Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Wednesday 31 August 2022
KC Man Involved in Two Shootings Sentenced for Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man involved in two separate shootings on the same day has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing firearms.
Deion D. Alford, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs on Tuesday, Aug. 30, to six years and 10 months in federal prison without parole.
On March 7, 2022, Alford pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms. By pleading guilty, Alford admitted he was in possession of a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber handgun and a Glock .40-caliber handgun on February 3, 2021. Alford was also involved in two shootings, one of which resulted in injury to a victim.
On the afternoon of January 28, 2021, Kansas City, Mo. police officers responded to a shots-fired call in the area of East 40th Street and South Benton Avenue. Officers contacted a victim, who was in the driver’s seat of a white pickup and had been shot in his left leg. A nearby residence had also been struck by errant gunfire. Officers recovered six nine-millimeter shell casings near the scene.
Detectives identified Alford as a suspect in the shooting. The owner of the red SUV told detectives that Alford had been driving the SUV at the time of the shooting. The owner also told investigators that Alford had been shot the previous year, and when Alford saw the victim’s car, had stated that was the person who shot him. A shell casing recovered from the red SUV matched the shell casings recovered from the scene of the shooting.
Alford was also involved in another shooting later that same day, in the area of East 31st Street and Benton Boulevard. Kansas City, Mo. police officers heard gunshots and received reports that individuals in a red vehicle (later determined to be the same red SUV from the earlier shooting) were firing shots. Officers located a red SUV with multiple bullet holes in its windshield, abandoned in the middle of a nearby street. Witnesses told officers that two individuals had fled the vehicle on foot. Officers found one of the suspects, as well as a Glock handgun nearby. The Glock was later linked to 9 mm shell casings recovered from the scene of the shooting, as well as 9 mm shell casings found in the back seat of the red SUV. During her interview, the owner of the red SUV told detectives that Alford had borrowed her SUV prior to the second shooting.
Alford was arrested a week later, at his grandmother’s house. When officers searched the residence they found a backpack that contained the loaded Smith & Wesson .40-caliber handgun and the loaded Glock .40-caliber handgun.
According to court documents, Alford was affiliated with the Click Clack/Foot Soldier gang.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearms or ammunition. In December 2017, Alford was convicted in Iowa state court of first-degree theft and felony eluding, related to his distribution of stolen cars. Two months later, in February 2018, while on probation in connection with the Iowa case, Alford was arrested in Jackson County, Mo., for possessing a stolen gun, resulting in a felony conviction for receiving stolen property. Evidence in that case indicates Alford had also been firing the gun. Alford also has a number of misdemeanor convictions for charges ranging from fleeing police, obstructing/resisting arrest, providing false information, and unlawful use of a weapon. Alford’s convictions involve multiple instances of flight from law enforcement, including several high-speed pursuits, as well as brandishing and firing guns and other violent conduct.
According to court documents, Alford has been involved in multiple physical altercations with other inmates while in custody pending sentencing in this case.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie C. Bradshaw. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
KC Metro Strike Force
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
Justice Department Will Return Approximately $686,000 in Forfeited Corruption Proceeds to the Republic of PeruRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY - The U.S. Department of Justice is sharing with the Republic of Peru approximately $686,000 in forfeited criminal proceeds linked to the corruption and bribery of former Peruvian President Alejandro Celestino Toledo Manrique (Toledo) by Odebrecht S.A. (Odebrecht), a Brazil-based global construction conglomerate.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Kenneth A. Polite Jr., Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, made the announcement.
“Civil forfeiture serves a critical role in depriving criminals of their ill-gotten gains, regardless of their status, and despite their efforts to conceal the proceeds of their offenses committed abroad,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office and the department will continue to work with their law enforcement partners around the world to recover and return illicit payments that corrupt overseas officials attempt to hide in the United States.”
“This case is an important example of the international cooperation necessary to address corruption abroad where illicit proceeds are brought to the United States,” stated Assistant Attorney General Polite. “The department is committed to doing its part to recover and repatriate such corruption proceeds where appropriate.”
In a civil forfeiture action filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, United States v. $639,583.07, More Or Less, Formerly On Deposit In Bank Of America Account Number XXXXXXXX1655, With A Beneficiary Identified As The Havenell Trust, And All Funds Traceable Thereto, No. CV 19-5652, the United States alleged that Toledo, while holding public office as President of Peru, solicited millions in bribe payments from Odebrecht in connection with government contracts awarded for construction of the Peru-Brazil Southern Interoceanic Highway (“Southern Interoceanic Highway”), a Peruvian government infrastructure project. Odebrecht subsequently made bribery payments to Toledo through accounts maintained by Toledo’s co-conspirators. Ultimately, approximately $1.2 million of the bribery payments were used by Toledo and his family to purchase real estate in Maryland in 2007 through a scheme designed to hide Toledo’s ownership of the funds and their connection to Odebrecht. The forfeited assets represent the proceeds from the sale of the Maryland real estate, which were further laundered through a trust and bank account controlled by Toledo.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s tireless work in this case led to the assets forfeited in the United States being returned to the Republic of Peru. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Mantell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Barbara Levy of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section handled the civil forfeiture cases. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided assistance with the cases.
In support of the U.S. forfeiture actions, the Peruvian government provided extensive and wide-ranging assistance. Most notably, the documentary evidence provided by the Peruvian government included evidence necessary to seize assets located in the United States and substantially contributed to the timely success of the U.S. forfeiture actions.
Justice Department Will Return Approximately $686,000 in Forfeited Corruption Proceeds to the Republic of PeruRead the Press Release
View the Spanish translation of the press release here.
The Department of Justice is sharing approximately $686,000 in forfeited criminal proceeds to the Republic of Peru linked to the corruption and bribery of former Peruvian President Alejandro Celestino Toledo Manrique (Toledo) by Odebrecht S.A. (Odebrecht), a Brazil-based global construction conglomerate.
“This case is an important example of the international cooperation necessary to address corruption abroad where illicit proceeds are brought to the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The department is committed to doing its part to recover and repatriate such corruption proceeds where appropriate.”
In the civil forfeiture matter filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, United States v. $639,583.07, More Or Less, Formerly On Deposit In Bank Of America Account Number XXXXXXXX1655, With A Beneficiary Identified As The Havenell Trust, And All Funds Traceable Thereto, No. CV 19-5652, and a related case, the United States alleged that Toledo, who was the president of Peru from approximately 2001 to 2006, solicited millions in bribery payments from Odebrecht while he was in public office in connection with government contracts awarded for construction of the Peru-Brazil Southern Interoceanic Highway (Southern Interoceanic Highway), a Peruvian government infrastructure project. Odebrecht subsequently made bribery payments to Toledo through accounts maintained by Toledo’s co-conspirators. Ultimately, approximately $1.2 million of the bribery payments were used by Toledo and his family to purchase real estate in Maryland in 2007 through a scheme designed to hide Toledo’s ownership of the funds and their connection to Odebrecht. The forfeited assets represent the proceeds from the sale of the Maryland real estate, which were further laundered through a trust and bank account controlled by Toledo.
The FBI investigated the cases leading to the U.S. forfeiture of the assets being returned to the Republic of Peru and served as the seizing agency. Trial Attorney Barbara Levy of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Mantell for the Eastern District of New York’s Civil Division handled the civil forfeiture cases. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided assistance with the cases.
In support of the U.S. forfeiture actions, the Peruvian government provided extensive and wide-ranging assistance. Most notably, the documentary evidence provided by the Peruvian government provided the evidence necessary to seize assets located in the United States and substantially contributed to the timely success of the U.S. forfeiture actions.
“Civil forfeiture serves a critical role in depriving criminals of their ill-gotten gains, regardless of their status, and despite their efforts to conceal the proceeds of their offenses committed abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “This office and the department will continue to work with their law enforcement partners around the world to recover and return illicit payments that corrupt overseas officials attempt to hide in the United States.”
The Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative is led by a team of dedicated prosecutors in the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, in partnership with federal law enforcement agencies, and often with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, to forfeit the proceeds of foreign official corruption through criminal and civil forfeiture and, where appropriate, to use those recovered assets to benefit the people harmed by these acts of corruption and abuse of office. In 2015, the FBI formed International Corruption Squads across the country to address national and international implications of foreign corruption. Individuals with information about possible proceeds of foreign corruption located in or laundered through the United States should contact federal law enforcement or send an email to [email protected] (link sends email) or https://tips.fbi.gov/.
Jury Takes 7 Minutes to Convict Amarillo Drug DealerRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted an Amarillo man of drug crimes after just seven minutes of deliberation on Wednesday, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Gilbert Joseph Carrasco, 44, was indicted in June 2021. After two days of trial, on Aug. 31, 2022, a jury convicted him of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to evidence presented in court, undercover agents arranged to purchase methamphetamine from 25-year-old Catrina Palmer on April 28, 2020. Mr. Carasco drove Ms. Palmer to the undercover buy. Agents located a trap in the dashboard of his truck that contained methamphetamine. Investigation later revealed that Mr. Carrasco was Ms. Palmer’s methamphetamine supplier.
In an interview, Mr. Carrasco admitted to receiving and distributing methamphetamine. He also admitted to being a convicted felon and knowingly possession a .22 bolt action rifle he said he obtained on the “streets.”
Ms. Palmer pled guilty in April 2021 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to five years in federal prison.
Mr. Carrasco now faces up to 50 years in federal prison – 20 years per count on counts one and two and 10 years on count three. His sentencing has been set for Dec. 20, 2022 in Amarillo.
The Amarillo Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Tusing and Joshua Frausto prosecuted the case with the help of Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Marie Bell. U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk presided over the trial.
Jury Convicts St. Joseph Man of Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph man was convicted by a federal trial jury today of illegally possessing a firearm.
Earl B. Penn, 30, was found guilty of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Penn was in possession of a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol on June 22, 2020.
A St. Joseph Police Department detective and a patrol officer contacted Penn, who had an outstanding warrant for violations of his federal supervised release, on June 22, 2020. Penn struggled and resisted being arrested. Penn struck the officer in the face with the back of his head multiple times and managed to pull the OC spray from the officer’s vest. The detective had to physically remove the OC spray from Penn’s hand in order to prevent him from discharging it.
