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Friday 19 August 2022
Texas Prisoner Indicted on Federal Drug Trafficking Crimes Related to Prison Yard Drone DropsRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Texas prison inmate man has been arrested and charged with federal violations related to a drone drop scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Yeshmel James Wright, 35, of Dallas, is named in the 11-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas on Feb. 9, 2022. The indictment alleges the individuals conspired to use drones and mail to smuggle drugs and contraband such as cellular phones in to prisons in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. In all, 42 individuals have been indicted on multiple counts of conspiracy to distribute drugs, including heroin, methamphetamine, and synthetic marijuana; money laundering; firearms violations; operating an aircraft to further drug trafficking; and Hobbs Act robbery. The seizure has resulted in the seizure of multiple kilograms of methamphetamine, heroin, “M30” fentanyl pills, and synthetic marijuana. Additionally, approximately $150,000 in cash, jewelry and vehicles have been seized.
Wright is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute synthetic marijuana. He appeared in federal court this week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine Nowak.
If convicted, Wright faces up to life in federal prison.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Office of Inspector General; U.S. Marshals Service; IRS-Criminal Investigations; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Lewisville Police Department; Little Elm Police Department; and Dallas Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Rattan.
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Taos Pueblo man indicted for aggravated sexual assaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Amadius Archuleta was arraigned on Aug. 18 on an indictment charging him with aggravated sexual assault in Indian Country. Archuleta, 22, of Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the indictment and other court records, on July 2, Archuleta contacted a 14-year-old victim, identified as Jane Doe, through Instagram. Archuleta allegedly invited the victim to meet. When they met later that evening, Archuleta allegedly led the victim to an abandoned house to smoke marijuana and provided her with alcohol. Though the victim told Archuleta that she had only recently turned 14 years old, Archuleta allegedly initiated sexual contact with the victim. Jane Doe asked Archuleta to stop, but he allegedly forcibly engaged in sexual conduct with the victim.
Jane Doe was taken to Holy Cross Hospital in Taos for examination, then transported to Solace Crisis Treatment Center in Santa Fe.
Archuleta and Jane Doe are both enrolled members of the Pueblo of Taos, and the alleged offense was committed in the Taos Pueblo.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Archuleta faces a minimum of 30 years and up to life in prison in prison.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
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Tallahassee Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – William K. Gordon, Jr., 28, originally of Cairo, Georgia, but living in Tallahassee, Florida, at the time of his arrest, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of distribution of more than 50 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine, and one count of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Methamphetamine distribution is a scourge on large and small communities of our district,” stated U.S. Attorney Coody. “We are committed to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and aggressively prosecute recidivist offenders who continue to distribute such these addictive, controlled substances. This sentence is further proof of this resolve.”
Evidence introduced at the sentencing hearing demonstrated that Gordon was obtaining methamphetamine from Georgia and selling it in Tallahassee, Florida. On March 17, 2021, members of the North Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Capital Area Drug Response & Evaluation (CADRE) Initiative used a confidential source to purchase two ounces of methamphetamine from Gordon. Three days later, Gordon fled from officers of the Tallahassee Police Department, who were able to catch and arrest him. TPD officers found that Gordon had $2705 in his pants pocket at the time of his arrest, including twenty of the bills used for the March 17 controlled purchase. Despite being released on bond for his state charges, Gordon continued his narcotics distribution activities. On August 4, 2021, the North Florida HIDTA CADRE Initiative used a second confidential source to purchase three additional ounces of methamphetamine from Gordon. When arrested on August 6, 2021, officers identified and recovered 23 of the bills from Gordon which were used during the August 4 controlled purchase.
“Methamphetamine is a dangerous synthetic drug that has an incredibly destructive effect on our communities,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “The DEA Miami Field Division remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure Florida communities remain safe and healthy.”
Gordon’s federal prison sentence will be followed by 15 years of supervised release.
“The arrest and conviction of William K. Gordon is a major step in getting some of the most addictive and deadly drugs out of Leon County,” said Sheriff Walt McNeil. “I am grateful for the hard work of our deputies and detectives who assisted in this case. LCSO and our law enforcement partners will continue to work closely to identify, arrest and prosecute these dealers to keep our communities safe.”
This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the North Florida HIDTA CADRE Initiative, with assistance from the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and the Tallahassee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain prosecuted the case.
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.
Syracuse Woman Sentenced to 111 Months for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Chantal Jaquez, age 20, of Syracuse, was sentenced yesterday to serve 111 months in federal prison for robbing a Syracuse convenience store and brandishing a semi-automatic rifle in furtherance of the robbery, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), United States Marshal David McNulty, Chief Joseph Cecile, City of Syracuse Police Department (SPD), and William Fitzpatrick, Onondaga County District Attorney.
As part of her previous guilty plea to robbery of a business engaged in interstate commerce (the Hobbs Act) and using a firearm in furtherance of a federal crime of violence, Jaquez admitted that on December 21, 2020, at about 10:45 am, she and another person robbed a convenience store in Syracuse, NY. During the robbery, the other robber carried a handgun and Jaquez carried a rifle. Jaquez went behind the counter where the clerk was standing and pointed the rifle at the clerk. While fleeing the store, the other robber fired several rounds from his handgun at the store clerk. One of the bullets struck Jaquez in the leg.
Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also sentenced Jaquez to a five-year term of supervised release to begin after she serves her term of imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Syracuse Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division (SPD-CID), the SPD Intelligence Section (SPD-Intel), the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, and the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Sutcliffe.
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.
Statement by Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco on the Sentencing of El Shafee ElsheikhRead the Press Release
Today, the men and women of the Department of Justice and our criminal justice system delivered justice. Today, we remember the four Americans for whom it was delivered: James Foley, Kayla Mueller, Steven Sotloff, and Peter Kassig. Each was in Syria serving others when they were taken hostage and murdered by ISIS—James and Steven were there to report on the brutality of ISIS and Kayla and Peter to help those suffering under its rule. They were targeted and ultimately murdered because they stood for the very principle ISIS feared the most: freedom.
The sentence imposed today brings to a close a long investigation of a barbaric enemy, but it does not erase the heartbreak of the Foley, Mueller, Sotloff, and Kassig families. For years, I have personally witnessed and been inspired by their strength and resolve to seek accountability for the horrors their loved ones were forced to suffer and to improve and shape the policy of their government so that other families might not endure the same pain. Their relentless pursuit of justice, in the face of unimaginable pain, has inspired the men and women of the Department of Justice—namely the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, and the National Security Division—to investigate and prosecute this case with the same determination.
Today is a reminder of the Justice Department’s unshakeable commitment to combatting terrorism around the world. It should also serve as a warning to those who dare to threaten Americans that, no matter where you hide or how long it takes, we will find you, and we will bring you to justice.
St. Petersburg Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Thomas Coelho (53, St. Petersburg) to 10 years in federal prison for wire fraud. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $1.8 million, the proceeds of the wire fraud scheme. Coelho had pleaded guilty on March 24, 2022.
According to court documents, Coelho recruited investors for a business opportunity that purportedly involved Coelho using investor funds to purchase event tickets and then resell those tickets to third parties at a profit. Coelho, who held himself out to be a lawyer and a Wharton School of Business graduate, used his association with persons and entities in the entertainment industry to give the appearance of the means and ability to acquire tickets to certain high-profile events (which could then be resold). Instead of using investors’ money to further the purported business, however, Coelho primarily used the funds for personal expenses, entertainment, and cash withdrawals. Coelho created fraudulent documents, including wire transfer receipts, to convince his victims the funds were properly invested and to continue to induce new victim investments. During the course of the scheme, Coelho defrauded three victims out of a total of more than $1.8 million.
At the time of his arrest, Coelho, formerly known as Thomas Jurewitz, had been arrested more than 15 times for fraud-related incidents. He had three outstanding arrest warrants, dating back 20 years, under his prior name. He also faced several civil judgments, largely from failed business ventures.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Jones.
Son of gun trafficker sentenced for role in exporting firearms to MexicoRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The 18th member of a trafficking cell responsible for sending hundreds of firearms to transnational criminal organizations in Mexico has been ordered to federal prison for his role in the scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Guillermo Gomez-Lazcano, 26, a Mexican national who illegally resided in Houston, pleaded guilty April 6 to being an alien in possession of a firearm, possessing a machine gun and participating in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Today, U.S. Circuit Judge Gregg Costa ordered Gomez-Lazcano to serve a total of 200 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted how many dangerous weapons were being sent to very dangerous people in Mexico that ultimately destroyed many families.
Gomez-Lazcano is the son of Gustavo Gomez-Valenzuela, the leader of the gun trafficking organization that was unlawfully exporting firearms to Mexico. Gomez-Valenzuela had pleaded guilty to eight counts related to the scheme, admitting to providing funds to purchase hundreds of firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition, smuggling both firearms and ammunition to Mexico, possessing firearms and selling kilogram quantities of meth.
Co-conspirators purchased firearms from Khalid Abdulaziz, the owner and manager of Zeroed In Armory to send to Gomez-Valenzuela. While acting in the capacity of a federal firearms licensee in Houston, Abdulaziz sold the majority of the firearms to others in the cell. Several have also pleaded guilty, admitted to making false statements in the purchase of firearms.
As a result of the scheme, they purchased approximately 500 firearms which were ultimately trafficked to transnational criminal organizations in Mexico. To date, authorities have recovered over 60 firearms in Mexico, the majority of which were being used in acts of violence.
Gomez-Lazcano will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Abdulaziz, 34, Manvel, and Gomez-Valenzuela, 49 and illegally residing in Houston, were sentenced to 10 and 30 years in prison, respectively. Other prison sentences have ranged from 18 months to more than 10 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Stabe and Lisa M. Collins prosecuted the case.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, IRS – Criminal Investigation, Houston Police Department and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Six Men Arrested in Sex Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted a joint sex-trafficking operation during the 2022 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The operation began on August 5, 2022, and continued through August 11, 2022.
