custody serving a sentence for Involuntary Manslaughter. He was placed at the Community Education Center in Rapid City to finish serving his sentence as part of a re-entry process. He walked away from the facility without permission and was found in Rapid City a few days later. His sentence in this case will be served consecutively to the time remaining on his Involuntary Manslaughter sentence.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Burning Breast was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
McKeesport Man Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Drugs and Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA -- A resident of McKeesport Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to one year and one day of imprisonment and three years of supervised release related to his possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl and possession of a stolen firearm, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States Senior District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Terrance Yarbrough, age 29.
According to information presented to the court, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant upon a McKeesport residence used by Yarbrough to distribute narcotics. Law enforcement recovered two digital scales, packaging material, rubber banded glassine bags containing controlled substances, and a 9mm caliber handgun, which was loaded with an extended magazine containing 16 rounds of ammunition. Following a waiver of his rights, Yarbrough admitted to distributing drugs from the residence, to possessing the firearm, and to knowing that the firearm was reported stolen.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and the McKeesport Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Yarbrough.
Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Burglaries in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Delante R. Pierce, 36, who had no fixed address, was sentenced today to a five-year prison term on charges stemming from two break-ins in Northwest Washington in the fall of 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Pierce pleaded guilty in August 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of second-degree burglary and attempted second-degree burglary. He was sentenced by the Honorable Michael O’Keefe. Following his prison term, Pierce will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 11, 2021, Veterans Day, shortly after 6 a.m., Pierce entered a restricted area of a hotel in the 1200 block of 22nd Street NW, and stole, among other things, a tool kit. Pierce then entered an occupied residence in the 2100 block of N Street NW. The resident was awakened from his sleep and discovered Pierce standing in his bedroom. Pierce initially claimed he was there to fix a sink, but he then fled the residence with the victim’s Apple Watch and other possessions. He left behind the items he had just stolen from the hotel. A short time later, police were able to locate Pierce in the Adams Morgan neighborhood by tracking the victim’s Apple Watch. Pierce abandoned bags containing the victim’s property and fled the police, but he was quickly apprehended. After being identified by the victim, Pierce was placed under arrest. He has remained in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Crystal Waddy. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Macon Businessman Convicted of Stealing Disability BenefitsRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Macon resident who collected monthly disability benefits while running a successful cleaning company – which he never disclosed to the government – was convicted by a jury this morning on federal charges for theft and making false claims.
Demetris Hill, 54, of Macon, was convicted of one count of theft of government property and one count of false claims against the government for which he faces a total maximum prison term of 15 years in addition to a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release per count. U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III presided over the trial which began on Oct. 17. Sentencing for the defendant will occur on Jan. 10, 2023.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Hill applied for and was approved for disability benefits from the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) in May 2012. Hill agreed during the application process to immediately report any work, earnings or changes in his disability status to the RRB. RRB then repeatedly reminded Hill of his reporting obligations by sending him six annual notifications during 2014 – 2019. Each of those reminders counseled Hill that he had a responsibility to report any work to RRB, whether or not Hill made any money from working and regardless of what type of work Hill performed. Sometime in 2013, after he had been receiving disability benefits for approximately one year, Hill helped open a cleaning company, styling himself as an executive and partner of the company, and as its resident agent. Over the years, Hill’s involvement in the business grew to include money and client management, along with other day-to-day operations. As the business became more financially successful, Hill continued to collect full disability benefits from RRB that he was not entitled to, due to his work and financial earnings. These benefits amounted to well over $100,000.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joy Odom and Elizabeth Howard are prosecuting the case.
Keokuk Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – John Herman Soper, age 50 of Keokuk, was sentenced today, October 19, 2022, to 19 years in prison following his plea to the charges of Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
According to court documents, on October 30, 2021, law enforcement responded to a reported disturbance related to Soper threatening a person with a firearm. Officers were aware Soper had active arrest warrants and was involved in recent shots-fired incidents. Officers located Soper and searched him and his vehicle. Soper was in possession of a loaded handgun, cash, and approximately one-quarter pound of ice methamphetamine. Officers had information from numerous sources that Soper was obtaining pound quantities of ice methamphetamine.
Because of his prior serious drug convictions, Soper qualified as an Armed Career Criminal and a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence applied. One of Soper’s prior convictions included a previous federal conviction for Conspiracy to Manufacture Methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Fort Madison Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Keokuk Police Department, Lee County Narcotics Taskforce, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
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. In May 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jason Lewis Johnson, 49, of South Charleston, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Johnson admitted to selling approximately 6.7 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in South Charleston on February 4, 2022. Johnson further admitted to selling the confidential informant 13.4 grams of methamphetamine on February 14, 2022, and 12.4 grams of methamphetamine on February 24, 2022, both times in St. Albans.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on February 2, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-130.
###
KC Man Sentenced to 17 Years for Two Armed Robberies of Hotels on the Same DayRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in two armed robberies of hotels on the same day.
Anthony Payne, Jr., 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Tuesday, Oct. 18, to 17 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Payne to pay $860 in restitution.
On Jan. 20, 2022, Payne pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and abetting a robbery, one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, and two counts of aiding and abetting the brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.
Payne admitted that he and two co-defendants robbed the Arrowhead Inn, 6006 E. 31st Street in Kansas City, Mo., at gunpoint on July 2, 2018. Payne entered the hotel with co-defendants Joe Lee Nichols, 29, and Torrence Demond Key, 30, both of Kansas City, Mo. Payne and Nichols brandished handguns and the three men stole approximately $260 from the hotel.
Payne also admitted that the three men robbed Wood Springs Suites Hotel, 11301 Colorado in Kansas City, Mo., at gunpoint on the same day. Payne and Nichols again brandished handguns and the three men stole approximately $600 from the hotel.
According to court documents, Payne was previously convicted in state court for his role in the armed robbery of a Sonic restaurant. He received a suspended imposition of sentence in that case and was placed on probation for five years, but after multiple violations was eventually incarcerated.
Nichols and Key each have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce Rhoades and Maureen Brackett. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, and the FBI.
Justice Department Files Lawsuit Challenging Policy Barring Native Americans from Accessing South Dakota Hotel and Sports LoungeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against the owners and operators of the Grand Gateway Hotel, and the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino, a sports bar that operates within the hotel, located in Rapid City, South Dakota. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants discriminated against Native American customers in violation of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin in places of public accommodation, such as hotels and other places of entertainment. The suit is brought against the corporate owner, Retsel Corporation, and two of the company’s directors, Connie Uhre and her son, Nicholas Uhre.
“Policies prohibiting Native Americans from accessing public establishments are both racially discriminatory and unlawful,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously protect the rights of all people to go about their daily lives free from discrimination at hotels, restaurants and other public accommodations around the country.”
“Restricting access to a hotel based on a person’s race is prohibited by federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell for the District of South Dakota. “At the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we are called to ensure that individuals are treated equally at public accommodations in South Dakota. We are committed to protecting that fundamental right for Native Americans.”
The lawsuit, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota, alleges that, since at least March 20, the Retsel Corporation, Connie Uhre and Nicholas Uhre discriminated against Native American customers through policies and practices that denied Native Americans the full and equal enjoyment of access to the services, accommodations and privileges at the Grand Gateway Hotel and the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino.
Specifically, the complaint alleges that on March 20, Connie Uhre told other Rapid City hotel owners and managers that she did “not want to allow Natives on property...The problem is we do not know the nice ones from the bad natives…so we just have to say no to them!” That same day, Connie Uhre allegedly posted a statement in a comment thread from her Facebook account announcing that “we will no longer allow any Native American [sic]” in the Grand Gateway or in the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino. The complaint further alleges that on at least two occasions on March 21 and March 22, respectively, the defendants turned away Native Americans who sought to book a room in the Grand Gateway.
Under Title II, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division can obtain injunctive relief that changes policies and practices to remedy the discriminatory conduct. Title II does not authorize the division to obtain monetary damages for customers who are victims of discrimination.
More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals may report discrimination in places of public accommodation that violates Title II by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online.
The complaint contains allegations of unlawful conduct, and the allegations must be proven in federal court.