After Penn was restrained, the detective saw the loaded handgun in Penn’s sweatshirt pouch.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for 45 minutes before returning the guilty verdict to U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips, ending a trial that began Monday, Aug. 29.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Penn has prior felony convictions for residential burglary, arson, and conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and cocaine. Those convictions for two violent felonies and a serious drug offense subject Penn to be sentenced as an armed career criminal.
Under federal statutes, Penn is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon E. Gibson, who is a cross-designated prosecutor from the Missouri Attorney General’s office as part of the Safer Streets Initiative to combat violent crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Marquez. It was investigated by the St. Joseph, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Johnston Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Johnston man who admitted to possessing more than 2,000 videos and images of child pornography has been sentenced to three years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Jon Knowles, 49, admitted to a federal judge in May that he employed a computer software program to download encrypted “pieces” of files used to assemble digital files. In June and August of 2021, Knowles used the software program to download and assemble at least three sexually explicit video files depicting prepubescent females.
On November 17, 2021, FBI agents conducted a court-authorized search of Knowles’ residence and seized several electronic devices. A forensic audit of the devices resulted in the discovery of 2,075 videos and 342 images of child pornography.
Knowles pleaded guilty on May 9, 2022, to a charge of possession of child pornography. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to thirty-six months in federal prison to be followed by ten years of federal supervised release and ordered to pay a $5,000 special assessment as required by the Justice for Victims Trafficking Act in child sexual exploitation cases where the Court makes a finding that the defendant is not indigent.
The matter, investigated by the FBI, was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
###
Jefferson County man sentenced to 7 years in prison on child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Wednesday sentenced a Jefferson County man who accessed child pornography for years to seven years in prison and ordered him to pay $3,000 to a victim.
At least as far back as 2015, Jonathan R. Brown, 34, of Jefferson County near Festus, was using the dark web to download and view child pornography. In October of 2018 and January of 2019, Brown had child pornography on computers that were accessible via peer-to-peer file sharing programs. Investigators later seized electronics that contained child pornography.
Brown pleaded guilty in March to one count of receipt of child pornography.
The case stemmed from an FBI investigation into a dark website focused on the production, advertisement and distribution of egregious child exploitation material. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department and the St. Charles County Police Department also investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted 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. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Jackson County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Multiple Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Jackson County man was sentenced to a total of 180 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Travis Senseney, 39, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to information presented to the Court, in January of 2021, law enforcement officers began investigating Senseney. As part of the investigation, officers obtained and executed search warrants on Senseney’s home in January and August of 2021. During their January search, officers located narcotics and firearms. In their subsequent August search, officers again discovered narcotics and another firearm. In an interview on August 23, 2021, Senseney admitted that he obtained the newly acquired firearm to protect himself while dealing narcotics. He also admitted that he was not allowed to possess a firearm due to his prior felony convictions. Senseney was previously convicted of felony burglary and grand larceny.
The FBI and South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Buckner and Annette Williams prosecuted the case.
International Overdose Awareness Day Highlights Need to Stop the Flow of Fentanyl into MaineRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: On International Overdose Awareness Day, an annual commemoration to raise awareness of overdose prevention and reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee warned of the serious fentanyl crisis and advocated for a coordinated effort to help those experiencing substance dependence while stopping the flow of drugs into Maine.
“Too many lives are being lost to fentanyl. Many, if not most, don’t even know they are taking it until it is too late,” McElwee said. “Fentanyl is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine – so potent that even an amount as small as two grains of salt can be deadly – yet dealers are mixing it into counterfeit pills to sell to unsuspecting buyers. We’ve even seen reports of a dangerous new trend of candy-colored or ‘rainbow fentanyl’ which could be a sign that traffickers are targeting even younger users.”
According to Mainedrugdata.org, through June 2022, there were nearly 5,000 overdoses in Maine, an increase of 18% over the same period last year. 329 Mainers died, and fentanyl – alone or used in combination with other drugs – is suspected to have a played a role in 77% of those deaths.
“Through the first half of this year, every single Maine county, from the largest to the smallest, had seen at least four overdose deaths,” McElwee said, citing data from the Maine Drug Data Hub. “One county, Franklin, had already surpassed the total number of deaths in 2021, and several other counties and the state overall are on pace to do the same. This is not just an issue for the state’s more urban areas. This is an issue from Aroostook County to York County.”
Stemming the tide of drugs flowing into the state by out-of-state traffickers is a priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“Much of the work my office does is prosecuting those responsible for bringing illicit drugs, including fentanyl, into Maine from other states,” she said. “These prosecutions seek to accomplish three goals: stem the illegal distribution of drugs in Maine, send a message to traffickers that they will face serious repercussions, and provide some justice to Maine families impacted by drug dependence or the loss of a loved one to an overdose.”
But McElwee emphasized that law enforcement is just one part of the solution.
“We all play a role in raising awareness that substance use disorder is a disease that requires treatment, resources and coordinated attention,” McElwee said. “While punishing those who push these drugs is important, so is reducing stigma, making treatment accessible and implementing harm reduction strategies for those impacted by them.”
McElwee urged those struggling with a substance use disorder and their family members to talk to a doctor or pharmacist about naloxone (“Narcan”) which can reverse an opioid overdose when administered to someone experiencing an overdose. Signs of an overdose include unconsciousness, very small pupils, slow or shallow breathing, vomiting, an inability to speak, faint heartbeat, limp arms and legs, pale skin, and/or purple lips and fingernails.
“Naloxone is easy to administer and may reverse an opioid overdose until medical personnel can arrive,” McElwee said. “If you have a loved one who uses opioids, you should have naloxone handy. Ask your loved one to carry it as well and to let friends know where it is since someone experiencing an overdose is incapable of administering it themselves.”
- Find substance use disorder resources in Maine: https://knowyouroptions.me/
- Find naloxone in Maine: https://mainedrugdata.org/find-naloxone-in-maine/
- To report suspected drug trafficking in Maine: If you have knowledge of drug trafficking in Maine, contact your local police department or sheriff’s office by dialing 911 or submit a tip to the New England Division of the DEA online at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip. To report criminals posing as DEA Special Agents, illegal sales/distribution of drugs, suspicious online pharmacies and other drug-distribution-related crimes call 877-RxAbuse (877-792-2873)
###
Human Smuggling Coordinators Sentenced to 45 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, Ian Esteban Serrano, 27, and Marco Antonio Romero, 22, both from Nogales, Arizona, were each sentenced by United States District Judge Raner C. Collins to 45 months in federal prison. A sentence of 37 months was imposed for their role in smuggling undocumented noncitizens into the United States, and a consecutive sentence of eight months was imposed for Serrano’s violation of supervised release from a previous conviction for the same offense in 2016 and Romero’s violation of supervised release from a previous conviction for the same offense in 2019.
Romero pleaded guilty on June 2, 2022, and Serrano pleaded guilty on June 9, 2022, both pleading to one count of Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for Profit. Together, Serrano and Romero managed and supervised the human smuggling organization. The co-conspirators coordinated smuggling operations by recruiting drivers and sending them to various locations to pick up or drop off undocumented individuals in the Nogales and Rio Rico communities. Serrano has two prior convictions for the same offense and Romero has one prior conviction for the same offense.
This prosecution resulted from the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona is part of JTFA, which was established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. The Task Force focuses on disrupting and dismantling smuggling and trafficking networks that abuse, exploit, or endanger migrants, pose national security threats, and are involved in organized crime.
The United States Border Patrol, Nogales Station, and Homeland Security Investigations in Nogales, Arizona conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 21-00869-TUC-RCC-4
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-150_Romero-Serrano# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Hogansburg Man Pleads Guilty to Alien SmugglingRead the Press Release
PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – Brian Lazore, age 45, of Hogansburg, New York, pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit alien smuggling and three counts of alien smuggling.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Acting Chief Patrol Agent Keith Hoops, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector.
Lazore admitted to smuggling six citizens of India from Cornwall, Ontario, into the United States using the St. Lawrence and St. Regis Rivers. During the smuggling event on April 28, 2022, Lazore’s boat sank in the St. Regis River, and Lazore and the Indian citizens were ultimately picked up by the St. Regis Mohawk Rescue Vessel. Lazore admitted to smuggling the aliens for his own financial gain.
Lazore faces a minimum of 5 years and up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years when he is sentenced on January 5, 2023 by United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes.
A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt.
Hartford Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Firearm While on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANDRE HUDSON, 43, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing a firearm while on federal supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 8, 2021, a Connecticut State Police trooper stopped a vehicle that Hudson was driving at a high rate of speed and found Hudson in possession of a loaded Kel-Tec, Model P-11 9mm pistol and a distribution quantity of marijuana. He was arrested at that time.
Hudson’s criminal history includes a 2007 federal conviction in Connecticut for distributing crack cocaine, for which he was sentenced to 108 months of imprisonment, and a 2019 federal conviction in Vermont for distributing crack and heroin, for which he was sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment and an additional 24 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release in the Connecticut case.
In June 2020, Hudson was granted compassionate release from prison due to the coronavirus pandemic. He was on supervised release at the time of his arrest in September 2021.
On April 28, 2022, Hudson pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon and he admitted that he violated the conditions of his supervised release.
Judge Meyer sentenced Hudson to 100 months of imprisonment for the firearm offense and a consecutive 20 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Connecticut State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony E. Kaplan.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice 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.
Hamlin Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Michael Woloschuk, 42, of Hamlin, NY, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors, after having previously been convicted of a child pornography offense, before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci. The charge carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, a lifetime period of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that in October 2020, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cybertip from a social media platform that an individual had distributed child pornography over the platform. After determining that the individual was located in New York State, NCMEC turned the information over to the New York State Police, who then identified the individual as registered sex offender, Michael P. Woloschuk of Hamlin, NY. On October 26, 2021, investigators executed a search warrant at Woloschuk’s home, during which they seized several digital devices, including a thumb drive and laptop. A forensic analysis recovered several videos and images of child pornography, some of which depicted violence against children. In addition, Woloschuk’s sex offender registration information was located on the thumb drive.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian J. Ratajczak and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 30, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Geraci.