As a result, the following six men were arrested and charged:
Brandon Reide Prue, 27, Rapid City, South Dakota - Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet
Donald William Laun, 61, Rapid City, South Dakota - Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet
Kordelle Ray Running Hawk, 24, Rapid City, South Dakota- Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet
Siddiq Ahmed Damkiwala, 32, Rapid City, South Dakota - Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet
William Henry Riese, 31, Rapid City, South Dakota - Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet
Christopher Daniel Luna, 32, Sturgis, South Dakota - Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet
The mandatory minimum penalty upon conviction for Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet is 10 years up to life in federal prison; and any term of years, not less than five, up to lifetime supervised release.
The charges are merely accusations, and all six defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The agencies involved in the operation were DCI, ICAC, HSI, Ellsworth AFB Office of Special Investigations, Rapid City Police Department, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The cases are being federally prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to extend its appreciation to all law enforcement partners involved in the investigations for their efforts and continued cooperation.
Six Members of a Meth Distribution Ring Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MIDLAND – Joshua Rojero, 35, of Odessa was sentenced last week to 264 months in prison for his role in a meth distribution ring operating in and around the Midland Odessa area.
According to court documents, Rojero, along with Juvencio Camargo-Garcia, 26, of Mexico; Rudy Mireles, 45, of Midland; Hector Gastelum Valenzuela, 26, of Mexico; Andrea Arroyos, 40, of Lubbock; and Ever Garcia, 19, of Mexico, were all part of a methamphetamine distribution ring that operated in Midland and Odessa. A joint investigation by the Midland and Odessa Police Departments revealed the group distributed multiple-ounce quantities of methamphetamine from an Odessa residence as well as a motel in Odessa.
Camargo-Garcia, Mireles, Valenzuela, Rojero, Arroyos, and Garcia each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and Garcia also pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
In addition to Rojero’s sentence of 264 months, Camargo-Garcia was sentenced to 262 months; Mireles to 235 months; Valenzuela 188 months; Arroyos to 189 months; and Ever Garcia to 195 months in prison.
“The prosecution that resulted in these substantial prison sentences sends a strong message that peddling this poison in our communities will simply not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “It is important to note that over two kilograms of methamphetamine and four firearms were seized in connection with the investigation in this case.”
“This is a great example of cooperation between law enforcement agencies in the Permian Basin that has made our communities safer,” said Odessa Police Chief Mike Gerke. “The Odessa Police Department appreciates all of our partners and understands that we are stronger when we all work together.”
The Midland and Odessa Police Departments investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Fedock prosecuted the case.
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San Diego Attorney Sentenced for $500,000 Tax Fraud with Former Chabad of Poway Rabbi GoldsteinRead the Press Release
Valerie Chu (619) 546-6750 and Michelle L. Wasserman (619) 546-8431
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 19, 2022
SAN DIEGO – Elliot Adler, an attorney and founding partner of a boutique San Diego law firm, was sentenced in federal court today to one year and one day in custody for conspiring with former Chabad of Poway Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein to commit tax fraud. He was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine.
Beginning at least as early as 2010 and continuing through October 2018, Adler participated in a so-called “90/10” tax scheme with Rabbi Goldstein. Specifically, Adler gave money to Rabbi Goldstein that purported to be a donation to Chabad of Poway. Goldstein then secretly funneled ninety percent of the funds back to Adler, keeping ten percent of the funds as his fee. None of the donated funds was actually given to the Chabad as a charitable donation. Adler then falsely claimed that the fraudulent donations were tax-deductible on his tax returns, allowing him to reduce his personal income tax liability by approximately $500,000 (cumulatively) for tax years 2011 through 2017.
To accomplish the scheme, Adler and Goldstein communicated using coded language. Goldstein would refer to cash as “challah,” the source of the cash as “the baker,” and would invite co-conspirators to “wrap tefillin” when he proposed meeting to receive checks or deliver cash. For example, on Thursday, January 7, 2016, Goldstein texted Adler, “Good morning I got the challah[.] What time?” That same day, Adler replied via text message, “Monday morning 8am at shul or today before 12pm if you can come to my office.” Goldstein then replied, “Monday @8 is fine.” On Monday, January 11, 2016, Goldstein deposited a check from Adler for $30,000 payable to Chabad of Poway.
On or about December 29, 2017, Goldstein deposited two sequentially-numbered checks from Adler, one for $180,000 and the other for $980,000. On Friday, January 5, 2018, Goldstein sent Adler a coded text message proposing that they “get together and wrap teffilin.” A few days later, on January 10, 2018, Goldstein wired approximately $1 million to a wholesale and retail jeweler to purchase 246 Suisse Fortuna 1 oz. rectangular gold ingots, 246 Canadian Maple Leaf 1 oz. gold coins, and 246 American Eagle 1 oz. gold coins. On January 17, 2018, Goldstein sent another coded message to Adler asking him, “[w]hen can you come [i]n for a teffilin wrap? I’m ready for you.” Goldstein delivered the gold to Adler the next day. Adler nonetheless claimed on his 2017 tax returns that he had donated over $1 million to charity, fraudulently reducing his 2017 tax liability by approximately $447,000. Adler was ordered to forfeit the gold coins as part of his sentence.
At today’s hearing, U.S. District Judge Cynthia Bashant also ordered Adler to forfeit the gold. A restitution hearing is set for October 24, 2022, at 10:30 a.m.
Adler and Goldstein took additional steps to conceal their scheme from authorities. On or about October 18, 2018, Goldstein told Adler that he was under investigation by the IRS and that he had been the subject of an undercover operation relating to tax evasion. Goldstein asked for Adler’s help to prove, falsely, that Goldstein, and not Adler, was in possession of the gold coins purchased with Adler’s purported donation. In the early hours of October 19, 2018, Adler arrived at Goldstein’s residence and returned the gold coins.
In July 2020, Rabbi Goldstein pleaded guilty to fraud charges, admitting that he participated in a complex, years-long, multi-million-dollar tax-evasion scheme and other financial deceptions involving theft of public money. Rabbi Goldstein’s plea agreement outlined the fraud scheme with Adler.
Adler is the eleventh and final individual to be sentenced for crimes discovered in this investigation. Two additional individuals agreed to deferred prosecution agreements as a result of the investigation.
“For several years, Elliot Adler defrauded the United States while giving the false appearance of making charitable donations,” said U.S. Attorney Randy S. Grossman. “This investigation and the resulting prosecutions should leave no doubt that the United States takes tax fraud seriously and those who perpetrate these schemes will be brought to justice.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and the FBI and IRS for their excellent work on this case.
“For years, attorney Adler chose to ignore the laws and ethical rules of conduct he swore to uphold and conspired with others using sophisticated schemes to commit tax fraud,” said Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “Such schemes erode the public's trust in the legal and charitable institutions within our community, but today's sentencing ends his criminal career. Financial crimes have long been a top FBI investigative focus and we remain steadfast in our efforts, in coordination with our partners, to bringing such fraudsters to justice.”
“Mr. Adler, who is an educated and successful attorney, knowingly broke the law by repeatedly committing tax fraud for over seven years,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler R. Hatcher of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Adler stole over half-a-million dollars from the United States, and our special agents are committed to bringing thieves like him to justice. Our tax and financial systems rely on Americans to pay their fair share in order to ensure that our infrastructure, our national security, and our education and benefits programs are funded. IRS Criminal Investigation is proud to work alongside the FBI and the US Attorney’s Office on this incredibly impactful investigation.”
SUMMARY OF CHARGES Case Number 22-CR-821-BAS
Elliott Adler Age:45 San Diego, CA
Conspiracy to Commit Tax Fraud, in violation of Title 18, USC 371
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison
PREVIOUSLY CHARGED DEFENDANTS AND SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Yisroel Goldstein, Case Number 20CR1916-BAS Age: 58 Poway
Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, USC 371
Sentenced to 14 months in custody
Alexander Avergoon, Case Number 19CR2955-BAS Age: 44 San Diego
Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, USC 1343
Aggravated Identity Theft, in violation of Title 18, USC 1028A
Money Laundering, in violation of Title 18, USC 1956(a)(1)(B)(i)
Sentenced to 64 months in custody
Bruce Baker, Case Number 20CR1912-BAS Age: 74 La Jolla
Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and file false tax returns, in violation of Title 18, USC 371
Sentenced to 15 months in custody
Bijan Moossazadeh, Case Number 20CR1893-BAS Age: 63 San Diego
Filing a False Tax Return, in violation of Title 26, USC 7206(1)
Sentenced to three months in custody
Yousef Shemirani, Case Number 20CR1895-BAS Age: 74 Poway
Filing a False Tax Return, in violation of Title 26, USC 7206(1)
Sentenced to two years’ Probation
Boris Shkoller, Case Number 20CR1913-BAS Age: 83 Del Mar
Filing a False Tax Return, in violation of Title 26, USC 7206(1)
Sentenced to one year Probation
Mendel Goldstein, Case Number 20CR2772-BAS Age: 63 Brooklyn, NY
Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, USC 371
Sentenced to eight months in custody
Stuart Weinstock, Case Number 21CR0042-BAS Age: 64 Escondido, CA
Filing False Tax Return, in violation of Title 26, U.S.C. §7206(1)
Sentenced to eight months in custody
Jason Ellis, Case Number 21CR2200-BAS Age: 42 Poway, CA
Filing False Tax Return, in violation of Title 26, U.S.C. §7206(1)
Sentenced to six months of home confinement
Yehuda Hadjadj, Case Number 22CR148-BAS Age: 47 La Jolla, CA
Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, USC 371
Sentenced to three years’ Probation
Rotem Cooper, Case Number 20CR3968-BAS Age: 54 San Diego
Deferred Prosecution Agreement
Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, USC 371
Igor Shtilkind, Case Number 20CR3955-BAS Age: 55 San Diego
Deferred Prosecution Agreement
Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, USC 371
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations
Reno Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Receipt of over 14,000 Images and Videos of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A Reno resident was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du to five years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for unlawful receipt of over 14,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
“The defendant’s criminal conduct against our most vulnerable members of society was despicable,” said U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will continue its joint efforts to investigate and prosecute those who sexually exploit children and bring predators to justice.”
