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Thursday 11 August 2022
Guatemalan Man Charged with Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Marvin Agustin-Vasquez, age 39, of Guatemala, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on a charge of illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Agustin-Vasquez was removed from the United States on May 28, 2021, and it is alleged that he reentered the United States without first obtaining legal permission to do so. The indictment alleges that on June 28, 2022, Agustin-Vasquez was found in Dauphin County.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Harrisburg Bureau of Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime M. Keating is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Four New Jersey Men Charged with Fentanyl Analogue Distribution and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Four New Jersey men were charged for their alleged roles in drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
William Panzera, 49, of North Haledon, New Jersey; Thomas Padovano, 48, and Bartholomew Padovano, 71, both of Newark; and Sean Tighe, 46, of Kearny, New Jersey, are each charged in a second superseding indictment with one count of drug trafficking conspiracy and one count of international promotional money laundering conspiracy. Thomas and Bartholomew Padovano are also charged with domestic concealment money laundering conspiracy.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Since at least 2014, the defendants and others imported and distributed various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, including ketamine, ethylone, multiple fentanyl analogues, and synthetic cathinones, also known as “bath salts.” The drug trafficking organization members ordered the drugs from sources in China. They stored and distributed the controlled substances from a trailer on Delancey Street in Newark. They also procured one or more pill presses and pressed the fentanyl analogues into small blue pills that were designed to resemble a commercial opioid pill and were marketed as such. These pills contained various amounts of fentanyl analogues and resulted in at least three overdoses between 2016 and 2020.
The defendants allegedly paid for the drugs they imported by sending, or recruiting others to send, international wire payments to the Chinese sources of supply.
To conceal and disguise the nature and source of the illicit narcotics proceeds, Thomas and Bartholomew Padovano made numerous cash deposits into various personal and business accounts. Both the international wire payments, as well as the cash deposits, were structured in a manner to avoid suspicion.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina; and postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the HSI in Philadelphia, the FBI – Newark Division, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Newark Police Department, and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek of the Criminal Division in Newark and Trial Attorneys Stephen Sola and Michael Khoo of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.
This case was investigated under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to enhance the identification, apprehension, and prosecution of individuals involved in gang-related activities, violent crime, and drug distribution. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The charges and allegations contained in the second superseding indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Four Defendants Indicted in Interstate Gun Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), and Keechant L. Sewell, Police Commissioner for the City of New York (NYPD), announced that ABOUDULAYE KEITA, a/k/a “Abdoulaye,” MARQUISE DESHAUN AUSTIN, CEDRIC KEYON CHRISTOPHER, JR., and JAILYN HILLIARD were indicted yesterday with conspiracy to commit firearms offenses and gun trafficking, in connection with their involvement in a scheme to illegally obtain and transport firearms from Arkansas for resale to residents of New York. KEITA was also charged with interstate travel with intent to engage in gun trafficking. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska.
AUSTIN was arrested on March 11, 2022 in Arkansas and the complaint charging AUSTIN was unsealed yesterday in the Southern District of New York. CHRISTOPHER and HILLIARD were charged by complaint and arrested last month in Arkansas. KEITA is in state custody on unrelated charges and is expected to be transferred into federal custody.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendants are responsible for trafficking dozens of guns across state lines, including guns that were later used to commit violent acts extending all the way from Arkansas to New York. Let today’s arrests make clear that we will not tolerate gun traffickers and the devastating harm they inflict on our communities.”
ATF Special Agent-in-Charge John DeVito said: “People who flood illegal guns on our streets are drivers of violent crime and put communities in danger. This case highlights how ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network is a crucial tool in the investigation and prosecution of gun crimes because it connects individual firearms to the violent criminal offenses in which they are used. ATF will continue to work with our partners to identify and disrupt the schemes used to put illegal firearms into the hands of violent criminals and on our streets. Thank you to the partnership and hard work of the men and women of Little Rock Police Department’s Gun Crimes Unit and ATF NY’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center.”
NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “The interstate flow of illegal guns into New York City is a grave threat to the public safety of everyone we serve. Each gun seized is another step forward in our tireless pursuit to rid our streets of these deadly weapons – and anyone who traffics them must be held fully accountable. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the ATF’s New York Field Division, and all of our law-enforcement partners who worked on this critical case.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment and the Complaints[1]:
From at least October 2020 through December 2021, the defendants and others conspired to illegally purchase and traffic firearms across state lines. AUSTIN, CHRISTOPHER and HILLIARD each acted as straw purchasers to buy firearms from licensed gun shops in Arkansas—a total of at least 73 firearms—and then sold these firearms illegally to KEITA and others with the understanding the firearms would then be transported to New York. To date, nine of the defendants’ firearms have been recovered in the Bronx and Brooklyn, in addition to six recoveries in California and five in Arkansas.
Through lead information collected and maintained by the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), casings from the recovered firearms have been connected to a shooting that took place in the Bronx on June 20, 2021 and shootings that took place in Harlem on July 5, 2021 and October 6, 2021. Casings from one firearm recovered in Arkansas were found at the scene of a September 3, 2021 homicide in Little Rock.
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KEITA, AUSTIN, CHRISTOPHER, and HILLIARD are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit firearms offenses, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and one count of gun trafficking, which also carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. KEITA is also charged with one count of interstate travel with intent to commit gun trafficking, which carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.
The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the ATF and the NYPD. Mr. Williams also thanked local law enforcement partners in Arkansas, the ATF’s Little Rock Field Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Arkansas for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Jane Y. Chong is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Former Teacher’s Aide Indicted and Arrested for Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging former teacher’s aide Josualis Carrasquillo-Ramos, 21, with sexual exploitation of a minor, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The arrest follows an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Puerto Rico Department of Education and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to the indictment, in October and November of 2021, Carrasquillo-Ramos did knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an individual who had not attained the age of eighteen to engage in sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense.
“The defendant used his position of trust to prey on a minor, making the minor a victim of child exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “If you are a victim or know of another victim of this individual, please come forward; contact the authorities so we can protect you and others from these crimes. We want the community to know that the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice, along with our federal, state and local partners, are committed to protecting children from these criminals.”
“The sexual exploitation of minors, in all forms, is a despicable and a very serious crime. HSI will fiercely investigate these crimes to identify the alleged perpetrator, arrest him or her, and obtain solid evidence that will prevail in court,” said Iván J. Arvelo, Special Agent in Charge (SAC) for HSI San Juan. “To those contemplating perpetrating this crime, we will continue working with our local and federal partners and using all resources available and robust investigative authorities to identify you, arrest you and prosecute you.”
On Friday, Carrasquillo-Ramos had his initial hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Camile Velez-Rive. He was transferred to the Guaynabo Metropolitan Detention Center to await further judicial proceedings.
If convicted, Carrasquillo-Ramos faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant United States Attorney Ginette Milanés, from the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit, is prosecuting the case.
HSI is the principal investigative arm of DHS and a vital U.S. asset in combatting transnational crimes and threats. One of HSI’s top priorities is to protect the public from crimes of victimization, and HSI’s child exploitation investigations program is a central component of this mission. HSI is recognized as a global leader in this investigative discipline, and is committed to utilizing its vast authorities, international footprint and strong government and non-government partnerships to identify and rescue child victims, identify and apprehend offenders, prevent transnational child sexual abuse and help make the internet a safer place for children.
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from online sexual abuse, visit https://www.ice.gov/topics/iGuardians.
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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Former Local High School Teacher and Theme Park Employee Convicted of Attempting to Meet A Minor for SexRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Dennis Lee Line (51, Winter Springs) guilty of one count of attempting to coerce or entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Line faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. He had been indicted on April 6, 2022. A sentencing date is scheduled for November 2, 2022.
According to evidence admitted during trial, Line, who most recently taught at Oviedo High School for 18 years (ending in 2019), met who he believed to be a 15-year-old girl on a dating application on February 9, 2022. Later that day, the 15-year-old girl and Line began sending text messages to each other. In the text messages, Line initiated a discussion about sex and meeting later that night so that he could teach her about sex and perform oral sex on her.
Line agreed to meet the 15-year-old girl in Orange County after he left his job at a theme park. Unbeknownst to Line, the 15-year-old girl was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Line was arrested when he arrived at the meeting location.
This case was investigated by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Orlando Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn P. Napier.
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 United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Fort Campbell Soldier & Wife Sentenced to Federal Prison for Child Pornography CrimesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Kara Adkins, 38, and Robert Adkins, 42, both of Clarksville, Tennessee, were sentenced yesterday to federal prison for child pornography crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Kara Adkins was sentenced to 260 months in prison and Robert Adkins was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The Court also ordered Kara Adkins to be placed on supervised release for 10 years and Robert Adkins for eight years. Both were indicted in January 2018 for conspiracy to produce child pornography and other related charges and pleaded guilty in October 2021. Kara Adkins pleaded guilty to production, transportation, and possession of child sexual abuse material. Robert Adkins pleaded guilty to receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material.
According to court records, Kara Adkins and Robert Adkins used a texting application to communicate with each other while Kara Adkins lived in the Middle District of Tennessee and Robert Adkins was deployed overseas. Both defendants discussed engaging in sexual activity with five different children that they had access to at various times. The chats, which included discussions of prior, current, and future sexual abuse of the children, were detailed and explicit. The chats were extensive and amounted to hundreds of pages. During these discussions, Kara Adkins sent Robert Adkins numerous images of her sexually abusing a young child. After receiving those images, Robert Adkins requested more explicit images of the child and discussed his desire to engage in additional sexual exploitation of children.
The sexual abuse material depicted infants, toddlers, and prepubescent children. Kara Adkins was found to be in possession of several hundred images of child sexual abuse, and Robert Akins was found to be in possession of approximately 92 images of the same.
According to Court documents, Robert Adkins was subsequently discharged from the United States Army due to his involvement in this conduct.
This matter was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Daughtrey prosecuted the case.
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Former Executive Vice President of T.J. Martell Foundation Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Melissa Goodwin, 56, the former Executive Vice President and General Manager of the T.J. Martel Foundation for Cancer Research, was sentenced today to four years in prison for embezzling more than $3.7 Million from the Foundation, announced U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee. U.S. District Judge William L. Campbell, Jr., also ordered Goodwin to pay $3,949,800.70 in restitution.
Goodwin was charged with wire fraud in January and pleaded guilty in February to devising and operating a scheme to defraud the Foundation by purchasing approximately $3.96 million in tickets from online ticket vendors Ticketmaster, Stubhub, Primesport, and On-Location, using a Foundation credit card she had obtained in her own name. These tickets were not for a legitimate Foundation purpose and included tickets to musical events, such as Lady Gaga and Celine Dion concerts, and sporting events, such as Super Bowl LIV, which was scheduled to take place in Miami, Florida, on February 2, 2020.
Goodwin provided these tickets to an individual in New York City who owned and operated a charity auction business. This business conducted auctions for clients, offering consignment items such as event tickets and sports memorabilia to the clients for use in their auctions. As part of the scheme, Goodwin led this individual to believe that she had acquired the tickets at no cost or at a discounted rate. Goodwin also used the Foundation’s credit card to purchase other items that were not for legitimate Foundation purposes, such as expensive and rare alcohols, plane tickets, and hotel stays. She then used the Foundation’s bank accounts to pay the credit card charges.