# # # #
Global Healthcare Company to Pay $6.3 Million to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A global healthcare company has agreed to pay $6.3 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by selling items to the United States that were manufactured in non-designated countries in violation of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
The settlement resolves allegations that Novo Nordisk Inc. violated the Trade Agreements Act, which restricts the procurement of goods under certain government contracts to purchases from specific designated countries, by submitting false claims for payment for medical devices that were manufactured in non-designated countries. The settlement resolves claims that from July 2012 through November 2020, Novo Nordisk sold to United States government agencies its NovoFine 30G 8 mm needles, and that from May 2016 through November 2020, Novo Nordisk sold to United States government agencies its NovoFine 32G 6 mm needles, all of which were manufactured in non-designated countries.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri; special agents of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Scott J. Lampert; the U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty; and special agents of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division Philadelphia Fraud Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Larry S. Moreland, with the investigation leading to the settlement.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark C. Orlowski of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Georgia woman sentenced to federal prison in prescription drug trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: A Glynn County woman has been sentenced to federal prison after admitting to her role in a conspiracy to use fraudulent prescriptions to obtain thousands of pills, including opioids, for street distribution.
Teresa Hickman, 49, of Brunswick, was sentenced to 38 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, a Controlled Substance, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Hickman to serve three years of supervised release after completion of her prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Americans continue to die in record numbers from drug overdoses, and drug traffickers like Teresa Hickman pour gasoline on this raging epidemic,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Our law enforcement partners continue to do outstanding work in identifying and shutting down those who profit from such misery.”
As described in court documents and testimony, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating Hickman in April 2020 after receiving reports that she was fraudulently obtaining large numbers of prescriptions from a pharmacy in Jacksonville, Fla., using the real names and DEA registration numbers of doctors who were unaware of the practice.
Agents investigating the case identified more than 300 fraudulent prescriptions filled through the conspiracy, many of them for highly addictive opioids. The drugs were then sold to drug users.
“Although these pills came from pharmacies, the prescriptions were fake,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Teresa Hickman had no business obtaining and distributing these highly addictive drugs.”
“The Glynn County Sheriff’s Office appreciates the coordinated efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration in fighting the opioid epidemic that is destroying our community,” said Glynn County Sheriff Neal Jump. “Our office will continue to work with our partner agencies to fight this ongoing battle.”
The case was investigated by the Savannah Office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Glynn County Sheriff’s Office, and the Brunswick Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew A. Josephson.
Fraudster Ordered to Pay over $138,000 in Restitution Following Conviction for Six-Year Wire Fraud Scheme Targeting Delaware Healthcare ProviderRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss announced that a Port Deposit, Maryland woman was sentenced today to 24 months of probation, to include 6 months of home confinement; to repay victims $138,000 in restitution; and to complete 250 hours of community service. The sentence followed a jury verdict convicting defendant of a six-year scheme to defraud her employer, All About Women, an obstetrics and gynecology practice serving Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. U.S. Federal Circuit Judge Leonard P. Stark pronounced sentence.
Kimberly Sponaugle, 44, was convicted in December 2021, following a jury trial, of one count of wire fraud. The jury determined that she had developed and executed a scheme to steal from her employer, a prominent Delaware medical practice, from January 2012 through March 2018. Over those years, Sponaugle used her company credit card to make personal purchases and paid off those purchases with her employer’s bank account.
During the time Ms. Sponaugle stole from them, All About Women was a partnership, owned by doctors who practiced there. The owners of All About Women dedicated their careers to providing high-quality reproductive healthcare to 40,000 women. The defendant’s fraud scheme caused substantial disruption for its 65 employees and thousands of women across four states. It also forced the partners of All About Women to relinquish their dream of small business ownership in favor of a new practice management model. Despite this hardship, the doctors continue to provide critical obstetrical and gynecological care to their patients.
U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss commented, “Kim Sponaugle was entrusted with the responsibility to protect the financial health of All About Women and its partners. She used her position to steal from practitioners dedicated to providing reproductive healthcare to thousands of women in Delaware and the surrounding states. While we are pleased the victims will receive some restitution for this crime, at this time when access to these services is paramount, the probationary sentence imposed sends precisely the wrong message. No matter the sentence, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to investigating and prosecuting those who steal from healthcare providers who offer vital services to the citizens of Delaware.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carly Hudson and Ruth Mandelbaum.
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. 19-cr-23-LPS.
Four Georgia Men Sentenced in Bank Fraud Conspiracy That Exploited Providence Area HomelessRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Four Georgia men who admitted to a federal judge in Rhode Island that they participated in a scheme that exploited Providence-area homeless and transient individuals by recruiting them to cash hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of counterfeit business checks at banks in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maine, have been sentenced to federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Cortavious Benford, 27, and Michael Williams, 27, of Atlanta; Austin Weaver, 27 of Decatur; and Jalen Ronald Stanford 28, of East Point, admitted that they created counterfeit checks, generally in the amount of $2,000 or more, made payable to homeless individuals who agreed to be driven to banks in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maine to cash them. These individuals were often paid approximately $100 for each check that they successfully cashed.
A United States Secret Service investigation determined that between October 2018 and February 2021, approximately $677,687 worth of counterfeit checks were presented to banks throughout the four states by members of the conspiracy, causing actual losses to financial institutions of nearly $481,000. Several homeless individuals were arrested as they attempted to cash counterfeit checks.
On February 5, 2021, Williams and Benford recruited and drove a homeless person to a Providence bank to cash a check, threatening to injure the man if he failed to provide them with all the proceeds. From inside the bank, the man pointed to a vehicle that was parked outside of the bank as containing individuals who recruited him and provided him with the counterfeit check. Providence Police located the vehicle a short distance away and arrested Williams and Benford. They were found to be in possession of $12,000 in cash.
A court-authorized search of a Providence residence that law enforcement determined the four men used when in Rhode Island resulted in the seizure of a computer which had a program used to design and print checks; a printer; blank check stock; and an envelope containing numerous stolen checks and approximately $5,000 in cash.
Weaver and Stanford were arrested on later dates.
The four men were convicted in federal court in Rhode Island on a charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Cortavious Benford was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 24 months in federal prison; Austin Weaver was sentenced on July 15, to 30 months of incarceration; Jalen Ronald Stanford was sentenced in June to 24 months in prison; and Michael Williams was sentenced in February to 41 months imprisonment. Each of the defendants has been ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $480.943.71 jointly and severally with each other.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
United States Attorney Cunha thanks the Providence, RI, and Medway, MA, Police Departments for their assistance to the United States Secret Service in the investigation of this matter.
###
Four Defendants Sentenced for Assaulting Fellow Inmate in 2020Read the Press Release
Four men have been sentenced in federal court after joining together to commit a coordinated assault on a fellow inmate in 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
On Feb. 21, 2020, codefendants Roy Brayboy, Chance Thomison, Adam Ramsey, and Mark Amos punched and kicked the victim in a jail cell while they and the victim were being held at the Craig County Jail. Officers responded and found the victim lying on the floor. During the attack, the victim suffered injuries to his brain, fractures to his nose and ribs, and swelling in the face.
The defendants all pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country.
Brayboy, 25, was sentenced Wednesday to 18 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release.
Previously, Thomison, 24, was sentenced to 57 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Amos, 25, and Ramsey, 31, received 41-month prison sentences followed by three years of supervised release.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar prosecuted the case.
Founders, members, and associates of the Ghostface Gangsters gang convicted of RICO conspiracy, drug, and firearm offensesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Twenty-five defendants, including three of the seven founders of the Ghostface Gangsters Gang (“GFG”), have pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO) conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, attempted murder, maiming, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, use of a firearm during a crime of violence, use of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“On the street and from behind bars, Ghostface Gangsters have trafficked drugs and orchestrated and perpetrated horrific acts of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan. K. Buchanan. “Thanks to the tireless and coordinated efforts of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, 25 gang members and associates charged in this case have pleaded guilty, including three of the men who created this dangerous criminal organization.”
“ATF will continue to dedicate federal resources in conjunction with those crucial law enforcement contributions of local agencies to the pursuit of eradicating and forestalling criminal gang activity,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Atlanta Field Division, Beau Kolodka.
“The Cobb County Police Department is proud of the work of our investigators and civilian staff who work hand in hand with other local, state, and federal agencies in these types of cases. The perseverance and diligence required of such interagency cooperation is what is necessary to ensure such violent criminals are charged and prosecuted accordingly. We remain dedicated to protecting our citizens and bringing to justice those who would seek to do them harm. In this particular case, Cobb County Police investigators worked long hours and gathered an inordinate amount of evidence to help secure this indictment. We are especially proud of the sincere dedication of all involved. And we vow to continue to work in such a fashion on future cases as well,” said Cobb County Police Chief Stuart VanHoozer.
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: GFG, a whites-only gang, was originally organized in or about 2000 in a Georgia county jail. Within GFG, the seven founding members are known as “pillars.” All GFG members trace their gang “bloodline” directly back to one of the pillars. GFG members and associates engaged in drug distribution and acts of violence involving murder, kidnapping, assault, and witness intimidation. GFG operated both within and outside the Georgia prison system.
Within the past year, three GFG pillars charged in the case have been convicted and will be, or have been, sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael L. Brown as follows:
- On August 25, 2022, Jeffrey Alan Bourassa, a/k/a “JB,” “Babyface,” and “Kid,” 40, of Cobb County, Georgia, a GFG founding pillar, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 25, 2022.
- On July 22, 2021, David Gene Powell, a/k/a “Davo,” 45, of Cobb County, Georgia, a GFG pillar, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering. On February 23, 2022, Powell was sentenced to four years, one month of imprisonment.
- On June 9, 2021, Joseph M. Propps, Jr., a/k/a “JP,” 44, of Smyrna, Georgia, a GFG pillar, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine. On October 5, 2021, Propps was sentenced to 10 years, one month of imprisonment.
Earlier during the case:
- On September 22, 2021, Victor Manuel DeJesus, a/k/a/ “VG Vic,” 40, of Gwinnett County, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering and using a firearm during a crime of violence. The latter charge arose from a 2016 incident during which DeJesus violently carjacked a woman at gunpoint and threatened to kill her. He took the car and picked up co-defendant Christopher Marlow, a/k/a “Loco,” 43, of Marietta, Georgia. Together, they fled from a Cobb County deputy sheriff. DeJesus shot at the deputy from inside the car and discarded the gun through a window. DeJesus was sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment in connection with the shooting and his role in the RICO Conspiracy. Marlow was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment for attempted murder and aiding and abetting DeJesus’s discharge of a firearm.
- On August 24, 2021, Richard Brian Sosebee, a/k/a “Dirty,” 47, of Hall County, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering and using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. The latter charge arose from a 2016 incident during which Sosebee shot a victim in the eye during a drug deal gone bad, causing the victim permanent injury. He was sentenced to 22 years of imprisonment on December 7, 2021.