“I am extremely proud of the collaborative effort put forth to ensure this defendant was brought to justice and will no longer be able to perpetuate the abuse of children,” said Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI. “His sentence should serve as a strong reminder that the FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to identifying and holding accountable those who victimize innocent children.”
Brandon Eric Navarrete (29) pleaded guilty in May 2022 to receipt of child pornography. Navarrete is required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act after completion of his prison term.
According to court documents, Navarrete admitted that he downloaded CSAM images and videos to his thumb drive, cell phone, and laptop computer. A forensic examination of those devices revealed about 13,836 images and 284 videos. Some of the images and videos depicted infants and children under 12 years old while others portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.
This case was a joint investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI's Northern Nevada Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, the Sparks Police Department, the Reno Police Department, and the Nevada Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randolph St. Clair prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the 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.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
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Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Attempted Sexual Coercion of a Child and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Glen William Vellner, 47, of Mount Clemens, Michigan, was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in federal prison before United States District Judge Denise Page Hood on charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, receipt of child pornography, and penalties for registered sex offenders, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Vellner had admitted that on January 8, 2021, he requested that an individual that he believed to be a 13-year-old girl send him a picture of her genitals during a chat on Google Hangouts. He also admitted that he received child pornography over the internet between June 5, 2016, and August 1, 2019. Vellner committed these offenses while already being a registered sex offender for prior criminal convictions directed at children. In 2001, Vellner was convicted of two counts of criminal sexual conduct against a 13-year-old girl. After only serving probation for these offenses, Vellner was convicted of ten counts of child sexually abusive activity in 2006. After being released from prison in 2015 based on his 2006 convictions, Vellner went on to commit the crimes in this case while being a registered sex offender. When federal agents searched Vellner’s house in this case, they located a notebook containing passwords to various accounts. Vellner frequently used the phrase “ILuv2RapeLiLgirls” as a password to his accounts. In total, Vellner possessed 4,317 images and 320 videos of child pornography. Of those, 1,319 images and ten videos contained images of infants or toddlers and 179 images and three videos contained sadistic or machoistic conduct or violence.
“Repeat sexual offenders who victimize children present a special danger and require significant sentences to assure the safety of our kids and the community. The court’s sentence today is just punishment and prevents this defendant from further victimizing children. This office will continue to strenuously prosecute these offenders to keep children safe.” stated Dawn N. Ison, United States Attorney.
The case was investigated by the Southeast Michigan Trafficking and Exploitation Crimes Task Force (“SEMTEC”) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Rawsthorne and Catherine Morris.
Postal Service Employee Arrested for Mail TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An employee for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) was arrested today for allegedly stealing packages he was responsible for delivering.
William J. Paige, 32, of Duxbury, was indicted on three counts of theft of mail matter by a Postal Service employee. Paige was released on conditions following an initial appearance today in federal court in Worcester before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David Hennessy.
According to the indictment, Paige worked as a mail carrier with USPS in Whitinsville. It is alleged that between January and February 2022, Paige stole collector’s coins and other items from packages he was entrusted to deliver.
The charge of theft of mail matter by a Postal Service employee provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
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.
Port Saint Joe Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Fabian Tomaz Frazier, 27, of Port Saint Joe, Florida, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and over 500 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Communities throughout our district are plagued by methamphetamine distribution,” stated U.S. Attorney Coody. “We are committed to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and aggressively prosecute armed drug traffickers who distribute these addictive, controlled substances. This sentence is further proof of this resolve.”
Evidence introduced during the sentencing hearing demonstrated that Frazier was distributing multiple pounds of methamphetamine and marijuana in the area of Port Saint Joe, Florida. On March 15, 2021, the Florida Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop of Frazier near Lake City during which they discovered 11 pounds of marijuana and a loaded .45 caliber handgun. Frazier was arrested on state charges and subsequently released. Despite his arrest and narcotics seizure, Frazier continued his illegal drug trafficking activities. On May 22, 2021, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office used a confidential source to conduct a controlled purchase of 18 ounces of methamphetamine from Frazier, removing the drugs from the community and giving rise to the charges to which he has been sentenced.
“I appreciate U.S. Attorney Coody and his team for their hard work and dedication,” said Gulf County Sheriff Mike Harrison. “Armed Drug Traffickers like Frazier needs to be off the streets and serving time in prison. Good job by all involved in this case.”
“We are extremely grateful for the local/Federal partnership that enables repeat meth traffickers to receive sentences which keeps them out of our communities longer, thus making them safer,” said Franklin County Sheriff A.J. Smith.
Frazier’s federal prison sentence will be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
“Methamphetamine is destroying lives and tears at the fabric of our families and community,” said Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford. “We are proud to work with our partners to hold those that traffic in these destructive drugs accountable.”
“FHP is proud of our partnerships with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies,” said Colonel Gene Spaulding, Director of the Florida Highway Patrol. “I am especially proud of our troopers who put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe and secure.”
“Highly addictive and incredibly destructive, methamphetamine can have a devastating effect on our communities. DEA remains committed to keeping this destructive drug off of our streets,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “This sentencing demonstrates how strong law enforcement partnerships are integral to keeping our communities safe and healthy.”
This case resulted from an investigation by the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain prosecuted the case.
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.
Ponzi Scheme Fraudster Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Embezzling over $4 MillionRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A 55-year-old former resident of Macomb County was sentenced yesterday to over 11 years in federal prison for defrauding seventeen people of over $4 million in an investment fraud scheme, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Joining in the announcement was James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
U.S. District Judge Laurie J. Michelson sentenced Gino Accettola to 135 months in prison following his April 2022 guilty plea to wire fraud charges and ordered that Accettola pay restitution to his seventeen victims in the amount of $4,199,846.35.
According to court records, from 2014 to 2016, Accettola solicited investments from associates and friends of friends. Accettola offered investors abnormally high short-term returns. Accettola told investors that the money they invested with him was in support of various commercial construction projects in Michigan and Florida. Many of the commercial construction projects that Accettola described to investors did not exist. Specifically, Accettola solicited investments in support of purported work for a Michigan based manufacturing facility and claimed to be friends with the managing partner of the company. In reality, Accettola had no connection to company nor was he friends with the managing partner. In order to perpetuate his fraud, Accettola provided investors with fraudulent emails, contracts, payout schedules and other information purportedly from the company, the managing partner or other company employees. Between 2014 and November 2016, Accettola defrauded investors of approximately $4,199,846.35. Accettola had a long history of cheating and deceiving people, having previously been convicted of sixteen fraud crimes between 1991 and 2019.
“This defendant lied to his victims in order to carry out his fraud. He told his victims that he was investing their money for legitimate construction projects when in reality he used their money on himself at casinos, restaurants, and on entertainment,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “Today’s sentencing should send a clear message that we will hold accountable all those who take advantage of others for personal gain.”
Special Agent Tarasca stated, “Criminals like this use every means of deceit available to further their selfish goals, and investors need to exercise great caution so as not to become victimized.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sara Woodward.
Peoria Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois, man, Assante Bangmon, 31, of the 1300 block of North Bourland Street, has been sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, to be followed by four years of supervised release.
At the sentencing hearing on August 18, 2022, the government presented evidence that in February 2021 a Peoria police officer approached Bangmon in a clothing store to detain Bangmon for an outstanding arrest warrant. Bangmon refused to comply with the officer’s commands and, instead, fled out the back door of the business and ran away down a nearby street. As Bangmon fled, he discarded a cell phone and keys to a Jeep he had driven to the clothing store and parked in the business’s lot. Officers ultimately captured Bangmon in a residential area adjacent to the clothing store. Pursuant to a search of Bangmon’s Jeep, police located 12 individually wrapped baggies containing 37 grams of crack cocaine located in the arm rest of the driver’s side door.
Bangmon was indicted in February 2021, and pleaded guilty to the charge in April 2022. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance are five to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5 million dollar fine, and up to a four-year term of supervised release.
The Peoria Police Department and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Bangmon 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.
Oregon Man Sentenced for Interstate Communication of ThreatsRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Harvey Dulgar, age 28, of Salem, Oregon was sentenced to 12 months of imprisonment by United States District Court Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann for making interstate threats.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, in July 2021, Dulgar placed a call from Oregon to the Montgomery Area School District. Dulgar left a threatening message on the school’s answering machine including stating that it would be “a school of ashes” that there would be “dead kids along the way.” Dulgar entered a guilty plea to making interstate threats in March 2022.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur is prosecuting this case.
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Oneonta Woman Sentenced to Prison for Drug Trafficking in North CountryRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Jillian Eckberg, age 43, of Oneonta, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 70 months in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division and Kevin P. Bruen, Superintendent of the New York State Police.
As part of her previously entered guilty plea, Eckberg admitted she trafficked methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl from New York City to the areas of Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake and Lake Placid, New York, where she delivered the narcotics to customers who redistributed them. Eckberg admitted that throughout her involvement, she distributed approximately 900 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 54 grams of heroin and approximately 90 grams of fentanyl.
Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a 4-year term of supervised release, which will start after Eckberg is released from prison.
This case was investigated by DEA and New York State Police and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer.
Ohio Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Brookfield Jewelry HeistRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 18, 2022, James P. Quinn (age: 57) of Youngstown, Ohio, was sentenced to a 57-month term of federal imprisonment by United States District Judge Lynn S. Adelman. Quinn had earlier pleaded guilty to charges of criminal conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen property.
