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Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Thursday 8 September 2022
EmpiresX Head Trader Pleads Guilty to Global Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud Scheme that Amassed Approximately $100 Million from InvestorsRead the Press Release
A Florida man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit securities fraud in connection with a global cryptocurrency-based Ponzi scheme that took in approximately $100 million from investors.
According to court documents, Joshua David Nicholas, 28, of Stuart, was the “Head Trader” for EmpiresX, a purported cryptocurrency platform. Nicholas admitted that he and others fraudulently promoted EmpiresX by making numerous misrepresentations regarding, among other things, a purported proprietary trading bot and fraudulent “guaranteed” returns to investors and prospective investors in the company. Nicholas and his co-conspirators claimed that EmpiresX operated a trading bot that used artificial and human intelligence to maximize profitability for investors. Instead, EmpiresX operated a Ponzi scheme by paying earlier investors with money obtained from later EmpiresX investors. In addition, despite representations to the contrary, EmpiresX never registered, nor took steps to register, EmpiresX’s investment program as an offering and sale of securities with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, nor did EmpiresX have a valid exemption from this registration requirement.
Nicholas pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez for the Southern District of Florida; Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.
The FBI Miami Field Office and HSI’s Miami Field Office are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Kevin Lowell and Sara Hallmark of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Yisel Valdes for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
All investor victims of the EmpiresX scheme are encouraged to visit the webpage https://www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/crypto-enforcement to identify themselves as potential victims and obtain more information on their rights as victims, including the ability to submit a victim impact statement.
Duncan Information Technology Company and Its Owners Agree to Pay $54,000 to Settle Allegations of Submitting False Claims Involving Federal Communications Commission ProgramRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Omega Technology Center, Inc. ("Omega") and its owners Todd and Kristie Greenway (the "Greenways") agreed to pay $54,000 to settle civil claims stemming from allegations they submitted false claims involving a program of the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC"), announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester.
The Universal Service Administrative Company ("USAC") is a not-for-profit entity that administers an FCC program called E-Rate. The E-Rate program is designed to improve the telecommunication capabilities of schools and libraries, particularly those in indigent areas. It does so by subsidizing the cost of new telecommunication equipment and services, and internal connections, to bring connectivity within the school or library (such as cabling, routers, and servers), as well as maintenance services.
Omega is a for profit business located in Duncan, Oklahoma, that provides information technology support to schools in Oklahoma. The United States alleges that Omega and the Greenways submitted invoices for payment to USAC under the E-Rate program for goods and services that were never provided to the Fort Towson school district for the 2010 and 2012 E-Rate years. To resolve the claims, Omega and the Greenways agreed to pay $54,000 to the United States, and to not participate in any FCC program administered by the USAC for a period of at least three years.
In reaching this settlement, Omega and the Greenways did not admit liability, and the government did not make any concessions about the legitimacy of the claims. The agreement allows the parties to avoid the delay, expense, inconvenience, and uncertainty involved in litigating the case.
This case was investigated by Federal Communications Commission, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ronald R. Gallegos and Scott Maule prosecuted
Dominican National Sentenced to 38 Months in Prison for Selling Oxycodone from New Britain GroceryRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Jose Lugo, also known as “Domi,” 34, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 38 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing oxycodone from a New Britain grocery store.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the summer of 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the New Britain Police Department began investigating individuals who were selling oxycodone pills from Elzier Grocery, located at 1485 Corbin Avenue in New Britain. Between July and December 2019, investigators made multiple controlled purchases of oxycodone pills from Lugo, Eliezer Perez and Elzier Grocery’s owner, Raul Cabrera-Vasquez.
Lugo was arrested on February 26, 2020. On that date, court authorized searches of Elzier Grocery and a nearby residence revealed more than 1000 oxycodone pills, drug packaging materials, drug ledgers, and approximately $10,000 in cash. The search of Elzier Grocery also revealed a handgun that was wrapped in Lugo’s shirt.
Lugo has been detained since his arrest. On February 8, 2022, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, oxycodone.
Lugo faces immigration proceeding when he completes his prison term.
Perez and Cabrera-Vasquez pleaded guilty and were each sentenced to 48 months of imprisonment.
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the New Britain Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Cruelty to Animals for Attack on Cat That Caused Traumatic Brain InjuryRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Malik Thomas, 30, of Washington, D.C., has pleaded guilty to a charge of cruelty to animals for retaliating against his romantic partner by beating her pet cat to the point of inflicting traumatic brain injury and a broken pelvis, among other injuries.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Chris Schindler, Vice President of Field Operations, Humane Rescue Alliance.
Thomas pleaded guilty on Sept. 7, 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Frederick H. Weisberg sentenced him to 150 days in jail.
According to the government’s evidence, on Oct. 18, 2021, officers responded to an apartment in the 1200 block of North Capitol Street NW, based on reports of a domestic violence incident in progress. When officers arrived, they found Thomas hiding in a closet. He told police that he “killed” the cat to retaliate against his partner for locking him out of the apartment that his partner owned. Thomas admitted he picked the cat up by his neck and slammed him on a cement tile floor, before pouring old grease on the cat and throwing him in a trashcan.
Police found the cat alive, but severely injured and unable to walk or stand. A veterinarian who examined the cat explained that he suffered fractures to his pelvis. The cat also suffered bleeding from the nose, hemorrhaging of the eye, effusion in the abdomen, and traumatic brain injury. The doctor explained that injuries of this severity are only typically found in animals who have been struck by a motor vehicle or have fallen from a great height. The cat later died.
Thomas was arrested on the day of the incident.
The Humane Rescue Alliance submitted a victim impact statement highlighting the studied link between animal abuse and domestic violence. In homes where there is domestic abuse, it’s not just the people who are at risk; animals are often targeted as well. Domestic violence victims concerned about the safety of their animals can have their service provider call the Humane Rescue Alliance 24/7 for help at 202-723-5730.
In announcing the plea and sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Chief Contee, and Vice President Schindler commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the Humane Rescue Alliance.
They acknowledged the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Sabrina Hudgens and the Litigation Technology Unit. Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmanuel Hampton, who prosecuted the case, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Dinan and Monisha Rao, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Goldstein, who investigated the case.
Danvers Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Transfer of Obscene Matter to a MinorRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Danvers, Illinois, man, Alexander B. Smith, 23, of Kimberly Court, has been sentenced to 78 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for transfer of obscene matter to a minor. Smith is also required to register as a sex offender and pay $2,000 in restitution to the minor victim of his offense.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the United States presented evidence that in February and March of 2021, Smith communicated via Instagram with a girl whom he knew to be under sixteen years old. Smith sent the girl images of his penis and encouraged her to meet with him for sex. Smith met with the girl at a park and had sexual intercourse with her.
Soon after, law enforcement officers investigated and arrested Smith. A search of Smith’s phone revealed at least 21 videos and 462 images of child pornography, including children as young as about three years old.
Smith was federally indicted in September 2021, and has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. He pleaded guilty in April 2022.
The statutory penalties for transfer of obscene matter to a minor are up to 10 years imprisonment, up to a three-year term of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine.
The Illinois State Police and Bloomington Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Ford County State’s Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Hollingshead-Cook represented the United States in the prosecution.
The case against Smith was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Daniel Chase Sentenced for Making False Statements to Social Security AdministrationRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Daniel Chase, 61, of Weathersfield, Vermont was sentenced today in United States District Court in Rutland to one year of probation following his guilty plea to a charge that he made false statements to the Social Security Administration. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford also ordered Chase to pay $2602 in restitution.
In May 2021, a federal grand jury in Burlington returned an indictment charging Chase with three counts of making false statements to the Social Security Administration. In June 2020, Chase’s spouse, who had been receiving Social Security disability payments, died. Upon learning of the spouse’s death, SSA stopped the spouse’s monthly payment, which was about $867. According to the indictment, in an effort to get his spouse’s benefit payments reinstated, Chase repeatedly made false claims to SSA that he was the spouse, that he was alive and that the payments had been wrongly terminated. Chase also submitted forged documents to SSA purportedly as proof that the spouse was alive.
This case was investigated by SSA’s Office of Inspector General and Vermont’s Department of Children and Families.
Chase is represented by Ian Carleton, Esq. and Devin McKnight, Esq. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.