In order to conceal the ticket purchases, Goodwin provided falsified credit card statements and false expense reports to the Foundation’s accounting firm. Goodwin falsified the credit card statements by altering them to conceal the ticket purchases, as well as other expenses. She often replaced the name of the actual vendor with the name of a different vendor so that the charges appeared to be legitimate Foundation expenses. In total, Goodwin concealed over $3 million in fraudulent credit card expenses.
The Foundation’s accounting firm prepared the Foundation’s periodic financial statements based on these falsified credit card statements and expense reports. The accounting firm then emailed those statements to Goodwin, whose job it was to provide them to the Foundation’s CEO.
However, before providing them to the CEO, Goodwin falsified those financial statements by inflating the Foundation’s assets and lowering its liabilities to make the Foundation appear to be more liquid than it was at the time. These falsifications prevented the Foundation from detecting Goodwin’s fraudulent transactions.
In addition to falsifying the credit card statements and financial statements, Goodwin forged the signature of the Foundation’s CEO on six checks totaling $966,275.78 that were not approved by the Foundation.
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn W. Booth.
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Former Cheerleading Coach and High School Teacher Charged with Possession and Production of Child Sexual Abuse Images and Videos and Enticement of A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Vigiland D’Haiti (40, Winter Garden) with one count of possessing images and videos of children being sexually exploited, one count of production of child sexual abuse images and videos, and one count of enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. D’Haiti is a former high school teacher and cheerleading coach who owned a cheerleading gym in Clermont, Florida. If convicted, D’Haiti faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on the possession count, a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison on the production count, and a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison on the enticement count. D’Haiti also faces a potential lifetime term of supervised release. The United States intends to forfeit D’Haiti’s cellphone, which is alleged to have facilitated the charged offenses.
According to the indictment, on May 27, 2022, D’Haiti knowingly possessed images and videos of a minor victim (“Victim 1”) being sexually exploited. Also, in or around June 2021, D’Haiti knowingly produced child abuse videos and images of Victim 1. Additionally, from July 2, 2014, through December 5, 2014, D’Haiti knowingly persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced another minor victim (“Victim 2”) to engage in sexual activity.
D’Haiti was arrested on March 27, 2022, at his home for violations of Florida law, including lewd and lascivious molestation of minors. Incident to his arrest, D’Haiti’s cellphone was seized and a search warrant for this device was obtained. Forensic analyses of the cellphone revealed that it contained a Private Photo Vault application. Inside the Private Photo Vault, D’Haiti stored images and videos of children being sexually exploited, including images of minor victims who were personally known to D’Haiti through the cheerleading gym that he owned in Clermont. D’Haiti’s state charges for molestation are pending.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
Anyone who is or who knows a potential victim in this case, or who has any information regarding this or any other investigation, should contact Homeland Security Investigations toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2423 or by completing its online tip form found at https://www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, together with the Clermont Police Department and the Winter Garden Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kara M. Wick.
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 United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Five Individuals Charged in Murder CaseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that three Manderson, South Dakota, men, a Rockyford, South Dakota, woman, and a Martin, South Dakota, woman have been indicted by a federal grand jury for Second Degree Murder, Discharge of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, and Accessory After the Fact to Second Degree Murder.
Tyson White Plume, age 27; Raymond White Plume, age 19; Sarah Stone, age 42; Jaimee Lewis, age 41; and Ivan White Plume a/k/a Ivan White Butterfly, age 30, were indicted in May 2022. Tyson White Plume was charged with Second Degree Murder and Discharge of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. Raymond White Plume, Sarah Stone, Jaimee Lewis, and Ivan White Plume were charged with Accessory After the Fact to Second Degree Murder. All five individuals have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The maximum penalty upon conviction for Second Degree Murder and Discharge of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence is life in federal prison. The maximum penalty upon conviction for Accessory After the Fact is 15 years in federal prison.
The charges relate to Tyson White Plume killing a juvenile female by shooting her near Rockyford, South Dakota, in February 2022, while Raymond White Plume, Sarah Stone, Jaimee Lewis, and Ivan White Plume assisted Tyson White Plume in covering up the killing to prevent him from being apprehended. The charges are merely an accusation, and all five individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Blair is prosecuting the case.
Tyson White Plume, Raymond White Plume, and Ivan White Plume were detained pending trial. Sarah Stone and Jaimee Lewis were released on bond. A trial date has been set for October 4, 2022.
Fentanyl Seizures at Border Continue to Spike, Making San Diego a National Epicenter for Fentanyl Trafficking; U.S. Attorney’s Office Prioritizes Prosecutions and Prevention ProgramsRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Adam Gordon (619) 546-6720
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 12, 2022
SAN DIEGO – More deadly fentanyl is being seized by border officials in San Diego and Imperial counties than at any of the nation’s 300-plus ports of entry, making this federal district an epicenter for fentanyl trafficking into the United States.
In the first nine months of FY 2022 (October through June), U.S. Customs and Border Protection law enforcement agencies in San Diego and Imperial counties (CBP Field Operations and Border Patrol) seized 5,091 pounds of fentanyl – which amounts to about 60 percent of the 8,425 pounds of fentanyl seized around the entire country. Click here for CBP and Border Patrol statistics.
These fentanyl seizures in San Diego by CBP include land ports of entry at San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, Tecate, Andrade and Calexico. Seizures by Border Patrol stations within the San Diego Sector include Imperial Beach, Chula Vista, Brown Field, El Cajon, Campo, Boulevard, San Clemente and Murietta. In addition, seizures by the Border Patrol in the Imperial Valley include El Centro and Calexico.
Mexican cartels are increasingly manufacturing fentanyl for distribution and sale in the United States Precursors are imported from China and other countries and then pressed into pills, powder or mixed into other drugs at massive, industrial-scale labs.
Initially, drug trafficking organizations were adding small amounts of fentanyl to large loads of other drugs like methamphetamine. But more recently, these criminal organizations are moving significantly larger quantities of fentanyl pills and powder across the border. In a recent six-day period, CBP and Border Patrol intercepted four separate vehicle loads of fentanyl weighing between 100 and 250 pounds from July 13 to 18 in Campo and Calexico. Please see https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/five-days-six-busts-have-calexico-cbp-officers-seizing-494-packages and https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/border-patrol-agents-seize-over-200-pounds-fentanyl.
“A decade ago, we didn’t even know about fentanyl, and now it’s a national crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “The amount of fentanyl we are seizing at the border is staggering. The number of fentanyl seizures and fentanyl-related deaths in our district are unprecedented.”
- According to statistics released by the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office, fentanylrelated overdose deaths have increased 2,375 percent in San Diego County, from 33 in 2016 to at least 817 in 2021. The total may increase as the Medical Examiner’s Office makes final determinations in causes of death.
- According to CBP, seizures of fentanyl in San Diego are up by approximately 323 percent in the last three years, from just 1,599 pounds in FY 2019 to 6,767 in FY 2021. With three months to go in FY 2022, seizures in San Diego in FY 2022 are on pace to meet or exceed 2021 levels.
- In Imperial County, seizures of fentanyl increased 272 percent from FY 2019 to FY 2022, from 40 pounds to 149 pounds – with three months still to count in FY 2022.
Please see the following video messages by U.S. Attorney Grossman; Anne Maricich, acting Director of Field Operations for the San Diego Field Office; San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Aaron M. Heitke; El Centro Chief Patrol Agent Greg Bovino; HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz; and Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy of the FBI’s San Diego Field Office: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGvHJHdPh24UtqMDDnr080IE66OTl8Nxg
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in the San Diego Field Office have the arduous task of sifting through 150,000 northbound travelers every day to find those conducting illegal activity, including narcotics smuggling,” said Anne Maricich, acting Director of Field Operations for the San Diego Field Office. “Drug trafficking organizations will use anyone they can to help them with their dangerous and illegal activities, including regular border crossers as well as teens in the hopes that they won’t arouse suspicion. CBP is committed to keeping this dangerous drug from reaching our communities.”
“2016 was the first year San Diego Sector Border Patrol tracked fentanyl seizures,” said San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Aaron M. Heitke. “In that year, our sector seized a total of 71 pounds. This fiscal year to date, San Diego Sector has already seized over 600 pounds, an increase of 745 percent, with two months remaining in the fiscal year. We will continue to work with our National and International partners to dismantle these criminal organizations and keep our borders free of these nefarious actors.”
“Fentanyl is dangerous on all levels: To our Border Patrol Agents and CBP Officers working hard to interdict this dangerous toxin, as well as to the general public who too often meet a tragic end,” said El Centro Chief Patrol Agent Greg Bovino. “With a concerted effort between law enforcement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the public, we can stop fentanyl smuggling and protect our communities.”
“Fentanyl is an extremely dangerous narcotic that kills indiscriminately,” said HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “Fentanyl is not the type of drug you experiment with, and it is only a matter of time before drug users consume a fatal dose. This deadly drug does not discriminate nor do the transnational criminal organizations (TCO) who smuggle this dangerous drug. These TCOs have no regard for the lives taken and the violence created by this illegal enterprise. HSI is committed to preventing this drug from entering our communities and destroying lives and devastating families. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and prioritize investigations targeting the drug cartels who are smuggling fentanyl into the United States and bring to justice any organization or individuals who seek to profit off the sale of this dangerous narcotic.”
“There is no doubt we are in the middle of a fentanyl crisis at the hands of criminal enterprises, transcending our borders into the communities where we live, where we work, where we go to school,” said Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy of the FBI’s San Diego Field Office. “The FBI’s mission is to protect the American people and we will apply the full force of the FBI behind investigating those criminal enterprises to stop the influx of illicit fentanyl into San Diego. We are dedicated to eliminating this threat where it begins, and will devote all necessary resources and personnel, while working alongside our law enforcement partners, to ensure justice is served and our communities are safe.”
“Air and Marine Operations will continue to work with our federal, local, state and international partners to provide air and marine capabilities along our borders to interdict fentanyl loads that are being brought into the United States by criminal organizations who have no regard for the implications of such a lethal drug,” said Brandon Tucker, director of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection San Diego Air and Marine Branch.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, which is responsible for enforcing federal criminal laws in San Diego and Imperial counties, is employing a dual strategy of prosecution and prevention. Regarding the former, the office has prioritized and significantly increased the number of fentanyl-related prosecutions. There has been an approximately 1,600 percent increase in the number of people charged with fentanyl-related crimes over the last five years. These include numerous successful prosecutions of dealers who distribute fentanyl resulting in someone’s death. Those charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
“We continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue justice for the victims who die as a result of fentanyl trafficking and to prosecute the people responsible for this crisis - from the Mexican drug cartel leadership, to the couriers, to the street dealers who distribute the fatal doses,” Grossman said.
The strategy for combatting the crisis cannot be limited to prosecutions. Law enforcement agencies, including federal, state and local partners, must continue to lead on education and other prevention efforts. For example, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which holds a leadership role in the county’s opioid coalition, has been a driving force behind the creation of a fentanyl tool kit that provides critical information to the public on fentanyl dangers. Please see the Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force website: https://www.sdpdatf.org/community-parent-fentanyl-toolkit. In addition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Outreach Team is available to provide presentations to any audience. Interested groups can arrange a fentanyl presentation by contacting [email protected] or [email protected].
Grossman also noted that the Administration’s National Drug Control Strategy focuses on two critical drivers of the epidemic: untreated addiction and drug trafficking. “Our office is taking a 360-degree approach to the fentanyl crisis. We are prioritizing actions that will save lives, promoting grant opportunities, working with partners to get people the care they need, going after drug traffickers’ profits, and making better use of data to guide all these efforts.” See National Drug Control Strategy, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/National-Drug-Control-2022Strategy.pdf.