- On July 22, 2021, Jennifer Barteski, 37, of Conyers, Georgia, a GFG associate, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of that crime. She was sentenced on November 18, 2021, to seven years in prison.
- Between February 19, 2019 and April 26, 2021, Cody Ryan Todd, 32, of Carroll County, Georgia, Timothy Wilkins, a/k/a “Dino,” 36, of Woodstock, Georgia, Jonathan Stubbs, 33, of Hamilton County, Tennessee, William J. Goodman, 28, of Paulding County, Georgia, Brie Dewitt, 45, of Woodstock, Georgia, Toby James Ogletree, 47, of Spalding County, Georgia, and Kevin Scott Sosebee, a/k/a “Sosa,” 31, of Cobb County, Georgia, pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy. Ogletree also pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Sosebee, who was sentenced to 24 years of imprisonment, also pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm in connection with a 2017 incident during which he shot four times at a Cobb County police officer. The officer was pursuing Sosebee from inside a police vehicle, swerved to avoid the bullets, and avoided injury.
- Between August 10, 2018 and March 5, 2020, GFG members Mark Avon Lefevre, a/k/a “Ghost,” 37, of Cobb County, Georgia, Christopher Lasher, a/k/a “Retta,” 39, of Marietta, Georgia, Christopher Steven Jones, a/k/a “Red,” 39, of Canton, Georgia, Samantha Miller, 31, of Cobb County, Georgia, Genevieve Waits, 40, of Cleveland, Ohio, Kayli Brewer, 31, of Cobb County, Georgia, Brittany Nicole Jones, 35, of Rockdale County, Georgia, and Hailey Sizemore, 32, of Douglas County, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, including methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, and Xanax.
- On December 5, 2019, Christopher Jarman Davis, 32, of Walker County, Georgia pleaded guilty to maiming another GFG member. While co-defendant Jonathan Stubbs held the other gang member at gunpoint, Davis used an axe to slice a GFG tattoo off that other gang member’s chest as a punishment for violating gang rules.
- On October 4, 2018, Randall Arthur Lee Chumley, 40, of Jasper, Georgia pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced on December 10, 2020, to 160 months of imprisonment.
- On April 20, 2018, Kelly Ray Shiflett, 34, of Rome, Georgia pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cobb County Police Department, along with assistance from the Georgia Department of Corrections and the following law enforcement agencies: Marietta Cobb Smyrna (MCS) Organized Crime Task Force and Narcotics Unit, Cobb Anti-Gang Enforcement (CAGE) Unit, Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, Marietta Police Department, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Ball Ground Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Douglasville Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, Floyd County Police Department, Rome/Floyd Metro Task Force, Carrollton Police Department, Gainesville Police Department, Pickens County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County (Alabama) Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Department of Community Supervision, Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Newton County Sheriff’s Office, Covington Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Murray County Sheriff’s Office, and the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Theodore S. Hertzberg and Erin N. Spritzer of the Northern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Kristen S. Taylor of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting the case, which was investigated and initiated by former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine M. Hoffer and Jolee Porter.
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.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former police officer fined $10,000 for assault on customer of St. Louis County DMVRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthews T. Schelp on Wednesday fined a former Northwoods, Missouri police officer $10,000 for assaulting a patron of a driver license office in Florissant.
Michael L. Bennett, 64, will also be on supervised release for one year.
On April 15, 2021, with his badge in his hand, Bennett struck the victim repeatedly, even after he’d knocked her to the ground, he admitted in a guilty plea.
Bennett, who was off-duty and in plainclothes, intervened in an altercation between a patron, identified in court documents as “S.T.,” and an employee of the license office. Bennett identified himself as a police officer and began to give S.T. commands. After Bennett and S.T. got in a verbal altercation, Bennett grabbed S.T. by the throat, released her and then struck her in the face with a closed fist. As she staggered backwards, he struck her multiple times.
Bennett then shouted at S.T. to leave. When she turned her back and attempted to walk away, he struck her in the back of the head with a closed fist, knocking her to the ground.
He struck her with an open hand while she was on the ground. When she reached up to try and get off the ground, Bennett slapped her hand and punched her in the face again. He later punched her in the face once more.
Bennett pleaded guilty in May to a misdemeanor charge of deprivation of rights under color of law and admitted that he had deprived the victim of the right to be free from unreasonable force.
The case was investigated by the FBI.
Former West Virginia Police Officer and Firefighter Sentenced for Sexual Assault of a MinorRead the Press Release
Christopher Osborne, 26, a former firefighter and police officer, was sentenced today in federal court in Charleston, West Virginia, to 14 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and registration as a sex offender under the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Osborne previously pleaded guilty to violating the civil rights of a minor victim by forcibly raping her in a bunk room at the Danville Fire Department in Danville, West Virginia.
According to court documents, Osborne previously admitted that on or about Jan. 19, 2021, while he was an officer with the Marmet Police Department in Marmet, West Virginia, and a firefighter with both the Charleston Fire Department in Charleston, West Virginia, and the Danville Volunteer Fire Department, he used his position, authority, and status as a firefighter to forcibly sexually assault the victim. Specifically, Osborne admitted that the victim told him that she did not want to have sex, but he held her down and sexually assaulted her anyway, causing her pain and injury.
“This result is a testament to the courage of the victim who came forward to tell her story,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to seek justice for such victims, and to hold accountable perpetrators who abuse their authority to target the vulnerable.”
“The significant sentence imposed illustrates our strong commitment to prosecuting individuals who use their official authority to commit violent sexual assaults against minors,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston for the Southern District of West Virginia. “Osborne’s unlawful conduct constitutes a clear deprivation of the minor’s civil rights. I commend the minor victim for the courage and strength she has demonstrated throughout this case. I thank the FBI, the West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office for their outstanding efforts.”
“Mr. Osborne’s actions were inexcusable and appalling,” said Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Division. “The FBI will not stand by when people in positions of trust violate their oath and victimize innocent young children. Mr. Osborne abused his power and today’s sentence sends the message that we will continue to work to hold accountable public servants who fail the citizens of their community.”
The FBI Pittsburgh Field Division and its Charleston resident agency investigated this case with the support of the West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia Office of the State Fire Marshal. Trial Attorney Kathryn E. Gilbert of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S Attorneys Jennifer Herrald and Julie White for the Southern District of West Virginia prosecuted the case.
Former Mexican Pharmacy Employee Sentenced to More Than 7 Years for Selling Fentanyl Pills That Killed Monterey VictimRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Francisco Javier Schraidt Rodriguez was sentenced Monday to 90 months (7½ years) in federal prison for distributing fentanyl-laced pills that killed a resident of Monterey County, California, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Wade R. Shannon. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Edward J. Davila.
Schraidt Rodriguez, 63, formerly of Mexicali, Mexico, was charged in a superseding information filed on March 25, 2022, with the distribution of fentanyl and with a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and alprazolam. He entered a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to both charges on April 11, 2022.
In his plea agreement, Schraidt Rodriguez admitted that from June 2018 through November 2019 he conspired with others to sell and did sell counterfeit pharmaceutical pills containing fentanyl. The fentanyl-laced pills were colored light blue and imprinted with “M” on one side and “30” on the other. These pills are commonly referred to as “M30s.” Schraidt Rodriguez also conspired to sell and did sell bottles of alprazolam (U.S. brand name: Xanax) packaged as “Farmapram.”
Schraidt Rodriguez described in the plea agreement that during the conspiracy, he lived in Mexico and worked at a pharmacy in Mexicali, Mexico. His co-conspirator was located in Monterey County, California. On multiple occasions his co-conspirator ordered bottles of alprazolam and M30 pills containing fentanyl from Schraidt Rodriguez. Upon receiving an order, Schraidt Rodriguez transported the drugs from Mexicali, Mexico, across the United States border to Calexico, California. He then shipped the drugs by mail to his co-conspirator’s address in Monterey County. Schraidt Rodriguez described that he mailed the M30s in batches of approximately 100 pills at a time. He often “fronted” the pills, accepting payment at a later date after the co-conspirator had resold the drugs to others.
Schraidt Rodriguez acknowledged in his plea agreement that when he sold the M30 pills to his co-conspirator, he knew the M30s contained fentanyl. His co-conspirator also knew this, as the co-conspirator asked him if the M30s contained fentanyl and Schraidt Rodriguez advised that they did.
Schraidt Rodriguez admitted the M30 pills he sold killed a victim who overdosed on his pills. He described in his plea agreement that between August 2019 and September 5, 2019, he sold M30 pills containing fentanyl to his Monterey County co-conspirator. He acknowledged that some of those M30s were then sold to the Monterey County victim. Schraidt Rodriguez admitted that the victim ingested some portion of one or more of the M30 pills laced with fentanyl, which caused an overdose in the victim. The victim was found unconscious in the victim’s home. He died as a result of the overdose. The victim left behind a spouse and a young son.
In addition to the 90 month federal prison term, United States District Judge Edward J. Davila ordered Schraidt Rodriguez to serve three years of supervision following release from federal prison. Schraidt Rodriguez was remanded into custody at the sentencing hearing to begin serving his sentence immediately.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christina Liu and Casey Boome, with the assistance of Mark DiCenzo, Linda Love, and Andy Ding. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by DEA, with assistance from the Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations; the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the Pacific Grove Police Department; the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office; and the Monterey Police Department.
One Pill Can Kill: Beware of pills bought on the street. Fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, is a highly potent opiate that can be diluted with cutting agents to create counterfeit pills that purport to mimic the effects of Oxycodone, Percocet, and other drugs and can typically be obtained at a lower cost than the genuine drugs. However, very small variations in the amount or quality of fentanyl creates huge effects on the potency of the counterfeit pills and can easily have lethal consequences. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills are commonly shaped and colored to resemble pills that are sold legitimately at pharmacies. For example, counterfeit pills known as M30s mimic Oxycodone but routinely contain fentanyl. These tablets are round and often light blue in color, though they come in many other colors, and have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Former Lieutenant Colonel of KSP Convicted of Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A former Lieutenant Colonel of Kentucky State Police (KSP), Michael Crawford, 58, of Georgetown, Ky., was convicted on Tuesday by a federal jury of conspiracy to misappropriate weapons belonging to Kentucky State Police.