Cuban national sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking, firearms offensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Ali Godoy, 51, a national of Cuba, was sentenced on Sept. 7 to 10 years in prison. Godoy pleaded guilty on May 24 to one count each of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On April 4, task force officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Albuquerque District Office and the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) executed a search warrant on Godoy’s apartment on Pennsylvania Street in Albuquerque. During the search, investigators located over 72 grams of fentanyl pills and over 99 grams of methamphetamine in a safe and bag in Godoy’s bedroom. Investigators also found a .45 caliber pistol that had been stolen and was loaded with eight rounds of ammunition, and a 7.62 caliber rifle that was fully loaded with a high-capacity magazine containing 17 rounds of ammunition.
Godoy was previously convicted in Texas in 1996 of possession of a controlled substance, in Florida in 2002 of delivery of cocaine and tampering with evidence and in 2005 of aggravated battery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and in New Mexico in 2000 of tampering with evidence and failure to appear, in 2001 of possession of a controlled substance and tampering with evidence and in 2010 of possession of a controlled substance. As a previously convicted felon, Godoy cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
In addition to his prison term, Godoy will be subject to four years of supervised release. In the judgment, however, the Court recommended that Immigration and Customs Enforcement begin removal proceedings during the service of Godoy’s sentence. Godoy entered the United States in 1995 under a two-year “public interest” parole from Cuba.
The DEA and APD investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Tavo Hall prosecuted the case.
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Colombian Man Sentenced to Nearly Five Years in Prison for Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Colombian man, who was extradited from Colombia after indictment, was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in three charges related to obstructing justice.
Orlando Lopez Parra, 48, was sentenced to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On May 12, 2022, Lopez Parra pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice and two counts of obstruction of justice.
Since at least August 2017, Lopez Parra obtained information of an ongoing United States criminal investigation into the international drug trafficking activities Henry Carrillo-Ramirez, as well as the presence of United States Drug Enforcement Administration agents in Colombia for Carrillo-Ramirez’s arrest. Lopez Parra enlisted the aid of another individual to make contact with Carrillo-Ramirez for the purpose of arranging a meeting with him.
At a meeting on Aug. 4, 2017, Lopez Parra told Carrillo-Ramirez there were United States law enforcement officers in Colombia for his arrest and that Lopez Parra’s contacts could provide additional information to Carrillo-Ramirez to avoid arrest in exchange for payment of 500 million Colombian pesos.
Several days later, on Aug. 7, 2017, Lopez Parra met with Carrillo-Ramirez again to offer information in exchange for payment of 500 million Colombian pesos, advised him to leave his residence and reminded him how difficult it would be for his family if he were extradited to the United States.
“This case demonstrates the resources and dedication of the Department of Justice and DEA to eradicate drug trafficking and hold those accountable who obstruct investigations into these dangerous and illegal activities,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Those who interfere or impede with our investigations run the risk of getting charged criminally. So don’t.”
“The misconduct in this case is brazen and these charges make it crystal clear that the DEA is deeply committed to investigating any attempt to hinder a criminal investigation” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division. “DEA and their local, state and federal partners are dedicated to bringing to justice those that commit these types of crimes.”
Carrillo-Ramirez was indicted in June 2018 and extradited from Colombia in April 2019. In November 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and four counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of five kilograms or more of cocaine on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 21, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Rollins and DEA SAC Boyle made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Colombian National Police, the Spanish Guardia Civil, and the Portuguese Air Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Estes of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Chickasaw Nation and United States Attorneys for the Western and Eastern Districts of Oklahoma Co-Host Public Safety SummitRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – On Tuesday, September 6, 2022, law enforcement officials gathered in Sulphur, Oklahoma, for the 2022 Chickasaw Nation Public Safety Summit. The Chickasaw Nation and United States Attorney’s Offices for the Western and Eastern Districts of Oklahoma co-hosted the event. The Summit envisioned to embrace collaboration on jurisdictional changes in Indian Country, and to answer questions and discuss procedures following recent court rulings that have impacted Indian Country in Oklahoma.
"This Public Safety Summit served as an opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved and engage in a dialogue on how we can work together to accomplish even more," said Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby. "While changing circumstances may affect the manner in which we carry out our criminal justice duties, our shared commitment to the pursuit of justice remains unchanged. Working relationships among Tribal, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies and the working relationships of those agencies with Tribal, State, and Federal courts are built on that shared commitment. Through collaboration and cooperation, we are stronger, more equipped, and better able to plan and respond to the needs of our citizens."
"We came together with the common resolve and commitment to protect public safety in the Chickasaw Nation, hold offenders accountable, and secure justice for victims of crime," said U.S. Attorney Robert Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. "This discussion of important jurisdictional issues and addressing questions and issues raised by one another greatly enhanced the coordination, cooperation, and communication that is critically necessary among federal, state, local, and tribal officials going forward."
"The changing landscape of criminal jurisdiction in Oklahoma has posed some challenges for law enforcement," said United States Attorney Christopher Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. "This summit provided an excellent opportunity for local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies and prosecutors working within the Chickasaw Nation to meet together and focus on ways to ensure we are accomplishing our common mission to protect and serve."
The Summit included nearly 90 participants from the Chickasaw Nation, federal prosecutors, federal law enforcement, state law enforcement, tribal law enforcement, District Attorney’s Offices, Sheriffs’ Offices, and Police Departments that operate within the Chickasaw Nation. The format included various panel discussions to address topics such as the following:
- Indian Country jurisdiction following the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals decision in Bosse v. Oklahoma on October 7, 2011, which applied the U.S. Supreme Court McGirt v. Oklahoma decision to the Chickasaw Nation.
- Concurrent Jurisdiction following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta decision on June 29, 2022.
- Law Enforcement Authority in Indian Country.
- Law enforcement and prosecutorial responses to crimes within the Chickasaw Nation.
- Updates in federal law and related programs.
- Public Safety services provided by the Chickasaw Nation.
Chickasaw Nation and United States Attorneys for the Eastern and Western Districts of Oklahoma Co-Host Public Safety SummitRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - OKLAHOMA CITY – On Tuesday, September 6, 2022, law enforcement officials gathered in Sulphur, Oklahoma, for the 2022 Chickasaw Nation Public Safety Summit. The Chickasaw Nation and United States Attorney’s Offices for the Western and Eastern Districts of Oklahoma co-hosted the event. The Summit envisioned to embrace collaboration on jurisdictional changes in Indian Country, and to answer questions and discuss procedures following recent court rulings that have impacted Indian Country in Oklahoma.
“This Public Safety Summit served as an opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved and engage in a dialogue on how we can work together to accomplish even more,” said Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby. “While changing circumstances may affect the manner in which we carry out our criminal justice duties, our shared commitment to the pursuit of justice remains unchanged. Working relationships among Tribal, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies and the working relationships of those agencies with Tribal, State, and Federal courts are built on that shared commitment. Through collaboration and cooperation, we are stronger, more equipped, and better able to plan and respond to the needs of our citizens.”
"The changing landscape of criminal jurisdiction in Oklahoma has posed some challenges for law enforcement,” said United States Attorney Christopher Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “This summit provided an excellent opportunity for local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies and prosecutors working within the Chickasaw Nation to meet together and focus on ways to ensure we are accomplishing our common mission to protect and serve.”
“We came together with the common resolve and commitment to protect public safety in the Chickasaw Nation, hold offenders accountable, and secure justice for victims of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “This discussion of important jurisdictional issues and addressing questions and issues raised by one another greatly enhanced the coordination, cooperation, and communication that is critically necessary between federal, state, local, and tribal officials going forward.”
The Summit included nearly 90 participants from the Chickasaw Nation, federal prosecutors, federal law enforcement, state law enforcement, tribal law enforcement, District Attorney’s Offices, Sheriffs’ Offices, and Police Departments operating within the Chickasaw Nation. The format included various panel discussions to address topics such as the following:
- Indian Country jurisdiction following the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals decision in Bosse v. Oklahoma on October 7, 2011, which applied the U.S. Supreme Court McGirt v. Oklahoma decision to the Chickasaw Nation.
- Concurrent Jurisdiction following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta decision on June 29, 2022.
- Law Enforcement Authority in Indian Country.
- Law enforcement and prosecutorial responses to crimes within the Chickasaw Nation.
- Updates in federal law and related programs.
- Public Safety services provided by the Chickasaw Nation.
Chicago Man Pleads Guilty to Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chicago man has pleaded guilty to threatening and coercing a Massachusetts minor to engage in sexual conduct.