We need help from everyone in the community to be educated on the dangers of fentanyl. “Prevention is key to stopping the death toll,” Grossman said. “Parents need to talk with their kids about fentanyl.
A tiny amount will kill, and people are overdosing by accident, with many unaware that they are even taking fentanyl. No drug is safe in this era. Do not experiment with any illicit drug, because it might contain fentanyl. And it just might be the last thing you do.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, together with several federal law enforcement partners, has created a poster that will be hung at the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa ports of entry, warning would-be smugglers and distributors of fentanyl of stiff consequences if their actions lead to deadly overdose. “YOUR FENTANYL KILLS,” the poster says in both English and Spanish. “Distribution of Fentanyl (pills or powder) resulting in death or serious bodily injury carries a mandatory sentence of 20 years in federal prison. YOU PAY THE PRICE!”
On August 31, the U.S. Attorney and other law enforcement officials will observe International Overdose Awareness Day, the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose and remember those who have died and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind. The campaign raises awareness of overdose - one of the world’s worst public health crises - and stimulates action and discussion about evidence-based overdose prevention and drug policy.
Felon Serving Time for Illegal Gun Possession Sentenced to Additional 18 Months in Federal Prison for Escape from Residential Reentry FacilityRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE – Glynn Petticord, 51, of Evansville, Indiana, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to escaping from federal custody.
According to court documents, Petticord was sentenced to 156 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Towards the end of his sentence, Petticord was transferred by the federal Bureau of Prisons to a residential reentry center in Evansville. The Bureau of Prisons contracts with residential reentry centers, also known as halfway houses, to provide assistance to inmates who are nearing release. Inmates serving a portion of their sentence at a residential reentry center are only authorized to leave the RRC through sign-out procedures for approved activities.
Petticord was to remain in the facility and abide by the facility’s rules until his projected release date of June 5, 2021. On April 24, 2021, Petticord left the reentry center without authorization and did not return. Law enforcement apprehended Petticord in Evansville on January 31, 2022.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana and Joseph “Dan” McClain, U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Indiana made the announcement.
The U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Miller who prosecuted this case.
Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who was shot during an exchange of gunfire was sentenced today to more than eight years in federal prison.
Chad Lee, age 20, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 3, 2022, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
In a plea agreement, Lee admitted that, on August 26, 2020, he knowingly possessed a firearm, a Springfield XD 9mm handgun, as a prohibited person. Lee was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he was previously convicted on July 2, 2020, of Interference Displaying a Firearm, in the Iowa District Court for Black Hawk County, a felony. On August 2, 2020, Waterloo police officers responded to a call of shots fired. Upon responding, officers learned that multiple individuals were involved in an altercation wherein multiple people exchanged gunfire. Officers located between 20 to 30 shell casings but no firearms. Officers also learned that Lee had just been admitted at a nearby hospital with a gunshot wound. Surveillance video of the shooting showed Lee exchanging gunfire with another group of individuals. On August 26, 2020, Waterloo police officers executed a search warrant at Lee’s residence and found the Springfield handgun with an extended magazine under his pillow. The Springfield had been reported stolen in February 2020. Lee admitted he was one of the shooters on August 2 but stated he used a Beretta handgun which he dropped after being shot. Lee said he never found the Beretta and had just acquired the Springfield handgun and used it for protection.
Lee was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Lee was sentenced to 100 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Lee is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery and investigated by the Violent Crime Apprehension Team (VCAT) of the Waterloo Police Department.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-2056.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Multiple Defendants for Marijuana, Money Laundering, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - A federal grand jury in Knoxville returned a four-count indictment on July 20, 2022, against Jordon Albert White, 31, Jack Jamarcus Bolden, 32, Anasia Annette Cherry, 21, Tatyana Davenport, 25, Anthony Dewayne Davis, 28, James Anthony Johnson, Jr., 31, Adarius Damonde McLeroy, 31, Rebecca Hope Richey, 24, Isaac Scott White, 26, David Whitehead, Jr., 49, and Kiersten Jennifer Whitehead, 50, all of Knoxville, Tennessee, Jacob Scott Clabough, 24, of Luttrell, Tennessee, Shawn Edward Fuller, 27, of Maryville, Tennessee, and Yazan Arafat Abdul-Latif, a/k/a Ryan Rodgers, 28, of Weaverville, California, for conspiracy to distribute 1000 kilograms or more of marijuana and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Jordan White and Abdul-Latif were also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of their drug trafficking crime.
Jordon White, Cherry, Clabough, Davenport, Davis, Fuller, Johnson, McLeroy, Richey, Isaac White, David Whitehead, Jr., and Kiersten Whitehead all appeared in federal court on August 10, 2022, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill McCook and entered pleas of not guilty to the charges in the indictment. Jordan White, Davis, Fuller, Johnson, McLeroy, and Isaac White were detained pending trial, while Cherry, Clabough, Davenport, Richey, David Whitehead, Jr., and Kiersten Whitehead were released pending trial. Bolden and Abdul-Latif have not yet appeared in federal court on these charges. Trial has been set for October 18, 2022, in United States District Court, in Knoxville, Tennessee, before the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge.
If convicted, each defendant faces a minimum mandatory term of imprisonment of at least 10 years up to life, up to a $10,000,000 fine, five (5) years of supervised release, and forfeiture.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement.
This indictment is the result of an investigation by Federal Bureau of Investigation Appalachian High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (“FBI AHIDTA”), the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), and the United States Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”). The FBI AHIDTA Task Force includes the Roane County Sheriff’s Office, Knoxville Police Department, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Blount County Sheriff’s Office, and Sevier County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Davidson will represent the United States.
This case was part of the Justice Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and HIDTA programs. OCDETF is the primary weapon of the United States against the highest-level drug trafficking organizations operating within the United States, importing drugs into the United States, or laundering the proceeds of drug trafficking. The HIDTA program enhances and coordinates drug control efforts among local, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies. The program provides agencies with coordination, equipment, technology, and additional resources to combat drug trafficking and its harmful consequences in critical regions of the United States.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Fairfax Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Ryan Michael Kannett was sentenced to 188 months in prison for possessing and distributing child sex abuse material, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr., U.S. District Court Judge.
Kannett, 39, of Fairfax, pleaded guilty on March 16, 2022, to possessing child pornography and distributing child pornography. According to the plea agreement, Kannett admitted that between December 6, 2019, and December 9, 2019, he used the Kik messenger app to distribute several electronic files over the internet that contained both video and still images of sexually explicit material involving children. Kannett further admitted that he possessed over 600 images of child sex abuse material; the materials included images that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct, involved prepubescent minors, and depicted sexual abuse of infants and toddlers.
In addition, court documents established that Kannett used the handle “Sir Sicko,” among others, to engage online with an individual whom he believed to be interested in child pornography. The individual was, in fact, an undercover agent. Kannett provided the agent with several videos and images depicting sexual acts with minors and expressed a desire to rape and murder two women. Kannett told the undercover agent that he and the agent should do a practice run by raping and killing children, of any age, before killing the two targeted women. Law enforcement agents traced the IP addresses from which the electronic files were sent to Kannett’s residence in Fairfax. Agents executed a search warrant at that residence and recovered a tablet device that contained approximately 454 videos depicting child pornography, including videos depicting minors forced to engage in bestiality and bondage. One video was approximately 8 minutes long and showed an adult female sexually and physically abusing a girl who appeared to be between 2 and 5 years old.
On January 11, 2022, Kannett was charged by information with one count of possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2), and one count of distribution of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2252(a)(2) and (b). Pursuant to his guilty plea, Kannett pleaded guilty to both counts.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Gilliam ordered the defendant to serve 15 years of supervised release that will begin after the prison term is concluded. The defendant has been in custody since his arrest on December 17, 2019, and will begin serving his sentence immediately.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis James is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Karina Ruiz and Maria Sunga. The prosecution was the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.
El Departamento de Justicia concluye la revisión luego de que el Sistema Judicial Unificado de Dakota del Sur mejorara el acceso para las personas con dominio limitado del idioma inglésRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia (Justice Department) anunció hoy que cerrará una revisión de derechos civiles basada en las acciones que ha tomado el Sistema Judicial Unificado de Dakota del Sur (UJS, por sus siglas en inglés) para mejorar el acceso a los programas y actividades judiciales para personas con dominio limitado del idioma inglés (LEP, por sus siglas en inglés).
En octubre de 2021, el Departamento de Justicia resolvió una revisión que inició el UJS de conformidad con el Título VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964 (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI), que prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de raza, color de piel y nacionalidad por parte de los beneficiarios de asistencia financiera federal. El UJS ha tomado una serie de medidas para mejorar el acceso a los tribunales estatales para personas con LEP en Dakota del Sur. El UJS también ha formalizado un programa de acceso al idioma en los tribunales y, recientemente, el UJS emitió un plan de acceso al idioma en todo el estado que requiere que todos los tribunales proporcionen servicios de interpretación y traducción sin costo para los usuarios con LEP de los tribunales. Además, el UJS ha proporcionado a los jueces y al personal judicial capacitación en acceso al idioma que aborda el Título VI y los requisitos de la ley estatal. El departamento está concluyendo esta revisión debido a estos y otros esfuerzos del UJS.
"El idioma nunca debe ser una barrera para las personas que buscan acceso a la justicia y a los tribunales en nuestro país", dijo la fiscal general adjunta Kristen Clarke, de la División de Derechos Civiles (Civil Rights Division) del Departamento de Justicia. "Reconocemos las mejoras del Sistema Judicial Unificado de Dakota del Sur que han ayudado a mejorar sustancialmente el acceso a los tribunales estatales para las personas con dominio limitado del idioma inglés".
"Desde el proyecto de ley que el UJS presentó el año pasado y que se convirtió en ley estatal hasta el reciente plan de acceso al idioma, el UJS ha mejorado la experiencia de los usuarios de los tribunales con LEP en nuestro estado", dijo la fiscal federal Alison J. Ramsdell para el Distrito de Dakota del Sur. "Nuestra oficina está dedicada a trabajar con socios estatales y locales para abordar el acceso al idioma y otros asuntos importantes de derechos civiles".
Este asunto fue llevado a cabo conjuntamente por abogados de la División de Derechos Civiles y la Oficina de la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito de Dakota del Sur. Hay información adicional disponible sobre la División de Derechos Civiles en su sitio web en www.justice.gov/crt, y hay información disponible sobre el dominio limitado del idioma inglés y el Título VI en https://www.lep.gov/SPA. El público en general puede denunciar posibles violaciones de los derechos civiles en https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/ o con la Oficina de la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito de Dakota del Sur completando el formulario de denuncia disponible en https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/civil-rights.
Convicted Iraqi gun smuggler sentenced to nearly eight years in prisonRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: An Iraqi national has been sentenced to federal prison after being convicted of attempting to smuggle guns through the Port of Savannah.
Nihad Al Jaberi, 43, of Clarkston, Ga., was sentenced to 94 months in prison after a U.S. District Court jury in February convicted him on charges of Smuggling, Failure to Notify a Common Carrier, and Submitting False or Misleading Export Information, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered that Al Jaberi be referred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation after completion of his prison term, and if not deported, Al Jaberi must serve three years of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Our law enforcement partners performed outstanding work in detecting and stopping this shipment hidden guns,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “This interception will hold Al Jaberi accountable while preventing deadly weapons from heading to a dangerous and unstable country.”
