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Thursday 25 August 2022
Department of Justice Announces the Opening of Nominations for the Sixth Annual Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service in Community PolicingRead the Press Release
Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the Department of Justice is now accepting nominations for the Sixth Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing. Through this award, the Department of Justice honors the incredible work our nation’s law enforcement does to keep our communities and our country safe.
“Every day, law enforcement officers across the country work to forge and maintain strong community ties that are essential for ensuring public safety,” said Attorney General Garland. “The Department of Justice cannot fulfill its public safety mission without such critical efforts, and this award is just one way the Department says ‘thank you’ to our law enforcement partners.”
The Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing recognizes individual state, local, Tribal, and territorial police officers, deputies, and troopers for exceptional efforts in community policing. The awarded officers, deputies, and troopers will have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: innovations in community policing, criminal investigations, or field operations. Within each category, an award will be given to law enforcement agencies serving small, medium, and large jurisdictions. Those agency sizes are defined as follows:
- Small: agencies serving populations of fewer than 50,000.
- Medium: agencies serving populations of 50,000 to 250,000.
- Large: agencies serving populations of more than 250,000.
By acknowledging and rewarding these efforts, the Department strives to promote and sustain its commitment to community policing and to advance proactive policing practices that are fair and effective. With the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing, the Justice Department recognizes that the nation’s law enforcement agencies, officers, deputies, and troopers continue to work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.
The deadline for nominations is Sept. 23, 2022 at 8 p.m. (ET). More information and the application for nominees can be found at: www.justice.gov/ag/policing-award.
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Denver Company Pays $194,000 to Resolve Claims It Took Federal Minerals Without PermissionRead the Press Release
DENVER—The United States Attorney’s Office t0day announced that PDC Energy, Inc., an oil and gas company headquartered in Denver, Colorado, has paid $194,000 to resolve allegations that it drilled, and then operated, an oil and gas well that removed federal minerals without permission.
In order to access federal minerals managed by the Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”), oil and gas exploration companies must first obtain a federal lease and a BLM-issued permit to drill an oil and gas well. The federal lease includes an obligation to pay a mineral royalty to the United States for the federal minerals produced from the well. Taking minerals without permission is considered a trespass.
The United States contends that in 2015, PDC drilled a well into federal minerals in Weld County, Colorado, without first obtaining the necessary permissions. The United States further contends that PDC then operated that well for several years without paying compensation to the United States for the minerals it extracted. PDC notified the United States of this well after a prior investigation and settlement with PDC involving mineral trespass. PDC fully cooperated with the investigation.
“Federal public lands belong to all of us, and protecting them is a priority for our office,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “Oil and gas companies that wish to drill on federal lands and take minerals owned by the public must obtain permission.”
“This settlement is the direct result of the Department of the Interior’s Office of the Inspector General, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Office of the Solicitor working collaboratively and diligently with the Department of Justice to protect our nation’s mineral resources and ensure that public revenues are collected on behalf of all American taxpayers,” said Ron Gonzales, Special Agent in Charge for the Department of the Interior, Office of Inspector General’s Energy Investigations Unit.
“The BLM is responsible for the management of the public’s energy and mineral resources. We take that responsibility seriously both to ensure the public receives the compensation due and to enable stewardship of impacted lands and resources,” said BLM Colorado State Director Doug Vilsack.
This case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Wang.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Defendant sentenced to 130 months in prison for providing deadly dose of fentanyl to Imperial County High School StudentRead the Press Release
For Further Information, Contact:
Assistant U. S. Attorney Larry Casper (619) 546-6734
SAN DIEGO – Lorenzo Anthony Garcia of Brawley, 23, was sentenced in federal court today to 130 months in prison and three years of supervised release for providing the fentanyl that caused the overdose death of Josue M. Garcia Moreno, a young football player from Central Union High School in Imperial County. When issuing the sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel noted the importance of ensuring a significant consequence to deter future similar acts, stating that “fentanyl is a drug so powerful that it takes a life in the blink of an eye. There is no recovery, no redress, no rehabilitation. Just misery.”
On October 8, 2021, Garcia pleaded guilty to knowingly selling Josue, a 15-year old high school student, a substance containing fentanyl on October 6, 2019. The plea agreement reflects that two days later, Josue’s great-grandfather, with whom he lived, discovered him lifeless. Garcia admitted that Josue used the fentanyl Garcia sold him at his grandfather’s home late in the evening or October 7, 2019 or early the following morning; he further stipulated that the fentanyl he provided caused Josue’s death. At the hearing, the prosecutor noted that even though Garcia was aware Josue had died, he thereafter arranged to sell fentanyl to another individual, a circumstance that Judge Curiel found “most troubling.”
“This case is a tragic reminder that a promising young life can vanish in an instant due to a single mistake
with fentanyl,” said U.S. Randy Grossman. “It is vitally important to hold purveyors of this poison
accountable, obtaining justice and closure for family members who face such a loss.” Grossman thanked
the prosecution team and investigating agencies for their excellent work on this case.The Southern District of California is an epicenter for the trafficking of synthetic fentanyl, a drug that is
30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin, rendering even a tiny amount potentially deadly. Recently
released statistics reflect that more than 60% of the nation’s fentanyl border seizures by U.S. Customs and
Border Protection occur in San Diego and Imperial Counties.“The U.S. Attorney’s office is working with multiple law enforcement and community partners to
vigorously attack the fentanyl problem on all fronts, including interdiction, prosecution of cartel targets
and local dealers, and prevention through harm reduction and education,” Grossman said. “We are using
every available tool to combat this deadly epidemic and stop these tragic losses.” Grossman encouraged
parents to learn about fentanyl and talk with their children about the deadly consequences of taking pills
not prescribed to them. Those interested in learning more can consult an online Fentanyl Tool Kit the U.S.
Attorney’s Office helped to create to provide vital information to the community regarding fentanyl:
https://www.sdpdatf.org/community-parent-fentanyl-toolkit“In the age of fentanyl, it’s critical that we all work together to educate teenagers about the dangers of
drugs. Sadly, fentanyl cost Josue Garcia Moreno his life and the potential for a bright future,” said DEA
Special Agent in Charge Shelly S. Howe. “The DEA has resources available for parents, grandparents,
and educators at www.getsmartaboutdrugs.gov to assist in talking to teenagers about drugs. We urge
families to use DEA’s resources and to advocate for drug education classes in your schools.”Under federal law, sellers and suppliers of drugs that cause death or serious bodily injury may face a 20-
year mandatory minimum sentence. In recent years, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged dozens of
alleged dealers with that 20-year mandatory minimum offense – including today’s case.Grossman urged users who experiment with fentanyl and those who have a loved one with Substance Use
Disorder to obtain Naloxone, which can reverse the effects of opioid overdose and save lives.DEFENDANT Case Number 20cr1222 GPC
Lorenzo Anthony Garcia Age: 23 Brawley, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGE
Distribution of Fentanyl – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841(a)(1)
Maximum penalty: 20 years in prison and $1,000,000 fine
AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
El Centro Police DepartmentCrawford County man sentenced to 3+ years in prison on child enticement chargeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White on Wednesday sentenced a Crawford County man who thought he’d arranged to have sex with a 14-year-old to 42 months in prison.
In June of 2019, Jeffrey D. Williams, now 49, communicated over Kik Messenger with an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old living in Texas. Williams offered to drive to Texas to pick up the minor and bring her to Missouri for the purpose of engaging in sexual contact.
Williams pleaded guilty Oct. 28 to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor.
In addition to the conduct giving rise to the plea, Williams further admitted that in April of 2020, he drove to an Applebee’s restaurant in Franklin County, Missouri, thinking he was going to have sex with a woman and her 14-year-old daughter. Williams had actually been corresponding online with an FBI agent and was placed under arrest.
The case was investigated by the FBI. 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. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Cooke County School Bus Driver Sentenced for Child Exploitation ViolationsRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Lake Kiowa, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
David Wayne Woods, 70, pleaded guilty on March 22, 2022, to coercion and enticement of a minor and was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant.
According to information presented in court, in July 2019, HSI-Dallas agents encountered Woods at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport as he was returning from a trip to the Philippines. Agents conducted a border inspection, during which time they conducted an extraction and review of Woods’ cell phone and laptop computer. During the investigation it was determined that Woods, a school bus driver in Cooke County, Texas, had been communicating with minor females from the Philippines using a social media application.
From April 2019 through July 2019, Woods engaged in sexually explicit chats with a female who he knew was a minor. Woods messaged the child with descriptions of sexually explicit acts that he wanted to perform on her and repeatedly asked the child to take videos and photos of her nude body and to record herself engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Woods offered the child money for the videos and photos and sent wire transfers of small sums of currency when he received the videos and photos. On July 5, 2019, Woods met the child at a hotel in the Philippines, at which time he provided her with cash, chocolates, and a cellular phone in exchange for the child engaging in sexual acts with Woods. Woods then recorded the sex acts with his cellular phone.
“Woods traveled thousands of miles to victimize children thinking he could not possibly be caught for his deviant crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “In all his scheming, he failed to factor in our law enforcement partners at the airport and abroad. Members of the Philippine National Police and HSI agents stationed in the Philippines did an extraordinary job in identifying the minor victims and ensuring Woods would be justly punished for his crimes.”