Justice Department Files Lawsuit Challenging Policy Barring Native Americans from Accessing South Dakota Hotel and Sports LoungeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against the owners and operators of the Grand Gateway Hotel, and the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino, a sports bar that operates within the hotel, located in Rapid City, South Dakota. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants discriminated against Native American customers in violation of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin in places of public accommodation, such as hotels and other places of entertainment. The suit is brought against the corporate owner, Retsel Corporation, and two of the company’s directors, Connie Uhre and her son, Nicholas Uhre.
“Policies prohibiting Native Americans from accessing public establishments are both racially discriminatory and unlawful,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously protect the rights of all people to go about their daily lives free from discrimination at hotels, restaurants, and other public accommodations around the country.”
“Restricting access to a hotel based on a person’s race is prohibited by federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell for the District of South Dakota. “At the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we are called to ensure that individuals are treated equally at public accommodations in South Dakota. We are committed to protecting that fundamental right for Native Americans.”
The lawsuit, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota, alleges that, since at least March 20, the Retsel Corporation, Connie Uhre and Nicholas Uhre discriminated against Native American customers through policies and practices that denied Native Americans the full and equal enjoyment of access to the services, accommodations and privileges at the Grand Gateway Hotel and the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino.
Specifically, the complaint alleges that on March 20, Connie Uhre told other Rapid City hotel owners and managers that she did “not want to allow Natives on property. . . . The problem is we do not know the nice ones from the bad natives…so we just have to say no to them!” That same day, the complaint alleges, Ms. Uhre posted a statement in a comment thread from her Facebook account announcing that “we will no longer allow any Native American [sic]” in the Grand Gateway or in the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino. The complaint further alleges that on at least two occasions on March 21 and March 22, respectively, the defendants turned away Native Americans who sought to book a room in the Grand Gateway.
Under Title II, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division can obtain injunctive relief that changes policies and practices to remedy the discriminatory conduct. Title II does not authorize the division to obtain monetary damages for customers who are victims of discrimination.
More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals may report discrimination in places of public accommodation that violates Title II by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online.
The complaint contains allegations of unlawful conduct, and the allegations must be proven in federal court.
Justice Department Files Complaint to Enjoin Massachusetts Beverage Seller from Distributing Unapproved New DrugRead the Press Release
The United States filed a complaint to enjoin a West Boylston, Massachusetts, defendant from distributing a product the government alleges to be an unapproved new drug, a misbranded drug product and an adulterated food product, the Department of Justice announced.
In a civil complaint for permanent injunction filed on Oct. 18, the United States alleges that Daniel Marold, an individual conducting business under the name Chill6, violated the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. According to the complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Marold sold various flavors of “Chill6” beverage powder directly to consumers through a website that claimed Chill6 will cure, treat, mitigate and prevent, among other things, anxiety, insomnia, alcoholism and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The complaint also alleges that Marold’s Chill6 contains Phenibut HCI, an unsafe food additive.
According to the complaint, Marold continued distributing Chill6 after receiving a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July 2021. The United States seeks an injunction that would enjoin Marold from selling Chill6 in its current form and comply with federal food safety regulations before selling any other drug or food product.
“Those who distribute drugs, dietary supplements or foods must comply with federal law designed to ensure these products are safe,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will continue to work closely with FDA to stop the distribution of unapproved new drugs and adulterated food products.”
“The FDA is responsible for making sure drugs meet the necessary safety guidelines for human consumption,” said U.S. Attorney Rachael S. Rollins for the District of Massachusetts. “We allege that Chill6 does not, and even after being warned, Mr. Marold continued distributing this unapproved substance. Be it by criminal offense or civil violation, we are committed to ending the distribution of unregulated and adulterated supplements.”
“The FDA’s primary responsibility is to protect U.S. patients and consumers from unproven and dangerous products,” said Judith McMeekin, Pharm.D, the Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs. “With our partners at the Department of Justice, we will keep pursuing individuals and firms that distribute products that put the public at risk and violate federal law.”
Trial Attorney Manu J. Sebastian of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Sharobem in the District of Massachusetts are handling the case with the assistance of Associate Chief Counsel Leah A. Edelman of the FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove by a preponderance of the evidence.
Justice Department Announces Charges and Arrests in Two Cases Involving Export Violation Schemes to Aid Russian MilitaryRead the Press Release
In separate charges unsealed today in the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Eastern District of New York and the District of Connecticut, and with the support of the Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, the Justice Department has charged nearly a dozen individuals and several corporate entities with participating in unlawful schemes to export powerful, civil-military, dual-use technologies to Russia – some of which have been recovered on battlefields in Ukraine while another nuclear proliferation technology was intercepted before reaching Russian soil.
In the Eastern District of New York, five Russian nationals and two oil brokers for Venezuela are charged in an indictment unsealed today for their alleged participation in a global sanctions evasion and money laundering scheme. One defendant was arrested on Oct. 17 in Germany and another defendant was arrested on Oct. 17 in Italy, both at the request of the United States. As alleged, the defendants obtained military technology from U.S. companies, smuggled millions of barrels of oil, and laundered tens of millions of dollars for Russian industrialists, sanctioned entities, and the world’s largest energy conglomerate.
Separately, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, a superseding indictment was unsealed charging four individuals – three of whom were arrested by Latvian authorities on Oct. 18 and one by Estonian authorities on June 13 at the request of the United States – and two companies in Europe with violating U.S. export laws by attempting to smuggle a dual-use, export-controlled item – a high-precision computer-controlled grinding machine – to Russia. Commonly known as a “jig grinder,” the item is export-controlled for its use in nuclear proliferation and defense programs.
“These charges reveal two separate global schemes to violate U.S. export and sanctions laws, including by shipping sensitive military technologies from U.S. manufacturers – including types found in seized Russian weapons platforms in Ukraine – and attempting to reexport a machine system with potential application in nuclear proliferation and defense programs to Russia,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As I have said, our investigators and prosecutors will be relentless in their efforts to identify, locate, and bring to justice those whose illegal acts undermine the rule of law and enable the Russian regime to continue its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.”
“This week’s indictments and arrests highlight the FBI’s work countering Russia’s flagrant evasion of U.S. sanctions and violation of export regulations,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI, along with our U.S. and international partners, will continue to aggressively disrupt the procurement of oil, laundered money, and unlawfully obtained military technology from U.S. companies to support Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine.”
United States v. Orekhov et al., Eastern District of New York
According to court documents, Yury Orekhov, 42, a Russian national residing in Germany; Artem Uss, 40, of Moscow; Svetlana Kuzurgasheva aka Lana Neumann, 32, of Moscow; Timofey Telegin, 39, of Moscow; and Sergey Tulyakov 52, of Moscow are named in the indictment unsealed today. Also charged are Juan Fernando Serrano Ponce, aka Juanfe Serrano, and Juan Carlos Soto, who allegedly brokered illicit oil deals for Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), the Venezuelan state-owned oil company, as part of the scheme. On Oct. 17, Orekhov was arrested in Germany and Uss was arrested in Italy, both at the request of the United States, and will undergo extradition proceedings.
“As alleged, the defendants were criminal enablers for oligarchs, orchestrating a complex scheme to unlawfully obtain U.S. military technology and Venezuelan sanctioned oil through a myriad of transactions involving shell companies and cryptocurrency. Their efforts undermined security, economic stability and rule of law around the world,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “We will continue to investigate, disrupt and prosecute those who fuel Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine, evade sanctions and perpetuate the shadowy economy of transnational money laundering.”
According to court documents, Orekhov served as the part owner, CEO and Managing Director of Nord-Deutsche Industrieanlagenbau GmbH (NDA GmbH), a privately held industrial equipment and commodity trading company located in Hamburg, Germany. The other owner of NDA GmbH is Artem Uss, the son of the governor of Russia’s Krasnoyarsk Krai region. Kuzurgasheva served as the CEO of one of the scheme’s shell companies and worked for NDA GmbH under Orekhov.
Using NDA GmbH as a front company, Orekhov and Kuzurgasheva sourced and purchased sensitive military and dual-use technologies from U.S. manufacturers, including advanced semiconductors and microprocessors used in fighter aircraft, missile systems, smart munitions, radar, satellites, and other space-based military applications. These items were shipped to Russian end users, including sanctioned companies controlled by Telegin and Tulyakov that serviced Russia’s military. Some of the types of electronic components obtained through the criminal scheme have been found in Russian weapons platforms seized on the battlefield in Ukraine. As alleged, in 2019, Orekhov travelled to the United States to source parts used in the Russian-made Sukhoi fighter aircraft and the American-made F-22 Raptor stealth fighter aircraft.