As proven at trial, Al Jaberi is an Iraqi citizen and legal permanent resident of the United States who attempted in August 2020 to hide six .308-caliber long-range rifles and three handguns in a shipment labeled as “71 Pieces of Spare Auto Parts with No License Required.” Al Jaberi obtained the firearms through straw purchases at various Atlanta-area sporting goods stores before disassembling the guns and hiding them among used automotive parts in a container that authorities intercepted at the Port of Savannah.
“Illegally exporting firearms is a violation of our nation’s export control laws and often has serious consequences in the United States and abroad,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Carson, U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement (OEE), Miami Field Office. “This outcome demonstrates the effectiveness of OEE, working with our law enforcement partners, to disrupt the illegal export of sensitive, controlled items.”
“ATF’s central objective is ensuring the safety of local residents,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “In order to accomplish this mission, ATF will aggressively and acutely target individuals who seek to diminish the general welfare through illegal firearms trafficking.”
“HSI’s work to prevent the smuggling of illegal weapons protects communities around the globe,” 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 are committed to catching and prosecuting those involved in this illegal trade.”
“Customs and Border Protection officers at Savannah seaport work tirelessly alongside partnering agencies to stop illicit shipments into and out of the country,” said, David Santos, Acting Area Port Director CBP Savannah. “We can only imagine where these guns could have ended up.”
The case was investigated by U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Darron J. Hubbard and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer G. Solari, and by Northern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg.
Camden County Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Deploying Homemade Explosive at Local Fitness CenterRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 60 months in prison for setting off a homemade bomb at a fitness center, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced today.
Dwayne Vandergrift, 40, of Gloucester City, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Karen Williams in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of malicious use of explosive materials. Judge Williams imposed the sentence on Aug. 10, 2022, in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In the early morning hours of Aug. 28, 2020, Vandergrift deployed a homemade explosive device at a Gloucester City fitness center. The bomb damaged the gym’s door and entryway. The gym had not yet opened for the day, and no one was inside. Law enforcement officers later searched Vandergrift’s home and located additional materials for building explosive devices and firearms.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Williams sentenced Vandergrift to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, South Jersey Resident Agency, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, the Gloucester City Police Department, the New Jersey State Police, the Camden County Sheriff’s Office, Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey R. Harteis of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden, New Jersey.
Butte woman sentenced to prison for stealing more than $600,000 from elderly, blind victim under her guardianshipRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Butte woman who admitted to stealing more than $600,000 from an elderly and blind woman, now deceased, who was under her care, and spending the money instead on lake property, vehicles, a pontoon boat and other items for herself was sentenced on Aug. 10 to one year and a day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
Debra Gean Roeber, 66, pleaded guilty in April to wire fraud and to money laundering.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. Judge Christensen also ordered $661,549.00 in restitution.
“Montanans are inherently trusting and the victim in this case trusted Roeber because she was the victim’s guardian. Roeber abused that trust when she defrauded her elderly, lonely, and blind victim, which is not just tragic and egregious, it’s reprehensible and unacceptable. Our office and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate elder abuse, and we will be steadfast in our commitment to protect our most vulnerable friends and neighbors,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
“Senior citizens and those that care about them must be vigilant to prevent future scams targeting elder Americans,” said Andy Tsui, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office. “As a community, it is our responsibility to care for our elders. As a law enforcement community, it is our duty to hold individuals accountable who abuse their position of trust and steal from the people that are under their care.”
“Motivated purely by greed, Roeber defrauded the victim and betrayed her trust. This was a truly reprehensible crime aggravated by the fact that the victim was blind,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennis Rice of the Salt Lake City FBI. “Our elderly citizens should be valued, not victimized. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will hold accountable those who prey on society’s vulnerable populations.”
The government alleged in court documents that the state district court appointed Roeber as the guardian and conservator for the victim, identified as Jane Doe, who was unable to care for herself or her financial needs without assistance because she was blind. From about January 2017 until June 2020, Roeber stole $661,549 from Jane Doe and used the money for, among other things, construction projects on lake property at Canyon Ferry, vehicles, furniture, a pontoon boat and cash. None of the expenditures was authorized. Roeber admitted she took advantage of Jane Doe “a lot,” including lying to the victim about her finances. Jane Doe, who is now deceased, lived her final days believing this fraud left her destitute and unable to care for her simple needs.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation.
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Brooklyn Man Charged for Fraudulently Entering Competitor Laboratory and Destroying and Stealing EquipmentRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Brooklyn, New York, man was arrested today for allegedly entering a laboratory business on false pretenses and destroying and stealing that business’ equipment, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Eric Leykin, 31, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged by complaint with one count of wire fraud and one count of accessing a protected computer without authorization and recklessly causing damage. He appeared by videoconference today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court and was released on $1 million unsecured bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Leykin was the CEO of a clinical reference laboratory based in New Jersey. Leykin’s laboratory competed against the victim business, another clinical reference laboratory also based in New Jersey. On June 30, 2022, Leykin bought a prepaid mobile phone and called an employee of the victim business, claiming to be a technician with a vendor that the victim business used to service its laboratory equipment. On that false pretense, Leykin scheduled an appointment with the victim business’ employee to supposedly service some of the victim business’ laboratory equipment. On July 1, 2022, the date of the supposed service appointment, Leykin went to the victim business and proceeded to destroy a significant amount of the victim business’ laboratory and computer equipment, in at least one instance doing so with a USB kill stick device. Leykin also stole multiple hard drives housed within the victim business’ equipment.
The wire fraud count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and the computer intrusion count carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison. Both counts also carry a maximum fine of either $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II; the Millburn Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Gilfedder; and the FBI in New York, under the direction of Assistant Director Michael Driscoll, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Trombly of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Bergen County Man Charged with Distributing HeroinRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey, man was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Esmelby Estevez-Castillo, 35, of Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, was arraigned on Aug. 10, 2022, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer and pleaded not guilty. Estevez-Castillo was indicted on Aug. 2, 2022, on one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and one count of possessing with intent to distribute at least 100 grams of heroin.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From March 2019 through Dec. 3, 2020, Estevez-Castillo conspired with others to distribute, and did distribute, at least 100 grams of heroin.
The count of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison, and a maximum fine of $5 million. The charge of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute at least 100 grams of heroin carries a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5 million.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sophie E. Reiter of the U.S. Attorney’s Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Baltimore Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Setting a House on Fire While Three People Were InsideRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Luther Moody Trent, age 21, of Baltimore, Maryland to 12 years in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for malicious destruction of property by fire. The Court has also ordered Trent to pay $612,700.20 in restitution.
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief Niles R. Ford of the Baltimore City Fire Department.
“Justice has been served — our community and the victims here finally got some accountability” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron.
According to his guilty plea, on May 21, 2021, at approximately 1:30 a.m., Trent poured gasoline along the exterior of a Baltimore residence and then set the gasoline on fire while Victim 1, Victim 2, and Victim 3 were inside. The fire caused significant damage to the residence and the adjoining property, however, all three victims were alerted and escaped without injury. Firefighters were eventually able to extinguish the blaze.
Victim 1 was in a prior volatile relationship with Trent which resulted in the police being called on at least one occasion, as well as an order of protection being issued in favor of Victim 1. Examination of Victim 1’s cell phone revealed that Trent had sent threatening text messages to Victim 1.
After further investigation, a Baltimore City police detective located a video of a prior incident with Trent and Victim 1 on March 23, 2021. After reviewing the video, the BPD detective recognized Trent and recalled that he was at the scene of the arson. At that time, Trent identified himself as “Trey Johnson” and claimed to be inquiring about his “cousin” that he said lived in the residence. According to the detective, Trent seemed to be acting nervous and drove away from the scene in a black two-door sedan. Victim 1 confirmed that Trent drove a black two-door sedan at the time.
As stated in his guilty plea, Trent was interviewed by a local news station about the arson in which he claimed to have set Victim 1’s residence on fire because he was upset that he could not see Victim 1. Further, Trent compared his actions to Romeo and Juliet and stated that “if I can’t have her, nobody can, or at least no one in Baltimore.”
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, Maryland State Fire Marshals, the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Baltimore City Fire Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Judson T. Mihok, who prosecuted the 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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Aryan Brotherhood Gang Member from Visalia Charged for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Brian Thomas Whitworth, 38, of Visalia, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, officers were investigating a vehicle theft reported by Whitworth, but upon reviewing his home’s surveillance footage, they saw that Whitworth had fired a rifle during the theft. Officers recovered a rifle matching the description of the rifle Whitworth was seen firing in the surveillance footage. In jail calls, Whitworth admitted to knowledge of the firearm and also discussed his gang membership. Whitworth was previously convicted of felonies, including assault with a deadly weapon and vehicle theft and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Visalia Police Department, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Jean Berger is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Whitworth faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Apopka Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years for 7-Eleven Robbery and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Jarvis Jackson (31, Apopka) to seven years and six months in federal prison for Hobbs Act robbery, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and aggravated identity theft. Jackson had pleaded guilty on May 23, 2022.
According to court documents, on February 13, 2021, Jackson robbed a 7-Eleven convenience store in Apopka. Jackson entered the store wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and pulled a black ski mask over his face as he entered. He then approached a clerk at the front cash register and handed him a handwritten note that said “Give All Money Out Register and $30 Scratch Offs enter roll. I Have a Gun.” The store clerk saw a firearm protruding from Jackson’s pocket and complied with the demands in the note. Jackson received seven scratch-off rolls worth a total of $140, approximately $50 in cash, and two boxes of cigarettes. Jackson exited the 7-Eleven and fled.
During the execution of a search warrant at Jackson’s residence several months later, law enforcement officers located a Ruger 9mm firearm and a number of materials related to identity theft, including a notebook containing the personal identifying information of 36 different identity theft victims.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Apopka Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt.
Wednesday 10 August 2022
Winooski Man Charged with Receipt of a Firearm While Under Felony IndictmentRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Edward Lamson, 22, of Winooski, Vermont, was indicted on Thursday, August 4, 2022 by a federal grand jury for unlawful receipt of a firearm while he was under felony indictment. Lamson was arraigned in United States District Court on August 9, 2022 and was detained pending trial following a hearing on August 10, 2022.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Lamson remains presumed innocent until and unless he is convicted of a crime. If convicted, Lamson faces up to 5 years of imprisonment. Any actual sentence would be determined by the Court with reference to the advisory Federal Sentencing Guidelines and the United States Code.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the South Burlington Police Department.
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant United States Attorney Eugenia Cowles. Lamson is represented by Michael J. Straub, Esq.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn
Vermont Man Sentenced to 77 Months for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Trevor Allen, 30, formerly of Vermont, was sentenced today to 77 months in federal prison for bank robbery, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 28, 2018, Allen walked into the Claremont Savings Bank branch in Charlestown, New Hampshire, handed the teller a note demanding money, and showed the teller what subsequent investigation determined to be a BB gun. The teller gave Allen $2,485 cash. Surveillance cameras captured images of the robbery, which were broadcast on local news outlets. Numerous individuals identified Allen from the photographs and he was apprehended two days later.
Allen previously pleaded guilty on November 16, 2021 to one count of bank robbery.
