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Monday 8 August 2022
Mason County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Mason County man pleaded guilty today to possession of prepubescent child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 11, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the residence of Joseph Curtis Hubman, 50, of Henderson. Officers recovered multiple external hard drives, mobile phones, two desktop computers and a micro SD memory card. A forensic analysis of the devices revealed more than 10,000 videos depicting child pornography. Hubman admitted that he possessed the child pornography, and that it included videos of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Hubman is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Hubman must also register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Mason County Sheriff’s Department, and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie White is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-24.
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Maryland Casino and Hotel Kidnapping Defendant is Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Anthony Erik Hebron, a/k/a “Pain”, age 29, of Washington, D.C., to 14 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Turner of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to his guilty plea, in February 2021, Hebron, and co-defendants Darius Young, a/k/a “Mup”, age 30, Christopher Young, age 27, Lamar Perkins, age 28, and Tray Sherman, age 27, all of D.C., worked together to kidnap a victim from a Maryland casino and hotel.
Hebron and Sherman met Victim A at the casino and hotel, where they made the false promise that they would get women for Victim A if Victim A accompanied them to Southeast Washington, D.C. At approximately 7:30 a.m., Victim A agreed to travel to Southeast Washington, D.C. in Sherman’s car with Hebron.
At 8:13 a.m., Young called Mup to report that Hebron and Sherman had “snatched” Victim A. Soon after Sherman, Hebron, and Victim A arrived in Southeast D.C., Mup and Young entered Sherman’s vehicle with Victim A inside. Hebron then pointed a gun at Victim A while his co-conspirators took Victim A’s personal items including Victim A’s wallet, cell phone, hotel room key, and a watch valued at $500.
Hebron, Mup, Young, and Sherman then demanded the code to Victim A’s hotel safe. When Victim A refused, Hebron struck Victim A in the forehead with the gun. In response, Victim A told the co-conspirators the code to the hotel safe. Victim A was then forced out of the car by Hebron. Soon after, Mup and Young exited the vehicle with Victim A and forced the victim into a boiler room within a D.C. apartment building while Hebron and Sherman drove back to the hotel and casino to burglarize Victim A’s hotel room.
Inside the boiler room, Mup and Young repeatedly assaulted Victim A, threatened his life, demanded Victim A’s PIN number to his ATM card, and demanded information about the items located in his hotel room.
Simultaneously, Hebron and Sherman accessed Victim A’s hotel room, where they stole Victim A’s property, including a gaming system, $1,500 in casino chips, and approximately $6,000 in cash.
After Victim A was released by the conspiracy members, law enforcement saw Victim A near the apartment building. Victim A sustained several injuries, including a bloody wound on his forehead, a broken nose, and cuts on his mouth and eye.
Co-defendants Perkins, Young, Sherman, and Mup pleaded guilty to federal charges relating to the kidnapping earlier this year. Mup was sentenced to 126 months in federal prison. Young was sentenced to 126 months in federal prison. Perkins was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison. Sherman is scheduled to be sentenced in October 2022 to at least 96 months.
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. 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.
This case is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI Washington, and the FBI Baltimore Field Offices for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also praised the Prince George’s County Police Department for their assistance in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey J. Izant and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared C. Engelking, 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 https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Manager of Key West Labor Staffing Companies Sentenced for Tax Crimes and Immigration FraudRead the Press Release
The manager of Key West, Florida, labor staffing companies was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for tax and immigration crimes related to the operation of those businesses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately January 2016 through October 2020, Volodymyr Ogorodnychuk, of Key West, helped operate Paradise Choice LLC, Paradise Choice Cleaning LLC, Tropical City Services LLC and Tropical City Group LLC, all of which were labor staffing companies in southern Florida. The staffing companies facilitated the employment of individuals in hotels, bars and restaurants in Key West and other locations, even though the employees were not authorized to work in the United States.
As part of his plea, Ogorodnychuk admitted that he and his co-conspirators paid the workers without withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from their wages, and then did not report those wages to the IRS as required by law. Ogorodnychuk also admitted he and his co-conspirators defrauded the IRS out of more than $3.5 million in employment taxes.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Jose E. Martinez for the Southern District of Florida ordered Ogorodnychuk to serve three years of supervised release. Restitution will be determined within 90 days.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty, Trial Attorneys Jessica A. Kraft and Nicholas J. Schilling Jr. of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Clark of the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.