According to public court filings, Quinn and at least two others burglarized Treiber & Straub Jewelers in Brookfield, Wisconsin, during the night of July 11-12, 2016. They defeated security systems and cut a hole in a reinforced concrete wall to breach the store’s vault. The burglars took jewelry and other valuables worth more than $4 million and returned to Ohio.
In announcing the sentence, Judge Adelman noted Quinn’s history of similar conduct. Judge Adelman indicated that a substantial prison term was required because Quinn had the ability to earn legitimate income and had not been deterred by prior terms of imprisonment. Quinn will also be responsible for more than $4 million in forfeiture and restitution.
“This defendant now has been prosecuted three times for various federal offenses,” said U.S. Attorney Frohling. “His latest offense caused extensive damage and resulted not only in the loss of jewelry owned by the store but also victimized individuals who happened to have items at the store for service or repair. I commend the excellent collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement in Wisconsin and Ohio to bring some measure of justice to the victims in this case.”
This investigation is being handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Brookfield (WI) Police Department, with assistance from the Canfield (OH) Police Department, Boardman (OH) Police Department, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Farris Martini and Laura S. Kwaterski.
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North Las Vegas Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of Ammunition and COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – Jonathan Millard Robinson (44) pleaded guilty yesterday to unlawful possession of ammunition and fraudulently submitting a loan application to a lender under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. U.S. District Judge Richard F. Boulware II scheduled a sentencing for November 17, 2022.
According to court documents and admissions made in court, Robinson — who was already on supervised release — admitted that he was previously convicted in North Carolina of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and distributing cocaine. Both convictions are felonies which prohibit him by law from possessing ammunition.
Robinson also fraudulently submitted a Paycheck Protection Program loan application to a lender to obtain approximately $20,833. In the application, Robinson falsely stated that he was the proprietor of a company, which did not in fact exist, reported a false revenue derived from the fake company, and falsely denied that he was serving parole or probation for a prior felony conviction.
At sentencing, Robinson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for illegally possessing ammunition, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the COVID relief scheme.
Robinson is also charged in another case because he committed new crimes in Nevada while on supervised release for felony drug convictions in North Carolina. The maximum penalty is two years in prison. U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon is presiding over the case.
U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI, and Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the ATF, the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General; IRS-Criminal Investigation; Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Veronda and Kimberly Frayn are prosecuting the case.
If you have information about illegal firearms activity, you are urged to submit a tip to ATF by calling the hotline at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867) or through the ReportIt mobile app.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Moline Man Sentenced to 240 Months in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Moline, Illinois, man, Brian P. Kelly, 43, of the 500 block of 53rd Street Drive, was sentenced on August 16, 2022, to 240 months of imprisonment for sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography, along with a lifetime term of supervised release. Kelly was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3,000.
At the sentencing hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow commented on the lifelong devastation that the distribution of child pornography can have in the lives of child victims.
Kelly pleaded guilty to the charges in April 2021. The statutory penalties for the offenses are at least 15 years to a maximum of 30 years of imprisonment on the exploitation count and up to 20 years of imprisonment on the possession count. The penalties for each conviction also provided for terms of supervised release ranging from five years to life.
The investigation was conducted by the Moline Police Department and the United States Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer L. Mathew represented the federal government in the prosecution.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Mexican Nationals Living in Indiana Charged with Unlawful Transportation of Individuals in VermontRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Lucio Carrillo-Genis, 34, and Alejandro Carrillo-Linares, 32, both of Martinsville, Indiana, were indicted on Thursday, August 18, 2022, by a federal grand jury on a charge of unlawfully attempting to transport individuals they knew to have entered the United States illegally. Carrillo-Genis and Carrillo-Linares were arraigned in United States District Court in Burlington this afternoon, where they both entered pleas of not guilty. They both remain detained pending further proceedings pursuant to a prior detention order issued by U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment is an accusation only and that the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. As currently charged, Carillo-Genis and Carrillo-Linares would each face up to 5 years of imprisonment if convicted. Any sentence in the case will be advised by the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas Kerest credited the agents of the United States Border Patrol for their investigation and apprehension of Carrillo-Genis and Carrillo-Linares and their continued efforts to prevent the exploitation of foreign nationals by human-smuggling organizations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher represents the United States in this case. Carrillo-Genis is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven Barth. Carrillo-Linares is represented by Allan Sullivan, Esq.
Mexican National Sentenced to 17 Years for Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Mexican national who was illegally in the United States has been sentenced in federal court for soliciting pornographic images and videos from an 11-year-old victim over Facebook Messenger.
Alejandrino Velazquez-Hernandez, 34, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on Tuesday, Aug. 16, to 17 years and six months in federal prison without parole. Velazquez-Hernandez had been ordered removed from the United States on Nov. 19, 2013, after failing to appear for his immigration hearing.
On Feb. 8, 2022, Velazquez-Hernandez pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of a child. Velazquez-Hernandez admitted that he used an 11-year-old child, identified in court documents as “Jane Doe,” to produce child pornography in Greene County, Mo., from Oct. 1, 2020, through April 1, 2021.
Velazquez-Hernandez communicated with the child victim on the Facebook Messenger application, through which she sent him pornographic images and videos at his request. They made several plans to meet but they were never able to be alone.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Mexican Man Convicted for Conspiracy & Transporting Illegal Aliens within the U.S.Read the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Mexican man was found guilty of multiple federal felonies related to smuggling illegal aliens.
Abel Michua-Tototzin, 37, was found guilty on August 17, 2022, following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Taylor McNeel in Gulfport. Michua-Tototzin was found guilty of conspiracy to bring one or more aliens into the United States at a place other than a designated port of entry; conspiracy to unlawfully transport aliens within the United States; unlawful transportation of one or more aliens within the United States; and unlawful return of an alien to the United States after deportation or removal.
Michua-Tototzin faces maximum penalties of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for his conspiracy convictions; 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and $5,100 in special assessments for his conviction of unlawful transportation; and 2 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for unlawful return after deportation or removal. After completing any sentence of incarceration, he is subject to Homeland Security proceedings to remove him again from the U.S. Judge McNeel will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for November 21, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. in Gulfport.
On April 27, 2022, a Hancock County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe bearing a North Carolina license plate on I-10 eastbound. The driver, Michua-Totozin, and his four passengers only had identification from Mexico; but, because the U.S. Border Patrol could not respond, Michua-Tototzin was released. After their release, the Border Patrol determined that Michua-Tototzin and his passengers all had been illegally present in the U.S.
On May 17, 2022, the Border Patrol stopped the same vehicle traveling eastbound on I-10 again and being driven by Michua-Tototzin. He did not have a driver’s license and was found, along with his six passengers, to be illegally present in the U.S. The vehicle was overloaded by two persons, with seat belts for only five people.
U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, of the Southern District of Mississippi, Jason E. Schneider, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector, and David Denton, Special Agent-in-Charge of U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, in New Orleans, made the announcement.
U.S. Attorney LaMarca praised the investigative efforts and coordination of the Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department.
Member of Large Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 90 Months in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced the sentencing of Yascia N. LaFrance age, 42 of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as part of Operation Hidden Fee, an extensive federal, state, and local investigation by the Middle District Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) aimed at a drug trafficking network based and operating in Baton Rouge.
Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced LaFrance to 90 months in federal prison following her convictions of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and cocaine base. LaFrance must also serve four years of supervised release following her term of imprisonment.
According to admissions made as part of her guilty plea, LaFrance was the partner of Travis James. LaFrance joined James and others to negotiate for and purchase kilogram quantities of cocaine and heroin in Houston. Their source of supply in Houston, in turn, received the narcotics from Mexico. James and his associates then brought the narcotics to Baton Rouge for sale and distribution. To this end, Travis James maintained local stash houses where he kept hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, stored and cut large quantities of cocaine into smaller distribution amounts, and cooked powder cocaine into “crack” cocaine. LaFrance lived with James at one of those locations, where they concealed large amounts of drug trafficking proceeds. On June 12, 2017, LaFrance delivered $200,000 of those proceeds to other members of the organization who were traveling to Houston to purchase kilogram amounts of cocaine and heroin.
On June 13, 2017, while executing search warrants at the home LaFrance shared with Travis James, investigators seized approximately $280,310 in drug proceeds concealed in the attic and a money counter. An additional $179,000 in cash was seized in another warrant search from Travis James’ safe deposit box at a local bank.
To date, 11 members of this large-scale conspiracy have been prosecuted and convicted.
The investigation is yet another effort by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, which was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack against organized drug traffickers. Today, the OCDETF Program is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises. The OCDETF Program operates nationwide and combines the resources and unique expertise of numerous federal, state, and local agencies in a coordinated attack against major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration with invaluable assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Baton Rouge City Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police. Other agencies also assisted in apprehending the defendants, including the U.S. Marshal’s Service, and the Sheriffs’ Offices in Ascension, Iberville, and West Baton Rouge Parishes. These cases were prosecuted Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Piedrahita and Lyman E. Thornton III.
McNary Man Sentenced for Abusive Sexual Contact of a ChildRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Tuesday, Terrance Padilla, 34, of McNary, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 276 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Padilla previously pleaded guilty to three counts of Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child.
In the summer of 2020, Padilla sexually assaulted three children, under the age of 12, who were in his custody. Padilla is an enrolled member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Church, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-08013-PHX-PCT-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-141_Padilla# # #
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.
McLaughlin Woman Indicted for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a McLaughlin, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Involuntary Manslaughter.
Jessica Ann Black Cloud, age 23, was indicted in August of 2022. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 18, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to eight years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on April 19, 2022, in Corson County, South Dakota, Black Cloud unlawfully killed another person while operating a motor vehicle in a grossly negligent manner.
The charge is merely an accusation and Black Cloud is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, Standing Rock Agency, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, the FBI, the Corson County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook is prosecuting the case.