“Bank robberies are violent crimes that place the safety of bank employees, customers, and other members of the community in jeopardy,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with the law enforcement community to combat these kinds of dangerous offenses. By combatting violent crime, our goal is to ensure that the citizens of the Granite State feel safe as they conduct their daily business in their local communities.”
“Today’s sentence holds Trevor Allen accountable for targeting this financial institution and instilling fear in innocent employees and bystanders. It also is a warning to others that if you commit bank robbery or any other violent crime in New Hampshire you will face serious consequences for your unlawful actions,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.
This matter was investigated by the Charlestown Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Dronzek.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Recovers over $5.5 Million in Civil False Claims Settlement with American Senior CommunitiesRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – American Senior Communities, L.L.C. (ASC), a provider of skilled nursing and long-term care services throughout Indiana, has agreed to pay $5,591,044.66 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to the Medicare program.
In 2017, a former employee of a hospice services company doing business with ASC filed a sealed civil complaint or “whistleblower” lawsuit under the False Claims Act in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. The complaint alleged that ASC had engaged in conduct to defraud the Medicare program. Specifically, the complaint alleged that ASC was charging Medicare directly for various therapy services provided to beneficiaries who had been placed on hospice, when those services should have already been covered by the beneficiaries’ Medicare hospice coverage.
The False Claims Act provides that when a whistleblower files a lawsuit alleging fraud that results in a recovery of funds by the Government they are entitled to between 15 and 25% of the recovery. This whistleblower provision of the law encourages people to come forward when they believe fraud is being committed. Under the False Claims Act, the Government may collect up to three times the loss it incurred, plus a fine of between approximately $5,500 to $22,000 for each false bill submitted.
Based on the investigation, the estimated loss to the Medicare program was $2,795,522.33 and ASC has agreed to pay $5,591,044.66 to the United States.
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“Whistleblowers are critical to protecting public funds from fraud, waste, and abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “Health care providers who submit false claims or otherwise violate state and federal regulations when billing the United States Government will face consequences.
Today’s settlement demonstrates that federal law enforcement agencies will vigorously investigate reports of false claims and seek to recover funds on behalf of the public.”
“Health care providers that submit inappropriate claims to Medicare to boost their own profits compromise the integrity of this important federal health care program,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “We will continue to work tirelessly, alongside our law enforcement partners, to ensure the appropriate use of taxpayer dollars and hold those who violate the law accountable.”
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shelese Woods and Justin Olson who handled the case for the United States.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. In agreeing to the settlement terms, ASC denied all liability under the False Claims Act. In investigating the case, HHS-OIG did not uncover any evidence of injury or harm to patients because of the alleged conduct.
Three Nigerian Nationals Extradited to the United States from the United Kingdom for Participating in Business Email Compromise Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
Three Nigerian citizens were extradited from the United Kingdom (UK) and arrived in the United States in relation to their alleged participation in multimillion-dollar cyber-enabled business email compromise (BEC) fraud schemes in the Western District of North Carolina, Southern District of Texas and Eastern District of Virginia. The scams allegedly perpetrated by the defendants and their co-conspirators targeted unsuspecting victims including universities in North Carolina, Texas and Virginia, and attempted to cause more than $5 million in losses.
BEC, also known as “cyber-enabled financial fraud,” is a sophisticated scam often targeting employees with access to company finances, businesses working with foreign suppliers and/or businesses that regularly perform wire transfer payments. The same criminal organizations that perpetrate BEC also exploit individual victims, often real estate purchasers, the elderly, and others, by convincing them to make wire transfers to bank accounts controlled by the criminals. This is often accomplished by impersonating a key employee or business partner after obtaining access to that person’s email account or sometimes done through romance and lottery scams. BEC scams may involve fraudulent requests for checks rather than wire transfers; they may target sensitive information such as personally identifiable information (PII) or employee tax records instead of, or in addition to, money; and they may not involve an actual “compromise” of an email account or computer network. Foreign citizens perpetrate many BEC scams. Those individuals are often members of transnational criminal organizations, which originated in Nigeria but have spread throughout the world.
Western District of North Carolina
Oludayo Kolawole John Adeagbo aka John Edwards and John Dayo, 43, a Nigerian citizen and UK resident, and Donald Ikenna Echeazu aka Donald Smith and Donald Dodient, 40, a dual UK and Nigerian citizen, are charged with wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and aggravated identity theft for defrauding a North Carolina university (the University) of more than $1.9 million via a business email compromise scheme. The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in the Western District of North Carolina on April 17, 2019, and was unsealed yesterday following Echeazu’s initial appearance in federal court in Charlotte.
According to allegations contained in the indictment, from Aug. 30, 2016, to Jan. 12, 2017, Adeagbo and Echeazu conspired with other individuals to obtain information about significant construction projects occurring throughout the United States, including an ongoing multi-million-dollar project at the victim University. To execute the scheme, the defendants allegedly registered a domain name similar to that of the legitimate construction company in charge of the University’s project and created an email address that closely resembled that of an employee of the construction company. Using the fake email address, the co-conspirators allegedly deceived and directed the University to wire a payment of more than $1.9 million to a bank account controlled by an individual working under the direction of defendants. Upon receiving the payment, the co-conspirators allegedly laundered the stolen proceeds through a series of financial transactions designed to conceal the fraud.
The wire fraud conspiracy charge and the money laundering conspiracy charge each carry a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence consecutive to any other term imposed.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Billings of the Western District of North Carolina is prosecuting the case.
Southern District of Texas
Oludayo Kolawole John Adeagbo aka John Edwards and John Dayo, 43, a Nigerian citizen and UK resident, is also charged in the Southern District of Texas with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. A federal grand jury returned the indictment March 30, 2022, which was unsealed on Aug. 3, 2022 before he was extradited to the United States.
From November 2016 until July 2018, Adeagbo allegedly conspired with others to participate in cyber-enabled business email compromises in an attempt to steal more than $3 million from victims in Texas, including local government entities, construction companies and a Houston-area college. The indictment alleges Adeagbo and his co-conspirators registered domain names that looked similar to legitimate companies. They then sent emails from those domains pretending to be employees at those companies, according to the charges. The conspirators allegedly sent emails to clients or customers of the companies they impersonated and deceived those customers into sending wire payments to bank accounts they controlled.
Adeagbo faces up to 20 years in prison, if convicted on the charges.
The FBI Houston Cyber Task Force conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI Cyber and Criminal Investigative Divisions. The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, Metropolitan Police Service, City of London Police and Crown Prosecution Service also provided substantial assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rodolfo Ramirez for the Southern District of Texas is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney Brian Mund of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS).
Eastern District of Virginia
Olabanji Egbinola, 42, is charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to a criminal complaint issued by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, from Sept. 26, 2018, to Dec. 26, 2018, Egbinola is alleged to have conspired with others to defraud a Virginia-based university. Egbinola and co-conspirators created and used a fraudulent email account that incorporated the name of a construction company that had a large, ongoing contract with the university. Using this email account, Egbinola and co-conspirators deceived the university into transferring $469,819.49 to a bank account controlled by Egbinola and co-conspirators. That money was quickly laundered and transferred overseas through numerous transactions. Evidence obtained during the investigation showed that Egbinola repeatedly accessed the email account used to defraud the Virginia university.
The FBI Richmond Division conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Hood of for the Eastern District of Virginia is prosecuting the case.
All three defendants were arrested April 23, 2020, by UK authorities at the request of the United States and ordered extradited on Sept. 3, 2021. All three defendants filed appeals, all of which were rejected by the UK High Court on July 12, 2022.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of all three defendants. The U.S. Marshals Service also assisted by transporting the defendants from the UK to the United States.
Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the IC3 at bec.ic3.gov. The IC3 staff reviews complaints, looking for patterns or other indicators of significant criminal activity, and refers investigative packages of complaints to the appropriate law enforcement authorities in a particular city or region. The FBI provides a variety of resources relating to BEC scams through the IC3, which can be reached at www.ic3.gov. For more information on BEC scams, visit: https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/business-email-compromise.
The charges contained in an indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Nigerian Nationals Extradited to the United States from the United Kingdom for Participating in Business Email Compromise Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Three Nigerian citizens were extradited from the United Kingdom (UK) and arrived in the United States in relation to their alleged participation in multimillion-dollar cyber-enabled business email compromise (BEC) fraud schemes in the Western District of North Carolina, Southern District of Texas and Eastern District of Virginia. The scams allegedly perpetrated by the defendants and their co-conspirators targeted unsuspecting victims including universities in North Carolina, Texas and Virginia, and attempted to cause more than $5 million in losses.
BEC, also known as “cyber-enabled financial fraud,” is a sophisticated scam often targeting employees with access to company finances, businesses working with foreign suppliers and/or businesses that regularly perform wire transfer payments. The same criminal organizations that perpetrate BEC also exploit individual victims, often real estate purchasers, the elderly, and others, by convincing them to make wire transfers to bank accounts controlled by the criminals. This is often accomplished by impersonating a key employee or business partner after obtaining access to that person’s email account or sometimes done through romance and lottery scams. BEC scams may involve fraudulent requests for checks rather than wire transfers; they may target sensitive information such as personally identifiable information (PII) or employee tax records instead of, or in addition to, money; and they may not involve an actual “compromise” of an email account or computer network. Foreign citizens perpetrate many BEC scams. Those individuals are often members of transnational criminal organizations, which originated in Nigeria but have spread throughout the world.
Western District of North Carolina
Oludayo Kolawole John Adeagbo aka John Edwards and John Dayo, 43, a Nigerian citizen and UK resident, and Donald Ikenna Echeazu aka Donald Smith and Donald Dodient, 40, a dual UK and Nigerian citizen, are charged with wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and aggravated identity theft for defrauding a North Carolina university (the University) of more than $1.9 million via a business email compromise scheme. The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in the Western District of North Carolina on April 17, 2019, and was unsealed yesterday following Echeazu’s initial appearance in federal court in Charlotte.
According to allegations contained in the indictment, from Aug. 30, 2016, to Jan. 12, 2017, Adeagbo and Echeazu conspired with other individuals to obtain information about significant construction projects occurring throughout the United States, including an ongoing multi-million-dollar project at the victim University. To execute the scheme, the defendants allegedly registered a domain name similar to that of the legitimate construction company in charge of the University’s project and created an email address that closely resembled that of an employee of the construction company. Using the fake email address, the co-conspirators allegedly deceived and directed the University to wire a payment of more than $1.9 million to a bank account controlled by an individual working under the direction of defendants. Upon receiving the payment, the co-conspirators allegedly laundered the stolen proceeds through a series of financial transactions designed to conceal the fraud.
The wire fraud conspiracy charge and the money laundering conspiracy charge each carry a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence consecutive to any other term imposed.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Billings of the Western District of North Carolina is prosecuting the case.
Southern District of Texas
Oludayo Kolawole John Adeagbo aka John Edwards and John Dayo, 43, a Nigerian citizen and UK resident, is also charged in the Southern District of Texas with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. A federal grand jury returned the indictment March 30, 2022, which was unsealed on Aug. 3, 2022 before he was extradited to the United States.
From November 2016 until July 2018, Adeagbo allegedly conspired with others to participate in cyber-enabled business email compromises in an attempt to steal more than $3 million from victims in Texas, including local government entities, construction companies and a Houston-area college. The indictment alleges Adeagbo and his co-conspirators registered domain names that looked similar to legitimate companies. They then sent emails from those domains pretending to be employees at those companies, according to the charges. The conspirators allegedly sent emails to clients or customers of the companies they impersonated and deceived those customers into sending wire payments to bank accounts they controlled.