Local Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Meth ConvictionRead the Press Release
Carmelo Valdez Romero, 35, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on February 25, 2022, after a 4-day jury trial.
Evidence at trial and sentencing showed that on March 17, 2020, Valdez Romero and others possessed with intent to distribute about 20 pounds of methamphetamine. Valdez Romero aided others in the removal of 20 one-pound packages of methamphetamine hidden in the gas tank of a rental vehicle which had traveled from California to rural Dickinson County, Iowa. The methamphetamine was intended for redistribution in northwest Iowa. Specifically, in a machine shed on the property, Valdez Romero removed the rear seats of the vehicle, removed the fuel pump, as well as other equipment attached to the gas tank and physically helped another retrieve the methamphetamine from the two-part gas tank. During the execution of a search warrant at the property, law enforcement agents seized 15 pounds of methamphetamine from a safe inside the machine shed, and five more pounds of methamphetamine being driven away from the property, including one pound of methamphetamine from the vehicle operated by Valdez Romero. Agents also seized $700 from Valdez Romero and $900 from the other two vehicle occupants, all the cash was pre-serialized money used by agents earlier that day to purchase one pound of methamphetamine from Valdez Romero’s drug associate.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Valdez Romero was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment and must serve a term of five years supervised release following any imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Valdez Romero remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, as well as the Dickenson County Sheriff’s Department, the Iowa State Patrol and other members of the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-4051. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Local Fabrication Company Executive Charged for Fraud and Failing to Pay over $440,000 in Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
Des Moines, IA – A Keswick man made his initial appearance today in federal court in Des Moines for tax and bank fraud charges.
Thomas Sieren, age 59, is charged in a 24-count indictment returned on July 19, 2022. According to court documents, Sieren was the Vice President of TCS Fabricating, Inc., a local fabrication company. TCS Fabricating, Inc. was required by law to withhold taxes from employee wages and to pay the withheld amounts to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on a periodic basis. These withheld taxes, sometimes known as “trust fund taxes,” include income taxes and Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes that fund Social Security and Medicare. It is alleged that Sieren failed to pay the IRS over $440,000 from 2016 to 2020. On TCS Fabricating, Inc.’s behalf, Sieren also allegedly submitted two Paycheck Protection Program loan applications in which he falsely represented that the company had employees for which it paid payroll taxes.
“Business owners are required to withhold income taxes for their employees and remit those taxes to the IRS,” said Special Agent in Charge, Tyler Hatcher. “IRS-Criminal Investigation takes these crimes very seriously not only because of the impact on federal revenue, but more importantly because of the way employee benefits are impacted.”
Sieren is charged with twenty counts of Failure to Collect, Account for, and Pay Over Trust Fund Taxes, two counts of Bank Fraud, and two counts of False Statements to a Financial Institution. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa and made the announcement. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Essley is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Leader of Lottery and Romance Fraud Scheme Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that FAROUQ FASASI, 28, of Manchester, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 168 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in lottery and romance scams that defrauded primarily elderly victims across the country of millions of dollars.
According to the evidence presented during a trial in this matter, in a lottery scam, scammers notify victims by telephone, through online communications, or by mail, that they have won the lottery. The victims are then told that in order to collect the prize they must pay fees for things like taxes, shipping and processing. Often, once a victim sends a small amount of money, a scammer will ask for larger sums of money with a promise of more winnings. The victims never receive winnings. In a romance scam, scammers take advantage of people looking for companionship by pretending to be prospective companions. Scammers typically create fake online profiles on dating websites that include false personal details such as the death of a spouse, or military service, to lure victims to trust them. Once they have gained the trust of victims, scammers will ask victims for money, falsely claiming to need money for medical or business emergencies, for travel to see the victim, or other purposes.
Between approximately August 2015 and March 2020, Fasasi, Rodney Thomas, Jr. and others used lottery scams, romance scams and other fraudulent means to induce elderly victims to provide them with money, gifts and personal details. Victims sent cash, money orders or checks through the mail to various addresses in Connecticut, and also wired or deposited money into bank accounts in Connecticut controlled by conspiracy members and their associates.