Orekhov and Uss also allegedly used NDA GmbH as a front to smuggle hundreds of millions of barrels of oil from Venezuela to Russian and Chinese purchasers, including a Russian aluminum company controlled by a sanctioned oligarch and the world’s largest oil refining, gas and petrochemical conglomerate based in Beijing. Serrano Ponce and Soto brokered deals worth millions of dollars between PDVSA and NDA GmbH, which were routed through a complex group of shell companies and bank accounts to disguise the transactions. In one communication with Serrano Ponce, Orekhov openly admitted that he was acting on behalf of a sanctioned Russian oligarch, saying “He [the oligarch] is under sanctions as well. That’s why we [are] acting from this company [NDA GmbH]. As fronting.” The scheme also involved falsified shipping documents and supertankers that deactivated their GPS navigation systems to obscure the Venezuelan origin of their oil.
Payment for NDA GmbH’s illicit activities was often consummated in U.S. dollars routed through U.S. financial institutions and correspondent bank accounts. To facilitate these transactions, Orekhov and his co-conspirators used fictitious companies, falsified “know your customer” documentation and bank accounts in high-risk jurisdictions, causing U.S. banks to process tens of millions of dollars in violation of U.S. sanctions and other criminal laws. In one conversation with Soto, Orekhov bragged that “there were no worries...this is the shittiest bank in the Emirates…they pay to everything.” The scheme also utilized bulk cash drops with couriers in Russia and Latin America, as well as cryptocurrency transfers worth millions of dollars, to effectuate these transactions and launder the proceeds.
The defendants are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Orekhov, Uss, Kuzurgasheva, Serrano Ponce, and Soto are additionally charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA); bank fraud conspiracy for the oil smuggling scheme; and money laundering conspiracy for the oil smuggling and IEEPA scheme.
Orekhov, Kuzurgasheva, Telegin and Tulyakov are additionally charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud; money laundering conspiracy for illicit procurement of U.S. dual use technology; conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA) and smuggling goods from the United States.
If convicted of bank fraud conspiracy, the defendants face a maximum of 30 years in prison with additional prison time as the result of conviction on additional charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and Italian and German law enforcement authorities provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Artie McConnell for the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
United States v. Romanyuk et al., District of Connecticut
According to court documents, beginning in 2018, Eriks Mamonovs, 33, and Vadims Ananics, 46, both citizens of Latvia who operated CNC Weld, a Latvia-based corporation, conspired with Stanislav Romanyuk, 37, a citizen of Ukraine and resident of Estonia who operated Estonia-based BY Trade OU, and others, including Janis Uzbalis, 46, of Latvia and individuals in Russia and a Russia-based company, to violate U.S. export laws and regulations and smuggle a jig grinder that was manufactured in Connecticut to Russia.
“The indictment alleges that these defendants attempted to smuggle a high-precision export-controlled item to Russia where it could have been used in nuclear proliferation and Russian defense programs,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery of the District of Connecticut. “The danger created by such conduct is profound. I thank HSI, the Department of Commerce and the FBI, and our partners in Latvia and Estonia, who thwarted this alleged scheme and are working to bring these defendants to justice in a U.S. court of law.”
A jig grinder is a high-precision grinding machine system that does not require a license to export to European Union countries but does require a license for export and reexport to Russia because of its applications in nuclear proliferation and defense programs. At no time did the defendants apply for, receive or possess a license of authorization from the U.S. Department of Commerce to export or reexport the jig grinder to Russia, as required by the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), which restrict the export of items that could make a significant contribution to the military potential of other nations or that could be detrimental to the foreign policy or national security of the United States.
U.S. authorities, working with Latvian authorities, intercepted the jig grinder in Riga, Latvia, before it was to be shipped to Russia.
Mamonovs, Ananics, Romanyuk, Uzbalis, and others are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison; violation of the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), which carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison; smuggling goods from the United States, an offense that carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison; and international money laundering conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Mamonovs is also charged with making false statements to the U.S. Department of Commerce, an offense punishable by up to five years in prison.
The indictment also charges CNC Weld, BY Trade OU with conspiracy, violation of the ECRA, smuggling goods from the United States, and international money laundering conspiracy.
Ananics, Mamonovs and Uzbalis were arrested on Oct. 18 in Riga, Latvia at the request of the United States. Romanyuk was arrested in Tallinn, Estonia at the request of the United States, on June 13, 2022. The Justice Department is seeking their extradition.
HSI field offices in New Haven, Portland (Ore.), and the Hague, Netherlands; the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement in Boston; and the FBI are investigating the case. The Prosecutor-General’s Offices of the Republic of Latvia and Estonia, Latvian State Revenue Service, Estonian Tax and Customs Board, and the Latvian State Police provided valuable assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs is providing valuable assistance.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale and Konstantin Lantsman of the District of Connecticut, and Trial Attorney Matthew Anzaldi of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
***
Both actions were coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2 and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jury Convicts Longtime Hoover Criminal Gang Members of Racketeering Conspiracy, Murder in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal jury in Portland found two longtime Hoover Criminal Gang members guilty today for conspiring to commit racketeering through various criminal acts spanning decades, including murder, robbery, and drug dealing.
Lorenzo Laron Jones, 49, and Ronald Clayton Rhodes, 37, both residents of Portland, were found guilty of racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, and using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence.
“Prosecuting violent street gangs as racketeering enterprises is a powerful law enforcement tool we believe will reduce shootings in Portland and begin to restore the safe, vibrant community the public deserves,” said Steven T. Mygrant, Chief of the Narcotics and Criminal Enterprises Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. “Today’s convictions are an important milestone, but only the beginning of our effort to hold accountable all those responsible for gun violence in Portland.”
“When groups like this flood local streets with violence, the most effective response is for team law enforcement, the FBI, the U.S. Attorney's Office, alongside state and local law enforcement, to come together and leverage our most sophisticated investigative and prosecutorial methods. The most powerful response is a joint response,” says Kieran L. Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Portland Field Office. “These convictions cannot undo the damage that has been done but we hope it sends a clear message that we will continue to pursue the most violent and persistent offenders and hold them accountable for their blatant disregard for human life and the safety of our communities.”
“This verdict is the culmination of a tremendous amount of work by everyone involved and highlights how, working together with multiple law enforcement agencies, we are now able to hold gang members responsible for homicides and firearm related crimes and provide some closure to the victims and their families,” said Commander Timothy Robinson of the Portland Police Bureau’s Detective Division. “I would especially like to thank current and former detectives. They worked tirelessly on these cases, while still shouldering an ever-increasing caseload. Their search for justice and dedication to our community is unwavering.”
According to court documents, the Hoovers are a criminal street gang operating in Oregon known to engage in acts of violence including murder, robbery, and drug dealing. The Hoovers originated in Los Angeles in the late 1960s and established a presence in Portland in the early 1980s. The gang has a loose hierarchical structure in which members have different amounts of power and influence based on age and gang activity. To maintain status and increase one’s position in the gang, members are expected to carry out violence on behalf of the enterprise.
The Hoovers are rivals with many Portland gangs, including multiple Blood and Crip sets, and are self-described “everybody killers.” Hoover members are expected to use violence to retaliate any perceived slight or actual act of violence against a Hoover member or ally.
Jones and Rhodes are longtime Hoover members who, together, have engaged in a 30-year pattern of violent racketeering activity. As senior members of the gang, Jones and Rhodes mentored younger members and new recruits, using them to conduct business and violence on behalf of the gang.
During trial, the government proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Jones murdered Wilbert Butler on September 17, 2017, in Portland. Jones was also proven to have engaged in multiple attempted murders, illegally possessed firearms as a convicted felon, and distributed controlled substances throughout the Portland area. Among other criminal acts, Rhodes was convicted of participating in the murder of Portland resident Kyle Polk on December 16, 2015, near a convenience store in southeast Portland.
On November 7, 2019, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 13-count superseding indictment charging Jones, Rhodes, and two accomplices with racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence and causing death through the use of a firearm.
Jones and Rhodes face mandatory life sentences in federal prison. They will be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane at a later date.