Black Cloud was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Manitowoc County Sex Offender Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 17, 2022, Smedley D. Butler (age: 51) of Maribel, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by Senior District Judge William C. Griesbach.
In November of 2021, the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office received a tip which led to Butler’s arrest for possessing and distributing numerous digital images and videos of child pornography via the internet. At the time of his arrest, Butler was a registrant with the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry Program based on a 2009 conviction for possession of child pornography.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Griesbach noted the serious nature of the charge, the effect these crimes have on their victims, and the need for just punishment. Following his release from prison, Butler will spend 15 years on supervised release. He will continue to be required to register as a sexual offender.
This case was investigated by the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the Manitowoc Police Department and the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel R. Humble and Timothy W. Funnell.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Man Sentenced to 160 Months for Role in International Lottery Fraud Scheme Targeting Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Tuesday, David Odean McIntosh, 29, of Jamaica, was sentenced by United States District Judge Raner C. Collins to 160 months in prison. McIntosh was previously found guilty by a federal jury of Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud, Mail Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
Between 2013 and 2018, McIntosh was one of the leaders of an international fraud ring that targeted thousands of elderly victims around the United States. Jamaican-based scammers and others called elderly victims in the United States, claiming the victims had won a lottery or other prize. To receive their winnings, the victims were told that they must first pay money for taxes and fees. The fraudsters provided some victims with phony letters claiming to be from the IRS that threatened to seize their assets if they failed to pay. McIntosh’s role in this scheme was to distribute “lead lists,” which contained the names and personal information of thousands of primarily elderly individuals for the scammers to contact and lure into the scheme. In addition, McIntosh also conspired to launder portions of the fraudulent proceeds. As part of his sentence, the court ordered McIntosh to pay approximately $1.8 million in restitution.
The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the Diplomatic Security Service conducted the investigation in this case. The Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Section of the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-2216-TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-142_McIntosh# # #
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.
Man Pleads Guilty to Burglaries in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Delante R. Pierce, 36, who had no fixed address, pleaded guilty today to felony charges stemming from two break-ins in Northwest Washington last fall, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Pierce pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to charges of second-degree burglary and attempted second-degree burglary. The Honorable Michael O’Keefe scheduled sentencing for Oct. 19, 2022. The charges carry a statutory minimum penalty of two years’ imprisonment and a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and/or a $50,000 fine.
According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 11, 2021, Veterans Day, shortly after 6 a.m., Pierce entered a restricted area of a hotel in the 1200 block of 22nd Street NW, and stole, among other things, a tool kit. Pierce then entered an occupied residence in the 2100 block of N Street NW. The resident was awakened from his sleep and discovered Pierce standing in his bedroom. Pierce initially claimed he was there to fix a sink, but he then fled the residence with the victim’s Apple Watch and other possessions. He left behind the items he had just stolen from the hotel. A short time later, police were able to locate Pierce in the Adams Morgan neighborhood by tracking the victim’s Apple Watch. Pierce abandoned bags containing the victim’s property and fled the police, but he was quickly apprehended. After being identified by the victim, Pierce was placed under arrest. He has remained in custody ever since.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Crystal Waddy. Finally, they commended for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Madison Man Charged with Receipt and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Madison, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography.
Treton Anderson, age 24, was indicted in August of 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on August 18, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 40 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between on or about December 18, 2021, and June 29, 2022, Anderson knowingly received and distributed, and attempted to receive and distribute child pornography that had been mailed, shipped, and transported in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce by any means, including by computer.
The charge is merely an accusation and Anderson is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigation, the Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.
Anderson was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Los Lunas man pleads guilty to production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Martin Perea, 42, of Los Lunas, New Mexico, pleaded guilty on Aug. 17 to production of child pornography. Perea will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Perea on Aug. 25, 2015. According to court records, on July 1, 2015, the victim’s mother discovered pornographic content of Perea and the victim on a memory card from Perea’s cellular telephone. The mother confronted Perea about the pornographic content and, two days later, fled with the victim to Spokane, Washington. Once in Spokane, the mother contacted local law enforcement authorities to file a complaint against Perea.
The FBI obtained a federal search warrant for the card, and on July 28, 2015, a search was performed at the New Mexico Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory. The memory card contained numerous video files of child pornography.
In his plea agreement, Perea admitted that from Oct. 8, 2014, to March 2015, he knowingly used the victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. Perea acknowledged that the victim was seven and eight years old at the time Perea committed the crimes.
By the terms of the plea agreement, Perea faces 17 to 25 years in prison and must register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by the FBI Albuquerque Field Office with assistance from the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office, the Spokane Police Department and the New Mexico Computer Forensic Laboratory as part of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Assistant United States Attorney Jaymie L. Roybal are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc/.,
The ICAC Task Force Program is a nation-wide network of task forces including over 90 federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies in New Mexico dedicated to investigating, prosecuting and developing effective responses to Internet crimes against children.
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Lawyer Charged with Stealing More Than $3.9 Million from Clients and EmployeesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment on August 16, 2022, charging Matthew C. Browndorf, age 51, of Irvine, California, with four counts of wire fraud and four counts of money laundering arising from a scheme to defraud the clients and employees of a foreclosure law firm that he owned by stealing more than $3.9 million. Browndorf is currently expected to have an initial appearance on September 2, 2022, in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kimberly Davis of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General.
According to the indictment, Browndorf, a licensed attorney, was a partner at a California law firm and the Chief Executive Officer of Plutos Sama, LLC, a limited liability company organized in Delaware, but principally located in California.
As detailed in the indictment, Plutos Sama owned BP Fisher Law Group, LLP, a law firm located in Prince George’s County, Maryland, that represented lenders and mortgage loan servicers in foreclosure and default proceedings in Maryland and the District of Columbia. BP Fisher acted as substitute trustee for lenders and mortgage loan servicers who had lawfully enacted foreclosure proceedings on properties in Maryland that were in default. The proceeds of those foreclosures would be transferred into BP Fisher’s trust accounts.
The indictment alleges that once the proceeds of the foreclosures were deposited into BP Fisher’s trust account, Browndorf transferred or directed the transfer of those funds out of the trust account and into other accounts that Browndorf controlled, when those funds should have been paid to BP Fisher’s clients. The indictment further alleges that Browndorf similarly directed the transfer of funds out of BP Fisher’s operating accounts, which often caused BP Fisher to be unable to pay its ordinary business expenses, including employee payroll, employee health insurance benefits, and employee retirement benefits. Browndorf allegedly used the stolen funds to pay for his personal expenses, the personal expenses of family members, or expenses incurred by Plutos Sama. Finally, the indictment alleges that Browndorf stole more than $3.9 million.
If convicted, Browndorf faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count of wire fraud and a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each count of money laundering. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and FHFA OIG for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew P. Phelps and Stephanie Williamson, who are prosecuting 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 www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Las Vegas Resident Indicted for COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man made his initial appearance in federal court yesterday for allegedly submitting a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application seeking more than $150,000 from the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Ribal Hajj-Hussein (28) is charged with one count of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. U.S. Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler scheduled a jury trial for October 17, 2022 before U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan.
According to allegations contained in the indictment, on April 14, 2020, Hajj-Hussein submitted a falsified EIDL loan application to the SBA on behalf of his company RHH Travel Consulting LLC — which was a non-operational business — in order to obtain COVID-19 relief funds that he was not entitled to receive. In his application, Hajj-Hussein falsely represented the number of employees and gross revenue. As part of the alleged scheme, Hajj-Hussein directed the SBA to deposit more than $150,000 in EIDL funds into a bank account. Later, Hajj-Hussein transferred those funds to other bank accounts and used them for personal expenses.
If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 40 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Karon Ransom for the U.S. Secret Service made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mina Chang is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan to 12 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for distributing images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
“Protecting our children is of utmost importance and today’s sentence demonstrates our office’s efforts to seek justice on behalf of victims,” said U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcements partners will continue to work closely to protect children and hold accountable predators.”
“The FBI is committed to stopping and holding accountable anyone who engages in the sexual exploitation of children,” said Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI. “Every time child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is viewed on the internet it re-victimizes a child. Knowing that the defendant will spend the next 12 years in federal prison, ensures there is one less predator victimizing the most innocent and vulnerable members of our community – our children.”
Jonathan Raymond Lish (38) pleaded guilty in April 2022 to one count of distribution of child pornography. Under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Lish must also register as a sex offender after completion of his prison term.
According to court documents, in May 2018, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received two reports from Skype regarding the upload of files containing CSAM. After a search warrant was obtained for Lish’s Skype account, investigators found a conversation with another user about raping and killing children. In that same conversation Lish also claimed he sexually assaulted young children. Lish and the other user agreed to trade CSAM with each other. During the execution of a search warrant for Lish’s residence, about 26 images of CSAM were located on an SD card.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bianca Pucci and Christopher Burton prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the 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.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
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Kern County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Illegally Cultivating Marijuana in the Sequoia National ForestRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Marino Cruz Diaz, 24, of Taft, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 10 years in prison for illegally cultivating marijuana in a national forest and ordered to pay over $13,000 in restitution for damage to the land, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in July 2019, law enforcement officers located a clandestine marijuana grow site in Sequoia National Forest in Fresno County. On Aug. 2, 2019, officers hiked into the grow site, where they found and arrested Marino Cruz Diaz and Moreno Florez. The grow contained over 2,400 marijuana plants, chemicals, fertilizers, chicken wire, irrigation lines, and man-made dams and water reservoirs that diverted water from nearby creeks. On May 27, 2022, Cruz Diaz pleaded guilty.
On Aug. 12, 2022, Moreno Florez, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for illegally cultivating marijuana in a national forest and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that offense.
This case was the result of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.