“When it involves international cases of this magnitude, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is a top-tier law enforcement agency never relenting in our efforts to apprehend and convict criminals who prey on innocent minors,” said Jesse Woods, Assistant Special Agent in Charge for HSI Dallas. “This investigation illustrates how our agency and law enforcement partners across the globe worked seamlessly to end these crimes, stopping at nothing in pursuit of this dangerous child sex predator.”
This case is 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 (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations-Dallas and the Philippines, Customs and Border Protection, and the Philippine National Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Miller.
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Convicted Racketeer Who Illegally Re-Entered the U.S. Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II today sentenced Ignacio Felix-Salinas (52, Tijuana, Mexico) to 46 months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a previously-deported alien. Felix-Salinas had pleaded guilty on May 25, 2022.
According to court documents, Felix-Salinas is a citizen of Mexico and not a citizen of the United States. He was previously deported to Mexico in 2004 and 2009. Prior to his first deportation, Felix-Salinas was convicted in federal court of racketeering in connection with the trafficking of more than 12,500 kilograms of marijuana and also has two prior felony convictions in California for carrying a loaded firearm in public and, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
Convicted Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II today sentenced Jorge Cesar Ferretiz-Hernandez (42, San Luis) to 46 months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a previously-deported alien. Ferretiz-Hernandez had pleaded guilty on May 25, 2022.
According to court documents, Ferretiz-Hernandez is a citizen of Mexico and not a citizen of the United States. He was previously deported to Mexico in 2011 and 2018. Prior to his first deportation, he was convicted in federal court of conspiring to distribute approximately eight pounds of methamphetamine. In 2017, he was convicted of providing false information to a law enforcement officer to conceal his immigration status.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
Convicted Felon Who Brandished Glock Pistol with Extended Magazine on Instagram Video Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Devontae D. Hunter (25, Tampa) to four years and nine months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Hunter brandished a Glock pistol with an extended magazine in a video “story” that he uploaded to his Instagram account on September 11, 2021. Two days later, during a traffic stop, Hunter fled from law enforcement officers on foot and dropped the same Glock pistol he had displayed in the Instagram video. The pistol was configured with an extended magazine and loaded with 20 rounds of ammunition. Hunter had previously been convicted of several felony offenses, including possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, robbery, and aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Callan Albritton.
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.
Convicted Felon Sentenced on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge sentenced a convicted felon this week for illegally possessing firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Acting Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
United States District Judge Abdul K. Kallon sentenced Ervin Deangelo Fields, 31, of Birmingham, to 46 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release. Fields pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm in June 2022.
“Felons who possess illegal firearms have a negative effect on the work we are doing to drive down violent crime,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to do all that we can to protect our communities and to prevent firearms from coming into the possession of prohibited people.”
“This individual knowingly and willingly continues to illegally possess firearms,” SAC French said. “The ATF along with our local, state and federal partners will continue to remove these individuals from the communities that we serve.”
According to court documents, on two separate occasions Fields illegally possessed firearms. On January 8, 2021, Fields possessed a Canik 9mm pistol and on June 11, 2020, Fields possessed a Smith and Wesson 9 mm pistol. Fields is prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions, including theft and possession of a controlled substance.
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 ATF investigated the case, along with Birmingham Police Department and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darius C. Greene prosecuted the case.
Colorado Victims’ Rights Organization Receives Department of Justice GrantRead the Press Release
DENVER – The Department of Justice announced today nearly $50 million in Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) grants to provide survivors of gender-based violence with access to legal services and improve effective coordination of justice systems impacting victim and family safety. Specifically, OVW awarded a total of $35,659,296 to 59 grantees under the Legal Assistance for Victims Program, which addresses the legal needs of survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. This includes $600,000 awarded to the Rocky Mountain Victim Law Center in Denver. In addition, earlier this month, OVW’s Justice for Families Program awarded $14,191,208 to 26 projects that aim to improve the response of the civil and criminal justice systems to families with a history of domestic violence. The Justice for Families Program also supports supervised visitation and safe exchange of children.
“These grants will help expand access to the services and support that are essential to bringing justice within reach for survivors of gender-based violence,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Department’s Office on Violence Against Women will continue its important work to empower survivors with the resources they need to navigate our justice system, including by expanding access to legal representation, language assistance, and court-related programs.”
“These grants demonstrate that the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to fighting for victims’ rights,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “Our office has dedicated professionals working to make sure victims are heard and their needs are addressed, so that they can seek justice.”
“Legal services and systems, including family courts, have a tremendous impact on survivors’ and their families’ livelihood, wellbeing, and freedom,” said OVW Acting Director Allison Randall. “Meaningful representation for survivors is vital, but can be difficult to attain in the aftermath of violence, or when someone is still trying to find safety. Grantees under OVW’s Legal Assistance for Victims and Justice for Families Programs help survivors navigate complicated processes and potentially dangerous points along the way, including supervised visitation, protection orders, and divorce.”
In addition to addressing survivors’ civil and criminal legal needs, the Legal Assistance for Victims Program expands pro bono legal assistance for survivors. The Justice for Families Program also finances court and court-related programs, provides legal assistance for survivors, and supports training for court personnel, child protective services workers, and others.
Later this year, OVW will launch the new Expanding Legal Services Initiative (ELSI) under the Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program. ELSI will support entities that do not yet have a legal representation program and need assistance establishing one. Grantees will receive specific training to help create a legal program from the ground up, while prioritizing racial equity and underserved communities. OVW will release the solicitation for this new initiative in the fall. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations and tribal governments or tribal organizations that intend to establish a program to provide legal representation to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking. OVW will provide additional details at upcoming informational virtual events and answer questions from participants. Registration for virtual events will be added as it becomes available:https://www.justice.gov/ovw/events.
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies, and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more atwww.justice.gov/ovw.
Colombian National Sentenced to over 17 Years for His Role in Dispatching Vessels Carrying Cocaine Intended for Distribution in the United StatesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Omar Olmedo Paredes (55, Cocal Payan, Colombia) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine while on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Olmedo Paredes had pleaded guilty on March 31, 2022.
According to court documents, on June 17, 2015, and March 5, 2016, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) interdicted vessels in international waters. Each vessel was carrying over 500 kilograms of cocaine, and the USCG seized over 1,100 kilograms of cocaine from the two vessels. Crewmembers on both vessels stated that Olmedo Paredes was one of the individuals in charge of dispatching the vessels from a small inlet in Cocal Payan, Colombia. Olmedo Paredes hired mariners, put crewmembers in contact with other coconspirators in Colombia, had mariners stay at his house awaiting the launch of the vessels, provided engines for the vessels, gave orders, and resolved issues that arose. Olmedo Paredes and another individual brought the bales of cocaine to the launch site and counted them or instructed mariners to count them. Before dispatching the drug-laden vessels, Olmedo Paredes provided a captain with instructions and coordinates and dispatched surveillance vessels. The conspirators intended the cocaine to be distributed in the United States.
A federal grand jury indicted Olmedo Paredes in 2018, and he was arrested in Colombia in 2019. In 2021, Olmedo Paredes was extradited to the United States for prosecution in this case.
This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Interagency Task Force South. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael C. Sinacore.
Cleveland Man Sentenced to Prison for Providing a False Statement to a Firearms Dealer, Illegal Possession of Ammunition and Possession with Intent to Distribute DrugsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - Andre Hunt, 24, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced to 61 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Dan Aaron Polster on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022. Hunt previously pleaded guilty to providing a false statement to a firearms dealer in Ashtabula, Ohio, in order to purchase a weapon, illegal possession of ammunition and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made during the sentencing hearing, Hunt was released from prison on July 22, 2020, following a 2015 conviction in the Ashtabula County Court of Common Pleas of two counts of felony aggravated robbery.
Shortly after his release, on Aug. 21, 2020, Hunt gave a false statement to a licensed firearms dealer in Ashtabula in an attempt to purchase a pistol. Court documents state that Hunt claimed he had never been convicted of a felony when, in fact, he had previously been convicted of felony charges.
Following this incident, on Oct. 1, 2020, court documents state that Hunt was found to be in possession of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine and fourteen rounds of ammunition. Hunt is prohibited from possessing ammunition due to his previous felony conviction.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Crime Enforcement Agency of Ashtabula County (CEAAC) and the Ashtabula Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Katz.
Chippewa Valley Financial Advisor Sentenced to 84 Months for Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MADISON, WI. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Michael Shillin, 33, formerly of Eau Claire, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 84 months in federal prison for orchestrating a scheme to defraud his clients as well as committing bank fraud. Shillin pleaded guilty to these charges on May 23, 2022.
Shillin previously had been remanded into custody on April 14, 2022, because he took a vacation to St. Thomas in violation of his terms of pretrial release that forbade him for traveling outside of the State of Wisconsin.