Adeagbo faces up to 20 years in prison, if convicted on the charges.
The FBI Houston Cyber Task Force conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI Cyber and Criminal Investigative Divisions. The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, Metropolitan Police Service, City of London Police and Crown Prosecution Service also provided substantial assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rodolfo Ramirez for the Southern District of Texas is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney Brian Mund of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS).
Eastern District of Virginia
Olabanji Egbinola, 42, is charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to a criminal complaint issued by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, from Sept. 26, 2018, to Dec. 26, 2018, Egbinola is alleged to have conspired with others to defraud a Virginia-based university. Egbinola and co-conspirators created and used a fraudulent email account that incorporated the name of a construction company that had a large, ongoing contract with the university. Using this email account, Egbinola and co-conspirators deceived the university into transferring $469,819.49 to a bank account controlled by Egbinola and co-conspirators. That money was quickly laundered and transferred overseas through numerous transactions. Evidence obtained during the investigation showed that Egbinola repeatedly accessed the email account used to defraud the Virginia university.
The FBI Richmond Division conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Hood of for the Eastern District of Virginia is prosecuting the case.
All three defendants were arrested April 23, 2020, by UK authorities at the request of the United States and ordered extradited on Sept. 3, 2021. All three defendants filed appeals, all of which were rejected by the UK High Court on July 12, 2022.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of all three defendants.
Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the IC3 at bec.ic3.gov. The IC3 staff reviews complaints, looking for patterns or other indicators of significant criminal activity, and refers investigative packages of complaints to the appropriate law enforcement authorities in a particular city or region. The FBI provides a variety of resources relating to BEC scams through the IC3, which can be reached at www.ic3.gov. For more information on BEC scams, visit: https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/business-email-compromise.
The charges contained in an indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Chicago-Area Residents Charged with COVID-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – Three Chicago-area residents have been indicted on federal charges for allegedly fraudulently obtaining more than $2.75 million in small business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.
SAMUEL W. JACKSON, DAVID L. SULLIVAN II, and ELIZABETH A. CHERVINKO engaged in fraud related to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) – two sources of relief under the CARES Act, according to an indictment unsealed Tuesday in the Northern District of Illinois. The indictment charges Jackson, 42, of Chicago, with five counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering, while Sullivan, 49, of Naperville, Ill., and Chervinko, 41, of Chicago, are each charged with one count of wire fraud.
Jackson pleaded not guilty Tuesday during his arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sunil R. Harjani. Arraignments for Sullivan and Chervinko are set for Aug. 17, 2022, at 1:30 p.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Hannibal Ware, Inspector General of the U.S. Small Business Administration. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher K. Veatch and Megan Donohue.
Pursuant to the CARES Act, a PPP loan allows the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spend a certain amount of the proceeds on essential expenses, such as payroll, rent, and utilities, while the EIDL provides loan assistance or grants to cover working capital and other operating expenses.
According to the indictment, the defendants in the spring and summer of 2020 submitted fraudulent applications and supporting documents to lenders, loan service providers, and the SBA, in their own names and in the names of related corporate entities, including three Montana-based companies – Dream Builder LLC, Ordained Destination LLC, and Ordained Real Estate LLC – and two Illinois-based companies – Top Flight Real Estate LLC and Tips @ 170 Inc. The applications and supporting documents contained materially false representations about the defendants’ companies, including the number of purported employees, revenue and payroll amounts, and other expenses, the indictment states.
The indictment alleges that the defendants defrauded lenders of approximately $2.49 million in PPP loans and defrauded the SBA of approximately $256,500 in EIDL funds. Much of the money was allegedly used for the defendants’ personal benefit, including the purchase of real estate and the lease and purchase of luxury automobiles.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Each wire fraud charge is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, while the maximum penalty for each count of money laundering is ten years. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving COVID-19 is encouraged to report it to the Department of Justice by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or filing an online complaint at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Tampa Serial Robber IndictedRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Johnny Flores (43, Tampa) with three counts of interference with commerce by robbery and three counts of brandishing a firearm. If convicted, Flores faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each of the robbery counts, and a minimum mandatory term of seven years, up to life, imprisonment for each of the firearm offenses.
According to the indictment, between February 13 and 25, 2022, Flores entered three commercial establishments in Tampa and robbed store employees at gunpoint.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Strategic Pattern Armed Robbery Technical Apprehension (SPARTA) unit of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tampa Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.
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.
Sumter County Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Brody Kies (39, Webster) has pleaded guilty to a four-count indictment charging him with possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Kies faces a minimum mandatory of 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison. Kies had been indicted on February 3, 2021.
According to court records, Kies was driving a vehicle that had been stopped for speeding. A search of the vehicle revealed approximately four pounds of methamphetamine, several grams of heroin, cash, drug scales, and a loaded firearm. Kies, a 17-time convicted felon, is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tyrie K. Boyer and Michael P. Felicetta.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case also 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.
St. Louis man sentenced to 12 1/2 years on robbery, gun chargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Wednesday sentenced a St. Louis man who had his gun taken away by the gas station employee he tried to rob to 12 ½ years in prison.
Marshall Seals, 26, entered the Mobil gas station at 1051 Hampton Avenue on Jan. 11, 2021 and initially tried to buy merchandise. He said he did not have enough money, left the store and pulled out a pistol when he returned. Seals pointed it at employee and racked the slide of the pre-World War II-era gun to load it, but it jammed. A lengthy struggle ensued, during which the employee took Seals’ gun. Seals left the store at one point and then returned, asking for his gun back. Seals also struck the clerk with a wine bottle during the struggle. Seals eventually left without the gun, his cell phone and some blood and hair.
On Feb. 22, 2021, police tried to pull over the SUV Seals was driving for a traffic violation, but he sped away. When he was caught and arrested, police found a loaded rifle in the vehicle.
Seals pleaded guilty in May to an attempted robbery charge.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated this case.
St. Louis man admits six committing 6 armed robberiesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis on Wednesday admitted robbing five St. Louis-area gas stations and a Walgreens store of cash and cigarettes in less than a month in 2021.
Leonard Love, 53, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey to six robbery charges and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a robbery.
In each of the robberies, Love handed a note to a store employee and pointed a gun at employees or, in one case, displayed the gun. Three of those notes were written on pages from a "Relapse Prevention Counseling Workbook" that was being used in a drug treatment class Love was attending. Love’s DNA was on the notes and he left his cell phone behind after one robbery.
Love admitted as part of his plea robbing a Walgreens at 4218 Lindbergh Boulevard in St. Louis at 1:25 a.m. on June 19 of cash and 20 cartons of Kool brand cigarettes.
On June 23 at midnight, he robbed the Circle K at 10691 St. Charles Rock Road in St. Ann of cash and two cartons of cigarettes.
A week later at 11:42 p.m., Love robbed the Mobil gas station at 2600 Lemay Ferry Road in south St. Louis County.
During a robbery on July 9 at midnight at the U-Gas at 10743 Watson Road in Sunset Hills, the clerk initially refused to comply with Love’s note demanding money. Love pulled a gun, pointed it at the employee and asked, “Do you want to die?” Love stole cash and multiple cartons of cigarettes.
On July 11 1:30 a.m. at the Circle K at 1514 Hampton Avenue in St. Louis, Love stole cash and several cartons of cigarettes.
At 12:42 a.m. the next day, Love stole cash from the Mobil on the Run at 1401 South Fifth Street in St. Charles.
During a July 16 search of Love’s home in the 5400 block of Thrush Avenue in St. Louis, FBI agents and police found two guns and clothing used in the robberies.
Love is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 8. Both prosecutors and Love’s lawyer have agreed to recommend a sentence of 20 years in prison, but the decision is ultimately up to Judge Autrey.
The FBI and the St. Charles City Police Department, the Sunset Hills Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department and the St. Ann Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.
St. Louis County man who broke into 7 beauty stores sentenced to a year in prisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Wednesday sentenced a man who stole $141,000 worth of beauty supplies from six Missouri stores to a year in prison and ordered him to pay $141,611 in restitution.
Between Nov. 19, 2020 and Jan. 25, 2021, Demetrius Owens, now 20, and another man, Ryan Jones, stole large quantities of perfume, men's fragrances, and other beauty supplies from Ulta Beauty stores in Brentwood, Columbia, Chesterfield, Creve Coeur, Fenton and Washington, Owens admitted in his guilty plea to a wire fraud charge in May. The men then sold the stolen items on the black market.
The men also broke into a south St. Louis County store but didn’t take anything.
The recommended sentencing guideline for the crime was 12 to 18 months in prison.
A co-defendant, Ryan Jones, 38, is in jail in California on another charge. Leo Finerson Jr., 37, of St. Ann, was sentenced in May to 120 days behind bars after pleading guilty to a charge of misprision of a felony. Finerson posted some of the stolen items for sale on Facebook before removing the post to conceal the crime.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the following police departments investigated the case: St. Louis County, Brentwood, Chesterfield, Columbia, Washington, St. Louis Metropolitan and Fairview Heights, Illinois. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware prosecuted the case.
Special Deputy United States Marshal Facing Federal Charges for Money Laundering Related to a Romance Scam Involving More Than 20 VictimsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal criminal complaint has been filed charging Isidore Iwuagwu, age 35, of Upper Malboro, Maryland, with the federal charge of conspiring to commit money laundering related to numerous online romance scams.
Iwuagwu will have his initial appearance today beginning at 2 p.m., in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan.
The criminal complaint was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Andrew Hartwell of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General Fraud Detection Office (DOJ-OIG); and Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Tira Hayward of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division (USPIS).
“If you find yourself in an online relationship and you’re asked for a bunch of money, it’s probably fraud not love,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron. “We’re prosecuting elder fraud, including romance scams, to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Iwuagwu is a Special Deputy United States Marshal and Department of Justice contractor providing security for critical Department of Justice facilities.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, between October 2015 and July 2021, Iwuagwu participated in a romance scam in which individuals contacted victims on social media platforms and dating sites, engaged in online relationships with the victims, then convinced victims to send large sums of money claiming the funds were needed for purported personal hardships or shipping costs for various imports. Many victims reported sending funds at the request of individuals claiming to be deployed members of the U.S. Armed Forces who asked for money for various personal hardships. The alleged scam involved more than 20 victims, many of whom are senior citizens. The victims linked to Iwuagwu reported losing a combined $1.9 million to the scheme.
For example, the affidavit details an account of a victim who was approached on a social media platform by an individual who claimed to be a Major General in the U.S. Army. Eventually, the self-proclaimed Major General asked Victim F to help him with financial expenses as he transitioned out of the military. Victim F believed the individual was returning to the United States to be with her. At the Major General’s request, Victim F sent more than $300,000 to Iwuagwu who Victim F was told was the Major General’s attorney.
In a different case, another victim was contacted by an individual claiming to be a Spanish doctor living in California and who was leaving on a ship to provide medical treatment to individuals in other countries. The individual claimed to not have access to their bank account and asked the victim to send them $1,120, which the victim did. Following this, the victim wired funds to bank accounts controlled by Iwuagwu and also sent money to Iwuagwu through the mail. In total, the victim estimated sending $51,880 to Iwuagwu. When the victim began to express doubts about the funds she was sending, the individual sent the victim a photograph of Iwuagwu’s Department of Justice contractor credentials to ease her concerns.