Kansas Chiropractor Indicted for PPP Loan FraudRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita indicted a Kansas man on multiple charges for alleged crimes related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which is a federal law providing financial relief to businesses suffering economic losses because of the COVIID-19 pandemic. Under the CARES Act, the Small Business Administration (SBA) is authorized to grant businesses forgivable loans for payroll, utilities, rent, and other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to court documents, Timothy Dale Warren, 58, of Haysville is charged with four counts of bank fraud, two counts of money laundering, and four counts of false statements. Warren, a chiropractor, is accused as owner of Titan Medical Center LLC of fraudulently obtaining PPP loans totaling approximately $145,800 from two banks then allegedly using a third bank to conceal the proceeds.
U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard of the District of Kansas made the announcement.
The U.S. Department of Defense- Defense Criminal Investigative Service and Defense Contract Audit Agency, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury – Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Kansas Brothers Indicted for $3.7 Million Healthcare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging two Kansas men with engaging in an alleged healthcare fraud scheme which resulted more than $3.7 million in payments from Medicare and Tricare over a three-year period.
Between 2017 and 2019, Bradley Eck, 54, and Todd Eck, 58, both of Wichita are accused of allegedly creating several businesses and misrepresenting the ownership of the enterprises in documents, submitting false billing for medical services not administered to patients, using a physician’s provider number without his authorization, and falsifying the physician’s electronic signature indicating on documents that he performed medical procedures he did not.
The Eck brothers are charged with:
• One count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud;
• Two counts of false statements related to healthcare matters;
• One count of healthcare fraud;
• Three counts of aggravated identity theft;
• Two counts of money laundering; and
• One count of money laundering conspiracy.U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard of the District of Kansas made the announcement.
The U.S. Department of Defense- Defense Criminal Investigative Service and Defense Contract Audit Agency, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury – Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Jamaican National Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Elderly Americans Through a Jamaica-Based Lottery ScamRead the Press Release
A Jamaican man pleaded guilty in Miami federal court today to participating in a lottery fraud scheme targeting elderly victims in the United States.
According to court documents, Greg Warren Clarke, 29, of Montego Bay, Jamaica, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud for his role in a Jamaica-based fraudulent lottery scheme that convinced American victims – many of whom were elderly – to pay money to collect fictitious lottery winnings. An indictment was filed against Clarke in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in April 2019 and unsealed upon his extradition to the United States, which occurred in May 2022.
“This guilty plea demonstrates the Justice Department’s dedication to prosecuting those responsible for fraudulent lottery schemes, even when they commit their crimes from foreign countries,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to aggressively combat scams that seek to prey on older Americans.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service stands ready to stop overseas criminals from illegally enriching themselves by using the mail to defraud consumers in the United States,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Juan Vargas of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Miami Division. “We will continue to work with foreign governments to track down these criminals and bring them to justice.”
As part of his guilty plea, Clarke admitted that, from in or around September 2013, through in or around August 2015, he worked with co-conspirators, including Claude Anthony Shaw, in a scheme to defraud in which victims were called and falsely told that they had won over a million dollars in a lottery and needed to pay fees or taxes to claim their winnings. Victims were instructed to send their money through wire transfers or the mail to Shaw and other individuals. Clarke further admitted that, as part of the conspiracy, he and Shaw discussed (over the phone and through cell phone text messages) plans to receive victims’ money. At Clarke’s direction, Shaw received money from victims through wire transfers and the mail. Clarke further admitted that he and Shaw discussed arrangements for victims to send money to other individuals with whom Shaw worked. Clarke then instructed Shaw to send the victims’ money to Clarke in Jamaica, usually through wire transfers. Victims who sent money to Clarke and his co-conspirators never received any lottery winnings.
Shaw previously pleaded guilty to mail fraud in the U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale. In June 2017, he was sentenced to 36 months in prison.
Clarke is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 28.
Senior Trial Attorney Arturo DeCastro of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch is prosecuting this case. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
The department’s extensive and broad-based efforts to combat elder fraud seek to halt the widespread losses seniors suffer from fraud schemes. The best method for prevention, however, is by sharing information about the various types of elder fraud schemes with relatives, friends, neighbors and other seniors who can use that information to protect themselves.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud, and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Aug. 19 was:
Jacob Israel Strong, aka Jacob Israel Guill, 36, of Heron, on charges of conspiracy and international parental kidnapping. If convicted of the most serious crime, Strong faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Strong was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-28.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Aug. 18 was:
Damon Joel Castillo, 46, of Hays, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Castillo faces a mandatory minimum five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and four years of supervised release. Castillo was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-56.
Osvaldo Aguilar, aka Aldo Chavez, aka Creeper, 47, of Cut Bank, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Aguilar faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. Aguilar was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-54.
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Aug. 16 was:
Gene John Klamert, 70, of Billings, on charges of mail fraud. If convicted of the most serious crime, Klamert faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Klamert was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Land Management investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-78.
Nathiel Bartell Plainbull, 33, unknown address, on charges of sexual abuse of a minor. If convicted of the most serious crime, Plainbull faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Plainbull was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-81.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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ISIS ‘Beatle’ Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Hostage-Taking Scheme that Resulted in the Deaths of American, British, and Japanese CitizensRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The highest-ranking fighter for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization, to have ever faced a jury trial in the United States was sentenced today to life imprisonment for his participation in a brutal hostage-taking scheme that resulted in the deaths of four American citizens, as well as the deaths of British and Japanese nationals, in Syria.
“I want to express my gratitude for the tireless work of the trial team, including all our partners, in bringing about today’s sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber. “Their efforts over many years of investigating and prosecuting the ISIS Beatles are emblematic of the best of the Department of Justice, and truly our country, has to offer in pursuing justice in the face of terrorism. I am also deeply appreciative of the efforts of the victims’ families in this case. Without their commitment, this case never would have made it to our courthouse and we would not have the result we have today.”
“Today, the men and women of the Department of Justice and our criminal justice system delivered justice,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Today, we remember the four Americans for whom it was delivered: James Foley, Kayla Mueller, Steven Sotloff, and Peter Kassig. My thoughts are with their families, whose strength and resolve inspired the men and women of the Justice Department as they investigated and prosecuted this case with skill and determination.”
“ISIS committed horrific acts against hostages held in Syria and nothing can make up for their suffering and loss,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “We will always remember the victims who perished and our thoughts today are especially with the Foley, Mueller, Sotloff, and Kassig families. Today’s sentencing demonstrates that those who kill or injure our citizens cannot hide forever. The FBI and our partners throughout the U.S. government will work relentlessly to bring them to justice. I am grateful for the dedication of the men and women of the FBI, and that of our partners both in the United States and internationally, who stand with us.”
“Today, El Shafee Elsheikh was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the heinous hostage-taking and appalling deaths of American, British, and Japanese citizens,” said Steven M. D’Antuono, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. “This case has always been about the victims, and while this sentence does not take away any pain felt by their families, we hope that it brings some justice. The families of James Foley, Kayla Mueller, Steven Sotloff, and Peter Kassig have shown remarkable resilience and strength through the ordeal of their loved ones’ abduction and murder and the ensuing years it took for this investigation and trial to conclude. The scope of this investigation was immense, and involved a myriad of individuals at the FBI, other U.S. agencies, and international partners working together to obtain this significant sentence. Today’s sentence demonstrates the commitment of the FBI and our partners to continue to investigate crimes against Americans and pursue justice on behalf of the families of these victims, no matter how long it takes or where in the world it takes us.”
According to court documents, from November 2012 through February 7, 2015, former British citizen El Shafee Elsheikh, 34, served as a leader in a wide-ranging conspiracy involving the captivity of 26 hostages in Syria. Elsheikh personally participated in the detention of and hostage negotiations for four American citizens – James Wright Foley, Kayla Jean Mueller, Steven Joel Sotloff, and Peter Edward Kassig – each of whom died as hostages in ISIS custody. In addition, Elsheikh personally participated in the detention of and hostage negotiations for British, French, Italian, Danish, German, Spanish, Swedish, Belgian, Swiss, and New Zealand nationals.
According to court documents and evidence presented during trial, Elsheikh and two other ISIS members supervised the terrorist organization’s jails and detention facilities at which the hostages were held. Elsheikh and his co-conspirators engaged in a prolonged pattern of physical and psychological violence against hostages that was meant as an effort to subdue the hostages. These actions were also intended to compel the victims’ family members and their governments to pay large monetary ransoms for their release, in addition to compelling the U.S. government and other governments to agree to other terms and conditions for the victims’ return.
According to evidence presented during trial, in addition to physically and psychologically abusing the hostages, Elsheikh and his co-conspirators participated in forcibly exposing the hostages to the murder of other hostages held by ISIS, including a Russian hostage who was killed in or about February 2014 and a Syrian prisoner who was executed in or about April 2014. After a group of European hostages were forced to witness the execution of the Syrian prisoner, Elsheikh and his co-conspirators returned the hostages to the prison where they were being held with American and British hostages.
From August 2014 through October 2014, ISIS released videos depicting the beheadings of James Foley, Steven Sotloff, and British citizens David Haines and Alan Henning. In November 2014, ISIS released a video depicting the decapitated head of Peter Kassig. In January 2015, ISIS released videos depicting the decapitated body of Japanese citizen Haruna Yukawa and the beheading of Japanese citizen Kenji Goto. On or about February 7, 2015, Kayla Mueller’s family received an email from ISIS confirming Mueller’s death in Syria.
According to evidence presented during trial, Elsheikh was part of a group of ISIS members who spoke with British accents and were referred to by the hostages as the “Beatles.” He and his convicted co-conspirator, Alexanda Amon Kotey, 38, were captured together in January 2018 by the Syrian Democratic Forces as they attempted to escape Syria for Turkey. Mohammed Emwazi, who conducted the above-referenced videotaped beheadings, was killed in November 2015 in a U.S. military airstrike in Syria.