As part of the government’s ongoing investigation into the Hoover Criminal Gang’s racketeering activities, several other Hoover members and associates face pending federal charges or have been convicted and sentenced in federal court for crimes committed in support or on behalf of the gang’s criminal enterprise.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Portland Police Bureau, and Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Gresham Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This prosecution is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the U.S. 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.
Irvington Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – An Irvington man was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute it.
According to court documents and evidence presented at a May 2022 jury trial, Vincent Vo Tran, 26, was arrested in May 2021 after one of his coconspirators led sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed chase that ended at Tran’s trailer in Irvington. During a search of the trailer, deputies recovered, among other things, a cache of guns and ammunition, including a Draco AK-style pistol found sitting underneath a digital scale covered in methamphetamine residue.
Later, in November 2021, deputies executed a search warrant at a house that Tran shared with his girlfriend and coconspirator in Mobile. Inside the house, deputies found, among other things, more than half a pound of 99.2% pure methamphetamine, more than 15 pounds of vacuum sealed marijuana, 3.5 grams cocaine, and bags of THC-infused gummies stuffed inside a children’s playpen. The jury reviewed evidence of drug distribution extracted from Tran’s cell phone, including text messages, drug ledgers, and photos and videos of drugs taken with the phone. Tran also admitted in an interview with deputies that he had recently been buying ounces of methamphetamine and named his supplier.
United States District Judge Kristi K. DuBose ordered Tran to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge DuBose ordered Tran to pay $200 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller and Lawrence Bullard prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Iowa City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug and Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City man, Angel Quintero Santos, age 22, a resident of Mexico who resided in Iowa City, was sentenced on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, to 60 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Illegal Alien in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. Following his imprisonment, Quintero Santos was ordered to serve four years of supervised release.
The Johnson County Drug Task Force (JCDTF) identified Quintero Santos as a distributor of, among other things, LSD, marijuana, THC wax, and psilocyn (mushrooms), following a drug overdose of a juvenile, who purchased LSD from Quintero Santos. Another juvenile admitted purchasing multiple controlled substances from Quintero Santos for approximately one month. Officers conducted an undercover purchase of LSD and THC wax from Quintero Santos. The following day, the JCDTF executed search warrants at Quintero Santos residence and his girlfriend’s residence and located multiple controlled substances, two firearms, ammunition, and extended magazines. One of the firearms had been reported stolen. In an interview, Quintero Santos admitted that he was illegally present in the United States. On April 4, 2022, Quintero Santos pleaded guilty.
United States Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Johnson County Drug Task Force, North Liberty Police Department, and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement investigated the case.
Investiture Ceremony Held for United States Attorney Mark TottenRead the Press Release
Upholding the rule of law, keeping the district safe, protecting Civil Rights top priorities
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Today, a formal investiture ceremony was held for United States Attorney Mark A. Totten at the Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation. Chief United States District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou administered the ceremonial oath of office.
“My focus is on upholding the rule of law, keeping the district safe, and protecting Civil Rights,” Totten said during the ceremony, which was attended by judges, family, and members of the law enforcement, legal, and local communities.
Totten underscored his commitment to addressing violent crime, disrupting the trafficking of narcotics, and protecting democratic institutions.
“I am honored to serve as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Michigan and lead a team of outstanding attorneys and support staff dedicated to protecting our state,” he said recognizing the hard work and dedication of his office.
Totten praised the partnerships his office has with local, state, federal, and tribal agencies. He also noted the importance of working together with the community to continue building trust and strengthening law enforcement and community relations.
As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Totten is the chief federal law enforcement officer in the Western District of Michigan. He supervises a staff of approximately 42 attorneys and 44 support staff. The District covers 49 counties, including the western half of Michigan’s lower peninsula and the whole of the upper peninsula. The main office is in Grand Rapids, but the District also has staffed offices in Lansing and Marquette, and an unstaffed office in Kalamazoo.
Totten was born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he lives today. Most recently, he served as Chief Legal Counsel in the Executive Office of the Governor for the State of Michigan. Prior to entering government service, Totten was a law professor at Michigan State University from 2008-2018, where he taught criminal law and criminal procedure. From 2011-2013 he served part-time as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney handling criminal appeals in the office he now leads. He was a judicial law clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and began his career as an attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Appellate Staff, in Washington, D.C. Totten received his B.A. from Cedarville College and his law degree and a Ph.D. in ethics from Yale University.
Totten was nominated by President Joe Biden on November 12, 2021, and the U.S. Senate confirmed him on April 27, 2022. Chief U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker previously administered the official oath of office May 5, 2022 at the federal courthouse in Grand Rapids.
###
Indianapolis Police Sergeant Indicted for Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Indianapolis, Indiana, returned an indictment yesterday charging an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department sergeant with violating the civil rights of an arrestee by using excessive force.
Sgt. Eric Huxley, 44, is charged with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. The indictment alleges that on or about Sept. 24, 2021. Sergeant Huxley, wearing shoes, kicked an arrestee identified as J.V. in the head and face, without lawful justification. The indictment also alleges that the offense resulted in bodily injury to J.V. and involved the use of a dangerous weapon.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana and Special Agent in Charge Herbert Stapleton for the FBI Indianapolis Field Division made the announcement.
The FBI Indianapolis Field Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Preston for the Southern District of Indiana and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Indianapolis Police Sergeant Indicted for Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – A federal grand jury in Indianapolis returned an indictment late yesterday charging an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department sergeant with violating the civil rights of an arrestee by using excessive force.
Sgt. Eric Huxley, 44, is charged with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. The indictment alleges that on or about Sept. 24, 2021. Sergeant Huxley used his shod foot to strike an arrestee identified as J.V. in the head and face, without lawful justification. The indictment also alleges that the offense resulted in bodily injury to J.V. and involved the use of a dangerous weapon.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; and Special Agent in Charge Herbert Stapleton for the FBI Indianapolis Field Division made the announcement.
The FBI’s Indianapolis Field Division investigated the case.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Preston and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, who are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Indian River County Drug Dealer Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Kendrick Williams, 43, of Vero Beach, Fla., was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore to 70 months in prison for drug trafficking. Williams previously had pled guilty to two counts of distributing fentanyl.
According to the court record, on December 31, 2021; January 8, 2022; February 11, 2022; and April 18, 2022, Williams distributed fentanyl, a dangerous and highly lethal controlled substance to a law enforcement confidential source in Vero Beach. In total, Williams distributed more than 40 grams of fentanyl. On the April 18, 2022, transaction, Williams used a juvenile to deliver the drugs to his customer. All controlled buys were recorded with audio and video.
Law enforcement spoke with the juvenile who told them from which apartment Williams sold drugs. On April 27, 2022, law enforcement searched the Vero Beach apartment and found four handguns and multiple rounds of ammunition.
It was determined that Williams used this apartment on an ongoing basis to sell, store, and package large quantities of fentanyl. Williams has several prior felony convictions including two for the sale of cocaine.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Buckley, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers made the announcement.
HSI, Fort Pierce, and Indian River County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Porter.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
###
Houma Woman Sentenced for Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that NICOLE COCKERHAM (“COCKERHAM”), age 43, of Houma, Louisiana, was sentenced on October 18, 2022 for Theft of Government Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641.
According to documents filed in federal court, from March 2019 to July 2020, COCKERHAM knowingly converted approximately $38,851.00 in Social Security Administration and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES ACT”) funds.