Ernesto Herrera, 33, of Chicago, Ill., pleaded guilty on Aug. 31, 2022 in federal court in Boston to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Dec. 21, 2022. Herrera was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint in June 2021 and subsequently charged by an Information on July 26, 2022. He has remained in custody since June 2021.
“My office remains determined to protect the safety, innocence and wellbeing of our children, especially from the threat of online predators. Mr. Herrera used social media to target, threaten and rob a child of their innocence and, following the acceptance of Mr. Herrera’s guilty plea by the Court, he will be a convicted felon and a registered sex offender,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, my office will continue our aggressive pursuit to hold predators like Mr. Herrera accountable. Those who seek to sexualize and harm our children will be identified and prosecuted – that is a promise.”
“Ernesto Herrera has admitted to using social media to target and manipulate a 16-year-old girl into providing him with sexually explicit images of herself. His deplorable conduct in this case underscores the urgent need for the FBI and our law enforcement partners to continue our efforts in protecting children from those who prey on them,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “In this case, a very brave child spoke up, and in doing so has prevented Mr. Herrera from victimizing others.”
In June 2020, Herrera threatened and coerced a Massachusetts minor via text message to make and send an image of the victim engaged in sexual conduct, among other things. Herrera threatened the minor that if she did not comply with his requests, videos of the minor would be leaked to her friends and the internet. Herrera also accessed the minor’s Snapchat account and, beginning in June 2020 and continuing through at least January 2021, over one thousand images and videos of the minor were sent from the minor’s Snapchat account to Herrera’s Snapchat account. Several of these files depicted child pornography. During a search of Herrera’s residence in Chicago he admitted to contacting the minor using a text messaging service and acknowledged that he knew the minor was being blackmailed by other people at the time that he communicated with her. Herrera confirmed that he received images of the minor engaged in sexual conduct, among other things.
The charge of coercion and enticement of a minor provides a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, FBI SAC Bonavolonta and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Chicago Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Mackenzie Duane of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Charlotte County Correctional Officer Sentenced for Attempting to Smuggle Drugs into PrisonRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Troy Alexander Cole (28, Fort Myers) to three years and five months in federal prison for attempted possession with the intent to distribute MDMA (commonly referred to as “Molly”) and methamphetamine. Cole had entered a guilty plea on April 20, 2022.
According to court documents, Cole worked as a correctional officer at the Charlotte Correctional Institution (CCI) in Punta Gorda. In June 2021, on three separate occasions, Cole agreed to smuggle methamphetamine or MDMA into the prison where he worked and provide the contraband to an inmate. He agreed to do so in exchange for payments of $400, $1,000, and $4,000, respectively.
On each occasion, Cole picked up a package containing what he believed were the controlled substances and then entered CCI. Cole would then conceal the packages containing the purported controlled substances and notify the inmate that they were available for retrieval.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.
California Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine into Southern OregonRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—On September 7, 2022, a San Diego, California man was sentenced to federal prison for trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine from Southern California to Southern Oregon for redistribution and sale.
Martin Jesus Velasco, 39, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, in late 2019, law enforcement learned Velasco was transporting pound quantities of methamphetamine north from California in rental cars and then selling it to local drug dealers in Southern Oregon. On at least two occasions, including the trip precipitating his arrest, Velasco traveled in a rental vehicle containing drug shipments with an associate and the associate’s girlfriend and infant child.
On February 6, 2020, Velasco was stopped in Ashland, Oregon and his vehicle was searched pursuant to a state search warrant. Authorities located a duffle bag with five one-pound packages of methamphetamine. Velasco and an accomplice were arrested. A later search of his cell phone revealed evidence of Velasco’s extensive and ongoing drug trafficking, including trading methamphetamine he acquired in Southern California for marijuana grown in Southern Oregon.
On March 3, 2020, Velasco was charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Later, on November 5, 2020, a federal grand jury in Medford indicted him on the latter charge. On April 11, 2022, Velasco pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement (MADGE) team and Oregon State Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marco Boccato of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
California Cocaine Supplier Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Michael Wright was sentenced to 12 months plus one day in prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Wright, age 45, of San Diego, California, was sentenced by United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan. Judge Horan sentenced Wright to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. Between January 2020 and January 2021, Wright was an interstate source of supply for cocaine for dealers in Northwest Pennsylvania and Northeast Ohio.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Farrell Police Department, the Mercer Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office conducted the investigation.
Butte nurse sentenced for diverting drugsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Butte woman who admitted to diverting drugs while working as a nurse at a Butte hospital was sentenced today to five years of probation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Nichole Lynn Zinda, 37, pleaded guilty in May to unlawfully obtaining a controlled substance as charged in an indictment.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that a hospital in Butte notified the Drug Enforcement Administration that Zinda, a registered nurse working on the post-operation floor, was discovered diverting hydromorphone cartridges in September 2020. A hospital review of Zinda’s records showed an abnormally high number of transactions by Zinda regarding oxycodone and hydromorphone as compared with other nurses working on the same floor. Zinda was pretending to “waste” or dispose of the hydromorphone or was giving it to patients but then cancelling the orders in the system. The hospital terminated Zinda after she tested positive for hydromorphone as well as oxycodone/oxymorphone. Zinda told investigators that she took hydromorphone from the hospital to prevent her from getting sick when she didn’t have any pills.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the DEA, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and St. James Hospital.
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Boston Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery of Brockton Cell Phone StoreRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in the January 2019 robbery of a T-Mobile store in Brockton and shooting at police officers as he and his co-defendants fled the scene.
Stephan Rosser-Stewart, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 16 years in prison and two years of supervised release. On March 24, 2022, Rosser-Stewart pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by robbery; conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery; discharging, brandishing, using and carrying a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence; and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
Rosser-Stewart was indicted along with co-defendants Darius Carter and Diovanni Carter in March 2019. The three were subsequently charged in a superseding indictment in September 2019. A fourth man, Dennis Martin was charged separately.
“Mr. Rosser-Stewart and his co-defendants robbed a clerk at gunpoint and subsequently fired shots at a pursuing police officer during a high-speed chase through a quiet residential neighborhood. They terrorized the Brockton community and endangered innocent lives, all for greed and the pursuit of money,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Today’s sentence effectively removes this reckless individual from the streets of our Commonwealth, preventing him from endangering any more lives. I commend the courageous work of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, particularly the police officer that was shot at, for their brave and invaluable assistance in keeping our communities safe. Because of their hard work, Mr. Rosser-Stewart and his co-defendants were apprehended and held accountable.”
“Mr. Rosser-Stewart threatened the lives of Police Officers and the citizens of Brockton by committing this brazen robbery,” said James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. “Keeping firearms out of the hands of convicted felons is ATF's top priority and we will continue to aggressively pursue these investigations and work with our law enforcement partners to remove violent criminals from our communities.”
“Following the brazen armed robbery of the T-Mobile store, Mr. Rosser-Stewart showed a complete disregard for public safety while fleeing police at high speeds and shooting at officers. Violent behavior like this will not be tolerated in our community. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue justice and ensure those who commit such crimes are held accountable,” said Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez.
On the evening of Jan. 26, 2019, Rosser-Stewart, Darius Carter and Dennis Martin entered a T-Mobile store in Brockton, carrying semi-automatic firearms, which they pointed at the store manager as they demanded cash and electronics. Darius Carter struck the store manager in the head with a firearm. The men stole approximately $25,000 in cash and electronics and then fled in a vehicle driven by Diovanni Carter.
Police located the getaway vehicle and a high-speed chase ensued, reaching speeds of over 70 mph in residential neighborhoods. During the chase, Diovanni Carter ordered the other men in the car to fire at pursuing police cruisers. Rosser-Stewart and Darius Carter fired a total of eight rounds at the pursuing police cruisers. Law enforcement apprehended Rosser-Stewart, Darius Carter and Dennis Martin after an object on the road disabled their vehicle and recovered the stolen phones, cash and the three firearms used in robbery. Diovanni Carter fled the scene when the car was stopped and was later apprehended in March 2019. Rosser-Stewart, Darius Carter, Diovanni Carter and Dennis Martin, were each prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to prior criminal convictions. Rosser-Stewart was previously convicted of armed robbery in Suffolk Superior Court and had been recently released from prison prior to robbing the T-Mobile store in January 2019.