Shillin worked as a financial advisor with clients throughout the Chippewa Valley and beyond. He pleaded guilty to a three-part wire fraud scheme in which he (1) misled his clients by telling them that they owned shares of pre-IPO stock in high-profile companies such as Space-X and Palantir; (2) misled his clients into believing they had long-term care insurance policies when they did not; and (3) misled his clients into believing they were eligible for tax benefits when they were not. As the scheme unraveled, Shillin used fraudulent collateral to obtain two bank loans in the aggregate amount of $462,000 to continue the scheme.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson emphasized the need to impose a sentence for this “pretty horrifying crime” that reflected the suffering that Shillin inflicted on his victims. Based on the record at sentencing, Judge Peterson called Shillin “resolutely dishonest” and a “very selfish person.” He rejected Shillin’s argument that Shillin lied in a misguided attempt to make his clients feel good, but instead stated that Shillin “lied to make [himself] feel good.” Judge Peterson noted that the victims should not feel bad about being defrauded because they were defrauded by a “highly skilled manipulator” who had “vast experience in deceit.”
The charges against Michael Shillin were the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration; and the Eau Claire and Altoona Police Departments. The Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions provided assistance. The prosecution of the case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary J. Corey and Aaron Wegner.
Charlotte Medical Device and Equipment Manufacturer Agrees to Pay over $780,000 to Resolve Allegations of False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Charlotte-based BSN Medical Inc. (BSN) has agreed to resolve allegations that it marketed and promoted various products that did not meet the Medicare or Medicaid program’s reasonable and necessary requirements, thereby causing the submission of false claims for payment to the health care programs, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. BSN agreed to pay $785,672.14 to resolve the allegations.
Tamala Miles, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) for the region including North Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
BSN is a medical device and equipment manufacturer located in Charlotte, that specializes in the areas of compression therapy, wound care and orthopedics. The settlement resolves allegations that from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2017, BSN marketed and promoted various products that were not reimbursable because BSN had either not obtained approval from the Medicare Pricing, Data Analysis and Coding (PDAC) contractor, or for which PDAC approval had expired, in connection with three Healthcare Common Procedural Coding System (HCPCS) Codes, specifically, E2607, L0625 and L0626.
The allegations arose from a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower under the qui tam provisions of the federal False Claims Act and multiple state false claims act statutes. Under the federal False Claims Acts, private citizens can bring suit on behalf of the government for false claims and share in any recovery. The act also allows the government to intervene and take over the action. The government conducted the investigation and intervened in this action to effectuate the settlement.
The settlement is a result of the coordinated effort between the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, a National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units (NAMFCU) Team, which included representatives from the Offices of Attorneys General from the states of North Carolina and Indiana, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina.
The lawsuit resolved by this settlement is United States et al. ex rel. Bruce Carroll v. BSN Medical, Inc., et al. (3:17-CV-480), filed in the Western District of North Carolina. The claims resolved in this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Butte man sentenced to more than six years in prison for distributing meth, fentanylRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Butte man who admitted to distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl in the community was sentenced today to six years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Cody Scott Shuler, 29, pleaded guilty in May to distribution of controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement learned from various sources of Shuler’s drug distribution activities around Butte. In January, law enforcement conducted a controlled buy from Shuler in which he sold meth and 23 counterfeit Oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl. Shuler admitted to law enforcement to making trips to Spokane to purchase drugs. The government also alleged that Shuler threatened others with a pistol and “pistol whipped” an individual.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Boston Man Indicted on Firearm and Ammunition OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for his alleged unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Victor Florentino, 27, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Florentino was released on conditions following an initial appearance today in federal court in Boston before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley.
According to the indictment, during a motor vehicle stop by local law enforcement on April 28, 2022 in Quincy, Florentino was found in possession of a Glock 9mm pistol and 15 rounds of ammunition. Florentino is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction in 2016 for firearms trafficking.
The felon in possession charge provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Dawley of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bloomfield Man Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAIME HOLT, 39, of Bloomfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 76 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for drug distribution and firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 31, 2021, Bloomfield Police stopped a vehicle Holt was driving for a traffic violation. After a narcotics K9 alerted to the presence of narcotics, a search of the vehicle revealed approximately 114 grams of crack cocaine, a quantity of marijuana, items used to package drugs for street sale, five cell phones, and a loaded 9mm handgun. The firearm was reported stolen in 2020.
Holt’s criminal history includes 12 felony convictions, including convictions for firearm, assault, drug and larceny offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Holt has been detained since March 31, 2021. On April 25, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”), and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Bloomfield Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ruff.
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.
Baltimore Woman Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Assisting in the Murder of a Woman and Her Seven-Year-Old Son During a 2015 Drug-Related RobberyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Kiara Haynes, age 37, of Baltimore, today to 25 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for two counts of aiding and abetting the use and discharge of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime and crime of violence, causing the death of Jennifer Jeffrey and her seven-year-old child. Haynes has been detained since her arrest in Texas on June 18, 2021, on a related federal criminal complaint.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief Mark K. Lewis of the Cambridge Police Department.
“The murders of Jennifer Jeffrey and her child were a senseless tragedy,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “Not only did Kiara Haynes have opportunities to prevent the murders of Jennifer Jeffrey and her child, she lied to investigators about what happened after the crimes were committed. If you threaten or harm a witness, especially a child, the full weight of federal law enforcement will be harnessed to hold you accountable and bring you to justice, no matter how long it takes.”
“Kiara Haynes had every opportunity to try and stop her boyfriend from murdering a little boy and his mother, knowing that that was part of his robbery plan. Instead, she supplied Andre Briscoe with the murder weapon, in complete disregard for human life,” said ATF Baltimore Field Division Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby. “Nothing can ever replace the loss of a loved one, but we hope that this sentencing today gives the family of Jennifer Jeffrey and her son a sense of justice. ATF will continue in our mission to stop trigger-pullers, protect victims and witness, and help create safer communities in Baltimore.”
According to Haynes’s plea agreement, Haynes helped her co-defendant, Andre Briscoe, with whom she was romantically involved, plan to steal heroin from Jennifer Jeffrey, a long-time friend of Haynes. On May 26, 2015, Briscoe arrived at Haynes’s apartment from his home in Cambridge. During the course of the evening, Briscoe explained that Jeffrey had heroin and he planned to rob and kill Jeffrey to get the heroin. Briscoe confirmed to Haynes his intention to kill not only Jeffrey, but her minor child if the child were present at the time of the robbery. Haynes offered to help Briscoe get a gun.
Haynes subsequently contacted a relative whom she knew to have a gun. In exchange for allowing Haynes to use the gun, Haynes promised to give the relative some of the stolen heroin and give his gun back. Haynes and Briscoe met with the relative’s brother, who gave Haynes a .45 caliber firearm. Haynes and Briscoe returned to Haynes’s apartment with the gun.
Later that night, as detailed in the plea agreement, Briscoe left Haynes’s apartment to go hang out with Jeffrey at Jeffrey’s nearby home. When Haynes woke up later and realized that Briscoe had not returned, Haynes got upset. Between 4:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Haynes walked over to Jeffrey’s home and began banging on the door and yelling for Briscoe to come out. Jeffrey’s relative opened the door and told Haynes that children were in the house asleep and that Haynes should go home, which she eventually did.
According to Haynes’s plea agreement, at approximately 7:23 a.m., Briscoe walked back from Jeffrey’s residence to Haynes’s apartment. Briscoe told Haynes that Jeffrey had shown him a large amount of heroin and that Jeffrey’s child did not feel well and had not gone to school that day. At approximately 11:41 a.m. Haynes overheard Briscoe on the phone with Jeffrey, who was talking about making breakfast for Briscoe. When Briscoe got off the phone, he retrieved the .45-caliber gun from Haynes’s bedroom and told Haynes that he was going to Jeffrey’s to get the drugs.
When Briscoe returned to Haynes’s apartment, Haynes asked him what had happened. Briscoe told Haynes that Jeffrey and her child were dead and gave Haynes a bag of heroin as her “cut” of Jeffrey’s drugs. As detailed in the plea agreement, Haynes returned the gun, along with the heroin given to her by Briscoe, as payment for the use of the gun.
On May 28, 2015, after a receiving a call for assistance, the Baltimore Police Department discovered Jeffrey and her child dead in their home.
In her plea agreement, Haynes further admitted that she lied to investigators and prosecutors about these events on five occasions between May 2015 and November 2020.
Andre Ricardo Briscoe, a/k/a “Poo”, age 38, of Baltimore and Cambridge, Maryland, was convicted by a federal jury on June 8, 2022, for federal drug distribution charges, use of a firearm to commit murder in relation to drug trafficking crime, killing a witness to prevent communication with law enforcement, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Briscoe faces a mandatory life sentence for killing a witness and for using a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime resulting in death, related to the murder of Jeffrey’s child. Judge Bennett has scheduled Briscoe’s sentencing for September 20, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Cambridge Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Budlow, who prosecuted the case, and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael C. Hanlon and Abigail Ticse for their assistance.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as an Armed Career Criminal, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on July 20, 2020, Minneapolis Police officers pulled over a GMC Envoy with Romelle Darryl Smith, 33, riding in it. Believing Smith was a suspect in a shooting investigation, officers ordered him out of the car. Smith told the officers he was carrying a Ruger LCP handgun with a Viridan laser attached. Police determined Smith’s identity and learned that he had an outstanding felony warrant with the Minnesota Department of Corrections. Smith was taken into custody. Prior to the July 20, 2020, arrest Smith had been convicted of four adult felonies as well as a domestic assault misdemeanor conviction, subjecting him to enhanced sentencing under the Armed Career Criminal Act.