On September 2, 2021, Kotey pleaded guilty to all of the offenses charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia in the eight-count indictment, consisting of one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking resulting in death; four counts of hostage taking resulting in the deaths of the four Americans (James Foley, Kayla Mueller, Steven Sotloff, and Peter Kassig); one count of conspiracy to murder U.S. citizens outside of the United States; one count of conspiracy to provide material support or resources to terrorists resulting in the deaths of U.S., British, and Japanese nationals; and one count of conspiracy to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization resulting in the deaths of U.S., British, and Japanese nationals. Kotey was sentenced to eight concurrent terms of life imprisonment on April 29, 2022.
On April 14, 2022, Elsheikh was convicted by a jury in the Eastern District of Virginia of all eight of the above-listed offenses. Earlier today, the Court sentenced Elsheikh to eight concurrent terms of life imprisonment.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia expresses its profound appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Counter Terrorism Command of the United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police Service, the Syrian Democratic Forces, and our many foreign partners for their dedicated commitment to assist the United States in seeking justice for all the victims of these crimes.
First Assistant United States Attorney Raj Parekh, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis M. Fitzpatrick, John T. Gibbs, and Aidan Taft Grano-Mickelson, all of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Trial Attorney Alicia H. Cook of the Justice Department’s National Security Division 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. 1:20-cr-239.
ISIS ‘Beatle’ Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Hostage-Taking Scheme that Resulted in the Deaths of American, British, and Japanese CitizensRead the Press Release
The highest-ranking fighter for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization, to have ever faced a jury trial in the United States was sentenced today to life imprisonment for his participation in a brutal hostage-taking scheme that resulted in the deaths of four American citizens, as well as the deaths of British and Japanese nationals, in Syria.
“Today, the men and women of the Department of Justice and our criminal justice system delivered justice,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Today, we remember the four Americans for whom it was delivered: James Foley, Kayla Mueller, Steven Sotloff, and Peter Kassig. My thoughts are with their families, whose strength and resolve inspired the men and women of the Justice Department as they investigated and prosecuted this case with skill and determination.”
“ISIS committed horrific acts against hostages held in Syria and nothing can make up for their suffering and loss,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “We will always remember the victims who perished and our thoughts today are especially with the Foley, Mueller, Sotloff, and Kassig families. Today’s sentencing demonstrates that those who kill or injure our citizens cannot hide forever. The FBI and our partners throughout the U.S. government will work relentlessly to bring them to justice. I am grateful for the dedication of the men and women of the FBI, and that of our partners both in the United States and internationally, who stand with us.”
“I want to express my gratitude for the tireless work of the trial team, including all our partners, in bringing about today’s sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Their efforts over many years of investigating and prosecuting the ISIS Beatles are emblematic of the best of the Department of Justice, and truly our country, has to offer in pursuing justice in the face of terrorism. I am also deeply appreciative of the efforts of the victims’ families in this case. Without their commitment, this case never would have made it to our courthouse and we would not have the result we have today.”
“Today, El Shafee Elsheikh was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the heinous hostage-taking and appalling deaths of American, British, and Japanese citizens,” said Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office. “This case has always been about the victims, and while this sentence does not take away any pain felt by their families, we hope that it brings some justice. The families of James Foley, Kayla Mueller, Steven Sotloff, and Peter Kassig have shown remarkable resilience and strength through the ordeal of their loved ones’ abduction and murder and the ensuing years it took for this investigation and trial to conclude. The scope of this investigation was immense, and involved a myriad of individuals at the FBI, other U.S. agencies, and international partners working together to obtain this significant sentence. Today’s sentence demonstrates the commitment of the FBI and our partners to continue to investigate crimes against Americans and pursue justice on behalf of the families of these victims, no matter how long it takes or where in the world it takes us.”
According to court documents, from November 2012 through Feb. 7, 2015, former British citizen El Shafee Elsheikh, 34, served as a leader in a wide-ranging conspiracy involving the captivity of 26 hostages in Syria. Elsheikh personally participated in the detention of and hostage negotiations for four American citizens – James Wright Foley, Kayla Jean Mueller, Steven Joel Sotloff, and Peter Edward Kassig – each of whom died as hostages in ISIS custody. In addition, Elsheikh personally participated in the detention of and hostage negotiations for British, French, Italian, Danish, German, Spanish, Swedish, Belgian, Swiss, and New Zealand nationals.
According to court documents and evidence presented during trial, Elsheikh and two other ISIS members supervised the terrorist organization’s jails and detention facilities at which the hostages were held. Elsheikh and his co-conspirators engaged in a prolonged pattern of physical and psychological violence against hostages that was meant as an effort to subdue the hostages. These actions were also intended to compel the victims’ family members and their governments to pay large monetary ransoms for their release, in addition to compelling the U.S. government and other governments to agree to other terms and conditions for the victims’ return.
According to evidence presented during trial, in addition to physically and psychologically abusing the hostages, Elsheikh and his co-conspirators participated in forcibly exposing the hostages to the murder of other hostages held by ISIS, including a Russian hostage who was killed in or about February 2014 and a Syrian prisoner who was executed in or about April 2014. After a group of European hostages were forced to witness the execution of the Syrian prisoner, Elsheikh and his co-conspirators returned the hostages to the prison where they were being held with American and British hostages.
From August 2014 through October 2014, ISIS released videos depicting the beheadings of James Foley, Steven Sotloff, and British citizens David Haines and Alan Henning. In November 2014, ISIS released a video depicting the decapitated head of Peter Kassig. In January 2015, ISIS released videos depicting the decapitated body of Japanese citizen Haruna Yukawa and the beheading of Japanese citizen Kenji Goto. On or about Feb. 7, 2015, Kayla Mueller’s family received an email from ISIS confirming Mueller’s death in Syria.
According to evidence presented during trial, Elsheikh was part of a group of ISIS members who spoke with British accents and were referred to by the hostages as the “Beatles.” He and his convicted co-conspirator, Alexanda Amon Kotey, 38, were captured together in January 2018 by the Syrian Democratic Forces as they attempted to escape Syria for Turkey. Mohammed Emwazi, who conducted the above-referenced videotaped beheadings, was killed in November 2015 in a U.S. military airstrike in Syria.
On Sept. 2, 2021, Kotey pleaded guilty to all of the offenses charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia in the eight-count indictment, consisting of one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking resulting in death; four counts of hostage taking resulting in the deaths of the four Americans (James Foley, Kayla Mueller, Steven Sotloff, and Peter Kassig); one count of conspiracy to murder U.S. citizens outside of the United States; one count of conspiracy to provide material support or resources to terrorists resulting in the deaths of U.S., British, and Japanese nationals; and one count of conspiracy to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization resulting in the deaths of U.S., British, and Japanese nationals. Kotey was sentenced to eight concurrent terms of life imprisonment on April 29, 2022.
On April 14, 2022, Elsheikh was convicted by a jury in the Eastern District of Virginia of all eight of the above-listed offenses. Earlier today, the Court sentenced Elsheikh to eight concurrent terms of life imprisonment.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia expresses its profound appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Counter Terrorism Command of the United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police Service, the Syrian Democratic Forces, and our many foreign partners for their dedicated commitment to assist the United States in seeking justice for all the victims of these crimes.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis M. Fitzpatrick, John T. Gibbs, and Aidan Taft Grano-Mickelson, all of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Counterterrorism Section Trial Attorney Alicia H. Cook of the Justice Department National Security Division prosecuted the case.
Hospice agrees to pay nearly $1M to settle false claims liabilityRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A Corpus Christi health care company has agreed to pay $990,478.46 to resolve allegations they violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims to Medicare for non-covered hospice services, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
The settlement resolves allegations that Familia Healthcare Services Inc. dba Del Cielo Hospice and Palliative Care knowingly submitted false claims from May 12, 2017, through Jan. 31, 2022. The claims allegedly involved hospice services for patients who were not eligible for, and did not qualify for, the hospice benefit in violation of the False Claims Act.
“This office is committed to pursuing providers who put profits ahead of patients,” said Lowery. “The decision to provide hospice services should be prompted by a patient’s terminally ill medical diagnosis, not a hospice provider’s desire to boost its profits.”
Hospice care is special, end-of-life care intended to comfort terminally ill patients. To be eligible for the Medicare hospice benefit, a patient must be “terminally ill,” meaning that the patient has a medical prognosis that their life expectancy is six months or less if the illness runs its normal course.
“The Medicare trust fund is not a piggy bank to be used at will by those intent on stealing from it,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Meadows, Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (DHHS-OIG). We, along with our law enforcement partners, will use all available investigative tools and means of recovery to return stolen Medicare money to its rightful place. We implore citizens who are aware of Medicare fraud to come forward.
“Del Cielo Hospice didn’t just unscrupulously rob the Medicare program out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, it also took advantage of ill patients who were unknowingly used for its scam,” said Special Agent in Charge James Smith of the FBI. “This type of health care fraud affects everyone - individuals and businesses alike. It raises our health insurance premiums, exposes patients to unnecessary medical procedures, harms patients and increase taxes, not to mention the billions of dollars in losses every year. The FBI will continue to work with our partners, including the private sector, to identify and disrupt health care fraud.”
The settlement includes the resolution of claims a former employee of Del Cielo Hospice brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The whistleblower will receive 16% of the proceeds from the settlement with Del Cielo Hospice.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The U.S. Attorney’s Office jointly conducted the investigation with DHHS – Office of Inspector General and FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Green handled the matter.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Hoopa Valley Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Two Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Warren Herman Sloan was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for attempting to distribute, and possessing with the intent to distribute, fentanyl on the Hoopa Valley Tribe Indian Reservation, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan, and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Wade R. Shannon. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Susan Illston.