In March 2021, Darius Carter pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 14 years in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to his role in the robbery. In March 2020, Diovanni Carter was convicted by a federal jury and sentenced to over 22 years in prison. In August 2019, Martin pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 23, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Rollins; ATF SAC Ferguson; Chief Perez; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Douglas Bartlett, Acting U.S. Marshal of the District of Massachusetts; Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr.; and Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Biloxi Man Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Biloxi man was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Christopher R. Rainey, 33, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents, on February 16, 2022, the D’Iberville Police Department responded to an overdose death. On February 21, 2022, the Biloxi Police Department responded to another overdose death. Agents with the DEA initiated an investigation into the death of both victims. This investigation revealed that Christopher Rainey was the source of supply to both victims.
On March 21, 2022, officers with Biloxi Police Department observed Rainey traveling southbound on I-110. Rainey had an active warrant and was pulled over. During a subsequent inventory of his vehicle, he was found to have multiple baggies of suspected narcotics. These narcotics were sent to the drug lab where they were tested and confirmed to be 6.78 grams of fentanyl. Rainey was interviewed after receiving his Miranda rights and he acknowledged that he had been selling heroin and fentanyl for several months.
Rainey was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 5, 2022. He pled guilty on June 2, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Berkeley County man admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Eric Timothy Gray, of Inwood, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Gray, 54, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Gray, a person prohibited from having a firearm because of prior felony convictions, admitted to having a rifle in January 2020.
Gray faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley D. Crockett is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Baltimore Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for an Armed Robbery He Committed While on Supervised Release for a Prior Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Yesterday U.S. District Judge George L. Russell sentenced Rico Dashiell, age 23, of Fort Washington, Maryland to 12 years in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for the armed robbery of an Owing Mills phone store and for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, in December 2020, Dashiell and two co-conspirators (Co-conspirator 1 and Co-conspirator 2) entered an Owings Mills, Maryland phone store. Upon entry, Dashiell pretended to be a customer until his co-conspirators entered the store. At that time, Dashiell brandished a firearm, pointed it at a victim, and said “[y]eah, you know what time it is . . . If you don’t want to die today, do what I say.” Co-conspirator 1 and Co-conspirator 2 then pointed their firearms at victim employees and customers while yelling “get down.”
Dashiell ordered a victim employee to walk to the back of the store and open the store safe. Once the safe was opened, conspiracy members stole 76 devices, including a GPS tracker within a cell phone box. As they left the room containing the safe, Co-conspirator 1 sprayed pepper spray at the victims’ faces. Dashiell and his co-conspirators then fled the store in a vehicle that Co-conspirator 1 had stolen earlier that day.
As stated in Dashiell’s plea agreement, law enforcement tracked the stolen vehicle to a single-family home in Catonsville, Maryland. Aerial units filmed Dashiell and his co-conspirators unloading the stolen merchandise from the robbery and bringing it inside the residence. After law enforcement evacuated two children from the residence, officers executed a search warrant and arrested the defendants.
During the search, law enforcement recovered the gloves, clothing, and headwear worn by the robbers, the 76 devices stolen from the cellular retail store, the canister of pepper spray that was used to assault victims, a victim’s wallet, and three loaded .9mm semi-automatic firearms. Two of the firearms either did not possess a serial number or displayed an obliterated serial number.
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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Riley, who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Baltimore Crips Gang Member Who Brandished a Stolen Firearm During a Robbery is Sentenced to over 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Yesterday U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Ridgley Shipley, a/k/a “Crazy”, age 32, of Baltimore, Maryland to 184 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for a racketeering conspiracy and for using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Shipley was a member of the Eight Tray Gangster (“ETG”) Crips gang in Baltimore.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
The ETG Crips are a violent subset of the Crips gang that originated in California in the 1970s, eventually operating on the streets and in correctional facilities in Maryland beginning in the 2000s. For many years, the ETG Crips controlled the drug trade in particular territories in Baltimore City, including the area near the intersection of West Baltimore Street and South Hilton Street in West Baltimore (the “Baltimore Hilton neighborhood”), the area near the intersection of West Lexington Street and North Fremont Avenue (the “Lexington Terrace neighborhood”), and the area near the intersection of Frankford Avenue and Sinclair Lane in North Baltimore (the “Frankford Sinclair neighborhood”). The ETG Crips members from the Baltimore Hilton and Lexington Terrace neighborhoods referred to themselves as the Baccwest ETG Crips—modeling themselves after the Baccwest ETG Crips in Los Angeles—and ETG Crips members from the Frankford Sinclair neighborhood called themselves the Nutty North Side ETG Crips. The two groups worked together for common criminal purposes.
According to his guilty plea, from 2008 to 2019, Shipley participated in the gang’s affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity which included drug dealing, robbery, witness retaliation, and other acts of violence. For example, while incarcerated in 2017, Shipley physically assaulted a fellow ETG Crips gang member who violated gang code by disrespecting another Crip in front of members of a rival gang. Shipley also discussed “weeding out” unofficial self-professed ETG Crips members, recruited new gang members in prison, and discussed murdering at least one victim who cooperated with law enforcement.
After Shipley was released from prison, Shipley and a co-conspirator robbed the employees of an Arnold, Maryland car repair shop in June 2019. During the robbery, Shipley brandished a stolen, fully loaded, .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun.
Co-defendant Trayvon Hall, a/k/a Tru,” and “G Tru,” age 31, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty to racketeering and drug conspiracy charges on August 26, 2022. If the Court accepts his plea, Hall will be sentenced to 40 years in federal prison.
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.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, ATF, the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter J. Martinez and Kim Y. Oldham, who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Bakersfield Man Indicted for Illegal Possession of a Firearm at a Bakersfield MotelRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Derrick Dewayne Gage, 41, of Bakersfield, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on April 23, 2022, law enforcement officers were on patrol at the Plaza Motel on Union Avenue in Bakersfield when they saw Gage inside a room with a firearm and what appeared to be narcotics. The officers seized a loaded Sarsilmaz 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. Gage is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has prior felony convictions for domestic violence, participation in a criminal street gang, and sales of cocaine.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Gage faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Atlantic County Firefighter Convicted on Four Counts in Multimillion-Dollar Health Care Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Margate, New Jersey, firefighter was convicted today on four counts of an indictment charging him with defrauding public health insurance plans out of approximately $1 million, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced.
Thomas Sher, 50, of Northfield, New Jersey, found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and three counts of health care fraud following a 12-day trial before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Sher was part of a criminal conspiracy in which state and local government employees were recruited and compensated to receive medically unnecessary compound prescription medications. Sher caused the pharmacy benefits administrator to pay out almost $1 million for medically unnecessary compound prescription medications for individuals they recruited into the scheme. Sher directly received approximately $115,000 from the scheme.
Sher and others were indicted in March 2019 on charges that they defrauded New Jersey health benefits programs and other insurers. To date, approximately 40 people have been convicted or pleaded guilty to the conspiracy.
Sher faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan.10, 2023.
Attorney for the United States Khanna credited special agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark; and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to today’s verdict.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina O. Hud of the Criminal Division and Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division Desiree L. Grace.
Aryan Circle Gang Leader Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Racketeering ViolationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Stratford, Missouri man has been sentenced for Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations violations stemming from his membership in the white supremacy prison gang, the Aryan Circle, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Jesse Paul Blankenship, 39, also known as JP, was convicted at trial on Nov. 16, 2021, of racketeering conspiracy, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping in aid of racketeering. He was sentenced to life in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Aryan Circle is a race-based, violent prison gang with hundreds of members operating throughout the country, both inside and outside of prisons. The Aryan Circle enforces its rules and promotes discipline among its members, prospects, and associates through threats, intimidation, assaults, and murder.
Evidence presented at trial showed that between 2010 and 2021, Blankenship “put in work” by committing violence on behalf of the gang, including shooting at two victims inside their home and participating in a kidnapping and removal of another member’s patch, or gang tattoo, by burning it from the victim’s skin using a metal rod heated with a blowtorch. After committing these crimes, Blankenship moved up in rank in Aryan Circle and has since ordered additional acts of violence.
“This case exemplifies great collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement to not only stop gang violence in prison, but also to protect innocent persons when that activity overflows into our communities, said Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “We will continue to investigate and prosecute those who advocate harm to others, and to specifically target the leaders of violent gangs.”
“Violent gangs pose a growing threat to our communities and the type of violence associated with these organizations has reach an intolerable level,” said ATF SAC Fred Milanowski. “This case demonstrates that members of violent gangs that engage in heinous crimes will be held accountable.”