United States District Judge Wendy D. Vitter sentenced COCKERHAM to three (3) years probation, restitution in the amount of $37,651.00 to the Social Security Administration and $1,200.00 to the Internal Revenue Service, 100 hours of non-paid community service, and payment of a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, and the United States Department of Treasury, Inspector General for Tax Administration, in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Hazleton Man Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jose Turbi, age 36, of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking and firearm offenses.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that between December of 2021 and October 12, 2022, in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, Turbi conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl, over 500 grams of methamphetamine, over 500 grams of cocaine, and a quantity of marijuana. The indictment also alleges that on October 12, 2022, in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, Turbi possessed with the intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana, as well as a 9mm pistol in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
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 matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Hazleton Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. United States Attorney James M. Buchanan is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is life imprisonment and a fine of $10,000,000. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #
Hardy County man sentenced to more than 12 years for drug chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Victor Allen Self, of Moorefield, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 148 months of incarceration for a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Self, 42, pleaded guilty in May 2022 to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Self admitted to working with others to sell methamphetamine from May 7, 2019 through August 9, 2019 in Grant County and elsewhere.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Guidance Relating to the November 2022 General ElectionRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY- United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Aaron Clark will lead the efforts of her Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSA Clark has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Utah, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Higgins said, “In Utah, every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Higgins said, “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Clark will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 801-325-1405.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at: 801-579-1400.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
United States Attorney Higgins said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
Grand Jury - October 2022Read the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 14 unsealed Indictments charging 16 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
* Ronald Lynn Ballou, age 40, of Omaha, is charged with felon in possession of a firearm on or about August 12, 2022. The penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, three-years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Lacie Brown, age 21, of Sutherland, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Brown with identity theft on or about July 28, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Brown with identity theft on or about January 3, 2021. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Orlando Alonso Castro-Gutierrez, age 28, and Alejandro Berrelleza-Borjorquez a/k/a Alejandro Lopez-Leon a/k/a Angel Garcia-Fuentes, age 24, are charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of fentanyl analogue on or about March 7, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Terry L. Christianson, age 65, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Christianson with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about March 27, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, not less than ten-years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Christianson with possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime on or about March 27, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine, three-years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Christianson with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about March 27, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. There is also an allegation to forfeit $7,125 in United States currency seized on or about March 27, 2022.
* Paula R. Creps, age 51, of Papillion, Nebraska, is charged in a five-count Indictment. Counts I-V charge Creps with mail fraud beginning on or about July 26, 2019 and continuing to on or about May 26, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jose Guerrero-Lopez, age 29, of Grand Island, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about March 16, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Andrew Scott Lawrence, age 41, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about March 18, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, not less than ten-years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
There is also an allegation to forfeit $17,622 in United States currency seized on or about March 18, 2022.
* Juan Montante-Sanchez, age 43, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about October 7, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Santiago Montes-Osorio, age 29, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Montes-Osorio with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) beginning on or about May, 2022 and continuing to on or about July 21, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Montes-Osorio with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (actual) on or about July 21, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to a life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Matthew Frederick Strohl, age 42, of Omaha, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about April 22, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, not less than ten-years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Javier Tyee a/k/a Kelven Tabbs, age 50, of Panama City Beach, Florida, and Xanthe Tabbs, a/k/a Xanthe Ivey, age 53, from Panama City Beach, Florida, are charged in a six-count Indictment. Count I charges Tyee and Tabbs with conspiracy beginning on or about April 25, 2018 and continuing to on or about July 19, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Counts II-VI charge Tyee and Tabbs with wire fraud beginning on or about May 15, 2018 and continuing to on or about May 24, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Angelica Ramos Torres Villa, age 42, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture) on or about June 26, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than five-years and up to life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Miguel Vasquez Romero, age 22, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about October 4, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Deshuan Whitfield, age 21, is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl (mixture) on or about September 23, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, not less than three-years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Georgia bar and restaurant owner pleads guilty to tax evasionRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, GA: The co-owner of multiple bars and a restaurant in Georgia has pled guilty to tax evasion.
Eugene R. Britt III, aka Trey Britt, 52, of Milledgeville, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of Tax Evasion, with the plea announced by Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David H. Estes of the Southern District of Georgia.
“Law-abiding Americans dutifully pay their taxes with the expectation that others will similarly follow the law,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Those who concoct schemes to avoid paying taxes for self-enrichment not only violate the law, but place a greater burden on all other taxpayers.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Britt engaged in a scheme to evade taxes owed to the IRS on income from bars and a restaurant he and others owned near college campuses in Georgia. As part of the scheme, Britt and others disguised their ownership in the bars by causing each establishment to be owned on paper by a single person. Britt and the other true owners then shared in the profits by skimming cash and disbursing it amongst themselves.
Britt personally controlled the distribution of cash for three of the establishments. As part of his guilty plea, Britt admitted that for approximately two decades he skimmed cash from his bars and restaurants and did not report it on his tax returns.
Additionally, Britt admitted to engaging in a similar cash skimming operation with respect to sales of beer at a music festival in 2015. Britt ensured that his individual tax return was false because he did not inform his accountant of the cash he received from the bars and the music festival during this year. In total, Britt caused a total tax loss to the IRS of more than $535,000.
“Tax evasion is not a victimless crime,” said James E. Dorsey, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. “We all pay when others cheat our tax system. Tax evasion with this degree of trickery, dishonesty and deceit, did not go undetected. Today's plea demonstrates our collective efforts to enforce the law and ensure public trust in our tax system.”
“This guilty plea is a win for all Americans who play by the tax system rules,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will not tolerate anyone defrauding our nation’s tax system, and we will continue to work with our partners to hold accountable individuals and businesses who refuse to follow the law.”
Britt faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, followed by up to three years of supervised release, along with restitution and substantial financial penalties.
IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI are investigating the case. Assistant Chief David Zisserson and Trial Attorney Casey Smith of the U.S. Department of Justice Tax Division, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, are prosecuting the case.
Georgia Bar and Restaurant Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
The co-owner of multiple bars and a restaurant in Georgia pleaded guilty today to tax evasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Eugene R. Britt III, aka Trey Britt, engaged in a scheme to evade taxes owed to the IRS on income from bars and a restaurant he and others owned near college campuses in Georgia. As part of the scheme, Britt and others disguised their ownership in the bars by causing each establishment to be owned on paper by a single person. Britt and the other true owners then shared in the profits by skimming cash and disbursing it amongst themselves. Britt personally controlled the distribution of cash for three of the establishments. As part of his guilty plea, Britt admitted that for approximately two decades he skimmed cash from his bars and restaurants and did not report it on his tax returns.
Additionally, Britt admitted to engaging in a similar cash skimming operation with respect to sales of beer at a music festival in 2015. Britt ensured that his individual tax return was false because he did not inform his accountant of the cash he received from the bars and the music festival during this year. In total, Britt caused a total tax loss to the IRS of more than $535,000.
Britt will be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David Estes of the Southern District of Georgia made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI are investigating the case.
Assistant Chief David Zisserson and Trial Attorney Casey Smith of the Tax Division, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, are prosecuting the case.
Four Philadelphia-Area Individuals Indicted for Passing over $2,800 in Counterfeit United States Currency at Multiple Stores in Lackawanna and Luzerne CountiesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Brinayah Clark, age 18, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Kendall Rawls, age 22, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Nazeer Amir Shamsud-Din, age 22, of Snellville, Georgia, and Jaquan Underwood, age 21, of Philadelphia Pennsylvania, were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of passing counterfeit federal reserve notes.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on September 10, 2022, the defendants passed $1,200 in counterfeit bills at the Walmart in Dickson City, Pennsylvania, $500 in counterfeit bills at the Aldi grocery store in Dickson City, and $1,100 in counterfeit bills at the Walmart in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The indictment further alleges that from February of 2022 until September 10, 2022, the defendants conspired to pass counterfeit federal reserve notes, including incidents at four other stores in Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties, and incidents at other retail stores throughout the state.
The matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, the Dickson City Police Department, the Pittston Police Department, the Taylor Borough Police Department, the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Buchanan is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is twenty years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #
Four Men and Three Women Charged with Sending Cocaine to the Continental United States Through the MailRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On October 12, 2022, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging seven individuals with conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) Aguadilla Strike Force led the investigation with assistance from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the PRPB Strike Force units from Mayagüez and Arecibo.
“Drug trafficking destroys families and communities,” said USA Muldrow. “This organization fed a pipeline of drugs ultimately sold on American streets, fostering violence and drug addiction across the nation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its partners will continue to pursue drug traffickers who operate in all areas of Puerto Rico and to seek justice for our communities.”
“Criminal organizations are constantly looking for ways to transport narcotics to the continental United States, using Puerto Rico as a transshipment point because of its strategic location in the Caribbean,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “This case is an example of the FBI’s commitment to combat drug trafficking organizations, using an intelligence-driven approach to disrupt their criminal operations at all levels. I’d like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Postal Service, Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and the Aguadilla Strike Force for their continued work in support of our joint mission.”