Smith was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John R. Tunheim. On August 24, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm as an Armed Career Criminal.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Hudleston prosecuted the case.
Arizona Woman Sentenced to 30 Months on Methamphetamine Trafficking & Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Krista Sparks, 28, Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 30 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and money laundering. Sparks pleaded guilty to these charges on May 24, 2022.
The government’s investigation revealed that Sparks worked with her boyfriend, Levi Bagne, and others to mail and transport methamphetamine from Phoenix to Wisconsin. On November 12, 2019, and again on February 15, 2020, Sparks mailed packages containing methamphetamine from Arizona to co-defendant Cory Freyermuth’s residence in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The packages were seized by law enforcement and subsequent searches of the packages revealed a total of six pounds of methamphetamine.
The investigation also revealed that Sparks used her bank accounts and her mother’s bank account to launder drug proceeds for Bagne. After selling methamphetamine in Wisconsin, Freyermuth needed to return drug proceeds to Bagne in Arizona. Bagne devised a plan that allowed Freyermuth to deposit cashier’s checks into Sparks’ bank accounts. The investigation revealed that Sparks played an active role in setting up the bank accounts and withdrawing the proceeds.
A total of six individuals, including Bagne, have pleaded guilty to participating in this methamphetamine distribution scheme. Bagne’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 13, 2022, at 10:30 a.m.
The charges against Sparks are the result of a joint investigation by the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration, Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan unit, and Merrill Police Department. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.
Amsterdam Woman Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kristen Blair Hiltunen, age 37, of Amsterdam, New York, pled guilty today to sexual exploitation of a minor. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Hiltunen admitted that between April 2021 and August 2021, she engaged in a sexual relationship with a minor victim who was under 16 years of age. During this period of time, Hiltunen exchanged thousands of messages with the victim over a social media application through which she persuaded, induced and enticed the victim to take sexually explicit images and send them to Hiltunen. Hiltunen further engaged in livestreamed video chats with the victim during which the victim engaged in sexual acts.
Hiltunen, who remains detained pending sentencing scheduled for January 5, 2023, faces at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. The Court will also impose a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life, and Hiltunen will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of this conviction. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes FBI Special Agents, and state and local police investigators, including members of the Rotterdam Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel L. Williams as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Albany Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Wakeem Ricks, age 31, of Albany, pled guilty today to four counts of distributing cocaine base.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.
As part of his guilty plea, Ricks admitted that he sold cocaine base to another individual on four separate occasions in Albany in September 2021.
At his sentencing, scheduled for January 5, 2023, Ricks faces at least 5 years and up to 40 years in prison, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of between 5 years and life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the DEA, Albany Police Department, and Albany County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Segovia.
Aberdeen Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that an Aberdeen, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on August 22, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann.
Jose David Recio, age 27, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Recio was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2022. He pleaded guilty on May 23, 2022.
The conviction stems from Recio failing to register as a sex offender as required by state law between December 1, 2021, and February 15, 2022. Recio had previously been convicted of a sex offense in State court which requires him to register for the rest of his life.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
Recio was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Wednesday 24 August 2022
Woods Cross Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY- Yesterday, August 24, 2022, in the U.S. District Court, District of Utah, Landon Germaine, 24, of Woods Cross, pled guilty in two federal child exploitation cases arising out of the District of Utah and the Western District of Arkansas. In the District of Utah case, Germaine pled guilty to felony interstate coercion and enticement of a minor. In the Western District of Arkansas case, Germaine pled guilty to attempted sexual exploitation via production of child pornography.
According to the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit filed by federal prosecutors, Germaine utilized social media and cellular applications such as Kik, Telegram, periscope, snapchat, and text messaging, to solicit graphic sexual photos and videos from minor children. A review of Germaine’s electronic devices contained evidence of chats on various applications with numerous female children under eighteen years of age, and some chats with children as young as eleven years old. In these chats, Germaine provided specific instructions on what the minors should depict in the photos and videos and Germaine repeatedly offered to pay the minors money for sending him sexually explicit videos.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys from the District of Utah, the Western District of Arkansas, and Attorneys from the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. The cases were investigated by Special Agents from the FBI and officers and detectives from the Woods Cross Police Department, the Bentonville Police Department, the Rogers Police Department, and law enforcement officials from 14 additional U.S. judicial districts.
Sentencing in these matters is set for January 5, 2023.
Wilmington Daycare Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that a Wilmington woman pled guilty in federal court on August 12, 2022, to three counts of tax evasion. U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews accepted the plea.
According to court documents, Brenda Mathis, the owner of LJ’s Playpen Academy, a Wilmington daycare center, failed to declare all of the income received by the daycare on its corporate tax returns. As a result, the daycare underpaid taxes in 2015, 2016, and 2017.
Mathis faces a maximum of 5 years in prison for each count when sentenced on December 16, 2022. Judge Andrews will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Weiss commented, “Brenda Mathis’ scheme to evade taxes for the purpose of lining her own pockets was a theft from the American public. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to protect the interests of law-abiding taxpayers by pursuing those who evade taxes for their own enrichment.”
“This guilty plea is a win for all those who play by the rules,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “Mathis defrauded our nation’s tax system, a criminal act that will not be tolerated. Let her admission of guilt serve as a stern warning to anyone thinking about engaging in similar criminal behavior.”
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“OIG”), FBI, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ruth Mandelbaum and Alexander Ibrahim are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-00003.
Wilkinsburg Man, 21, Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing Drugs and FirearmsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to34 months in prison for violating federal drug trafficking and firearms laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Hazeon Kidd, age 21
According to information presented to the court, Kidd was arrested by the Allegheny County Police on May 13, 2021, after a search of the vehicle he occupied revealed four firearms, more than $10,000 in cash, and about 13 grams of a cocaine and fentanyl mixture. One of the firearms and the cocaine and fentanyl mixture were found on the Kidd’s person. Kidd was precluded from possessing a firearm under federal law because he was then an illegal drug user. Kidd was released on bond after his May 13, 2021, arrest until he was arrested again on June 28, 2021, this time by the North Huntington Police, after selling $600 worth of a cocaine and fentanyl mixture to a confidential informant. At that point, the Court revoked his bond and he is currently detained.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Bissoon stated that a portion of the sentence was attributable to the fact that the defendant was on bond from the May 2021 arrest at the time of the June 2021 offense.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Allegheny County Police Department and the North Huntingdon Police Department for the investigations leading to the successful prosecution of Kidd.
Washington residents convicted of transporting Mexican nationals who crossed illegally into United States from CanadaRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — Two Washington residents suspected of picking up six Mexican nationals who crossed illegally into the United States from Canada through a remote area in Lincoln County were convicted of charges, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
A federal jury convicted Miguel Angel Medina, 62, of Seattle, Washington, on Aug. 23 of transportation of illegal aliens following a two-day trial that began on Aug. 22. Co-defendant Leslie Patricia Rivera, 51, of Seattle, Washington, pleaded guilty on Aug. 22, before the trial began, to transportation of illegal aliens.
Rivera and Medina face a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. Judge Christensen set sentencing for Dec. 14 for both defendants. Rivera was released pending further proceedings, while Medina was detained.
“Rivera and Medina, motivated by money, transported six illegal Mexican nationals who walked across the border in the middle of winter to be picked up in the middle of nowhere. We will continue working with law enforcement to secure our border with Canada and will prosecute those who engage in this dangerous smuggling activity that exploits vulnerable people. I want to thank our assistant U.S. attorneys and the U.S. Border Patrol for their work on this case,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that Rivera and Medina picked up six illegal aliens who had just crossed the international border from Canada in the Green Basin area of the West Kootenai near Rexford, in Lincoln County, a place that was not a port of entry. Rivera and Medina had left Seattle in a rented car the prior day and drove straight through. A friend of Rivera’s had offered her $3,500 to pick up four people and drive them back to Seattle. At the time of Rivera’s arrest, she had received partial payment. Rivera paid Medina $1,000 to accompany her. At approximately 5 a.m. on Jan. 19, a U.S. Border Patrol agent was notified of persons potentially attempting to illegally enter the United States. The agent ultimately stopped a SUV with a Washington license plate on a Forest Service road. Rivera was the driver, Medina was the front passenger and six other occupants, who acknowledged being from Mexico and in the country illegally, were in the rear two seats. All eight suspects were transported to the Eureka Border Patrol Station for processing. The six illegal aliens claimed to have paid from $180 to $7,324 to be smuggled into the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol.