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was investigated by the following agencies: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Federal Bureau of Prisons; Texas Department of Public Safety; Houston Police Department-Gang Division; Montgomery County (TX) Precinct One Constable’s Office; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Texas Department of Criminal Justice; New Jersey Department of Corrections-Special Investigations Division; Indiana State Police; Fort Smith (AR) Police Department; Arkansas Department of Corrections; Arnold (MO) Police Department; Jefferson County (MO) Sheriff’s Department; St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department; St. Louis County (MO) Police Department; Indiana Department of Corrections; Carrollton (TX) Police Department; Montgomery County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Travis County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Tarrant County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; Evangeline Parish (LA) Sheriff’s Office; Smith County (TX) Sheriff’s Office; McCurtain County (OK) Sheriff’s Office; Montgomery County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Liberty County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Harris County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; Mercer County (NJ) Prosecutor’s Office; Evangeline Parish (LA) District Attorney’s Office; and the Sebastian County (AR) District Attorney’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Rapp of the Eastern District of Texas along with Trial Attorney Rebecca Dunnan of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecuted this case.
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Armed robber awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to four convenience store holdupsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Chatham County man faces a substantial prison sentence after admitting to the four armed robberies of convenience stores.
Jacob Bragg, 20, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The plea subjects Bragg to a possible sentence of up to life in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and restitution, followed by up to five years of supervised release upon completion of any term in prison.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Jacob Bragg terrorized employees and customers of private businesses in his week-long crime spree and is now being held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “We commend our law enforcement partners for their quick resolution to this case and for taking this violent, armed criminal off of our streets.”
As described in court documents and testimony, from Oct. 9 to Oct. 16, 2021, Bragg and a co-conspirator brandished handguns and threatened employees to rob three Garden City and Pooler convenience stores – one of them twice.
U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker will schedule Bragg for sentencing after U.S. Probation Services completes a pre-sentencing investigation.
“Carrying weapons into peaceful places of business and terrifying hard-working citizens is something the FBI and our law enforcement partners will make every effort to prosecute and punish,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We are fortunate that no innocent victims were hurt as a result of Bragg’s selfish desire for wealth.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Savannah Police Department, the Pooler Police Department and the Garden City Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
Apollo Man Pleads to Dealing Meth in Multiple Western Pennsylvania CountiesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Apollo, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
James D. Higgins, age 42, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to seven counts before United States District Judge Wiegand.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Higgins possessed with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possessed with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessed with intent to distribute and/or distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. The methamphetamine recovered in this case resulted from investigations by local law enforcement officers in Indiana, Westmoreland, Allegheny, and Armstrong Counties from June of 2020 through November of 2021.
Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for Jan. 18, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a fine of $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The court ordered the defendant to remain detained pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Brian W. Castello is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Monroeville Police Department, Washington Township Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Lower Burrell Police Department, Kiskiminetas Township Police Department, Vandergrift Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Indiana County Drug Task Force, Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office and Armstrong County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of James D. Higgins.
Aggravated Felon Sentenced After Third Conviction for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Juan Diego Arteaga-Hernandez (Mexico, 34) to 4 years and 4 months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States after deportation and being convicted of an aggravated felony. Arteaga-Hernandez had pleaded guilty on May 11, 2022.
According to court documents, on January 22, 2022, Arteaga-Hernandez was arrested on unrelated charges in Desoto County. Thereafter, he was encountered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and determined to be in the United States illegally. A criminal history check showed that Arteaga-Hernandez had been convicted in 2009 for possession with the intent to deliver heroin, which is an aggravated felony under federal law. Arteaga-Hernandez was also previously convicted of illegal reentry after deportation in 2015 and in 2019. He was on federal supervised release for his 2019 conviction when he was arrested on this charge.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
25-Year Federal Prison Sentence for Man Who Tried to Kill South Florida Police OfficersRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida — The Miami man who earlier this year discharged a hail of gunfire at two FBI Task Force Officers and a City of Homestead Police Detective as the officers drove past him has been sentenced to 310 months in federal prison.
Earlier this year, James Robert Mills, Jr., pled guilty to attempting to murder the three officers and forcibly assaulting the officers with a deadly weapon. Mills also pled guilty to two counts of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
On January 31, the three officers were on duty, driving an unmarked white sports utility vehicle (SUV) in the Homestead-Miami area. At about 8:30 p.m., as they drove north on S.W. 116th Avenue, an officer noticed a gun pointed at them from an open backseat window of a parked car. Mills was pointing the gun, which he then fired at the SUV as it drove by. The officers’ SUV accelerated, trying to evade the gunshots. The three officers in the SUV managed to lose the suspects’ vehicle without being wounded or firing their weapons. Crime scene investigators recovered approximately 24 nine-millimeter (9 mm) bullet casings and one projectile from the scene, says the affidavit.
An investigation into the shooting led law enforcement officers to Mills, whom they arrested following a search of a Miami residence where he was staying. They recovered a Glock 17, 9 mm pistol with an extended magazine from the attic of the house, where Mills had stashed it after the January 31 shooting. Mills confessed to shooting the firearm.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Robert M. DeWitt, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami, Alexander E. Roller, Jr. Chief, Homestead Police Department, and Alfredo Ramirez, III, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department, announced the sentence imposed yesterday by United States District Judge Jose E. Martinez.
The FBI Miami Division, along with the Homestead and Miami-Dade Dade Police Departments, investigated the case. The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwayne E. Williams.
This case stems from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. This prosecution was also brought through the efforts of the Miami-Dade Chiefs of Police Operation Community Shield Initiative.
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.
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Wednesday 7 September 2022
Woodbury County Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Chad Moyle, 37, from Sioux City, Iowa, pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography. Moyle pled guilty on September 7, 2022, in federal court in Sioux City.
At the plea hearing, Moyle admitted to possessing over 600 images of child pornography from December 2018 through February 2019. Moyle utilized a smart phone to receive and review the images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including depictions involving prepubescent minors or minors who had not attained 12 years of age.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Moyle remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Moyle faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-4021. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Wilmington Man Sentenced to over 7 Years in Federal Prison for Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that a Wilmington man, Rudolph Hardin, 55, was sentenced to 86 months in federal court for possession of a stolen firearm. Chief U.S. District Judge Colm F. Connolly pronounced the sentence.
According to court documents and statements made in open court, an undercover Wilmington Police Department (“WPD”) detective was working in the area of 3rd and Broom Streets. The undercover detective was approached by an individual who offered to sell him crack cocaine. When the undercover officer agreed, the individual went directly to the porch of a nearby home. The undercover detective witnessed the individual exchange a package with Mr. Hardin. Based on that conduct, law enforcement obtained a search warrant to search the home where they recovered a stolen black .45 caliber Rock Island Armory firearm and illegal drugs. Mr. Hardin admitted to possessing the firearm and selling the illegal narcotics.
U.S. Attorney Weiss commented on the sentence: “The deadly combination of illicit drugs and illegal firearms continues to threaten our communities. Disrupting the flow of illegal drugs and stolen firearms is critical to reducing violent crime. I commend the WPD undercover detective and the DEA for their efforts in this case.”
“The proliferation of illegal guns has had a catastrophic impact on the increase in violence in our communities,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “That Hardin possessed a stolen firearm while selling crack cocaine warranted him being charged and sentenced in federal district court. I would like to thank our partners at the Wilmington Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their support of this case.”
“This sentencing is yet another example of our strong working relationships with our federal partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA,” said Wilmington Police Chief Robert J. Tracy. “We appreciate their support of our community through our collective efforts to hold gun offenders accountable.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration and WPD investigated this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael McTaggart prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-00010.
West Seneca Man Going to Prison for More Than 10 Years for Selling MethRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Timothy J. Chowaniec, 64, of West Seneca, NY, who was convicted of possession with the intent distribute, and distribution of, five grams of more of methamphetamine, was sentenced to serve 135 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on two separate occasions in January and February of 2020, an undercover investigator with the New York State Police purchased quantities of methamphetamine from Chowaniec at his residence in West Seneca. On April 14, 2020, the DEA and United States Postal Inspection Service executed a search warrant on a parcel from California addressed to Chowaniec at his West Seneca residence. Located inside the parcel was a plastic sandwich bag containing approximately 3.7 ounces of suspected methamphetamine.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Boston Division Inspector-in-Charge Ketty Larco-Ward.
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Vincennes Man Sentenced to over 11 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine from California to IndianaRead the Press Release
TERRE HAUTE – Christopher Wrought, 54, of Vincennes, Indiana, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to methamphetamine trafficking offenses.