The indictment alleges that from 2018 until May of 2022 the defendants conspired to mail kilogram quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico to the continental United States for further distribution, all for significant financial gain and profit. The defendants charged are:
Freddie Talavera-Acevedo, a.k.a. “Boss/Kenton/F/Fred/Freddie Blue/Pucho Vázquez”
Katherine Pérez-Martínez
Edwin Gómez-Vale, a.k.a. “Papilla Jr.”
Edwin Alberto Gómez-Medina, a.k.a. “Papilla/Paquio”
Tamara Enid Acevedo-Torres, a.k.a. “Mara”
Tasha Marie Cordero-Dilan, a.k.a. “Negra”
Jayson Zabdiel Cardona-Morales, a.k.a. “Barbero/Barber/Barbel/Negro”
In furtherance of their conspiracy, the defendants acquired kilograms of cocaine from co‑conspirators in Puerto Rico and concealed them in U.S. Postal Service (“USPS”) parcels that they forwarded to the continental United States. For example, they purchased commercial products, including air mattresses, towels, and children’s toys, and concealed kilograms of cocaine in those newly bought items before mailing the items in larger boxes by way of the USPS. Other co‑conspirators received the cocaine-laden shipments in the continental United States and proceeded with their further distribution.
At times, the defendants tracked the packages using the USPS tracking number and sent each other photos of the tracking numbers. They also used fake names and/or fake addresses on the boxes and tried to mask the smell of drugs using Vaseline, tape, air mattresses, and other items.
Upon conviction of the conspiracy, all the defendants are facing a forfeiture allegation of the following:
- $30,000.00 in U.S. currency seized from a postal parcel on or about October 8, 2020.
- $16,500.00 in U.S. currency seized from a postal parcel on or about October 8, 2020.
- $52,800.00 in U.S. currency seized from a postal parcel on or about January 26, 2021.
- $40,000.00 in U.S. currency seized from a postal parcel on or about September 29, 2021.
- An additional $40,000.00 in U.S. currency seized from a postal parcel seized on or about September 29, 2021.
- $23,400,000.00 in U.S. currency- The sum of money equal to the total amount of money involved in each offense.
Assistant U.S. Attorney and Chief of the Gang Section Alberto López-Rocafort, Deputy Chief of the Gang Section, AUSA Tereza Zapata-Valladares, and AUSA Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted on the drug charges, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life in prison.
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.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
# # #
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 180 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Adrian L Johnson, 50 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady after his guilty plea to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Johnson was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 8 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, Johnson was stopped for having an expired registration. During the stop, a drug-sniffing K-9 alerted to the odor of narcotics. In the car, police recovered a smoking device, a stolen firearm with an obliterated serial number, a second firearm, a digital scale, 42 grams of methamphetamine, and 10 grams of a substance that contained a mixture of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Johnson also had $1,678 in cash.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brent Ecenbarger.
###
Former Tucson Insurance Agent Sentenced to over 11 Years for Elder FraudRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Koreasa Maria Williams, 47, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced on September 30, 2022, by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 136 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution to her victims. Williams previously pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. The sentence was ordered to run concurrent to a 51-month sentence for an earlier annuity fraud scheme.
Williams, a licensed insurance agent, defrauded an 80-year-old client of over $1 million. In October 2018, realizing she was under investigation for the earlier annuity theft scheme, Williams advised the victim to cash out eight life insurance policies and obtain approximately $1 million, under the false promise that the life insurance funds would be better invested in annuities. She then tricked the victim into writing two checks totaling over $1 million to a law firm under the guise that the law firm worked for Williams’ annuity company and that the funds would be used to purchase an annuity for the victim. Williams then delivered the checks from the victim and told the law firm the checks were a loan from her “rich uncle.” She then directed the law firm to use the money to pay back multiple victims from the earlier annuity theft scheme in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid criminal charges. After Williams was indicted in the annuity theft scheme and released on bond in May 2019, she deceived the victim into giving her additional funds between June 2019 and December 2019. Williams then used that money for herself and her family over the next six months via thousands of dollars in bulk cash withdrawals, supermarket and convenience store debits, car payments, cable fees, movie theater purchases, and donations to a religious ministry in North Carolina with which Williams was affiliated, her local church, and a local charity.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative . 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.
Learn more about the Justice Department’s Elder Justice Initiative at http://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
The Tucson Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Sue Feldmeier, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-03136-TUC-JGZ
CR-19-01276-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-183_Williams# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Former Special Agent Sentenced for Falsifying His Education and Work ExperienceRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A former Special Agent assigned to the U.S. National Park Service, Lake Mead Resident Office in Boulder City, Nev., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey for submitting false information about his work experience and education on his job application for a federal law enforcement officer position.
Daniel Joshua Carnow (46) pleaded guilty in June 2022 to false official writing. He was sentenced to one year probation, a $500 fine, and a restriction barring him from future employment as a federal law enforcement officer.
According to court documents, in April 2019, Carnow was a federal law enforcement officer with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration Customs Enforcement. He applied for a Special Agent position with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service. As part of his application, he misrepresented on his resume that he had served as a Special Agent with the U.S. Department of State (DOS), Foreign Service Diplomatic Security Services (DSS), and that he had earned a Master of Forensic Science degree from the University of Central Oklahoma.
“Public service is a public trust and deceitfulness committed by law enforcement officers’ is especially egregious,” said Jamie DePaepe, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI OIG). “Acts such as the conduct in this case also undermine the nation’s trust of law enforcement. By his actions that led to today’s sentencing, the defendant violated and undermined that trust. The OIG will remain steadfast in our efforts to investigate individuals who prove themselves unworthy of public service.”
U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Jamie DePaepe for the DOI OIG made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the DOI OIG and the National Park Service – Office of Professional Responsibility. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Myhre prosecuted the case.
Anyone with knowledge of fraud, waste, abuse, misconduct, or mismanagement involving the DOI should file a complaint with the OIG at: www.doioig.gov/hotline.
###
Former Pitt Student Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Threatening Communications and Impeding and Obstructing FBI InvestigationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Khaled Miah, 29, a former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and former student at the University of Pittsburgh, was sentenced yesterday by Judge W. Scott Hardy to 72 months’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release. Miah was found guilty by a federal jury in December, 2021 of five counts of making interstate threatening communications, one count of influencing, impeding or retaliating against a federal law enforcement officer, and one count of destruction of records in a federal investigation.
The federal jury found that from on or about Dec. 27, 2020, through on or about Dec. 31, 2020, Miah posted threats directed at individual FBI agents who were investigating him, as well as the FBI generally. In December 2020, FBI personnel identified a publicly visible Twitter account created by Miah. From the date of its creation to on or about Jan. 1, 2021, Miah used this Twitter account to threaten, intimidate and harass FBI Pittsburgh Special Agents and the FBI. In addition, after posting the threatening statements, and with full knowledge of the FBI investigation into his conduct, Miah subsequently deleted those posts which impeded, obstructed, and influenced the FBI investigation.
In imposing his sentence, Judge Hardy noted the seriousness of the offenses of conviction and stated that Miah “threatened the very people who sacrifice their lives and comfort to keep everyone in our community safe.” Judge Hardy also stressed deterrence, stating that “we live in a time where people are less able to control their impulses” and assuring that the law will impose very strict consequences on those who engage in threatening behavior online.
Members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force who were directly involved in this investigation include the FBI and the University of Pittsburgh Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Lieber Smolar and Nicole Ann Stockey of the Western District of Pennsylvania and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Dmitriy Slavin.
Former Manager of Long Island Catering Hall Sentenced to 72 Months for Forced LaborRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Roberto Villanueva was sentenced by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert to 72 months in prison for his role in the forced labor conspiracy that took place at the Thatched Cottage in Centerport, New York. The defendant pleaded guilty to forced labor and forced labor conspiracy on February 5, 2020 and has been incarcerated since his arrest on December 10, 2017.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, New York (DOL-OIG); and Patricia A. Menges, Director, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, New York Asylum Office (USCIS), announced the sentence.
“Villanueva exploited his victims’ immigration status, promising them the American dream, but instead threatening arrest or deportation if they didn’t work 16 hours a day, often unpaid, sleeping on bug infested mattresses covered in garbage bags, without heat or hot water,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This sentence highlights our Office’s commitment to bringing abusers to justice.”