According to evidence at trial, in 2016, Crawford conspired with John Goble, 68, the former coroner of Scott County, and KSP armorer, Mitch Harris, to unlawfully misappropriate 21 firearms belonging to Kentucky State Police, including 19 shotguns and 2 M1A rifles. Crawford’s co-defendant, John Goble, previously pleaded guilty to a related conspiracy between the same individuals to misappropriate 187 cases of KSP ammunition, valued at approximately $40,000, which was stored in the basement of Goble’s office.
Crawford and Goble were indicted federally in March 2021.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Col. Phillip Burnett, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ken Taylor and Kate Smith.
Crawford is scheduled to be sentenced on December 13, 2022. He faces up five years in prison and a maximum of a $250,000 fine. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
— END —
Former Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Lying on A Loan ApplicationRead 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 Hassan Moussa Fares, 30, formerly of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to making a false statement to a financial institution, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that in June 2019, Fares submitted an online application to Discover Bank for a personal loan. On the application, Fares falsely represented that he was employed full time at Company 1, that he had been employed at Company 1 for 18 months, and that his gross annual income was $60,000. As a result, Discover Bank approved the application and funded a $20,000 loan. Fares admits that he only worked at Company 1 for approximately eight weeks in 2018, earning approximately $6,540 in income in 2018. In 2019, Fares earned, at most, approximately $4,600 in income. In addition, Fares submitted a credit card application to Discover Bank, falsely stating that his annual income was $80,000. Fares also submitted a line of credit application to M&T Bank, falsely stating that he had been employed at Company 1 for 14 months and that his income was $70,000.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 9, 2023, before Judge Vilardo.
# # # #
Following Girlfriend’s Tip, Dallas Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Pornography Involving Five-Year-OldRead the Press Release
A Dallas man who filmed himself sexually abusing a five-year-old girl was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Michael Angelo Vasquez, 27, was charged via criminal complaint in July 2020 and indicted the following month. He pleaded guilty in May 2021 to production of child pornography and was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle, who ruled he should receive the statutory maximum penalty.
According to court documents, the investigation began after Mr. Vasquez’s then-girlfriend suspected he was involved in an affair and searched his iPhone for evidence of communication with other women. Instead, she discovered images of Mr. Vasquez sexually assaulting a five-year-old child.
She reported the images to law enforcement, who obtained a search warrant for Mr. Vasquez’s phone. In the phone’s Google Photos app, agents located the video Mr. Vasquez’s girlfriend described, along with thumbnails from other videos depicting child sexual abuse.
In plea papers, Mr. Vasquez admitted that he filmed at least four videos of himself sexually abusing the child and later shared the video online via an instant messaging platform.
Authorities connected the child with the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center, which provides resources for abused children.
“While the lengthy sentence this defendant received is clearly justified, the emotional and physical abuse of the innocent child he victimized is likely to linger indefinitely, “ said Jesse Woods, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Dallas. ”Proud of the work of our criminal analysts, special agents and law enforcement partners who helped end the deviant behavior of this defendant before he could harm another child. Even more important is the courage displayed by Mr. Vasquez’s then girlfriend to report him to law enforcement when she discovered the child sexual abuse materials on his electronic devices.“
Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Office and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille Sparks prosecuted the case.
Felon accused of shooting co-worker in St. Louis restaurant sentenced to 8 ½ years in prison on gun chargeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Wednesday sentenced a convicted felon from St. Louis to eight and one-half years in prison for a gun crime.
Philandias Calvin was arrested on Sept. 28, 2021 as a suspect in the shooting of his co-worker at Rigazzi’s restaurant ten days earlier. He was found with a .380 caliber Hi-Point pistol in his right pocket and three loaded magazines for the gun in his left pocket, Calvin admitted in a plea agreement. He also admitted being a felon who was prohibited from possessing the weapon.
Calvin, 37, pleaded guilty in April to a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
In court Wednesday, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Detective Deborah Hauser said witnesses and the victim told police that Calvin shot the victim seven times after a verbal altercation.
Judge Fleissig said later in the hearing that prosecutors had established that the gun found on Calvin had been used in the shooting, and said her sentence was based in part on a “quite disturbing” number of criminal offenses by Calvin in a 10-year period.
The shooting occurred about five months after Calvin’s term of supervised release ended for assaulting deputy U.S. Marshals and a U.S. probation officer in the federal courthouse in St. Louis. Calvin was being arrested at the time of the courthouse assault for violating his supervised release in a prior federal gun case and an escape case.
Calvin still faces charges in St. Louis Circuit Court of first-degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon related to the shooting.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
Federal Search Warrants ExecutedRead the Press Release
ADAIR, Iowa – On Wednesday, August 31, 2022, federal search warrants were executed at the following locations in West Central Iowa:
• 300 block of Audubon Street, Adair
• 300 block of Truman Road, Anita
• 1100 block of 4th Avenue South, Denison
• 2700 block of Highway 59, Denison
• 3000 block of 370th Street, Manning
The searches at these locations were an official law enforcement action involving agents, investigators, and personnel from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).Federal Prison Chaplain Sentenced for Sexual Assault and Lying to Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
James Theodore Highhouse, 50, a former chaplain with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) was sentenced today in federal court in the Northern District of California to 84 months in prison followed by five years of supervised released for repeatedly sexually abusing an incarcerated female and then lying to federal agents about his misconduct. Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate and Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office made the announcement.
Highhouse previously entered a guilty plea to five felonies on Feb. 23, 2022. According to court documents, Highhouse was employed by the BOP as a corrections worker and chaplain starting in 2016, and was assigned to work at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Dublin, a federal prison that houses female inmates in Northern California. In his role as a prison chaplain, he led religious services and offered spiritual guidance to incarcerated women. He also taught religious-based classes about boundaries and self-worth, with the understanding that many of the women with whom he interacted came from a background of trauma, abuse and substance addiction. At times, Highhouse also performed a custodial role, that is, he could handcuff inmates, write up incident reports and refer inmates for disciplinary action.
In imposing sentence, the judge considered the defendant’s systemic abuse of the victim as well as the accounts of other women whom the defendant subjected to sexual misconduct. The judge specifically noted the defendant’s “sustained predatory behavior against traumatized and defenseless women in prison.”
“Within our corrections system, chaplains are supposed to provide hope and spiritual guidance,” said Deputy Attorney General Monaco. “Instead, this chaplain abused his authority and betrayed the public trust. The Department of Justice will continue to prosecute cases of criminal misconduct by Bureau of Prison employees and hold accountable those who fail to protect those in their custody.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message to BOP employees that abusing their position of trust will result in serious consequences,” said Department of Justice Inspector General Horowitz. “The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General is committed to rooting out wrongdoing and abuse by BOP employees and bringing perpetrators to justice.”
“The Civil Rights Division is thankful that each of these women were willing to come forward and tell federal authorities what happened to them, even after being treated so egregiously by someone who swore a constitutional oath to ensure they were free from sexual assault in custody,” said Assistant Attorney General Clarke. “As a chaplain, this defendant exploited an additional abuse of trust to facilitate his crimes. This case demonstrates that the Civil Rights Division will not allow such conduct to occur with impunity.”
According to court documents, starting in November 2017, the victim listed in the charging document sought out Highhouse for spiritual guidance and emotional comfort. Highhouse regularly met with her alone in his office. Then from May 2018, until the victim reported him to federal authorities in February 2019, Highhouse sexually abused her, and his conduct escalated in frequency and severity over time. In so doing, as court documents set out, Highhouse used Biblical parables and the victim’s religious beliefs to manipulate her and coerce her into submitting to him. Highhouse did so despite receiving training on maintaining boundaries with inmates and attending yearly BOP refreshers about sexual abuse and prevention.
Highhouse committed sexual abuse in the chapel office, and according to evidence presented at the hearing, to keep the victim from reporting him and avoid detection, he would tell her that no one would believe her because she was an inmate and he was a chaplain.
Once the FBI and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG) opened a federal investigation into his allegations of his sexual abuse, Highhouse lied to federal agents about his misconduct. Specifically, on Feb 21. 2019, during a voluntary interview with federal agents, he knowingly made false statements when he denied engaging in sexual acts and sexual contact with the victim. Then, during a follow up interview on Feb. 3, 2020, he again misled federal agents when he continued to deny engaging in such conduct.
“Today’s sentencing is possible thanks to the brave women who came forward against their abuser,” said FBI Deputy Director Abbate. “The defendant not only abused his position to commit monstrous crimes against his victims, but also tried to coerce them into silence and lied to federal agents. The FBI will continue to fight for everyone to be free from sexual violence.”
“The FBI is grateful for the courage of all the victims who came forward to report their victimization and help bring James Highhouse to justice," said Special Agent in Charge Ragan. “The FBI worked tirelessly with DOJ-OIG to investigate this deplorable abuse of power. Civil rights is a top priority for the FBI and allegations of color of law violations will be investigated to the full extent of the law.”
The FBI San Francisco Field Office and the DOJ-OIG Los Angeles Field Office investigated this case. Special Litigation Counsel and Senior Sex Crimes Counsel Fara Gold of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Salamanca Man on Multiple Child Pornography Charges Including Production, Receipt, and PossessionRead 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 a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Robert Calkins, Jr., 37, of Salamanca, NY, with production, receipt, and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, Calkins is accused of production, receipt, and possession of child pornography. In April 2020, the New York State Police began investigating Calkins after receiving dozens of reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children referencing Calkins as possessing suspected child pornography within his Google accounts. In September 2020, State Police investigators executed a search warrant at Calkins’ E. Jefferson Street residence in Salamanca, seizing four cell phones and an SD card. A forensic analysis conducted by Homeland Security Investigations recovered thousands of images and videos of child pornography, including several images that Calkins produced using a minor victim.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
# # # #
Evansville Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Videos of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE – Chris Lynn Carder II, 36, of Evansville, Indiana, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, in July of 2019, an FBI agent working in Salt Lake City, Utah, was conducting an undercover investigation online using the social networking application Kik. On July 18, 2019, the agent was contacted by the Kik user “clcarder” and they began communicating. During their communications, clcarder expressed an interest in sex with children and sent two videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct to the agent.