As stated in the criminal complaint, law enforcement reviewed 30 accounts controlled by Iwuagwu between 2013 and 2021. During this time, Iwuagwu allegedly received approximately $1.65 million in wire transfers from 119 individuals and approximately $1.138 million in other deposits, including money orders, personal checks, cashier’s checks and cash. Allegedly, Iwuagwu routinely withdrew the criminal proceeds through structured cash withdrawals or wire transfers to foreign banks. Specifically, Iwuagwu is alleged to have wired more than $1.5 million from his accounts, including $200,000 to a Nigerian company, and withdrew approximately $511,900 through ATM and other cash withdrawals.
If convicted, Iwuagwu faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit 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.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
The Department of Justice runs the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311), or here, for elders who have been financially exploited to report their incident, and be connected with additional resources and information. Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at this website or by calling 1-800-225-5324. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DOJ-OIG and USPIS for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rajeev R. Raghavan and Jennifer L. Wine, 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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Southfield Resident Sentenced in COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Southfield resident Mykia King was sentenced today to 34 months in prison after having pleaded guilty earlier this year to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft arising out of a pandemic-related unemployment insurance fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Joining in the announcement were Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge John Marengo, United States Secret Service’s Detroit Field Office and Unemployment Insurance Agency Director Julia Dale.
Mykia King, 29, pleaded guilty in January to one count of wire fraud arising out of her submission of 34 fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment assistance. She also pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft, which reflected the fact that she used stolen personal identifying information to further her unemployment assistance fraud scheme.
According to the plea agreement, King filed approximately 34 fraudulent UI claims seeking pandemic unemployment assistance (PUA) benefits to which she was not entitled. These fraudulent claims were submitted in the names of multiple individuals without those individuals’ authorization or consent. King submitted adulterated identification documents as proof of identification for her fraudulent PUA claims. Indeed, King submitted identical driver’s license photos and social security cards as proof of identification for multiple claims, although she used different names and addresses for the claims. The funds associated with King’s fraudulent claims were typically loaded onto Bank of America debit cards and mailed to addresses King controlled. King would then withdraw the funds on these cards, usually at ATMs located in the Eastern District of Michigan.
According to the plea documents, one such fraudulent claim was submitted in the name of a victim whose initials were T.R. King filed a fraudulent PUA claim using T.R.’s name and social security number on June 5, 2020. King was not lawfully in possession of T.R.’s social security number and was not authorized to file a PUA claim on T.R.’s behalf. The claim used King’s street address (with a different apartment number). The system requested an Identity Verification (IDV), and King uploaded an adulterated Michigan driver’s license bearing T.R.’s name as proof of identification. Benefits were paid on King’s fraudulent T.R. claim on approximately June 23 and 24, 2020. King accessed the fraudulently obtained benefits by using a Bank of America debit card issued for the T.R. claim at ATMs in the Detroit Metro area on approximately June 25–30, July 1–2, July 6, and July 10–11, 2020, obtaining approximately $11,880. This fraudulent use of T.R.’s identifying information in furtherance of her fraud scheme gave rise to the aggravated identity theft charge to which King pleaded guilty.
United States Attorney Ison stated “Our office has been vigilant in pursuing those who deprived unemployed workers who rightfully needed assistance during the pandemic. We will continue to seek out those who exploited the system and enriched themselves at the public’s expense.”
“Mykia King conspired to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims, diverting vital taxpayer resources away from those in need of benefits. Protecting the integrity of the unemployment insurance program remains one of our highest priorities, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to safeguard the unemployment benefits for those who need it,” said Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
Special Agent in Charge Marengo said, “The U.S. Secret Service is dedicated to working with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners in UIA fraud cases. The U.S. Secret Service continues to focus on criminals exploiting the American people.”
“Today’s sentencing makes clear that we will find and punish anybody who steals taxpayer money from deserving Michigan workers who rely on unemployment benefits when they lose their jobs,” Unemployment Insurance Agency Director Julia Dale said. “It doesn’t matter if you worked within the UIA or conspire from the outside, our investigators – working closely with our federal law enforcement partners – will chase down those who betray the public trust in our Agency. We won’t stop until every criminal is brought to justice.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John K. Neal and Alyse Wu. The investigation was conducted jointly by the Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General and the Secret Service. The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency provided valuable assistance in this investigation.
South Bay Man Indicted for Alleged Scheme that Used Name of Famous Television Production Company to Swindle InvestorsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A South Bay man was charged today in a federal grand jury indictment alleging he used the “Desilu” name – the same name used by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s television production company famous for shows such as “I Love Lucy” and “Star Trek” – to dupe investors into giving him money for sham investments, money that was actually used for personal expenses that included trips to Las Vegas.
Charles Hensley, 68, of Redondo Beach, is charged with 11 counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. He will be summonsed into United States District Court for an arraignment in the coming weeks.
According to the indictment returned today, from August 2017 to May 2018, Hensley successfully pitched investments in companies he owned, including Desilu Studios Inc. and Migranade Inc., which he operated out of offices in Manhattan Beach and other locations in Southern California. While Hensley claimed his businesses were real and successful, in fact, the indictment alleges, they were little more than shell corporations used as part of an investment scam.
In 2016, Hensley began using the name Desilu, which was similar to the name Desilu Productions Inc., the company that produced classic television shows during the 1950s and 1960s. He then claimed he was making new content for his company, Desilu Studios.
Hensley allegedly told investors he was extremely wealthy and was backing Desilu Studios with his personal funds. In fact, according to the indictment, Hensley had few assets, and he repeatedly bounced checks and overdrew bank accounts to get cash and pay expenses.
Hensley also allegedly provided victim-investors false and misleading valuation letters that purported to show that Desilu Studios was valued at more than $11 billion and Migranade at more than $50 million. In fact, the indictment alleges, the companies had little to no assets and were worth nowhere near the represented value.
In addition to these false statements, Hensley allegedly misrepresented that his companies had acquired valuable intellectual property, distribution agreements, subsidiaries and development rights, and that they were actively developing projects and bringing products to market, including new film and television projects using the Desilu name. In reality, Hensley did not own the intellectual property and other assets he said he did, and he used misleading representations regarding new film and television productions he was supposedly producing to dupe victim-investors into giving him money.
The indictment further alleges Hensley falsely represented that Desilu Studios was about to go public and that the company’s stock was worth more than its face value and more than investors were paying and would increase in value following its imminent initial public offering. In fact, according to the indictment, none of this was accurate and Hensley stole someone’s identity to list as Desilu Studio’s chief financial officer in offering materials.
The overall scheme allegedly impacted multiple victim-investors, including some who wired the approximately $331,000 identified in the wire fraud counts. In addition to these victims, Hensley allegedly also targeted multiple companies in the entertainment industry. In this part of the scheme, Hensley allegedly used some of the same misrepresentations to convince owners and executives to sell their companies to him in exchange for Desilu Studio’s stock that, unbeknownst to them, was worthless. The indictment further alleges that Hensley touted these purchases to the individual investors, further misleading them about his purported acquisitions of valuable assets.
If convicted, Hensley would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count plus a mandatory two-year prison sentence for the aggravated identity theft count.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Kerry L. Quinn of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.
Safford Felon Sentenced to 48 Months for Smuggling Illegal Aliens and Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, Jordon Mark Skinner, 29, of Safford, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 48 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Skinner previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for the Purpose of Private Financial Gain, Transportation of Illegal Aliens for the Purpose of Private Financial Gain, and Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon.
On June 29, 2021, Skinner was arrested by United States Border Patrol agents for smuggling six undocumented noncitizens, including one unaccompanied minor, in a pickup truck. He initially attempted to flee from law enforcement but stopped his truck once agents deployed a tire deflation device. Further investigation revealed that Skinner had over $1,000, two stolen firearms, an extended magazine capable of accepting 15 rounds of ammunition, several rounds of 9 mm ammunition, six fentanyl pills, and six grams of methamphetamine in his possession. Skinner is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms and live ammunition.
Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, Sonoita Station, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Hopkins, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-02108-TUC-SHR-1
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-134_SKINNER# # #
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.
Rochester Teen Arrested, Facing Gun and Carjacking ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jaden Z. Campbell, 18, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with carjacking and possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in the early morning hours of July 11, 2022, Rochester Police officers were dispatched to the intersection of Resolute Street and North Clinton Avenue, for a report of an armed robbery and carjacking. While in route to the scene, officers saw the vehicle, and a chase ensued, lasting for approximately 27 minutes throughout Rochester, Irondequoit, and Scottsville. The chase ended with a motor vehicle accident on Quaker Road in Scottsville. Campbell exited the vehicle and ran but was taken into custody shortly thereafter.
The victim told police that while he was at 80 Resolute, Campbell came out from behind a tree with a gun and demanded all of his stuff or he would be shot. Campbell then reached into the victim’s pockets and took his car keys. After failing to start the victim’s car, Campbell told the victim to start the car, or he would be shot. Later in the morning on July 11, 2022, a concerned citizen called 911 to report a handgun in the roadway on Cranbrooke Drive in Irondequoit, one of the streets included in the case. Officers responded and recovered a 9mm pistol.
The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and is being held.
The case was brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as part of its Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith, the Irondequoit Police Department, under the direction of Chief Alan Laird, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Rochester Man Suspected of Being Involved in Two Recent Shootings Arrested on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jimmy L. Harris, Jr., 43, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a weapon. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean C. Eldridge, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, Harris had five previous felony drug and firearm convictions in 1998, 2000, 2003, 2008 and 2011, and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. On August 2, 2022, a Rochester Police officer spotted a blue Nissan Sentra at the intersection of Avenue D and Hudson Avenue, which the officer recognized from an officer safety bulletin. The bulletin advised that the vehicle was suspected of being involved in two recent Rochester shooting incidents, Harris was suspected to be driving the Nissan, he was believed to possess a pistol, and he did not have a valid driver’s license. After calling for backup, the officer approached Harris in a nearby store parking lot. Despite being commanded to stop, Harris ran but was taken into custody after a brief foot chase. Harris physically resisted being taken into custody causing another officer to sustain a cut on his arm that required stitches. During a search of the Nissan, officers located a 9mm pistol and 31 rounds of ammunition.
Harris made an initial appearance on August 4, 2022, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and remains in custody. His next court date is September 15, 2022.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Rochester Man Going to Prison for 17 Years for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Roger Roberts, 50, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of receipt of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 204 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who handled the case, stated that between May 5 and October 19, 2020, Roberts engaged in Snapchat communications with a 13-year-old girl living in England. Roberts persuaded the girl to send sexually explicit photos and videos involving herself and a five-year-old girl.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian J. Ratajczak and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
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Richmond Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchasing Firearms from Virginia Firearms DealersRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man pleaded guilty yesterday to federal firearm charges for conspiring to straw purchase firearms from licensed firearms dealers throughout Virginia.
According to court documents, Tre’Shawn N. Brooks, 22, purchased firearms in 2021 from licensed firearms dealers and falsely certified on federal forms that he was the actual buyer of each firearm. In reality, Brooks purchased the firearms on behalf of at least four other individuals, who specified for Brooks which firearms Brooks was to purchase. Brooks in turn sold these firearms to co-conspirators. On at least three separate occasions, Brooks purchased firearms for minor-aged individuals who, as Brooks well knew, were not eligible to legally purchase firearms. On another occasion, Brooks purchased a firearm for another individual and the Richmond Police Department eventually recovered this firearm while executing a search warrant as part of a homicide investigation. As part of his plea agreement, Brooks consented to the forfeiture of nine firearms that law enforcement recovered during the investigation.