“Villanueva knowingly manipulated these workers using bait-and-switch tactics to coerce and control them, forcing them to live in squalid conditions with a constant threat of physical harm if they failed to comply with his ever-escalating demands. Today’s sentencing sends a strong message that human lives are not commodities and these workers deserved dignity and respect. HSI is committed to working together with our partners to fight human trafficking in all its forms, including labor trafficking and exploitation to prevent abuses like this,” said Acting Special Agent in-Charge Alfonso for Homeland Security Investigations in New York.
“Roberto Villanueva abused the H-2B visa program by forcing workers to work long hours in occupations not approved by the U.S. Department of Labor, often for far less than the prevailing wage. Workers that complained were met with threats of physical harm and deportation. The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to vigorously pursue those who misuse worker visa programs for their own personal gain,” stated Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor OIG New York Region.
Villanueva formerly worked as a recruiter and manager for the Thatched Cottage. At his plea proceeding, Villanueva admitted that workers were brought from the Philippines to the United States on H-2B visas that expired shortly after their arrival. Once their H-2B visas expired, Villanueva coached workers how to apply for student visas by fraudulently representing that they intended to attend school full-time and had sufficient resources to support themselves during school.
Villanueva admitted that his actions were done in concert and agreement with Ralph Colamussi, the former owner of Thatched Cottage. Villanueva admitted that at times he deposited funds in the workers’ bank accounts to give the appearance of ample resources, and then withdrew the funds once the student visas were approved. When workers objected to performing certain jobs, working consecutive shifts or not being paid promptly, Villanueva threatened to report them to the police or immigration authorities.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Charles P. Kelly and Madeline O’Connor are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
ROBERTO VILLANUEVA
Age: 65
Huntington, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-592 (JS)
Former Henry County Reserve Sheriff’s Deputy Indicted for Obstruction of Justice in Excessive Force Investigation of Former New Castle Police LieutenantRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – A federal grand jury in Indianapolis, returned a five-count superseding indictment late yesterday charging a former New Castle, Indiana, police officer with excessive force and obstruction of justice, and a former Henry County, Indiana, Reserve Sheriff’s Deputy with obstruction of justice.
Former New Castle, Indiana, Police Lieutenant Aaron Strong is charged in the Superseding Indictment with three civil rights violations for allegedly using unreasonable force against an arrestee and against two other people in custody, and with one count of obstruction of justice. Strong was previously indicted and the superseding indictment added no new charges against him.
Today’s superseding indictment added one count of witness tampering against former Henry County, Indiana, Reserve Sheriff’s Deputy Adam Guy, 25. According to the superseding indictment, Guy engaged in misleading conduct toward another person with the intent to interfere with the investigation of one of the incidents for which Strong is charged with using unreasonable force.
Each of the civil rights charges in the superseding indictment carries a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment, and each obstruction of justice charge carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment. If either defendant is convicted, the actual sentence will be determined by a district judge.
Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Special Agent in Charge Herbert Stapleton for the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Division made the announcement.
The FBI Indianapolis Field Office investigated the case.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Blackett and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division who are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Congressional Candidate Sentenced for Wire Fraud and Falsification of RecordsRead the Press Release
A former U.S. Congressional candidate was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for his scheme to use COVID-19 relief funds for personal expenditures and filing a false report with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) by concealing thousands of dollars of in-kind contributions by employees.
Nicholas Jones, 36, of Boise, Idaho, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and falsification of records on June 1. In addition to the prison sentence, Jones was also ordered to pay a $100,000 fine and $90,564.84 in restitution.
According to court documents, Jones was a small business owner who applied for and received $753,600 in COVID-19 relief funds, primarily from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Despite certifying that the funds would only be used for business-related expenditures, Jones used a significant portion of these funds for personal expenses, including car payments, life insurance policies, and political advertisements.
According to court documents, in 2020, Jones ran as a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives and told employees of his small business that they could continue to be paid their normal wages if they worked on his congressional campaign. Employees reported to work on behalf of Jones’s congressional campaign and were paid thousands of dollars in wages through Jones’s small business including, in part, with funds Jones had received as part of a PPP loan. After losing the primary election, Jones caused his campaign committee to file a campaign finance report with the FEC that omitted any in-kind contributions from any entity or individual other than Jones, including the thousands of dollars of in-kind contributions to his campaign in the form of employee time and work.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit for the District of Idaho, and Special Agent in Charge Dennis Rice of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Rosaleen O’Gara and Nicole Lockhart of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit for the District of Idaho prosecuted the case.
Five Russian Nationals and Two Oil Traders Charged in Global Sanctions Evasion and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
A 12-count indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn, New York charging five Russian nationals, Yury Orekhov, Artem Uss, Svetlana Kuzurgasheva, also known as “Lana Neumann,” Timofey Telegin and Sergey Tulyakov with various charges related to a global procurement, smuggling and money laundering network. Also charged were Juan Fernando Serrano Ponce, also known as “Juanfe Serrano” and Juan Carlos Soto, who brokered illicit oil deals for Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), the Venezuelan state-owned oil company, as part of the scheme. On October 17, 2022, Orekhov was arrested in Germany and Uss was arrested in Italy, both at the request of the United States, and will undergo extradition proceedings.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Jonathan Carson, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office, and Andrew Adams, Director, Task Force KleptoCapture announced the charges.
“As alleged, the defendants were criminal enablers for oligarchs, orchestrating a complex scheme to unlawfully obtain U.S. military technology and Venezuelan sanctioned oil through a myriad of transactions involving shell companies and cryptocurrency. Their efforts undermined security, economic stability and rule of law around the world,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “We will continue to investigate, disrupt and prosecute those who fuel Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine, evade sanctions and perpetuate the shadowy economy of transnational money laundering.”
“Today we announce the dismantling of a sophisticated network consisting of at least five Russian nationals and two Venezuelan nationals, each of whom are directly linked to corrupt state-owned enterprises, who knowingly sought to conceal the theft of U.S. military technology and profit off black market oil,” said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll. “This network schemed to procure sophisticated technology in direct support of a floundering Russian Federation military industrial complex. While America's adversaries may seek innovative means to undermine the United States, they will continuously be met with the FBI's resolve through tirelessly uncovering and overcoming all threats to U.S. national security, no matter where they may seek safe haven.
“Complex criminal schemes like this require sustained coordination and collaboration between federal law enforcement and international partners. I’m proud of our team of dedicated law enforcement professionals for their teamwork and dedication to enforcing U.S. export controls,” stated U.S. Department of Commerce Special Agent-in-Charge Carson. “We will continue to enforce the unprecedented export controls implemented in response to Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine and the Office of Export Enforcement intends to pursue these violators wherever they may be worldwide.”
“Webs of shell companies, cryptocurrency and an international network of fraudsters failed to shield Orekhov and his cronies from apprehension by U.S. law enforcement. Stamping out evasion of export controls on military technology is among the Task Force’s highest priorities, and today’s arrests reflects the power of those controls when enforced by a dedicated team of expert agents and devoted foreign partners,” stated Task Force KleptoCapture Director Adams.
As alleged, Orekov has served as the part owner, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Nord-Deutsche Industrieanlagenbau GmbH (NDA GmbH), a privately held industrial equipment and commodity trading company located in Hamburg, Germany. The other owner of NDA GmbH is Artem Uss, the son of the governor of Russia’s Krasnoyarsk Krai region. Kuzurgasheva served as the Chief Executive Officer of one of the scheme’s shell companies and worked for NDA GmbH under Orekhov. Using NDA GmbH as a front company, Orekhov and Kuzurgasheva sourced and purchased sensitive military and dual-use technologies from U.S. manufacturers, including advanced semiconductors and microprocessors used in fighter aircraft, missile systems, smart munitions, radar, satellites and other space-based military applications. These items were shipped to Russian end users, including sanctioned companies controlled by Telegin and Tulyakov, such as Radioavtomatika, Radioexport and Abtronics, that serviced Russia’s defense sector. Some of the same electronic components obtained through the criminal scheme have been found in Russian weapons platforms seized on the battlefield in Ukraine.