According to court documents, in April of 2021, officers with the Greene County Drug Task Force, Indiana State Police, and Bloomington Police Department Drug Task Force were investigating Wrought for methamphetamine and heroin trafficking. Officers learned that Wrought traveled by charter bus from Bloomington, Indiana, and arrived in Fresno, California, on May 20, 2021. On May 25, 2021, Wrought shipped two parcels containing controlled substances via FedEx to an address in Bloomfield, Indiana. Wrought then boarded a Greyhound bus back to Bloomington.
On May 27, 2021, Wrought was stopped by drug interdiction officers in Kansas City, Missouri. During the stop, a K-9 alerted to a duffle bag belonging to Wrought. Wrought agreed to speak with the officers and exited the bus. Wrought admitted that he was traveling from California to Bloomington and consented to a search of his bags and his person. Officers located a white mailing envelope containing 229 grams of methamphetamine in one bag. In another bag, officers found 19 grams of methamphetamine, a plastic baggie containing 64 grams of marijuana, and a plastic baggie containing 8 grams of cocaine. A search of Wrought’s person revealed 2 grams of heroin in his pocket. Officers also located $10,000 in U.S. currency bundled with rubber bands.
The one-pound parcel delivered by FedEx on May 26, 2021, to the Bloomfield address, contained 232 grams of methamphetamine and 63 grams of cocaine. The five-pound parcel delivered by FedEx on May 27, 2021, to the same Bloomfield address, contained 907 grams of methamphetamine and 178 grams of heroin. Also contained inside the second parcel was a handwritten return address with Wrought’s name and a Solsberry address affiliated with Wrought. Investigators learned that approximately 12 suspected drug parcels had been sent from Fresno to Bloomfield and Solsberry addresses associated with Wrought over the past year.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office, made the announcement.
DEA investigated the case in conjunction with the Vigo County Drug Task Force. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James Patrick Hanlon. As part of the sentence, Judge Hanlon ordered that Wrought be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsay Karwoski who prosecuted this case.
Victor man sentenced to 10 years in prison for meth traffickingRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Victor man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine after law enforcement found the drug along with a sawed-off shotgun and other firearms at his residence was sentenced on Tuesday to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
Terrill Dwayne Martin, 53, pleaded guilty in May to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that in November 2021, the Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office law enforcement officers conducted a search of Martin’s resident pursuant to a state warrant. Law enforcement recovered meth, a sawed-off shotgun, several firearms and drug paraphernalia. Martin admitted that he had meth in the safe in his residence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force and the Ravalli 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. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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United States Attorney to host civil rights forumRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Federal civil rights laws will be the focus of a forum to be held next week at Shepherd University.
United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld will host a half-day event at Shepherd on Monday, September 12 that will highlight the constitutional rights of citizens and how they are enforced through civil and criminal actions. Experts will discuss fair housing rights, the right to be free from employment discrimination, hate crimes, and the impact of Title IX upon higher education.
The forum will include a keynote address by Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General of Civil Rights for the United States Department of Justice. Attendees will also hear presentations from federal prosecutors and from Anne Lewin, Director of Social Equity, Inclusion, and Title IX Coordinator at Shepherd.
“The vigorous enforcement of federal civil rights laws makes communities in West Virginia safer and stronger,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “At the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we are increasing our focus on civil rights and engaging with the community, inviting citizens to hear from law enforcement professionals who are dedicated to combatting hate and enforcing laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, and religion.”
The event will begin at 9 am at the Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education on Shepherd’s campus. It is free and open to the public. It will also be streamed live on www.youtube.com/c/UnitedStatesAttorneysOffices.
The Martinsburg Rotary Club and the Martinsburg Initiative are partners of the forum, along with Shepherd University.
To learn more, go to justice.gov/usao-ndwv.
Three Members of Newark Drug Enterprise Admit Racketeering and Murder ChargesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Three Essex County, New Jersey, men admitted their roles in murders in aid of racketeering on behalf of a drug enterprise, including the murder of a federal informant, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced today.
Tyquan Daniels, 26, Ali Hill, 29, and Thomas Zimmerman, 26, all of East Orange, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to racketeering acts in connection with their roles in a narcotics enterprise led by separately charged defendant Michael Healy.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In February, 2018, Healy found out that one of his conspirators in the drug enterprise was cooperating with law enforcement by providing information against the drug enterprise. He ordered members of the Brick City Brims Bloods in East Orange to kill the informant. On Feb. 3, 2018, outside the informant’s residence in Bloomfield, New Jersey, Zimmerman and other gang members shot and killed an innocent bystander, believing the bystander was the informant.
Realizing they killed the wrong person, the Healy enterprise members, including Daniels, Zimmerman and Hill, conspired to murder the informant. On March 12, 2018, in Bloomfield, two masked gunmen, members or associates of the drug enterprise approached the informant and fired multiple shots at close range, killing him. Daniels also pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and predicate acts which included the murder of a member of a rival Bloods gang, whom Daniels shot and killed on May 13, 2018.
Hill pleaded guilty on June 29, 2022, before Judge Vazquez to racketeering acts, which included the murder of the federal informant.
Pursuant to the plea agreements, Hill faces a prison term between 20 and 25 years. Daniels and Zimmerman each face prison terms of between 33 and 38 years.
The charges and allegations against Healy are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of special agent in charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz G. Fragé; the Essex County Prosecutors Office; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, East Orange PD; Montclair PD, and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, Intelligence and Investigative Division, under the direction of Secretary Robert Green.
The government is represented by Senior Trial Counsel Robert L. Frazer of the Organized Crime Gang Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Naazneen Khan, Deputy Chief of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit.
Texas woman sentenced for role in drug distribution operationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Narkevia Lewis, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced today to 151 months of incarceration for her role in methamphetamine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin drug distribution operation, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Lewis, age 24, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Maintaining Drug-Involved Premises.” Lewis admitted to working with another to run an apartment in Morgantown for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine, cocaine base, fentanyl, and heroin in the spring of 2020.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zelda E. Wesley and Sarah E. Wagner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The FBI's Northern West Virginia Drug Task Force in partnership with the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The Task Forces have members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; West Virginia State Police; Monongalia County Sheriff's Office; and, the Morgantown, WVU, Granville and Star City Police Departments. The investigation was also assisted by the following law enforcement partners: the Monongalia County Prosecutor’s Office, the FBI in Houston, Texas; the Houston Police Department's Multi Agency Gang Initiative; the United States Postal Inspection Service in Houston; and, the FBI and DEA in Los Angeles, California.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Related case here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/25-people-indicted-drug-trafficking-operation-spanned-several-states
Syracuse Man Sentenced to 150 Months for Distributing, Receiving and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Ted Serr, 38, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to serve 150 months in federal prison for distributing, receiving and possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Matthew Scarpino, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office, and New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen.
As part of his guilty plea, Serr admitted that he actively traded child pornography images and videos using a social media messaging application on his cellular telephone, and that on June 2, 2021, he distributed a video file depicting sexual conduct with a child who was between 8 and 11 years old. Serr further admitted that on June 8, 2021, he received a video file depicting sexual conduct with a child who was between 3 and 5 years old. Finally, Serr admitted that on June 10, 2021, he knowingly possessed 52 image files and 452 video files depicting child pornography on his cellular telephone.
Senior United States District Judge Norman A. Mordue also imposed a 15-year term of supervised release, which will start after Serr is released from prison, and ordered Serr to pay $6,000 in restitution and a $300 special assessment. Serr will also be required to register as a sex offender.
Serr’s case was investigated by United States Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Investigators of the New York State Police, Computer Crimes Unit (CCU). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J.L. Brown as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Springfield Woman Sentenced to 11 Months in Prison for Three Counts Related to Assisting Inmates with Escape from the Sangamon County JailRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, woman, Allison Poorman, 28, of the 600 block of Douglas Avenue, has been sentenced to 11 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, along with a fine of $2,292.14, for conspiracy to commit escape of prisoners in the custody of an institution, conspiracy to possess contraband in prison, and providing or attempting to provide contraband in prison.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Poorman, along with co-defendant Josh Beechler, provided various contraband items to inmates James Russwinkel and Randy Bull while they were incarcerated in the Sangamon County Jail. The items were intended to be used by Russwinkel and Bull to escape from the jail. Some of the items smuggled into the jail included a hack saw, saw blades, zip ties, a cutting glove, a small pry bar, a handcuff key, rope, smoke bombs, and a cellular telephone. Their efforts were thwarted by an anonymous call to the jail.