Brooks is scheduled to be sentenced on December 9. He faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. Senior District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Avi Panth and Stephen E. Anthony are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-110.
Repeat Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Thomas J. Hook, 43, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 20 years in federal prison for possessing and transporting child pornography. This term of imprisonment will be followed by a lifetime period of supervised release. Hook pleaded guilty to these offenses on January 13, 2022.
In March 2020, law enforcement received four different CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding Hook’s illegal online activity involving the sexual exploitation of children. Based on these tips, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Hook’s home where they found multiple images of child pornography on his cell phone and laptop, including some that appeared to have been taken by Hook’s phone.
This is Hook’s second conviction involving the sexual exploitation of a minor. In 2000, he was convicted of 3rd degree sexual assault and exposing his genitals for an assault involving a 13-year-old girl. As a result of those offenses, he was required to register as a sex offender, and has three convictions for failing to comply with his sex offender registry requirements.
Judge Peterson said a lengthy sentence was warranted based on Hook’s demonstrated offenses against children and his noncompliance with his sex offender registry requirements. Judge Peterson was also concerned that Hook did not understand the seriousness of his actions.
The charges against Hook were the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Coulee Region Children’s Internet Protection Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
Puerto Rico Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Cocaine to ConnecticutRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE ANGEL SUAREZ, 39, of Veja Baja, Puerto Rico, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and New Haven Police Department revealed that Malbin Rubiera-Herrera, also known as “Chaca,” acquired fentanyl, heroin and cocaine from sources in Connecticut and New Jersey and distributed the drugs through a network of associates in the greater New Haven area. Between October and December 2018, investigators made controlled purchases of narcotics from Rubiera-Herrera. Subsequent court-authorized wiretaps revealed a widespread narcotics trafficking conspiracy that involved the trafficking of kilogram-quantities of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine into Connecticut.
In March 2019, Rubiera-Herrera and William Claudio-Suarez were intercepted on a wiretap discussing the shipment of two kilograms of cocaine two Connecticut. On March 7, 2019, a series of intercepted calls revealed that Jose Suarez and Mario Llanos-Ayala had just sold a kilogram of cocaine and were traveling in a car in New Jersey. Investigators alerted New Jersey law enforcement authorities who stopped and searched the car and recovered approximately one kilogram of cocaine, a loaded .45 caliber handgun and more than $2,500 in cash.
On June 5, 2019, a grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Suarez, Rubiera-Herrera, Claudio-Suarez, Llanos-Ayala and 10 other individuals with fentanyl, heroin and cocaine trafficking offenses. Suarez was located and arrested in Puerto Rico on April 20, 2021. At the time of his arrest, he possessed nearly 200 rounds of ammunition.
Suarez has been detained since his arrest. On April 14, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with the intent to distribute, 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Suarez is separately charged in the District of Puerto Rico with unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon.
This matter was investigated by the DEA New Haven Task Force and the New Haven Police Department, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Marshals Service, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, East Haven Police Department, Easton Police Department, Orange Police Department, and the Cape May County (N.J.) Prosecutor’s Office, Gangs, Guns and Narcotics Task Force.
The DEA New Haven Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, East Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Derby, Middletown, Naugatuck and Waterbury Police Departments.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to 70 Months for Role in Heroin Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 70 months’ imprisonment followed by four years of supervised release on his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman, IV imposed the sentence on Lamont Goodwine, Jr., 34.
According to information presented to the court, Goodwine conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute heroin from June of 2019 through December of 2019. In 2019 the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating a heroin trafficking organization operating throughout the greater Pittsburgh area of which Goodwine was a member. Beginning in July of 2019 and continuing through August of 2019, the FBI initiated a Title III wiretap investigation into the organization. Goodwine was intercepted communicating with his codefendant about acquiring quantities of heroin, prices of heroin, and the purity of the heroin. Through extensive physical and electronic surveillance, Goodwine was observed meeting with his codefendant to conduct heroin transactions. Judge Stickman referenced the seriousness of the offense as well as Goodwine’s criminal history.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Allegheny County Police Department, the Stowe Township Police Department, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Office of the Attorney General, the Allegheny County Sheriff's Office, the North Versailles Police Department, the Allegheny County Port Authority Police Department, the Munhall Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Goodwine.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 9 Years after PA State Police Find Drugs Hidden in His CarRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 108 months’ imprisonment followed by four years of supervised release on his conviction for possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Cristobal Rosa-Robles, 51.
According to information presented to the court, on March 27, 2019, a Trooper with the Pennsylvania State Police stopped Mr. Rosa-Robles’ vehicle for traffic violations as he drove eastbound on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. After speaking with Mr. Rosa-Robles, the Trooper believed that he may be involved in drug trafficking, so the Trooper asked for his consent to search his vehicle. Mr. Rosa-Robles voluntarily consented to a search of his vehicle. The Trooper searched Mr. Rosa-Robles’ vehicle and discovered an aftermarket hidden compartment that contained approximately 400 bricks, or 20,000 dosage units, of a mixture of heroin; fentanyl; valeryl fentanyl, a fentanyl analogue; and methamphetamine. Judge Ranjan referenced the seriousness of the offense.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Rosa-Robles.
Philadelphia Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Narcotics and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of Philadelphia, PA pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Jelahn Williams, a/k/a “Boog”, 27, pleaded guilty on August 9, 2022, to Counts One and Two of the Indictment before Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson.
In connection with the guilty plea, from on or about July 5, 2018, and continuing thereafter to on or about May 5, 2020, in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, Williams conspired to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, 28 grams or more of cocaine base, in the form commonly known as crack, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl and heroin, as well as, conspired to commit money laundering.
Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for Dec. 14, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $10,000,000, or both, at Count One, and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both, at Count Two. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
OCDETF conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. The task force is headed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and is comprised of members drawn from the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Indiana Borough Police Department.
Philadelphia Fentanyl Supplier Charged by Superseding Indictment with Attempted Murder After Attempting to Evade Law Enforcement, Firing at OfficerRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Natanael Alberto Montas, 33, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged by Superseding Indictment with attempted murder and assault of a federal officer, and multiple firearms and narcotics offenses, all stemming from his leadership of a fentanyl trafficking organization operating primarily in the Kensington section of Phildelphia. Kirsis Francisca Caceres, 36, also of Philadelphia, PA, was also charged with narcotics offenses for her role in the organization.
According to the Superseding Indictment, Montas was the leader of a drug trafficking group (DTG) that obtained bulk quantities of fentanyl to package and re-distribute the drugs to street-level organizations. In this role, Montas allegedly oversaw the entire operation, which included maintaining stash houses in Philadelphia which were utilized to mix, cut, and package the narcotics for resale to street-level dealers. Caceres and others in the DTG followed the direction of Montas, utilizing stamps to market and identify their product with names like ‘Walgreens,’ ‘F150,’ ‘RedBull,’ ‘Polo,’ ‘Monster,’ and others. Further, Montas maintained firearms at his disposal to protect himself and his drug trafficking business.
After several weeks of surveillance by law enforcement, in March 2021, investigators approached a vehicle being driven by Montas in which they believed he was transporting illegal narcotics. In an effort to evade officers, Montas led police on a high-speed chase through the narrow streets of Philadelphia’s Mayfair neighborhood, driving around stopped vehicles until he could no longer navigate on the roads, and ultimately fled on foot through backyards and alleyways. When he was confronted by a federal task force officer in pursuit, Montas allegedly fired a shot at the officer, which fortunately missed. As the officer took cover, Montas fired three more shots before breaking into a private residence occupied by a woman and two children, where he was ultimately apprehended. Montas, Caceres and others in the DTG were eventually apprehended following this dramatic series of events.
“Fentanyl is one of the deadliest narcotics flooding the streets of our country; Montas and the operation he directed made sure there was a steady supply of it right here in Philadelphia,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “And his danger to the community did not end there: he directly threatened the lives of dozens of people when he fled from law enforcement, and is now charged with attempting to take the life of a federal officer. We will continue to work with our federal and local law enforcement partners to get dangerous criminals like this defendant off the streets.”
“Let this indictment serve as a crystal clear message that any acts of violence committed against a federal agent will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “As if Montas and Caceres’ alleged distribution of illicit fentanyl wasn’t dangerous enough to the community, they allegedly stock-piled numerous firearms in furtherance of their drug-trafficking activities. Montas’ alleged shooting at a task force officer assigned to our office will not be without a severe consequence.”
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Grenell and Erica Kivitz.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Peabody Man Sentenced for Distributing Drugs Laced with FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Peabody man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for participating in a conspiracy that distributed fentanyl and drugs laced with fentanyl.
Francisco Tavarez, a/k/a “Jose,” 25, was sentenced by U.S District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 21 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Tavarez previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl on March 29, 2022.
“This case is an unfortunate illustration of the deadly effects of opioids and the destruction they cause to people, families, and communities,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Mr. Tavarez was involved in a drug trafficking conspiracy that exploited pain and suffering for profit. The opioid crisis - which flourishes due to actions by individuals like Mr. Tavarez - has taken far too many lives in our Commonwealth. With today’s sentencing, we honor the memory of the young woman whose overdose death in January 2017 sparked the instant investigation.”
“Fentanyl is causing tremendous damage to our community,” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division. “Those who distribute this poison are endangering the safety of the citizens of the Massachusetts. The DEA will continue to work each day alongside our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who are responsible for distributing fentanyl and other deadly drugs. DEA’s top priority is combatting the opioid epidemic.”
In January 2017, a fatal opioid overdose in Melrose prompted an investigation into drug activity on the North Shore of Boston. Tavarez’s co-defendant Yeffry Reynoso was identified as a heroin and fentanyl supplier who ran an active drug business and employed various individuals as runners who delivered the drugs on his behalf. The investigation determined that Reynoso supplied the opioids that led to the fatal overdose in January and that he had previously supplied the victim with heroin and a heroin/fentanyl mixture on a regular basis in 2016.
During the subsequent investigation into Reynoso’s drug trafficking activities in the Spring of 2017, a cooperating witness made a controlled purchase of heroin and a heroin/fentanyl mixture from Reynoso. The cooperating witness then introduced Reynoso to an undercover investigator who was posing as a new customer. In March 2017, Tavarez was identified as a runner for Reynoso when he delivered fentanyl to the undercover investigator on Reynoso’s behalf. Tavarez was later observed engaging in multiple suspected drug transactions with individuals believed to be Reynoso’s drug customers. Following a suspected hand-to-hand drug deal in Salem, local law enforcement stopped Tavarez and seized a small quantity of fentanyl, a small quantity of a cocaine/fentanyl mixture, and $2,340 from his car.
In January 2019, Reynoso pleaded guilty and was sentenced in June 2019 to 150 months in prison and four years of supervised release. Reynoso was also ordered to pay restitution of $4,765.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, DEA SAC Boyle, Melrose Police Chief Michael Lyle and Salem Police Chief Lucas J. Miller made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Arnold of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Ohio County man admits to child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Joshua H. Ruschel, of Valley Grove, West Virginia, has admitted to a child pornography charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Ruschel, 42, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Possession of Child Pornography.” Ruschel admitted to having child pornography depicting a child under the age of 12 in June 2020 in Ohio County.
Ruschel faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.