The individual using the username clcarder was later identified by law enforcement to be Carder. A search warrant was executed at Carder’s residence in Evansville on March 12, 2020. Following the search, Carter admitted to FBI agents that he created the Kik account and that he used the username clcarder to send materials depicting the sexual abuse of children. Pursuant to the search warrant, investigators were able to access the data stored on Carder’s two cellular telephones and they found child sexual abuse materials on his electronic devices. The images and videos distributed and possessed by Carder included depictions of the sexual abuse of children under twelve years old and some involved sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. As part of the sentence, Judge Young ordered that Carder be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for eight years following his release from federal prison and ordered Carder to pay $6,000 in restitution to the child exploitation victims. Carder must also register as sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, as required by law.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger who prosecuted this case.
In fiscal year 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
Elmira Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jonathan Wilson, 50, of Elmira, NY, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a lifetime period of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that in March 2021, the Elmira Police Department began investigating Wilson’s involvement in online child pornography and child exploitation activity. During the investigation, Elmira Police executed a search warrant at Wilson’s residence, seizing multiple digital devices belonging to Wilson. A forensic analysis of the devices recovered more than 500 images and videos of child pornography, including images and videos depicting violence against children.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Elmira Police Department, under the direction of Chief Anthony Alvernaz, and the Corning, NY, Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 30, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. before Judge Geraci.
# # # #
El Departamento de Justicia devolverá a la República de Perú aproximadamente $686,000 de las ganancias de corrupción decomisadasRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia de EE.UU. compartirá con la República de Perú aproximadamente $686,000 de las ganancias delictivas decomisadas, vinculadas con la corrupción y el soborno del ex presidente peruano Alejandro Celestino Toledo Manrique (Toledo) por parte de Odebrecht S.A. (Odebrecht), un conglomerado de construcción global con sede en Brasil.
“Este caso es un ejemplo importante de la cooperación internacional necesaria para abordar la corrupción en el extranjero donde las ganancias ilícitas son traídas a los Estados Unidos,” dijo el Fiscal General Auxiliar Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. de la División de lo Penal del Departamento de Justicia. “El departamento está comprometido a hacer su parte para recuperar y repatriar dichas ganancias de la corrupción donde sea apropiado.”
En la causa de decomiso civil presentada en el Tribunal de Distrito de EE.UU. para el Distrito Este de Nueva York, los Estados Unidos c. $639,583.07, más o menos, anteriormente depositados en el número de cuenta XXXXXXXX1655 en el Bank of America, con un beneficiario identificado como El Fideicomiso Havenell, y todos los fondos que pueden ser rastreados al mismo, No. CV 19-5652, y una causa relacionada, los Estados Unidos alegaban que Toledo, quien fue el presidente de Perú aproximadamente desde 2001 hasta 2006, le solicitó a Odebrecht millones en pagos de sobornos, mientras él estaba ejerciendo su cargo, en conexión con los contratos gubernamentales otorgados para la construcción de la Carretera Interoceánica del Sur de Perú-Brasil (Carretera Interoceánica del Sur), un proyecto de infraestructura del gobierno peruano. Posteriormente, Odebrecht le pagó sobornos a Toledo a través de cuentas mantenidas por los coconspiradores de Toledo. Finalmente, aproximadamente $1.2 millones de pagos de sobornos fueron usados por Toledo y su familia para comprar bienes raíces en Maryland en el año 2007, por medio de una estratagema diseñada para esconder que Toledo era el propietario de los fondos y su conexión con Odebrecht. Los bienes decomisados representan las ganancias de la venta de los inmuebles en Maryland, las cuales fueron además lavadas a través de un fideicomiso y una cuenta bancaria controlados por Toledo.
La FBI investigó los casos que llevaron al decomiso de los bienes hecho por los EE.UU. y que están siendo devueltos a la República de Perú y fungió como la agencia de incautación. La Abogada Litigante Barbara Levy de la Sección de Lavado de Dinero y Recuperación de Bienes de la División de lo Penal, y la Fiscal Auxiliar de EE.UU. Laura Mantell de la División Civil de la Oficina del Fiscal de EE.UU. para el Distrito Este de Nueva York, se encargaron de las causas de decomiso civil. La Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales del Departamento de Justicia también dio asistencia con los casos.
En apoyo a las acciones de decomiso de EE.UU., la asistencia proporcionada por el gobierno peruano fue vasta y de gran envergadura. Principalmente, las pruebas documentarias dadas por el gobierno peruano proporcionaron las pruebas necesarias para decomisar los bienes ubicados en los Estados Unidos y contribuyeron considerablemente al éxito oportuno de las acciones de decomiso de EE.UU.
“El decomiso civil cumple un papel fundamental al privar a los delincuentes de sus ganancias ilícitas, sin importar sus estatus, y a pesar de sus esfuerzos para ocultar las ganancias de sus delitos cometidos en el extranjero,” dijo el Fiscal de EE.UU. para el Distrito Este de Nueva York, Breon Peace. “Esta oficina y el departamento continuarán trabajando con sus socios de las fuerzas del orden público alrededor del mundo para recuperar y devolver los pagos ilícitos que funcionarios extranjeros corruptos intentan esconder en los Estados Unidos.”
La Iniciativa de Recuperación de Bienes de la Cleptocracia está liderada por un equipo de fiscales de la Sección de Lavado de Dinero y Recuperación de Bienes de la División de lo Penal, en colaboración con las agencias de control de la ley federal, y a menudo, las fiscalías de EE.UU., dedicados a decomisar las ganancias de la corrupción de los funcionarios extranjeros por medio de decomisos penales y civiles y, donde sea apropiado, usar aquellos bienes recuperados para beneficiar a las personas que fueron perjudicadas por estos actos de corrupción y abuso de poder. En el año 2015, la FBI conformó equipos de corrupción internacional a lo largo del país para abordar las implicaciones nacionales e internacionales de la corrupción extranjera. Los individuos con información acerca de las posibles ganancias de la corrupción extranjera ubicadas en los Estados Unidos, o lavadas en el país, deben contactar a los agentes de control de la ley federal o enviar un correo electrónico a [email protected] (el enlace envía el correo electrónico) o ir a https://tips.fbi.gov/.
Dubuque Man Found Guilty of Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm as a felon was convicted by a jury today after a two-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Daniel Arsenio Rodgers, age 33, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. The verdict was returned this afternoon following about one hour of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that Rodgers knowingly possessed a Beretta 9mm handgun on June 25, 2021. On that date, Rodgers shot at a residence on West Locust in Dubuque before ditching the car he was driving. Later that day, Rodgers shot at a residence on W. 11th Street as a passenger in a different vehicle. Dubuque police officers were able to track that vehicle using traffic cameras from W. 11th Street to a local restaurant where Rodgers was arrested on an outstanding warrant a short time later. The Beretta used in both shootings was found in the vehicle in which Rodgers traveled to the restaurant.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Rodgers remains in the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Rodgers faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-1013.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Second-Degree Murder While Armed in 2021 Slaying in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Brian Foster, 40, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a charge of second-degree murder while armed for shooting and killing a man in Southeast Washington while the victim sat in his car, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Foster pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence of 14 years in prison. He is to be sentenced on Oct. 28, 2022, by the Honorable Rainey R. Brandt.
According to the government’s evidence, on Aug. 18, 2021, at approximately 12:40 p.m., the victim, Anthony Mitchell, 44, parked his car in the 3700 block of First Street SE. Shortly thereafter, Foster and two friends got into a nearby car and started smoking marijuana and PCP while listening to music. After about eight minutes, Foster got out of the car, walked over to where Mr. Mitchell sat in his car on First Street, pulled out a handgun, and, at around 12:58 p.m., shot Mr. Mitchell twice, through the closed door of Mr. Mitchell’s car. The shots hit Mr. Mitchell in the left side of his face and in his left arm, left lung, and spine, killing him. Foster then walked back to his own car, got in, and drove away, passing Mr. Mitchell’s car on the way.
Foster was arrested on Oct. 26, 2021. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Siegerist and Victim/Witness Advocate Karina Hernandez. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter V. Roman and Deputy Chief Laura Bach of the Homicide Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Delaware County Man Sentenced to over 19 Years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tyrone Smith, age 31, of Chester, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday to 235 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for his role in distributing at least 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in central and southeastern Pennsylvania.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Smith conspired to and did distribute approximately 16 pounds of methamphetamine from June of 2017 until December 19, 2020, in Dauphin, Cumberland, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lancaster, Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, and Philadelphia counties.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, as well as many law enforcement agencies in the counties where the distribution activities were occurring. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William A. Behe and Christian Haugsby prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense was life imprisonment, a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
# # #
Defendants Sentenced to Prison for Securities Fraud and Identity Theft Related to Nutech Energy Resources INC.Read the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo announced today that two men were sentenced to prison after being convicted of fraud and identity theft crimes arising from a securities fraud involving NuTech Energy Resources Inc. The sentencing hearing took place on August 22, 2022, before United States District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson. JUSTIN WALLACE HERMAN, age 51, of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to serve a total of 87 months in prison with three years of supervised release and was further ordered to pay a $700 special assessment and $158,878.86 in restitution. CHARLES “CHUCK” WINTERS, JR., age 61, of Bradenton, Florida, was sentenced to serve a total of 54 months in prison with three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $500 special assessment and $158,878.86 in restitution. Herman and Winters were convicted by a jury of conspiracy, securities fraud, and aggravated identity theft on October 8, 2021, following a 3-week trial in the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Herman and Winters conspired to “pump and dump” the common stock of NuTech Energy Resources. A “pump and dump” is a form of securities fraud where the conspirators manipulate demand for a stock and the stock’s price, and then sell their worthless shares of the stock to the public at the artificially high price. In this case, the conspirators bought control of a publicly traded shell company called EcoEmissions Solutions Inc. in January 2015 and changed the company’s name to NuTech Energy Resources. The company’s stock then was sold under the ticker symbol NERG. The conspirators released information online to portray NuTech as a company located in Gillette, Wyoming, that was operating gas wells using a patented technology. In reality, NuTech had no business, no revenue, and no paid employees in Wyoming or elsewhere. Herman and Winters used altered, backdated and forged documents to acquire 13 billion free-trading shares of NuTech common stock. Herman, Winters, and their co-conspirators then artificially inflated the market price of NuTech common stock by manipulative trading and by releasing to the public false and misleading information about NuTech’s stock and business. The false promotional information included a website, press releases, and emails containing misleading information about the company. When the market price increased based on this false information, the conspirators sold their worthless NuTech shares to innocent investors in the public market, including investors in the United States and other countries. This fraud caused over $1.5 million in aggregate losses to investors.