At the hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Sue Myerscough described the effort taken to assist Russwinkel and Bull to escape from the jail as one of the most elaborate she has seen.
Poorman previously pleaded guilty in November 2021.
The statutory penalties for conspiracy to commit escape of prisoners in the custody of an institution and conspiracy to possess contraband in prison include up to five years’ imprisonment; up to three years of supervised release; and up to a $250,000 fine. The statutory penalties for providing or attempting to provide contraband in prison include up to 10 years’ imprisonment; up to three years’ supervised release; and up to a $250,000 fine.
“The defendant’s actions to assist inmates in escaping from jail shows not only a disrespect for the law, but also placed correctional officers and other jail inmates in danger,” stated Assistant U.S. Attorney Sierra Senor-Moore. “The tools the defendant smuggled into the jail could have been used to harm people. We appreciate the efforts of involved law enforcement and the anonymous caller for preventing further damage or injury.”
The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tanner K. Jacobs and Senor-Moore represented the government in the prosecution.
Springfield Man, Woman Sentenced for Sex Trafficking a ChildRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield man and woman were sentenced in federal court today for the sex trafficking of a child.
Joseph W. Gibson, 43, and Danna Marie Rodriguez, 37, were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes. Gibson was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison without parole, followed by 25 years of supervised release. Rodriguez was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison without parole, followed by 25 years of supervised release.
Gibson and Rodriguez each pleaded guilty to one count of the sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of the sex trafficking of a minor.
Gibson and Rodriguez admitted they sex trafficked a 15-year-old female, identified in court documents as “Jane Doe 1.” They also asked the child victim to recruit some of her friends to participate, but her friends refused to be involved.
Rodriguez took sexually explicit photos of Jane Doe 1, which she sent to Gibson. Gibson and Rodriguez gave ecstasy and marijuana to the child victim prior to her meeting an unidentified man for sex at a local hotel, for which the child victim was paid $70. Gibson and Rodriguez kept the rest of the payment.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, and the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
South Bend Man Sentenced to 24 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Warren B. Heath, III, age 51, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. on his plea of guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Heath was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in March 2022, Pokagon tribal police found Heath in a minivan parked in the Four Winds-South Bend casino lot. The odor of marijuana was detected coming from the vehicle. Heath did not comply with a request to step out of the vehicle. Instead, he placed his van into reverse, and backed into a Pokagon tribal police patrol vehicle. Heath then actively resisted arrest. A loaded handgun was found under Heath’s jacket which was later determined to have been reported stolen in Michigan. A second loaded handgun was recovered from Heath’s minivan along with a small amount of marijuana and cocaine.
United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson said, “Mr. Heath’s crime, being a felon in possession of firearms, raises an additional and important concern for the government because his crime occurred on federally recognized Indian tribal land, held in trust for the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. The United States recognizes a unique obligation of service to tribal communities across the country, and it holds a strong commitment to supporting and furthering public safety on all tribal land. The United States Attorney’s Office has an important relationship with the Pokagon Band and is committed to working with the Pokagon Band to foster public safety and the safety of its tribal citizens, while respecting the Pokagon Band’s sovereignty and culture.”
“The conviction of Warren Heath is a great example of team work between the Pokagon Band Tribal Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said William Lux, Chief of Police, Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Tribal Police. “The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians is a federally-recognized sovereign nation that is committed to working with our law enforcement partners within the Department of Justice to protect all who visit the Tribe’s trust land and to prosecute those who violate the law on Pokagon land.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pokagon Tribal Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Luke N. Reilander.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Saint Paul Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Syed Ben Al-Amin, age 34, of Saint Paul, Minnesota, was sentenced on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, to over eight years in prison (100 months) following his plea to a charge of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
On August 7, 2020, Al-Amin was involved in a hit and run accident on Interstate 80. Iowa State Patrol located Al-Amin driving on Interstate 80 and attempted to stop the vehicle. Al-Min refused to stop his car and a chase ensued into Council Bluffs. Al-Amin drove into a hospital parking lot where he lost control of his vehicle. Al-Amin then fled on foot before being arrested. In the center console of Al-Amin’s vehicle, law enforcement located baggies of pills containing methamphetamine, which Al-Amin planned to distribute.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa State Patrol, the Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force investigated the case.
Seven People Indicted for $28 Million Cellphone Fraud and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Seven individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in Detroit charging them with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft related to a $28 million cellphone upgrade fraud scheme spanning multiple states, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Angie M. Salazar, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.
Charged were:
EMMANUEL LUTER, 31, of Atlanta, Georgia (formerly of Southfield, Michigan)
JOSEPH INGRAM, 31, of Atlanta, Georgia (formerly of Southfield, Michigan)
DALONTAE DAVIS, 31, of Sachse, Texas (formerly of Southfield, Michigan)
DONNELL TAYLOR, 30, of Southfield, Michigan
DOMINIQUE BARNES, 33, of Southfield, Michigan
DELANO BUSH, 32, of Southfield, Michigan
JOSHUA MOTLEY, 33, of Detroit, Michigan
According to the indictment, unsealed today, the defendants, a group that referred to themselves as the “Clear Gods”, engaged in an ongoing scheme to defraud, using the personally identifiable information (PII) of other people to acquire significant numbers of Apple-branded cellular devices on credit, which were then resold for profit.
The defendants did this by first purchasing individuals’ PII from various locations, including from “dump sites” on the internet. The defendants then used the unlawfully acquired PII to open customer cellular accounts with AT&T. Following the successful completion of a credit check, the defendants would add themselves or their associates as “authorized users” on the fraudulent account, allowing those seemingly authorized individuals to charge devices to the customer accounts. The authorized users would then enter one of a variety of retail stores, in a variety of states—most frequently Apple stores—to “upgrade” the service lines on the fraudulent cellular accounts. These devices were then “charged” to the fraudulent customer cellular accounts or otherwise purchased on credit, with defendants typically needing to pay, at most, a small upgrade fee per device. The defendants would then reverse or “clear” the upgrades from the service lines, often allowing them to repeat the previous step of the scheme at another Apple store location.
The members of the conspiracy employed various methods to gain unauthorized access to AT&T’s computer systems for the purpose of creating AT&T accounts, fraudulently adding authorized users, and for clearing the fraudulent upgrades from the service lines. At the beginning of the scheme, this involved the collusive-acquisition or theft of RSA tokens and employee IDs, allowing defendants to later open new accounts (and make changes to existing accounts) by calling into one an internal AT&T support hotline and impersonating AT&T Retail Sales employees.
As the scheme progressed and AT&T restricted employee tokens to allow access exclusively via AT&T equipment (as opposed to remote-access using personal computing equipment), members of the conspiracy took steps to acquire actual AT&T-networked devices—this included social engineering and sleight-of-hand “swapping” of broken or disabled tablets for active tablets from retail sales employees; the outright theft (or collusive acquisition) of retail sales employees’ tablet-computers; and the occasional, strong-armed theft of desktop computer towers from AT&T stores. Throughout the scheme, the defendants routinely sought out and worked with corrupt AT&T retail store employees.
As alleged in the indictment, from as early as June 2017 and continuing through at least September 2019, Defendants conducted more than 26,000 fraudulent transactions, resulting in a loss of more than $28 million dollars.
United States Attorney Ison stated, “As alleged in the indictment, the defendants engaged in an incredibly sophisticated scheme to defraud, evolving their tactics over time in what was ultimately a failed attempt to evade detection and avoid prosecution. This indictment is the culmination of significant efforts by multiple law enforcement agencies across multiple jurisdictions. I want to commend all of those involved for their work to unravel this scheme and prosecute those responsible.
“HSI with our law enforcement partners persevered to unravel the sophisticated scheme which ultimately led to this indictment,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Detroit Angie Salazar. “These types of crimes are often mislabeled as victimless, which could not be farther from the truth. Oftentimes victims of fraud are required to spend many years clearing up financial issues and fixing incorrect personal identifying information caused solely by the greed of these criminals. HSI will continue to investigate those criminals who seek to exploit the trade, travel, or finance of the United States.”
It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The case is assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Laurie J. Michelson. The case was investigated by agents from the Detroit Metro Airport resident agency of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG), the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General (DOL-OIG), the Detroit Metro Airport Police Department, the Taylor Police Department, and the Wayne State University Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Particka.