In 2019, Orekhov travelled to the United States to source parts used in the Russian-made Sukhoi fighter aircraft and the American-made F-22 Raptor stealth fighter aircraft. Orekhov and Uss also used NDA GmbH as a front to smuggle hundreds of millions of barrels of oil from Venezuela to Russian and Chinese purchasers, including a Russian aluminum company controlled by a sanctioned oligarch and the world’s largest oil refining, gas and petrochemical conglomerate based in Beijing, People’s Republic of China. Serrano Ponce and Soto brokered deals worth millions of dollars between PDVSA and NDA GmbH, which were routed through a complex group of shell companies and bank accounts to disguise the transactions. In one communication with Serrano Ponce, Orekhov openly admitted that he was acting on behalf of a sanctioned Russian oligarch, saying “He [the oligarch] is under sanctions as well. That’s why we [are] acting from this company [NDA GmbH]. As fronting.” The scheme also involved falsified shipping documents and supertankers that deactivated their GPS navigation systems to obscure the Venezuelan origin of their oil.
Payment for NDA GmbH’s illicit activities was often consummated in U.S. dollars routed through U.S. financial institutions and correspondent bank accounts. To facilitate these transactions, Orekhov and his coconspirators used fictitious companies, falsified “Know Your Customer” documentation and bank accounts in high-risk jurisdictions, causing U.S. banks to process tens of millions of dollars in violation of U.S. sanctions and other criminal laws. In one conversation with Soto, Orekhov bragged that “there were no worries...this is the shittiest bank in the Emirates…they pay to everything.” The scheme also utilized bulk cash drops with couriers in Russia and Latin America, as well as cryptocurrency transfers worth millions of dollars, to effectuate these transactions and launder the proceeds.
On March 30, 2022, Orekhov asked the defendant Uss, “Have you decided to leave Russia?” Uss joked in response, “[Y]ou want to be an international fugitive?”
On March 2, 2022, the Attorney General announced the launch of Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions, and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. The task force will leverage all the Department’s tools and authorities against efforts to evade or undermine the economic actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment. The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorney Artie McConnell is in charge of the prosecution, with valuable assistance from Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Litigation Analyst Ben Richmond. Assistant United States Attorney Madeline O’Connor of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs is providing substantial assistance. The United States thanks German and Italian authorities for their valuable assistance.
The Defendants:
YURY OREKHOV
Age: 42
Dubai, United Arab EmiratesARTEM USS
Age: 40
Moscow, RussiaSVETLANA KUZURGASHEVA
Age: 32
Moscow, RussiaJUAN FERNANDO SERRANO PONCE
AGE: 47
Dubai, United Arab EmiratesJUAN CARLOS SOTO
TIMOFEY TELEGIN
Age: 39
Moscow, RussiaSERGEY TULYAKOV
Age: 52
Moscow, RussiaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-434 (EK)
Federal Indictment Charges Thomson Penitentiary Inmate with Murder in Connection with Death of Fellow InmateRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — An inmate at the United States Penitentiary in Thomson, Ill., has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of second-degree murder and assault relating to the death of a fellow inmate.
On Dec. 15, 2021, DONTA MADDOX assaulted his cellmate, Bobby Everson, resulting in fatal injuries, according to an indictment returned Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Rockford.
Second-degree murder carries a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, while the maximum sentence for the assault charge is ten years. Arraignment for Maddox, 44, has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Ashley T. Johnson, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
European Nationals and Entities Indicted on Charges of Violating U.S. Laws for Their Attempt to Export a Dual-Use High-Precision Jig Grinder to RussiaRead the Press Release
A superseding indictment charging individuals and companies in Europe with violating United States export laws and regulations by attempting to smuggle a dual-use export-controlled item to Russia was unsealed yesterday in the District of Connecticut.
U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery; Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Andrew Adams, Director of Task Force KleptoCapture; Special Agent in Charge Matthew B. Millhollin of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston; Special Agent in Charge Rashel D. Assouri of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, Boston; and Special Agent in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI New Haven Division made the announcement.
The indictment alleges that, beginning in 2018, Eriks Mamonovs, 33, and Vadims Ananics, 46, both citizens of Latvia who operated CNC Weld, a Latvia-based corporation, conspired with Stanislav Romanyuk, 37, a citizen of Ukraine and resident of Estonia who operated Estonia-based BY Trade OU, and others, including Janis Uzbalis, 46, of Latvia, and individuals in Russia and a Russia-based company, to violate U.S. export laws and regulations and smuggle a jig grinder that was manufactured in Connecticut to Russia. A jig grinder is a high-precision grinding machine system that does not require a license to export to European Union countries, but does require a license for export and reexport to Russia because of its potential application in nuclear proliferation and defense programs. At no time did the defendants apply for, receive or possess a license of authorization from the U.S. Department of Commerce to export or reexport the jig grinder to Russia, as required by the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 and the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”), which restrict the export of items that could make a significant contribution to the military potential of other nations or that could be detrimental to U.S. foreign policy and national security.
U.S. authorities, working with Latvian authorities, intercepted the jig grinder in Riga, Latvia, before it was to be shipped to Russia.
Ananics, Mamonovs and Uzbalis were arrested yesterday in Riga, Latvia. Romanyuk was arrested in Tallinn, Estonia, on June 13. They are currently detained and the United States is seeking their extradition.
“The indictment alleges that these defendants attempted to smuggle a high-precision export-controlled item to Russia where it could have been used in nuclear proliferation and Russian defense programs,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery. “The danger created by such conduct is profound. I thank HSI, the Department of Commerce and the FBI, and our partners in Latvia and Estonia, who thwarted this alleged scheme and are working to bring these defendants to justice in a U.S. court of law.”
“The power and precision of American technology must not be put to use by the Kremlin’s war machine,” said Andrew Adams, Director of Task Force KleptoCapture. “Enforcement against efforts to illegally export and reexport controlled U.S. technology is critical in ensuring that superior American technology isn’t exploited by Russia in this unjust war. The arrests in Latvia demonstrate that smugglers and fraudsters will be apprehended and prosecuted notwithstanding the sophistication of evasion networks operating far from U.S. shores.”
“These individuals are alleged to have conspired to export a piece of machinery that can be used for nefarious purposes, including in defense applications to build weapons of war,” said Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “HSI works hand-in-hand with our partners domestically and abroad to further our mission to prevent sensitive U.S. technology and commodities from reaching the shores of hostile countries. These arrests and the seizure of the jig grinder are the result of the tenacious investigative work of our special agents and partners and show what can be achieved through these partnerships.”
“This three-year investigation is a testament to the excellent cooperation between our domestic and international law enforcement partners,” said Special Agent in Charge Rashel D. Assouri, U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, Boston Field Office. “The Office of Export Enforcement is unwavering in its aggressive pursuit to investigate illegal exports to Russia.”
“This indictment is the culmination of a great collaborative law enforcement investigation,” said David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI New Haven Division. “The alleged conspirators in this international export and money laundering scheme will now face justice in the very system they manipulated and violated for financial gain.”
The superseding indictment, which was returned by a federal grand jury in Hartford on July 7, 2022, charges Mamonovs, Ananics, Romanyuk, Uzbalis, and others, with conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years; violation of the Export Control Reform Act, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; smuggling goods from the United States, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years; and international money laundering conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Mamonovs is also charged with making false statements to the U.S. Department of Commerce, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
The indictment also charges CNC Weld, BY Trade OU with conspiracy, violation of the Export Control Reform Act, smuggling goods from the United States, and international money laundering conspiracy.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This investigation is being conducted by HSI field offices in New Haven, Portland (Ore.), and the Hague, Netherlands; the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement in Boston; and the FBI. The Prosecutor-General’s Office of the Republic of Latvia, the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Estonia, Latvian Tax and Customs Police, Estonian Tax and Customs Board, and the Latvian State Police are assisting the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale and Konstantin Lantsman of the District of Connecticut, and Trial Attorney Matthew Anzaldi of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs is providing valuable assistance.
The investigation was coordinated with the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls, and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2 and run out of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the Department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.
Eagle Butte Man Indicted for Prohibited Person in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm.
Anthony Lawrence Collins, Sr., age 39, was indicted in October of 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on October 13, 2022 and pleaded not guilty.
The maximum penalty upon conviction for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm is 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges Collins unlawfully possessed a firearm on March 12, 2021 and on July 23, 2022. Both incidents occurred in Dewey County, South Dakota.
These charges are merely accusations and Collins is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem is prosecuting the case.
Collins has been remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending further hearing