Co-defendant Robert “Bob” Mitchell was charged with Herman and Winters. Mitchell pled guilty to mail fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud and was sentenced in October 2021 to 65 months in prison for his role in the NuTech fraud and a related investment fraud. Florida attorney Ian Horn was charged and tried with Herman and Winters. Horn was acquitted of fraud crimes but convicted of perjury for making a material false statement while testifying before the grand jury investigating the NuTech fraud. In January 2022, Horn was sentenced to two years’ probation with six months’ home confinement and fined $5,000.
“The convictions and sentences imposed on the defendants are the result of a six-and-a-half-year investigation and prosecution, involving multiple federal law enforcement agencies, that showed these defendants defrauded investors in Wyoming and around the world,” said Acting United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo. “Our securities laws are designed to give investors the truthful disclosures they need and deserve to make their individual investment decisions. These sentences send a clear message that defrauding investors and undermining faith in our Nation’s securities markets by manipulating markets and disseminating false information about a stock will be investigated thoroughly and punished severely.”
“The sentences imposed on defendants Herman and Winters serve as a fitting capstone to a lengthy investigation and prosecution of a complex scheme,” said Ruth Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Denver Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes Wyoming. “We hope that anyone who considers using the U.S. Mail to further their criminal schemes looks to this case as an example of the effort the U.S. Postal Inspection Service will devote to protecting the U.S. Mail. Together with the Department of Justice and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we will bring cases worthy of lengthy federal prison sentences,” said INC Mendonça.
Ron Gonzales, Special Agent in Charge for the Interior Department Office of Inspector General’s Energy Investigations Unit stated, “The convictions resulting from this joint investigation are an excellent example of multiple federal law enforcement agencies working with the Department of Justice, collaboratively and effectively, to ensure that individuals who victimize private citizens and government programs are held accountable for their illegal conduct."
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Department of Interior’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Eric Heimann and former Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Szott prosecuted the defendants. The Criminal Prosecution Assistance Group of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) provided invaluable assistance in the investigation and prosecution.
Convicted Felon Indicted for Possessing A Short-Barreled ShotgunRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Timothy James Roberts (29, Hernando) with possession of an unregistered National Firearms Act (NFA) weapon (short-barreled shotgun) and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Roberts faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on the possession of an unregistered NFA weapon count and up to 15 years in federal prison possessing a firearm as a convicted felon count.
According to the indictment, on August 7, 2022, Roberts possessed a short-barreled shotgun. This firearm was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Roberts also has four prior felony grand theft convictions in state court. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case 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 Citrus County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
Colorado Springs Man Pleads Guilty to Providing Deadly Fentanyl to TeenRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Nathaniel David Corser, age 23, of Colorado Springs, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.
According to the plea agreement, on July 4, 2021, the defendant met a 19-year-old man at Cottonwood Creek Park in Colorado Springs for a drug deal they had arranged through text messages. At the park, the defendant sold the 19-year-old two blue pills with imprints which said “M” and “30.” Although the pills appeared to be prescription oxycodone pills, they actually contained fentanyl. Over the course of the next day, the victim ingested both pills. Late in the morning on July 5, the victim’s aunt discovered him dead in his bedroom. The El Paso County Coroner’s Office conducted an autopsy on July 6, 2021, and ruled his death was a result of fentanyl intoxication.
The plea agreement also states, after the young man’s death, officers found text messages on his phone which appeared to relate to him buying the pills that killed him. A Colorado Springs Police detective used the victim’s phone to communicate with the defendant, and arranged to buy five pills which he described as “30s.” After the transaction, the Colorado Springs Police Department Metro Crime Lab tested the five blue pills and determined they contained fentanyl. A search of the defendant’s apartment led to the discovery of 1,089 dosage units of 30mg morphine sulfate pills packaged in 13 small zip-top baggies with crosses on them, 108 dosage units of 200 mcg fentanyl buccal tablets in the manufacturer’s packaging, two blue tablets with “M” and “30” imprinted on them which contained fentanyl, one loaded semi-automatic 9mm handgun, and a second loaded 9mm magazine.
Judge Daniel D. Domenico presided over the plea hearing, and will sentence the defendant on December 20, 2022. Corser faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Colorado Springs Police Department’s Metro, Vice, Narcotics, and Intelligence Division (Metro VNI). Assistant United States Attorneys Peter McNeilly and Alyssa Mance are handling the prosecution.
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.
CASE NUMBER: 21-cr-00331
Co-Owner of Brandon Business Pleads Guilty to Clean Water Act ViolationRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – The co-owner of Gold Coast Commodities, Inc., who serves as vice president of the Brandon-based fat and oil recycling business, pled guilty today for his part in illegally discharging industrial waste into the Jackson Sewer System, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Charles Carfagno with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division’s Southeast Area Branch.
During court today, Robert David Douglas, 60, of Flowood, admitted authorizing payments on behalf of Gold Coast for the transportation and disposal of its industrial waste at a commercial entity in Jackson, which as a result of his negligence, caused the waste to be trucked and discharged to a facility which was not a legal discharge point designated by the Jackson Wastewater Treatment System to receive the waste.
Douglas will be sentenced on November 9, 2022 at 2:30 p.m. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Brandon Police Department, and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, with cooperation from the City of Brandon and the City of Jackson municipal governments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gaines Cleveland.
Cleveland Man Previously Serving Life in Prison Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Possession of a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
AKRON - Andre Badley, 49, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced on Tuesday, August 30, 2022, by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams to nearly 20 years in prison after he was convicted at trial of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, cocaine, fentanyl and heroin.
Badley was sentenced to the custody of the Bureau of Prisons for a period of 188 months as to Counts 1, 2, 3, and 5 of the indictment and 120 months as to Count 4, both to be served concurrently. In addition, Badley was also sentenced to 51 months in prison for violating his federal supervised release. In total, Badley will serve nearly 20 years in prison.
Badley was previously convicted in 1997 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio and sentenced to life in prison for distribution of crack cocaine and cocaine. Badley served more than 23 years of that sentence and was released in 2019 under the First Step Act.
According to court documents, on March 5, 2021, law enforcement authorities executed a search warrant at a residence known to be occupied by Badley after receiving information regarding suspected drug trafficking activity. During the search, a K-9 unit alerted authorities to the presence of controlled substances, and investigators found large quantities of crack cocaine, cocaine, fentanyl and two firearms in the residence. Then, on March 25, 2021, Badley was found to be in possession of another large quantity of crack cocaine in his vehicle.
Badley is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous conviction of drug trafficking in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.
This case was investigated by the Shaker Heights Police Department, with assistance from the DEA and ATF. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. Kolansky and Vanessa V. Healy.
Clearwater Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Xavier Jones (27, Clearwater) to 10 years in federal prison for two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He was also sentenced to 3 years of supervised release. The court ordered Jones to forfeit a 9mm semiautomatic pistol and ammunition used in the offense. Jones had pleaded guilty on April 25, 2022.
According to court documents, Jones was convicted of two cocaine related felony drug crimes in 2017, making him unable to legally possess a firearm or ammunition. However, on December 20, 2020, Jones was captured on surveillance video outside a Clearwater convenience store drawing a pistol and shooting at someone in a car across the street. Jones fled the shooting scene before police arrived but left multiple .40 caliber shell casings behind, which were traced back to him. Ten days later, Jones was arrested in an unrelated case after fleeing from police. During that incident, Jones was found to be in possession of a different loaded pistol, this time, in a backpack next to some marijuana.
Jones was again found in possession of yet another loaded pistol when he was in a car that was stopped by police in March of 2021 for traffic offenses. Jones was a passenger in that car, along with several children. A search of the car found the pistol, which was fully loaded and equipped with a laser sight, under the seat in front of Jones. While Jones denied knowing about that pistol, his DNA was found on the gun.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Clearwater Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Craig Gestring and Michael Gordon.
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.
Chatsworth Man Pleads Guilty to Stalking Charges for Sending Two Sisters Death Threats and Harassment Campaign Against TeenagerRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges, including for cyberstalking two sisters by sending them text messages that threatened them with rape and murder.
Alex Scott Roberts, 27, of Chatsworth, pleaded guilty to one count of stalking and, in a separate case brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Macon, Georgia, but transferred to Los Angeles, he also pleaded guilty to one count of cyberstalking.
According to his plea agreement, in July and August of 2020, Roberts used text messages and internet communications to place the two victims “in reasonable fear of death and serious bodily injury,” and that he intended to cause “substantial emotional distress.”
After being told by Victim 1 and her family that the woman did not want to communicate with Roberts, he created a listing on Craigslist that offered a room for rent at Victim 1’s home and invited prospective renters to “Stop by anytime.”
Roberts later sent anonymous text messages to a friend of Victim 1 that demanded Victim 1’s phone number, threatened to publish nude photographs of Victim 1, and threatened to send someone to rape Victim 1.
On August 12, 2020, Roberts sent a threatening message to Victim 1’s sister, which read, in part, “think I’m joking watch u will see. but then again u won’t be alive to see. I have a sniper at the window shall I shoot…respond or I shoot.”
In a separate criminal case first brought in the Middle District of Georgia, Roberts admitted in his plea agreement that in June 2020 he sent a series of threatening and harassing messages to a 15-year-old girl, Minor 1.
In the messages, Roberts claimed to possess nude images of Minor 1 and threatened to send the images to her parents as “payback” if she did not send him additional nude images. In response to Roberts’ threats sent via text message and Instagram, Minor 1 sent Roberts “selfie” photographs of herself.
Roberts responded by continuing to send Minor 1 harassing messages, including several messages containing edited versions of the “selfie” photographs Minor 1 had sent to him in response to his threats.
United States District Judge André Birotte Jr. scheduled a December 16 sentencing hearing, at which time Roberts will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count.
The FBI and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation investigated these matters.
Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Restrepo of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section is prosecuting these cases in the Central District of California. Assistant United States Attorney C. Shanelle Booker originally prosecuted the criminal case first brought in the Middle District of Georgia and continues to provide substantial assistance.
Career Offender Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine, Fentanyl and Illicit Pill ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, from about January 2019 through April 2021, Barry Justin King, 41, received and distributed approximately four to five kilograms of methamphetamine every month by traveling out of the district to pick up illegal narcotics from sources in New Jersey. In addition to methamphetamine, King also distributed counterfeit pills that bore the appearance of prescription pills but contained fentanyl and other illegal narcotics.