Sloan, 25, formerly of Hoopa Valley in Humboldt County, pleaded guilty to the charges on February 15, 2022. In his plea agreement, Sloan admitted that in early 2021 he engaged in distributing drugs for profit on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation. Sloan further admitted that on March 29, 2021, he attempted to meet with his drug supplier to obtain narcotics which he planned to resell for profit on the Hoopa reservation. He acknowledged in the plea agreement that he intended to purchase approximately 120 counterfeit pharmaceutical pills for $1,700. During that meeting, police officers arrived and arrested Sloan. Sloan stated in his plea agreement that he now knows the counterfeit pills he was purchasing contained fentanyl.
In a memorandum filed with the court for Sloan’s sentencing, the government pointed out additional facts relevant to the sentence Sloan should receive. Specifically, the government argued that two young women, one 19 years old and the other 20, tragically died from fentanyl overdoses in Hoopa Valley in the early months of 2021. The government pointed out that in his plea agreement Sloan admitted he was aware that on March 5, 2021 – two weeks before his arrest – the 19 year old woman, whom he knew from the reservation, died from a drug overdose and that he heard the overdose was caused by counterfeit pharmaceutical pills laced with fentanyl. Sloan nevertheless continued to sell – and was one of only a few sellers of – counterfeit pills in Hoopa Valley.
In addition to the 24-month prison term, U.S. District Judge Illston ordered Sloan to serve three years of supervised release following release from federal prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross E. Weingarten prosecuted the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, DEA, and the Humboldt County Drug Task Force.
One Pill Can Kill: Fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, is a highly potent opiate that can be diluted with cutting agents to create counterfeit pills that purport to mimic the effects of Oxycodone, Percocet, and other drugs but can typically be obtained at a lower cost than the genuine drugs. However, very small variations in the amount or quality of fentanyl can have huge effects on the potency of the counterfeit pills, and with lethal consequences. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills are commonly shaped and colored to resemble pills that are sold legitimately at pharmacies. For example, counterfeit pills known as M30s mimic Oxycodone, but contain fentanyl. These tablets are round and often light blue in color, though they come in many colors, and have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill.
Home Health Aid Admits Stealing U.S. Savings Bonds from Elderly WomanRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JHANANNIE SINGH, also known as “Jasmine” and “Sharmala Persaud,” 52, a citizen of Guyana last residing in Queens, New York, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a conspiracy offense relating to the theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars in U.S. Savings Bonds from an elderly woman who had purchased the bonds for her grandchildren and other family members.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Singh stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in U.S. Savings Bonds from an elderly woman for whom she provided home health services. The victim had purchased the bonds for her grandchildren and other relatives. After the victim died, Singh contacted Glen Campbell, also known as “Nick,” who enlisted the help of another individual to redeem the stolen bonds at a financial institution and provide Singh and Campbell with a portion of the proceeds. Between October 2020 and January 2021, as part of an undercover investigation, law enforcement coordinated the purchase of more than 100 savings bonds, with face values ranging from $50 to $1,000, from Singh and Campbell. Campbell traveled to Connecticut to complete the transactions.
Singh and Campbell were arrested on January 29, 2021. In June and July 2021, Singh attempted to obstruct the investigation and prosecution of this matter by offering to pay Campbell if he agreed to lie and provide false testimony. Singh has been detained since August 4, 2021.
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for November 28, at which time Singh faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
Campbell pleaded guilty to the same charge on June 15, 2022, and awaits sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens, Michael S. McGarry and Robert S. Ruff.
The Justice Department has established a National Elder Fraud Hotline to provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud. The Hotline is staffed by experienced case managers who can provide personalized support to callers. Case managers assist callers with reporting the suspected fraud to relevant agencies and by providing resources and referrals to other appropriate services as needed. When applicable, case managers will complete a complaint form with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for Internet-facilitated crimes and submit a consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission on behalf of the caller. The Hotline’s toll-free number is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).
Hagerman Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOISE – Edward Vance, 64, of Hagerman, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, Vance has a prior federal conviction for possession of child pornography. While Vance was on supervised release for that conviction, Vance’s probation officer located child pornography on his electronic devices. Vance’s probation officer referred the investigation to the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (“ICAC”) Task Force. ICAC obtained a federal search warrant to examine Vance’s electronic devices and located thousands of images and videos of child pornography.
Chief United States District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Vance to serve a lifetime term of supervised release following his prison sentence and to forfeit the electronic devices that were used to commit the offense. As a result of the conviction, Vance will be required to register as a sex offender.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of the ICAC Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Probation which led to charges.
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. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Georgia woman sentenced to more than two decades in prison after admitting she produced child pornographyRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Liberty County woman has been sentenced to more than 20 years in federal prison after admitting she produced and shared child pornography.
Sharon Elizabeth Keegan, 30, of Midway, Ga., was sentenced to 293 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Production of Child Pornography, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered Keegan to pay restitution of $3,000 and to register as a sex offender and serve 15 years of supervised release after completion of her prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“This sentence brings to a close a depraved and vile episode of criminal child sexual exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Sharon Keegan and her husband will spend decades in federal prison as they are held accountable for their crimes.”
Keegan’s husband, John Paul Joseph Keegan, 31, of Midway, Ga., previously was sentenced to 295 months in prison after pleading guilty to Production of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography. He also must serve 15 years of supervised release and register as a sex offender after completion of his prison term.
Sharon Keegan entered a guilty plea in April 2022 after three days of trial in U.S. District Court in Statesboro, Ga., while John-Paul Keegan pled guilty in May 2021.
Keegan and her husband were indicted in May 2020 after an investigation launched through a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to Homeland Security Investigations. Agents from the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation searched the Midway mobile home where the Keegans resided, seizing electronic devices found to contain images and videos of child sexual exploitation that each of the two had produced and shared over the internet.
“The GBI will continue to work tirelessly to protect innocent victims of online exploitation,” said John Melvin, Interim Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “We are grateful for the partnerships we maintain with our local and federal agencies to bring these predators to justice.”
“Thankfully, this case has been resolved and the victims can begin the healing process knowing that these predators will no longer be able to prey upon them,” said Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI and its law enforcement partners prioritize the protection of our most vulnerable population, and this case is a great example of us holding those predators accountable for their actions”
This investigation took place under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood, and was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer J Kirkland and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Tara M. Lyons, with assistance from Asset Recovery Unit Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Sue Robichaux.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.
Gainesville Man Who Threatened to ‘Blow-up’ Roanoke ArrestedRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, VA. – A Gainesville, Virginia man, who threatened to ‘blow-up Roanoke,’ and kill a bank branch manager, was arrested earlier this week on federal charges.
Brandon Hayward, 33, is charged via federal criminal complaint with use of a telephone to make a threat to injure or destroy property by means of fire or explosives as well as one count of communicating a threat in interstate commerce.
According to court documents, on Monday, August 15, 2022, Hayward called the InFirst Federal Credit Union located in the Poff Federal Building in Roanoke, Virginia. The branch manager spoke with Hayward and attempted to assist him concerning a recurring charge on his account.
Unsatisfied with the outcome of his complaint, Hayward became irate and told the branch manager, “I am going to get you raped…I will get you killed, bitch.”
He told the branch manager twice, “I am going to blow up Roanoke,” and adding, “I don’t give a fu**.”
Hayward then told the branch manager he was going to get his shotgun and Google her name, adding: “You think you’re safe in Roanoke; you’re not.”
Hayward was arrested on August 18, 2022 without incident.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia made the announcement.
The Federal Protective Service Division of the Department of Homeland Security is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin B. Johnson is prosecuting the case for the United States.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former State of Wisconsin Department of Administration Employee Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Attempted Child EnticementRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 19, 2022, Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach sentenced Marc F. Bennett (age: 43), formerly of Jefferson, Wisconsin, to ten years in federal prison for attempted child enticement. Following his prison sentence, Bennett will serve five years on supervised release.
According to court documents, in January 2022, Bennett began using popular online platforms to communicate with a 12-year-old girl. During these interactions, Bennett requested graphic digital images of the girl and expressed his desire to have sexual intercourse with her. On February 1, 2022, Bennett traveled to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, where he believed the child resided. When he arrived, he was arrested by an undercover police officer. Bennett immediately displayed his State of Wisconsin Department of Administration work badge and claimed that he was attempting to save a victim of human trafficking.
This case was investigated by the Manitowoc Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alexander E. Duros.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Former South Florida Pharmacy VP and Executive Assistant Sentenced for Their Roles in Health Care Fraud Scheme Targeting U.S. MilitaryRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A former South Florida pharmacy executive was sentenced today to seven and a half years in prison for defrauding Tricare and CHAMPVA of approximately $88 million through a compounding pharmacy fraud scheme. His executive assistant received a sentence of five years imprisonment for her role in the conspiracy.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Cynthia A. Bruce, Special Agent in Charge, Southeast Field Office of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS); Robert DeWitt, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami; David Spiker, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG); and Justin Fielder, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI) made the announcement.
Matthew Smith, 58, of Boca Raton, Florida, pleaded guilty on January 24, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. His executive assistant, Alisa Catoggio, 41, also of Boca Raton, Florida, pleaded guilty on May 17, 2022, to one count of conspiring to pay healthcare kickbacks. In connection with the plea, Smith admitted his role submitting fraudulent claims to Tricare and CHAMPVA for expensive, medically unnecessary compound drugs through a Broward pharmacy. Tricare and CHAMPVA are the health care benefit programs for the United States Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs. In furtherance of the scheme, Smith paid kickbacks to patient recruiters in exchange for their recruiting beneficiaries and referring prescriptions for the medical unnecessary drugs. For her role, Catoggio calculated and tracked the kickbacks and sham co-pay assistance programs used to further the scheme. The fraudulent referrals caused an actual loss to the government programs of approximately $88 million.
In addition to the prison sentence, the Court imposed restitution in the amount of $75,106,971.
DCIS, FBI Miami, VA-OIG, and FDA-OCI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Juenger prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove is handling the asset forfeiture component of the case.
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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