Richmond Assisted Living Facility Owner Sentenced for Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – The former owner of a Richmond-based assisted living facility was sentenced today to 2 years in prison for health care fraud after diverting over $800,000 in federal and state benefits that were intended to pay for the care of the facility’s residents.
According to court documents, Mable B. Jones, 79, of Richmond, owned and operated Jones & Jones, an assisted living facility complex that served primarily elderly and incapacitated adults. For residents who were legally incapable of managing their own funds, Jones & Jones served as a representative payee and regularly received state and federal benefit payments on behalf of those residents. Representative payees are required to use Social Security benefits to provide for the beneficiary’s needs, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care. Representative payees, moreover, are specifically prohibited from using Social Security benefits for anything other than the beneficiary’s needs. Similar requirements also apply to auxiliary grants issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services.
Beginning around December 2015 and continuing through the facility’s closure in the spring of 2019, Jones converted more than $800,000 of the residents’ federal and state benefits for her own personal use. Jones used the residents’ benefits to satisfy her personal debts, including her mortgage and bankruptcy payments, and to fund her personal travel, retail purchases, and gambling expenses, including at casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Las Vegas, Nevada.
Jones’s diversion of resident benefits led to significant and persistent deficiencies in the facilities, care, and services provided to Jones & Jones residents, including deficiencies that endangered residents’ health and safety. These conditions ultimately prompted state and federal audits of the facility before its closure, during which Jones made false statements about her conversion and use of resident funds.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Michael McGill, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, Philadelphia Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin G. Cooke and Shea Gibbons prosecuted the case.
Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. Elder abuse is an intentional or negligent act by any person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to an older adult. It is a term used to describe five subtypes of elder abuse: physical abuse, financial fraud, scams and exploitation, caregiver neglect and abandonment, psychological abuse, and sexual abuse. Elder abuse is a serious crime against some of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens, affecting at least 10 percent of older Americans every year. Together with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners, the Department of Justice is steadfastly committed to combatting all forms of elder abuse and financial exploitation through enforcement actions, training and resources, research, victim services, and public awareness. This holistic and robust response demonstrates the Department’s unwavering dedication to fighting for justice for older Americans.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-30.
Providence Man Admits Role in Scheme to Defraud Home DepotRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, having been charged for his role in a scheme that defrauded Home Depot out of approximately $600,000 in tools and building supplies, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
According to charging documents, Luiyi Taveras-Garcia, 35, participated in a wide-ranging scheme that uses stolen or fraudulently created business credit accounts to purchase more than $600,000 in building, roofing, electrical, plumbing and other contractor supplies from Home Depot stores in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
Additionally, Taveres admitted to a federal judge that he purchased construction materials for use in his roofing business from another member of the conspiracy who obtained the materials from Home Depots with the use of stolen credit information.
Taveres is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2020. The defendants’ sentences will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
A second defendant charged in this matter, Abel Bier Romero, 29, of Cranston, is awaiting trial on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William F. Ferland.
The matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service New England Cyber Fraud Task Force, with the assistance of the Smithfield Police Department.
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Owner of Car Dealership Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Engaging in Large-Scale FraudRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for his role in engaging in a pattern of fraudulent activity through his auto dealership, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Afzal Khan, aka “Bobby Khan,” 40, of Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to Count One of an indictment charging him with wire fraud.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
From at least December 2013 through September 2014, Khan, through his car dealership,
Emporio Motor Group of Ramsey, New Jersey, engaged in acts to defraud lenders and customers. Khan obtained loans from the auto finance division of a large bank for cars that he never delivered, but for which the purchaser was still responsible. Khan also obtained loans from the victim bank for cars that were delivered, but for which neither he nor Emporio had title. As a result, the purchasers of these cars were liable for the loans, but could not register the cars. In addition, Khan offered to sell cars for individuals on consignment, but did not return the cars or provide any money to the individuals from the sale of the cars. Khan admitted that as a result of his actions, he exposed the victim bank to a potential loss of at least $550,000.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martini sentenced Khan to three years of supervised release and ordered forfeiture of $1.1 million. Restitution will be determined at a later date.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI’s Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Ramsey Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 180 Months for Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that James Robert Haage, age 30 of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Haage to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, Haage will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release.
On December 29, 2020, Haage was stopped in the area of 30th and Cuming Streets in Omaha after he ran a stop sign and almost struck an Omaha Police Department cruiser. A data check showed that he had outstanding warrants and he was placed under arrest. While placing Haage in custody, officers noticed drug paraphernalia in plain view inside of his vehicle. A subsequent search revealed approximately 84 grams of methamphetamine hidden under the dashboard on the driver’s side, drug paraphernalia throughout the car including a drug ledger, and a loaded 9mm handgun under the driver’s seat. Two phones taken from Haage were searched and photos of the gun were found along with selfies taken by Haage.
Haage was able to bond out of jail after his arrest and on May 26, 2021, he was stopped in Omaha after leaving a hotel room that was under investigation. A search of the car he was driving revealed more than 200 grams of methamphetamine.
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.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
New York Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Mary Baird, 55, of New York, New York, pleaded guilty in federal court to bank fraud, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between September 2020 and May 2021, Baird entered Citizens Bank branches in New Hampshire and other states on at least 13 separate occasions. She presented means of identification, including Social Security numbers, belonging to real Citizens Bank account holders. Baird then attempted to cash fraudulent checks addressed to those account holders or withdraw funds from their accounts. In total, on these 13 occasions, Baird obtained $36,780 and attempted to fraudulently obtain another $15,450.
After Baird was arrested in this case and released on conditions, she traveled to Pennsylvania and attempted to cash a fraudulent check for $4,990 addressed to another victim. In connection with that failed attempt, Baird presented a fake New Jersey’s driver’s license with that victim’s name.
Baird is scheduled to be sentenced on December 19, 2022.
The case was investigated by the Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen.
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Nevada Man Admits Sending over 200 Pounds of Meth to Western PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Sparks, Nevada, pleaded guilty in federal court to violation of federal narcotics laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Cindy Chung announced today.
Christopher Robertson, age 61, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possesses with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand. Robertson was one of 47 defendants charged in six related indictments as part of the Return to Sender investigation.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Robertson transported over 200 pounds of methamphetamine from Stockton, California, to various post offices located in Nevada. Robertson then mailed parcels containing methamphetamine on behalf of suppliers in California to distributors based in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for Robertson on Jan. 23, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a sentence of not less than 10 years to a maximum of life in prison, a fine not to exceed $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The court ordered that the defendant remain on bond pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Michael R. Ball are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Moss Point Man Sentenced to over Sixteen Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Moss Point man was sentenced to 199 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives ("ATF").
Kevin Lashun Jones, 38, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to information presented to the Court, between July 22, 2021, and January 7, 2022, law enforcement officers purchased over 280 grams of methamphetamine and 2.7 grams of crack cocaine from Jones and one of his coconspirators.
Jones’s coconspirator was previously sentenced to 211 months in prison for this offense.
The ATF and the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner prosecuted the case.
Moss Point Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Moss Point man pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Michael Terrand Johnson, 40, pled guilty on September 6, 2022, in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to court documents, on June 22, 2022, officers of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force attempted to serve a warrant at a residence in Jackson County, Mississippi, when they encountered Michael Johnson. Johnson fled to a bedroom in the home where he stashed a firearm under a bed. Johnson is a previously convicted felon who is not permitted to possess a firearm. On July 19, 2022, Johnson was indicted by a federal grand jury for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Johnson will be sentenced on Tuesday, December 6, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
Minneapolis Man Charged with Using 3D Printers to Manufacture MachinegunsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been charged in a federal criminal complaint for possessing auto sears and using 3D printers to manufacture auto sears out of his Minneapolis residence, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on August 31, 2022, law enforcement conducted a controlled delivery of a package containing 30 firearm parts to Aaron Malik Cato, 25, at his Minneapolis residence. The package, which had been shipped from Taiwan and intercepted by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, contained enough parts to create 10 auto sears, a device that turns a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic firearm and is considered a machinegun under federal law. Upon searching Cato’s home, pursuant to a warrant, law enforcement recovered seven firearms, including five handguns and two AR platform firearms. Three of the handguns were equipped with auto sears and appeared to be Privately Made Firearms (PMF’s), or ghost guns. Law enforcement also found inside Cato’s residence four 3D printers and multiple 3D printed auto sears.
Cato is charged in a criminal complaint with possession of machineguns. He made his initial appearance earlier today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung and was ordered to remain in detention pending further proceedings.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison K. Ethen is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.