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Wapato Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Federal Prison for Three Homicides on the Yakama NationRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Today, Chief U.S. District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Clifton Frank Peter, 37, of Wapato, Washington, to 600 months in federal prison, to be followed by a 5-year term of court supervision after he is released, and restitution in the amount of $86,170. Earlier this year, Peter pleaded guilty to three counts of Second-Degree Murder. In announcing the 50-year sentence, Chief Judge Bastian described the murders as “horrible if not monstrous.” He also stated, “This case was senseless, pointless, [and] a horrible act – leaving three people dead and their families traumatized for life.”
According to information disclosed during court proceedings, Peter is an enrolled member of the Confederated Bands and Tribes of the Yakama Nation and has a violent criminal history. In 2011, he was convicted in Yakima County Superior Court of First-Degree Robbery with a Deadly Weapon and Theft of a Motor Vehicle and was sentenced to 36 months of imprisonment. In 2013, he was convicted of Second-Degree Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and sentenced to 9 months of imprisonment.
On June 1, 2020, Peter was at his home, which is located within the external boundaries of the Yakama Nation. Peter spent the day consuming alcohol and playing video games. He became visibly upset while playing a video game and began yelling; his family members decided to leave the residence due to his outbursts.
Peter attacked his mother as she attempted to leave, and then took her vehicle. As Peter backed out of his driveway, he nearly collided with a vehicle being driven by a person identified in court proceedings as Victim 1. Peter exited his vehicle and shot Victim 1 with a shotgun. Victim 1 died due to the shotgun blast. Peter then re-entered his mother’s vehicle and, traveling northbound, slammed into the back of another vehicle that was occupied by people identified in court documents as Victims 2 and 3. Peter got out of his mother’s vehicle and shot Victims 2 and 3 with the shotgun. Victims 2 and 3 each died as a result of the gunshot blasts.
After the murders, Peter attempted to hide the shotgun before walking to the residence of a family member. Peter told a family member that he had “done something bad,” and his family member refused to allow him to enter the residence. Deputies from the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the Yakama Nation Police Department quickly responded the crime scene, and officers apprehended Peter. Members of the Washington State Patrol arrived and assisted with the crime scene, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation assumed jurisdiction over the investigation.
U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref condemned Peter’s acts as senseless violence that undermine the safety and strength of the Yakama Nation and all of Eastern Washington: “Three people are dead. Two children have been orphaned without any immediate family in the United States. A family patriarch will never see his grandchildren graduate from high school or walk his daughter down the aisle,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Violence like this is not normal, and it cannot be normalized. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute violence throughout Eastern Washington, in the big cities and small towns, on the farms and on the Palouse, and on every Indian Nation. I commend the collaborative efforts of the Yakama Nation Police Department, the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington State Patrol, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their seamless partnership in this case, which resulted in a significant sentence. But for the families of Mr. Peter’s victims, nothing will ever be the same again. No sentence could ever bring back their beloved family members, but I hope there is some comfort in knowing that today, the Court removed from the Yakama Nation a dangerous offender whose hair-trigger response to being angry at a video game was to murder three people in cold blood.”
“The FBI, along with our partners, have made combating violent crime in Washington a priority,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the Seattle Field Office of the FBI. “Three innocent people were murdered in what can only be described as utterly senseless acts. Today’s sentence is particularly resonant, given the nature and violence of Mr. Peter’s crimes.”
This case was investigated by the Yakima Resident Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Richard C. Burson and Tom Hanlon, Assistant United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of Washington.
Violent Felon Sentenced to over 11 Years in Federal Prison for Dealing Methamphetamine While on ProbationRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Shane Theisz, 44, of Terre Haute, Indiana, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on July 28, 2021, Theisz was on state probation when Vigo County Drug Task Force officers conducted a search of his Terre Haute residence. During the search, officers found 141 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, plastic baggies, $7,195 in U.S. Currency, and two handguns: a loaded .40 caliber and a 9mm. The .40 caliber handgun was previously reported stolen. Theisz was arrested and transported to the Vigo County Jail where he admitted to law enforcement officers that the methamphetamine belonged to him and was the amount he normally obtained from his source of supply.
Theisz has a serious criminal history that spans over 13 years and involves a prior felony conviction for dealing methamphetamine in Vigo County as well as two domestic battery misdemeanors, one in which he threatened to kill a woman.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office, made the announcement.
The DEA investigated the case. The Terre Haute Police Department provided valuable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II. As part of the sentence, Judge Sweeney ordered that Theisz be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Abhishek S. Kambli who prosecuted this case.
Venezuelan Businessman Charged in Bribery and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A federal grand jury in Miami returned an indictment today charging a Venezuelan national for laundering the proceeds of substantially inflated procurement contracts obtained by making bribe payments to senior officials at Petropiar, a joint venture between Venezuela’s state-owned and state-controlled energy company and an American oil company.
According to the indictment, from at least 2015 through at least May 2019, Rafael Rixon Rafael Moreno Oropeza, 46, allegedly engaged in a scheme to obtained multimillion-dollar contracts from Petropiar by paying bribes to senior officials at Petropiar. Moreno allegedly agreed to pay a $1 million bribe to a senior official in the Venezuelan government to install another person as a high-ranking official in the procurement division of Petropiar. In addition, Moreno allegedly sent millions of dollars in bribe payments to senior Petropiar officials from accounts he controlled in South Florida. In exchange for these bribe payments, Moreno allegedly received benefits including over $30 million in payments on contracts from Petropiar to accounts Moreno controlled in South Florida. Illustrative of this, Moreno received approximately $2.7 million from a Petropiar contract to supply breathing devices, a contract whose price had been allegedly inflated to 100 times the actual cost. Moreno allegedly used the proceeds obtained from the Petropiar contracts for his own personal benefit, including to purchase real estate, a private jet, and luxury vehicles in South Florida.
Moreno is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering; concealment money laundering; international promotional money laundering; and engaging in transactions involving criminally derived property. If convicted, Moreno faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering and up to 10 years in prison for each count of engaging in transactions in criminally derived property. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez of the Southern District of Florida, Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Miami Field Office made the announcement.
HSI’s Miami Field Office and IRS-CI Miami Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Berger of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Alexander Kramer of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Klco of the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
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Venezuelan Businessman Charged in Bribery and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Miami returned an indictment today charging a Venezuelan national for laundering the proceeds of substantially inflated procurement contracts obtained by making bribe payments to senior officials at Petropiar, a joint venture between Venezuela’s state-owned and state-controlled energy company and an American oil company.
According to the indictment, from at least 2015 through at least May 2019, Rixon Rafael Moreno Oropeza, 46, allegedly engaged in a scheme to obtain multimillion-dollar contracts from Petropiar by paying bribes to senior officials at Petropiar. Moreno allegedly agreed to pay a $1 million bribe to a senior official in the Venezuelan government to install another person as a high-ranking official in the procurement division of Petropiar. In addition, Moreno allegedly sent millions of dollars in bribe payments to senior Petropiar officials from accounts he controlled in South Florida. In exchange for these bribe payments, Moreno allegedly received benefits including over $30 million in payments on contracts from Petropiar to accounts Moreno controlled in South Florida. Illustrative of this, Moreno received approximately $2.7 million from a Petropiar contract to supply breathing devices, a contract whose price had been allegedly inflated to 100 times the actual cost. Moreno allegedly used the proceeds obtained from the Petropiar contracts for his own personal benefit, including to purchase real estate, a private jet, and luxury vehicles in South Florida.
Moreno is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering; concealment money laundering; international promotional money laundering; and engaging in transactions involving criminally derived property. If convicted, Moreno faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering and up to 10 years in prison for each count of engaging in transactions in criminally derived property. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez of the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Miami Field Office made the announcement.
HSI's Miami Field Office and IRS-CI Miami Field Office investigated this case.
Trial Attorney Alexander Kramer of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Berger of the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Klco of the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.
The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Sentenced to Prison for Armed Robberies in KilleenRead the Press Release
WACO – Two Killeen men were sentenced today for their roles in armed robberies in Killeen. Roosevelt Jones IV, 26, was sentenced to 20 years in prison and ordered to pay $12,026 in restitution and Christopher Teon Fults, 29, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $9,356 in restitution.
According to court documents, from November 2017 through January 2018, Jones and Fultz robbed five area merchants at gun point. Jones was also charged with armed robbery of another merchant in February 2018.
“Those who perpetrate violence among us forfeit their freedom,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “The sentences of Mr. Jones and Mr. Fults are entirely appropriate given their crimes and the harm to their victims. I commend our law enforcement partners for their hard work and dedication to community safety.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that the FBI is committed to working with our local law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime and ensure every person has the opportunity to live and work in a safe community,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr., San Antonio Division.
On September 7, 2021, Jones and Fults both pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery and both have remained in federal custody since their arrests in October 2019.
The FBI Central Texas Violent Crimes Task Force, with valuable assistance from the Temple Police Department and the Killeen Police Department’s Violent Crime Unit, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Gloff 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.
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Tucson Man Convicted of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, a federal jury found Eric David Marrufo, 43, of Tucson, Arizona, guilty of five counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and one count of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child. Marrufo is being held in custody pending sentencing, which is scheduled for October 24, 2022, before United States District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson.
The evidence at trial showed that, between August 1, 2006, and August 1, 2008, Marrufo sexually abused the victims at his home in Tucson, on the Pascua Yaqui Indian Reservation. Marrufo is a member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe.