On April 27, 2021, one of King’s sources of supply, who is now a cooperating witness, advised law enforcement that they had a vehicle that contained illegal narcotics intended for King. A search of said vehicle yielded approximately three pounds of methamphetamine, 632 orange pills containing methamphetamine, 794 counterfeit Xanax pills containing etizolam, and 51 white pills containing both fentanyl and acetaminophen. Subsequently, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine from King on two separate occasions. On April 6, 2022, King was stopped at a traffic stop where a drug detection canine positively alerted to the presence of approximately nine ounces of methamphetamine, approximately 569 Fentanyl pills, and approximately 826 counterfeit Adderall pills laced with methamphetamine. King has twice been convicted before for drug distribution offenses in state court.
King is scheduled to be sentenced on January 11, 2023. He faces a mandatory minimum term of 5 years in prison and a maximum term of 40 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Mike Goldsmith, Interim Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Comstock and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Victoria Liu are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-72.
California Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Health Care Kickback ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA, Texas – A Coronado, California, man has been sentenced to federal prison for conspiring to commit health care kickbacks, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Vincent Marchetti, Jr., 58, was found guilty by a jury on Dec. 16, 2021, following a month-long trial. He was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III, on August 30, 2022.
“Taxpayers deserve to have their tax dollars spent judiciously and within the confines of appropriate laws and rules. The intentional failure to do so breeds a lack of confidence in valuable processes that ensure efficient use of money for the benefit our citizens,” said Brit Featherston, U.S. Attorney. “Kickback arrangements like these add costs, not value. Unfortunately, those costs were borne by American taxpayers. This case sends a message that no matter who you are, if you do wrong, you will be found out, and you will be brought to justice. I congratulate the prosecution team on a job very well done.”
“Individuals who participate in kickback schemes compromise the integrity of medical decision-making while increasing health care costs for everyone,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Mike Stapleton with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate such schemes and bring to justice those who steal from these programs for personal gain.”
“The defendant exploited the health care industry by conspiring with others to pay and receive illegal kickbacks in order to enrich himself. The defendant's conduct taints the efforts of hardworking healthcare workers who are dedicated to acting in the best interest of their patients,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno. “The FBI will continue to work with our public and private sector partners to pursue individuals who exploit patients and insurance holders for their own financial benefit.”
“Health care fraud is estimated to cost the U.S. over $68 billion annually,” said Lester R. Hayes Jr., Special Agent in Charge Homeland Security Investigations Dallas. “Each time a fraudulent claim or medical kickback scheme is discovered, the foundation of our national health care system is in jeopardy. Our special agents will work tirelessly to bring those to justice who attempt to defraud our health care system.”
According to information presented in court, Marchetti conspired with others to pay and receive kickbacks in exchange for the referral of, arranging for, and recommending health care business, specifically pharmacogenetic (PGx) tests. Pharmacogenetic testing, also known as pharmacogenomic testing, is a type of genetic testing that identifies genetic variations that affect how an individual patient metabolizes certain drugs. The illegal arrangement concerned the referral of PGx tests to clinical laboratories in Fountain Valley, California; Irvine, California; and San Diego, California. More than $28 million in illegal kickback payments were exchanged by those involved in the conspiracy.
In December 2019, twelve individuals from three states were charged for their roles in the kickback conspiracy. A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas returned an indictment against Philip Lamb, 47, of Scottsdale, Arizona; Nicolas Arroyo, 40, of Tempe, Arizona; Vincent Marchetti, Jr.; William Flowers, 57, of Houston; Steven Donofrio, 48, of Temecula, California; James J. Walker, Jr. a/k/a Jimmy Walker, 48, of Frisco; Timothy Armstrong, 65, of Frisco; Virginia Blake Herrin, 57, of Frisco; Patrick Ridgeway, 53, of Jackson, Mississippi; Chismere Mallard, 42, of McAllen; Dr. Ray W. Ng, 66, of Dallas; and Ashley Kretzschmar, 37, of Aledo; for conspiring to commit illegal remunerations in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute.
Philip Lamb, Nicolas Arroyo, Jimmy Walker, Timothy Armstrong, Virginia Blake Herrin, Patrick Ridgeway, Chismere Mallard, and Ashley Kretzschmar have pleaded guilty. Kimberly Willette, 61, of Friendswood, and Edwin Chad Isbell, 48, of Atascocita, also pleaded guilty to related charges.
On April 25, 2022, Nicolas Arroyo was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison. On August 23, 2022, Kimberly Willette was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison, and Patrick Ridgeway was sentenced to a three-year term of probation and ordered to pay a $100,000 fine.
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remunerations in exchange for the referral of or arranging for or recommending the ordering of items or services payable under federal health care programs. Under federal statutes, violations of the Anti-Kickback statute are punishable by up to five years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the FBI Dallas – Frisco Resident Agency, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld, Lucas Machicek, and Adrian Garcia, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent Andrus, Stephan E. Oestreicher, Jr., and L. Frank Coan, Jr., and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel E.P. Simmons.
###
Calais Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Calais man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to distribution of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
According to court records, on September 10, 2021, Samuel Staples, 27, began a chat session with the administrator of a social networking group dedicated to sharing child sexual abuse material and sent the administrator a sexually explicit image of a prepubescent female child. Based on this information, a search warrant was executed at Staples’ residence, and during the search, Staples admitted sending the image. Multiple images and videos of child pornography were also found on his cell phone.
Staples faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit, and the Calais Police Department investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: "Child pornography" captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer re-victimization each time the images are viewed. File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.cybertipline.com or 1-800-843-5678. Your report will be forwarded to a law enforcement agency for investigation and action. If you have an emergency that requires an immediate law enforcement response, call 911 or contact your local police or sheriff’s department.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
# # #
Buffalo Man Going to Prison for Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Alexis Lopez, 29, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of narcotics conspiracy, was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who handled the case, stated that on March 1, 2021, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service executed a search warrant on a Priority Mail Express Parcel, which contained approximately ½ a kilogram of cocaine. The drugs inside the parcel were replaced with sham material, and an undercover agent delivered the parcel to an address on Leroy Avenue in Buffalo, where it was accepted by Lopez. After the parcel was taken inside, agents were alerted that the parcel had been opened. Following that alert, a search warrant was executed, and agents discovered Lopez and co-defendant Ivan Irizarry-Ramos together in an apartment, from which they also recovered a digital scale, plastic packaging materials, and an electric blender with white powdery substance inside.
Ivan Irizarry-Ramos was previously convicted of narcotics conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector-in-Charge Ketty Larco-Ward of the Boston Division, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division.
# # # #
Billings man sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for trafficking meth in Montana, Idaho and OregonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine in Montana, Idaho and Oregon and was arrested after leading law enforcement on high-speed chase before crashing near Laurel was sentenced today to 15 years and three months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Robert Allen Williams, 58, pleaded guilty in April to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
“Williams was a regional drug dealer who not only trafficked this poison in Montana communities but also in Idaho and Oregon. Investigating and prosecuting drug traffickers who work across multiple states is a priority for this office, and this significant sentence holds Williams accountable for his conduct,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
In court documents, the government alleged that in April 2021, Billings Drug Enforcement Administration agents received information from DEA agents in Oregon about Williams and co-defendant Yvonne Schlichting, who were suspected of trafficking methamphetamine in Oregon, Idaho and Montana and were traveling in a rental vehicle in Montana. Billings DEA agents, along with the Montana Highway Patrol, located the rental vehicle outside of Laurel. A MHP trooper attempted to stop the vehicle, but Williams, the driver, refused to stop and led troopers on a high-speed chase toward Red Lodge. The vehicle then made a U-turn in the median and headed back to Laurel. The vehicle ran over spike strips deployed by law enforcement and continued into Laurel where it went through a red light and struck another vehicle. Officers executed a search warrant on the vehicle and found $26,976 in cash and approximately 267 grams, which is about a half pound, of pure meth. Schlichting was convicted in the case and is pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie R. Patten prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the DEA, Montana Highway Patrol and Laurel Police Department.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
XXX
Bethel Park Man Indicted in Project Safe Childhood CaseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA. - A resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating various federal child exploitation laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The three-count Indictment named Seth Hollerich, 28, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, Hollerich is alleged to have distributed material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor on or about March 18, 2021, and on or about Sept. 30, 2021. On or about Nov. 10, 2021, Hollerich is alleged to have possessed material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense(s) and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Karen Gal-Or is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Arrests Made for Transportation of Fresno County Teen to School in MissouriRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A parent and a onetime dean of a boarding school for troubled youth have been arrested for a scheme that took a teen against his will and transported him from California to Missouri, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
A federal indictment was unsealed Tuesday charging Shana Gaviola, 35, formerly of Clovis, and Julio Sandoval, 41, of Piedmont, Missouri, with violating a protective order that had been issued at the request of Gaviola’s son in July 2021. Sandoval was formerly the dean of students at a boarding school in Missouri. He was also the founder of an agency that transported minors to the boarding school.
According to court documents, in 2020, Gaviola’s son began living apart from Gaviola with another family. He petitioned for emancipation from Gaviola and obtained a domestic violence protection order against Gaviola from the Fresno County Superior Court. The order prohibited Gaviola from harassing, striking, threatening, assaulting, hitting, following, stalking, molesting, disturbing the peace, keeping under surveillance, and blocking the movements of her son, and contacting him in any way, including directly or indirectly, and from denying his use and possession of his phone.
Despite the protection order, Gaviola and Sandoval made plans for Gaviola’s son to be forcibly transported from California to Missouri. On Aug. 21, 2021, individuals acting on behalf of Gaviola and Sandoval found the minor at a business in Fresno, handcuffed him, and forced him into a car. He remained in handcuffs for over 24 hours while they drove to Stockton, Missouri. He was then held at the boarding school until his father was able to free him.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Fresno Police Department, and the Clovis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael G. Tierney is prosecuting the case. Assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Missouri and the Eastern District of Missouri.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of five 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.
Another California Man Pleads Guilty in Meth Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Stockton, California, 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.
Jose Villalobos, age 41, 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. Villalobos 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 Villalobos transported between five and fifteen kilograms of methamphetamine between methamphetamine suppliers in California that was then sent to methamphetamine distributors based in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for Villalobos on Jan. 11, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. The law provides for a sentence of not less than five years to a maximum of forty years in prison, a fine not to exceed $5,000,000, 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.