Each conviction for aggravated sexual abuse of a child and abusive sexual contact with a child carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pascua Yaqui Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew C. Cassell and Rui Wang, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-0976-TUC-CKJ-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-147_Marrufo# # #
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.Third Illinois Prison Guard Convicted of Civil Rights Deprivation Resulting in Bodily Injury and Death and Obstruction ChargesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict yesterday against Todd Sheffler, a lieutenant at the Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mt. Sterling, Ill., for civil rights deprivation resulting in bodily injury and death and obstruction of justice in connection with the death of Larry Earvin, an inmate at the facility, following a three-week trial and three hours of deliberations.
Central District of Illinois U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris; Federal Bureau of Investigation-Springfield Office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz; and Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly made the announcement.
A federal grand jury had previously returned an indictment against Sheffler, 54, of Mendon, Ill.; Willie Hedden, 43, of Mt. Sterling, Ill.; and Alex Banta, 31, of Quincy, Ill., in December 2019, charging them with civil rights resulting in bodily injury and death and obstruction charges.
During the jury trial before U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough, the government presented evidence that Sheffler; Hedden, who was a sergeant at the facility; and Banta, who was a correctional officer, participated in the May 17, 2018, assault of Mr. Earvin, 65, during their forcible escort of Mr. Earvin from the residential housing unit of the prison to the segregation housing unit while he was restrained and handcuffed behind his back and while he posed no physical threat to the defendants or other correctional officers. The assault resulted in serious bodily injury to Mr. Earvin, including multiple broken ribs, a punctured mesentery, and other serious internal injuries, and resulted in Mr. Earvin’s death in June 2018. After the assault, all three defendants falsified incident reports that they filed with prison officials and lied to the Illinois State Police by denying any knowledge of or participation in the assault.
Following the trial, Sheffler was convicted of all five charges in the indictment: conspiracy to deprive civil rights and deprivation of civil rights under color of law resulting in bodily injury and death; conspiracy to engage in misleading conduct; obstruction – falsification of a document; and obstruction – misleading conduct.
Hedden pleaded guilty in March 2022 to both civil rights charges and to conspiracy to engage in misleading conduct. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 21, 2022. Banta was convicted in April 2022 of all five charges in the indictment following his joint jury trial with Sheffler and was ordered detained pending sentencing. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 20, 2022. The jury in the joint trial was unable to reach verdicts as to Sheffler, resulting in the instant retrial that began on August 1, 2022. Following yesterday’s jury verdict, Sheffler was ordered detained pending sentencing. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 6, 2023. All scheduled sentencings are set to take place at the federal courthouse in Springfield, Illinois.
“We hope this week’s guilty verdict and the prior convictions of the co-defendants provide a measure of justice for Larry Earvin and his family,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “We also hope it serves as a warning to all those who would abuse governmental power. Illinois correctional officers’ brutal beating of Mr. Earvin cost him his life, and that is a loss that can never be remedied. Our prosecution of this case demonstrates our continued commitment to equal justice under the law and to protecting society’s vulnerable, including those in our prisons.”
Harris added that his office also wanted to express its appreciation for the FBI, Springfield Division, and Illinois State Police for their tireless work on the case, as well as for the witnesses who ultimately came forward and told the truth about the events surrounding Mr. Earvin’s death. He noted that actions of a few here had unfairly tarnished the reputations of the men and women in law enforcement who honorably serve their communities with professionalism on a daily basis.
Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Springfield Field Office, David Nanz said, “Illinois correctional officers are public servants sworn to treat committed persons equally with fairness and dignity, and to conduct their duties in a manner that meets the department’s highest ethical standards. Disregard for those responsibilities resulted in the tragic death of Larry Earvin. While the actions of Todd Sheffler are not characteristic of the vast majority of law enforcement, it unfortunately undermines the efforts of the officers who serve with integrity, who bear the responsibility to respect and defend the rights of those under their watch. The FBI has an unwavering commitment to investigate all federal civil rights violations to ensure that every citizen – whether free or incarcerated – can exercise their protected liberties without fear of violence.”
The statutory penalties for each of the civil rights resulting in death charges are up to life imprisonment. The statutory penalties for each of the obstruction of justice charges are up to 20 years of imprisonment.
The case was the result of a joint investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois, the FBI-Springfield Field Office, and the Illinois State Police Division of Internal Investigation, with the cooperation of the Illinois Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy A. Bass and Eugene L. Miller represent the government in the prosecution.
Texas Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Threatening a Medical Doctor Who Advocated for the Covid-19 VaccineRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Scott Eli Harris, age 52, of Aubrey, Texas, yesterday to six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for sending a threatening message to a Maryland medical doctor who publicly advocated for the COVID-19 vaccine.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
“While we are all entitled to our own opinion, no one has the right to threaten the life of someone because of race, national origin, or because of holding different views,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron. “Threats like these will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Threats of violence, especially those driven by racial animus and misguided beliefs concerning the COVID-19 pandemic will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Attorney General Clarke. “Members of our Asian American Pacific Islander communities should never have to live in fear of violence because of their race or national origin.”
“Today’s sentence should serve as a warning to those who threaten or take violent action based on belief or ideology and breaks the law, that the FBI will enforce the rule of law,” said Special Agent in Charge, Thomas J. Sobocinski.
According to his plea agreement and statements made in connection with the sentencing hearing, Harris sent a threatening message from his cellular phone to a Maryland doctor who had been a vocal proponent of the COVID-19 vaccine. Harris’ message included violent statements including “Never going to take your wonder drug. My 12 gauge promises I won’t .… I can’t wait for the shooting to start.” The message also referenced the doctor’s Asian-American race and national origin.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke commended the FBI for their work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Michael Cunningham and Trial Attorney Katherine DeVar of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/civil-rights and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Regarding Reproductive RightsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department tonight issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland following the U.S. District Court of the District of Idaho’s decision to issue a preliminary injunction blocking the enforcement of Idaho’s ban on abortion as applied to medical care required by the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). The law, Idaho Code § 18-622, prohibits abortion even when abortion is the medically necessary treatment to stabilize a patient’s emergency medical condition.
On Aug. 2, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit challenging the law on the grounds that it is preempted by EMTALA. It is set to go into effect on Thurs., Aug. 25.
“Today’s decision by the District Court for the District of Idaho ensures that women in the State of Idaho can obtain the emergency medical treatment to which they are entitled under federal law. This includes abortion when that is the necessary treatment. As the District Court ruled, a state law that attempts to prevent a hospital from fulfilling its obligations under EMTALA violates federal law and the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland.
“The Department of Justice will continue to use every tool at its disposal to defend the reproductive rights protected by federal law.
“The Department disagrees with yesterday’s decision by the District Court for the Northern District of Texas, which preliminarily enjoins the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ July 11, 2022 guidance on EMTALA and Secretary Becerra’s accompanying letter as applied to the plaintiffs in that litigation. We are considering appropriate next steps.”
The Justice Department is committed to protecting access to reproductive services. Following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs, the Justice Department established the Reproductive Rights Task Force, chaired by Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. The Task Force is charged with protecting access to reproductive freedom under federal law. For additional information on the work of the Task Force visit www.justice.gov/reproductive-rights.
St. Michael Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Three Counts of Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
Fargo – United States Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl announced that Winter Skye Bigtrack, age 19 of St. Michael, ND, appeared before Chief Judge Peter D. Welte, U.S. District Court, Fargo, ND, and was sentenced to 57 months in prison after having plead guilty to three counts of Involuntary Manslaughter and one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. Judge Welte also sentenced Bigtrack to 3 years of supervised release and $76,786.42 restitution.
On August 11, 2021, Winter Bigtrack operated a motor vehicle on Heart Road on the Spirit Lake Reservation that left the roadway and rolled, which involved another motor vehicle. As a result of the rollover, three of the five occupants of the vehicle, an adult male, a juvenile male, and a minor female, died. The fifth passenger, another minor female, suffered injuries that required her to be transported to Fargo for intensive care treatment. Bigtrack suffered a broken collar bone. The occupants of the second vehicle received minor injuries.
Further investigation revealed that Bigtrack was driving without a license, exceeding the posted speed limit, and passing in a no passing zone while under the influence of intoxicating liquor and a controlled substance.
A federal grand jury has indicted the driver of the second involved vehicle, Trina Lily Hunt, age 19 also of St. Michael, ND, on the same charges. The indictment alleges that Hunt was driving a motor vehicle without a license while under the influence of intoxicating liquor and a controlled substance at high speeds exceeding the posted speed limit, and otherwise driving recklessly.
Grand jury Indictments are allegations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the North Dakota Highway Patrol, and the case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, with Assistant United States Attorney Lori H. Conroy assigned to the case.
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St. Louis man gets 11+ years for 2020 carjackingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a St. Louis man who carjacked a woman and stole her phone in 2020 to 11 years and two months in prison.
Mautaveus Ayers, 27, stole a Volkswagen Tiguan at gunpoint on Jan. 16, 2020 from a woman who had just parked at an apartment complex in the 1200 block of Olive Street in St. Louis. Ayers also stole the driver’s cell phone.
About an hour later, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers spotted the stolen SUV in the drive-thru lane of a fast-food restaurant in the 4900 block of Natural Bridge Avenue. Ayers sped off, eventually abandoning the vehicle in East St. Louis and running away with a gun, he admitted in a plea agreement.
Ayers, a convicted felon, pleaded guilty in March to three felonies: carjacking, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was on supervised release in a 2013 federal gun case at the time of the crime.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer L. Szczucinski prosecuted the case.
St. Louis man charged with shooting woman during attempted carjackingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis was indicted Wednesday on charges accusing him of shooting a woman while attempting to take her car outside of a north St. Louis Walgreens earlier this month.
The indictment alleges that Loyse Dozier, 20, attempted to take a 2019 Kia Optima by force and violence on August 1, and fired a gun in furtherance of that crime. Dozier, a previously convicted felon, was then caught with a firearm on August 10, the indictment says.
Dozier was indicted on charges of attempted carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, brandishing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and possession of a firearm as a previously convicted felon.
A criminal complaint filed prior to the indictment alleges that the woman was sitting in her car in the parking lot of the Walgreens at 1400 North Grand Boulevard when someone approached and demanded her keys at gunpoint. The woman was shot multiple times despite handing over her keys. An off-duty Florissant Police officer working security inside the store heard the gunshots and ran outside, at which time the gunman exited the car and fled. During the investigation, a cell phone that did not belong to the woman was found in her car. After obtaining a search warrant, investigators reviewed the contents of the cell phone, which indicated it belonged to Dozier.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Martin is prosecuting the case.
Southfield Man Sentenced to Prison for Stealing Identities and $400,000 in Pandemic Aid MoneyRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A Southfield man was sentenced today to 5 years in federal prison on charges of wire fraud and identity theft in connection with a scheme to defraud and obtain more than $400,000 in unemployment insurance benefits from the states of Michigan and Pennsylvania, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Joining in the announcement were James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Detroit Field Office, and Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General
Samuel Baker, 39, of Southfield, was sentenced by United States District Judge Paul D. Borman in United States District Court in Detroit this afternoon.
According to the court documents, beginning on or about May 8, 2020, and continuing through at least July 28, 2020, Baker submitted fraudulent applications for $370,000 in unemployment insurance benefits in Michigan and Pennsylvania. Baker also successfully obtained a fraudulent $47,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) from the Small Business Administration. Baker submitted the unemployment claims by stealing the identities of numerous individuals, including using their Social Security Numbers. Baker directed the benefits to be paid out via debit cards and then used these cards to repeatedly withdrawal the funds via ATMs throughout Metro Detroit. At the time of his arrest, federal agents seized $187,000 in cash from Baker, as well as four Rolex watches and ten gold coins.
“We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute thefts from a multitude of federal assistance programs. Individuals who stole money from the government during the pandemic should know that they will be held accountable. We are actively working a number of these cases and we will continue to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice,” stated U.S Attorney Ison.
"Samuel Baker defrauded multiple state workforce agencies by filing for unemployment insurance benefits in the names of identity theft victims, which resulted in a loss of more than $365,000. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and state workforce agencies to protect the integrity of unemployment insurance benefit programs," said Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
Baker was also ordered to pay restitution to the victim-states and the Small Business Administration in the total amount of $414,454. Likewise, he forfeited his interest in the $187,000 in cash that was seized, as well as the Rolexes and gold coins.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the Bloomfield Township Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Particka.
Shreveport Police Department Officer Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that a Shreveport Police Department (SPD) officer has been indicted by a federal grand jury. The indictment, which was returned today, charges James Cisco, 51, of Shreveport, with six counts of wire fraud.
The indictment alleges that beginning on or about January 6, 2020, and continuing through on or about at least January 19, 2021, Cisco knowingly devised a scheme to defraud the City of Shreveport out of funds which were designated for overtime pay to SPD officers. It is alleged that Cisco claimed overtime for which he had not worked and received payments for unworked overtime.
It is alleged in the indictment that Cisco submitted falsified reports to the SPD stating he worked overtime hours for the SPD on the Community-Based Crime Reduction (CBCR) Grant and certified that he had worked the hours. It is further alleged in the indictment that on three of the dates Cisco submitted falsified reports, the SPD mobile device assigned to him was in the East Texas area during the same period he claimed to be working overtime in Shreveport for the SPD. The indictment also alleges that on five other occasions, Cisco submitted falsified reports claiming to have worked overtime, and records show that he was working at an off-duty job for another company at the same time.
The Innovations in Community-Based Crime Reduction (CBCR) Program is administered by the Department of Justice and seeks to reduce crime and improve community safety in distressed, high-crime neighborhoods. As part of the program, CBCR awards grants to local and tribal communities to be used for overtime for police officers. The City of Shreveport received a CBCR award grant which was used in 2020 to pay for officers with the SPD to work overtime details and provided officers with 1.5 times their regular rate of pay for overtime hours worked.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, Cisco faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
This is an ongoing investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice-Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg.
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Shelby County Woman Sentenced to More than Three Years in Prison for Stealing from HOAs and EmployerRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Shelby County woman was sentenced yesterday for embezzling from her employer and the homeowners’ associations they managed, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr.
United States District Judge Karon O. Bowdre sentenced Aimee Louise Statham, 47, of Chelsea, to 40 months in prison for wire fraud. Statham pleaded guilty to the charge in April.
According to the plea agreement and evidence presented in advance of sentencing, between January 2018 and August 2021, Statham embezzled from her employer, Rouland Management Services (RMS), and the homeowners’ associations that RMS managed. Statham issued hundreds of unauthorized checks made payable to herself from the bank accounts of various HOAs, and she made unauthorized interbank electronic money transfers of funds between HOA bank accounts and RMS’ bank account, which she would then transfer to herself. To perpetuate and conceal her scheme, Statham altered the HOAs’ monthly bank statements by removing the unauthorized transactions. Statham used the stolen funds to feed her gambling addiction. The total loss exceeded $1.4 million.
“This defendant stole money from thousands of innocent homeowners for more than three years,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “I am hopeful that this sentence sends a message to our community that this office will not tolerate those who steal from innocent victims for personal gain.”
“For over three years Statham chose to steal money intended for the upkeep of neighborhoods to feed her gambling addiction,” SAC Sharp said. “She will now have over three years behind bars to think about the gamble she took. My advice: don’t bet against the FBI to bring you to justice.”
FBI investigated the case, with assistance from the Pelham Police Department and the United States Secret Service Cyber Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Rummage prosecuted the case.
Seattle man charged federally for possessing a ghost gun and drugs in stolen vehicleRead the Press Release
Seattle – A resident of Seattle was charged federally today with four federal felonies connected to his possession of a so-called “ghost gun” and drugs in a stolen vehicle, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Jade B. Irey was arrested at an auto parts store in Kent, Washington on March 24, 2022. He was brought into federal custody on August 23, 2022, and will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court this afternoon in Seattle.
“The prevalence of ghost guns in our communities is serious problem,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “Unregistered, fully automatic, and with an extended magazine, this weapon and others like it do not belong in anyone’s hands, let alone those engaged in the drug trade on our streets.”
According to the criminal complaint, Irey was under investigation for a December 2021 burglary in Bellevue, after he apparently dropped his cell phone while leaving the scene. The resident turned the cell phone over to police. Bellevue Police put Irey under surveillance, following him and an associate from his residence in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle to stops throughout the area. When a records check indicated the vehicle Irey was driving was stolen, police arrested Irey inside the auto parts store in Kent. A search of the car turned up the ghost gun and a pouch containing methamphetamine, black tar heroin, and 700 suspected fentanyl pills. Using court authorized search warrants, investigators reviewed information on Irey’s electronic devices detailing his drug sales and ownership of the firearm.
Irey is charged with unlawful possession of a machine gun, possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Irey is prohibited from possessing firearms due to three felony convictions from 2018 in King County Superior Court. Irey was convicted of residential burglary, residential burglary and trafficking in stolen property, and residential burglary and identity theft.
The federal gun charges are punishable by up to ten years in prison. The drug distribution charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Possession of firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime is punishable by a mandatory minimum five years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence.
The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Bellevue Police Department Special Operations Unit with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.
Rocky Mount Gang Leader Sentenced to More than 27 Years in Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A Rocky Mount man was sentenced today to 335 months in prison for leading a conspiracy to sell cocaine, crack, and other controlled substances. Terrence Brandon Mabry, 32, pled guilty on January 23, 2020.
“I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina for their diligent work in assisting Nash County Sheriff’s Office in the quick prosecution of major drug traffickers and violent offenders that bring our communities down,” said Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone. “The collaboration between law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s office is a partnership that keeps our communities safe.”
“The Rocky Mount Police Department appreciates our partnership with our federal and local partners,” said Rocky Mount Police Chief Robert Hassell. “RMPD will remain vigilant in our efforts to reduce crime and continue working with our partners to identify, investigate, charge, and prosecute anyone participating in drugs, gangs, guns, and other crimes of violence.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Mabry ran a drug distribution operation out of a house located at 120 Lisa Court in Rocky Mount. Law enforcement officers conducted over a dozen undercover purchases of controlled substances from Mabry and his co-conspirators between November 2015 and April of 2018. On April 25, 2018, investigators executed a search warrant at Mabry’s house and seized cocaine, cash, a stolen .40 caliber Glock, and assorted ammunition. During the course of the investigation, Mabry was also identified as a high-ranking member of the “G-Shine” set of the United Blood Nation gang.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Rocky Mount Police Department, and Nash County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Webb prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:18-CR-485-FL-1.
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Recidivist Armed Bank Robber Sentenced to 25 YearsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Washington, D.C. man was sentenced today to 25 years in federal prison for brandishing a firearm during a January 2021 bank robbery he committed less than a year after being released from prison for a previous string of armed bank robberies.
According to court documents, between 2007 and 2008, Amobi Chibuza Agu, 37, committed seven armed bank robberies in the Eastern District of Virginia and the District of Maryland. Court records show Agu was convicted in federal court of armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in 2008 and was sentenced to prison, where he remained until March 2020.
According to court filings, on the morning of January 2, 2021, Agu robbed the Bank of America located in Dulles Crossing Plaza in Sterling. During the course of the robbery, Agu brandished a handgun at a bank teller and an unarmed security guard.
Agu was convicted of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a federal crime of violence, second offense. As part of his guilty plea, Agu also admitted to robbing two Maryland jewelry stores at gunpoint in January 2021.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Michael L. Chapman, Loudoun County Sheriff; Marcus Jones, Montgomery County Chief of Police; and Malik Aziz, Chief of Prince George’s County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Blanchard and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Kramer prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-228.
Pound, Va. Man Convicted as Part of Massive Scheme to Steal Pandemic Unemployment BenefitsRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Pound, Virginia man on August 11, 2022 for conspiring to steal pandemic unemployment benefits as part of a larger scheme involving at least 37 other co-conspirators.
Danny L. Mullins Jr., 50, was convicted following a two-day jury trial of conspiracy to defraud the United States, fraud in connection with federal emergency benefits, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, mail fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Mullins received more than $18,000 in fraudulent benefits by conspiring with others, including his sister, Veronica Mullins, and conspiracy leaders Danielle Chytka, Greg Tackett, and Jeffrey Tackett, to input his personally identifiable information to the Virginia Employment Commission in order to receive pandemic unemployment benefits to which he was not entitled.
In all, the conspiracy involved submitting fraudulent claims for approximately 37 individuals, including multiple inmates incarcerated in southwest Virginia regional jails, all of whom were not eligible to receive pandemic unemployment benefits, and causing at least $499,000 in false claims to be paid.
Mullins will be sentenced on November 7, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia, Syreeta Scott, Special Agent-in-Charge, Philadelphia Region, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, and Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office made the announcement.
The Department of Labor - Office of the Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation - Washington, D.C. Field Office, the Norton Police Department investigated the case. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel J. Murphy and Lena Busscher prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Possession of Methamphetamine and Firearms Leads to 15-Year Sentence for Hahnville ManRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – Delon Scott, 34, of Hahnville, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. Scott was sentenced to 180 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, on drug trafficking and possession of firearms charges.
Scott pleaded guilty May 17, 2022 to a Bill of Information charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to evidence presented to the court, Scott was stopped by a Mangham, Louisiana police officer on December 8, 2020 for speeding. During the course of the traffic stop, law enforcement officers developed probable cause to search the vehicle. Inside the vehicle, officers found methamphetamine, a pocket scale and Ziploc bags. In addition, the following four firearms were found underneath the hood of the vehicle: a Taurus 9mm pistol, a Glock 9mm pistol, a FEG PA-63 9x18mm pistol, and a Smith and Wesson Bodyguard .380 pistol.
The seized narcotics were sent to the North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory for analysis and their testing confirmed that the amount of pure methamphetamine exceeded 50 grams.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office and Mangham Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy.
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Perry Man Convicted of Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – A federal jury in Tallahassee convicted Beyah Islam Basha, 44, of Perry, Florida, of two counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and conspiracy to distribute or possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The guilty verdict, returned yesterday, at the conclusion of a two-day trial, was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Evidence introduced during the trial revealed that Basha sold drugs to confidential sources working for law enforcement on multiple occasions: on July 7, 2021, a confidential source purchased approximately ¼ ounce of methamphetamine from Basha at his residence; on August 12, 2021, a second confidential source purchased approximately ¾ ounce of methamphetamine from Basha at his residence; on August 20, 2021, the second confidential source purchased an ounce of methamphetamine from Basha at his residence; and on August 25, 2021, an undercover DEA agent accompanied the second confidential source as they purchased 3 ounces of methamphetamine from Basha at his residence. During the period of the controlled purchases, Basha was on house arrest for prior state court drug charges. Several cooperating witnesses testified that Basha had sold them methamphetamine from his home. One witness also described how Basha had provided them with $4000 and directions to purchase 9 ounces of methamphetamine in Tallahassee, given his travel limitations.
Basha’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 14, 2022, at 11:00 a.m., at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor. Basha faces twenty-five years to life imprisonment, ten years to life supervised release, and a fine of up to $20,000,000.
This conviction resulted from a joint investigation by the Perry Police Department, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain prosecuted the case.
The prosecution, part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) OCDETF, is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to take down criminal organizations and seize assets.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Pamlico County Man Sentenced for Dealing DrugsRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Bayboro man was sentenced yesterday to 70 months in prison for distributing more than 28 grams of crack on multiple occasions. On May 17, 2022, George Henry Midgette, also known as “Jersey George,” pleaded guilty to the charges.
Midgette, 62, was first identified as a Pamlico County drug dealer in 2017. Law enforcement went on to execute a series of drug buys from Midgette at different locations throughout Pamlico County. The investigation culminated in Midgette’s arrest by the Pamlico County Sheriff’s Office on September 20, 2021. Midgette also had previous convictions for drug crimes in North Carolina, Maryland, and New York.
This investigation is part of operation “Last Call” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. Operation Last Call targeted individuals engaged in the distribution of controlled substances throughout Pamlico County and surrounding areas. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, 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.
Michael F. Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Pamlico County Sheriff’s Office, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, United States Drug Enforcement Administration, and Department of Homeland Security investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-cr-00072-M-1.
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Oxnard Man Pleads Guilty to Wildlife Smuggling and Trafficking Charges for Illegally Importing More Than 1,700 Animals into U.S.Read the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Ventura County man pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for illegally importing into the United States more than 1,700 wild animals – including 60 reptiles found hidden in his clothes earlier this year at the United States-Mexico border.
Jose Manuel Perez, a.k.a. “Julio Rodriguez,” 30, of Oxnard, pleaded guilty to two counts of smuggling goods into the United States and one count of wildlife trafficking.
According to his plea agreement, from January 2016 to February 2022, Perez and his accomplices used social media to arrange for the smuggling of wildlife – primarily reptiles – into the United States, typically from Mexico.
The smuggled animals – which included Yucatan box turtles, Mexican box turtles, baby crocodiles and Mexican beaded lizards – were imported into the United States from Mexico and Hong Kong without declaring them to U.S. customs officials or obtaining permits required by an international treaty known as the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
For the animals smuggled from Mexico, Perez’s accomplices retrieved the wildlife from Ciudad Juarez International Airport in Mexico and smuggled the animals by car to El Paso, Texas. Perez’s accomplices were paid a “crossing fee” for each border crossing – the amount of which depended on the number of animals transported, the size of the package, and the risk of being detected by the authorities. Perez then had the animals shipped to his family’s residence in Ventura County, where he resold the animals to customers across the United States. Throughout the process, Perez used the alias “Julio Rodriguez” to conceal his involvement in the scheme.
On other occasions, Perez himself traveled to Mexico to obtain wildlife. He rented a house in Tijuana and crossed into the United States from Mexico at the San Ysidro Port of Entry approximately 36 times from February 2021 to February 2022. On February 25, 2022, Perez was arrested while attempting to enter the United States with 60 reptiles on his person, hidden in his clothing in small bags. Three of the reptiles died during his smuggling attempt.
On May 16, 2022, Perez was ordered released on bond. On June 5, the day before a court hearing he had requested, Perez removed his ankle bracelet used for court-ordered location monitoring and fled to Tijuana. On June 16, Perez was apprehended in Mexico. Perez was returned to the United States on June 16 and has remained in custody since then.
Law enforcement estimates that the wildlife smuggled by Perez had a total market value exceeding $739,000.
United States District Judge Fernando M. Olguin scheduled a December 1 sentencing hearing, at which time Perez will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each smuggling count and up to five years in federal prison for the wildlife trafficking count.
Stephany Perez, 26, also of Oxnard, Jose Perez’s sister and co-defendant, is scheduled to go on trial in this case in February 2023.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service investigated this matter. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Homeland Security Investigations provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew W. O’Brien and Brian R. Faerstein of the Environmental and Community Safety Crimes Section and Senior Trial Attorney Gary N. Donner of the Environmental Crimes Section of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division are prosecuting this case.