Fasasi, Thomas, and other co-conspirators lived together for a time at a residence on Sherman Avenue in New Haven, where many packages containing cash, checks and money orders from victims were delivered. Fasasi recruited others into the scheme, including those who served as “money mules.” These individuals used personal bank accounts, and also established and used bank accounts in the names of businesses and charitable organizations, to launder money obtained from fraud victims.
The investigation revealed that these scams defrauded more than 200 victims across the U.S. of more than $5 million. Many of the victims were elderly and vulnerable, and some victims lost their life savings. One Connecticut victim lost more than $1 million.
Judge Underhill ordered Fasasi to pay restitution in the amount $5,946,371.58.
“This is an appropriate sentence for a financial predator who made his money by systematically and cruelly victimizing seniors and other vulnerable individuals,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “The Justice Department has made it a priority to investigate and prosecute those who commit these crimes. If you suspect that you or someone you know may be falling victim to one of these schemes, I encourage you to call your local police department or 833-FRAUD-11 for assistance.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has a long and proud history of protecting the United States mail from criminal attack,” said Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division. “This defendant took advantage of one of our most vulnerable populations, senior citizens. As long as we have criminals with such disregard for the law, Postal Inspectors will continue to focus their efforts on the protection of the American public. I fully commend the hard work and countless hours put forth by all of the law enforcement agencies involved, which resulted in bringing this case to justice.”
On February 15, 2022, Fasasi and Thomas were found guilty of multiple charges stemming from this scheme. Thomas awaits sentencing.
Four other individuals have been charged and convicted of offenses stemming from their participation in this scheme.
Fasasi, who is released on a $200,000 bond, is required to report to prison on September 21.
The Justice Department has established a National Elder Fraud Hotline to provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud. The Hotline is staffed by experienced case managers who can provide personalized support to callers. Case managers assist callers with reporting the suspected fraud to relevant agencies and by providing resources and referrals to other appropriate services as needed. When applicable, case managers will complete a complaint form with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for Internet-facilitated crimes and submit a consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission on behalf of the caller. The Hotline’s toll free number is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311). For more information, please visit. https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/stop-elder-fraud/providing-help-restoring-hope.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Army-CID, and New Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather L. Cherry and Stephanie T. Levick.
Jury Finds Henderson County Man Guilty of Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN - After a four-day trial, Preston Anton McNeal, 35, was found guilty on four counts of a seven-count indictment. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., United States Attorney, announced the guilty verdict today.
According to information presented in court, from late 2016 until February 2019, McNeal formed and was the leader of a substantial methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy in West Tennessee. On January 2, 2017, the Lexington Police Department stopped a vehicle being driven by Mr. McNeal, the only occupant of the vehicle. After coming to a stop McNeal threw a bag containing 44 grams of actual methamphetamine, 16 grams of cocaine and a gram of crack cocaine into a nearby yard. All the narcotics were packaged separately for distribution. McNeal was placed into custody and the narcotics thrown by the defendant were recovered. A search of the vehicle revealed $1,281 in cash, a drug ledger, and a digital scale.
On February 9, 2019, and after the original indictment was returned against McNeal, Chester County Sheriff's Deputy stopped a vehicle being driven by McNeal and arrested him on the federal arrest warrant. He was placed into custody on a federal arrest warrant for the original indictment in this case. In the vehicle with McNeal was Whitney Jowers, who testified at trial that prior to being pulled over, McNeal handed her some items and told her to hide them, which she did. After both McNeal and Jowers were placed under arrest, Jowers told law enforcement that she had several items on her person, including four bags of methamphetamine, three of which weighed 14 grams. Officers also located another bag of methamphetamine under the driver's seat which also weighed 14 grams, and over $3,000 in cash which was scattered throughout the car. The total weight of the methamphetamine was 57 grams.
At trial, the government also called Christie Austin. She testified that from late 2016 through February 2019, she received 220 ounces of methamphetamine from McNeal for redistribution. Austin also testified that McNeal distributed methamphetamine to several other individuals in the Henderson County area.
During the trial, McNeal had to be admonished by the judge several times for his unruly behavior, and he also assaulted multiple correctional officers on the final day of trial, which delayed the jury's deliberation. McNeal also testified in his own defense during trial and claimed that he only sold marijuana. The jury rejected McNeal's story and convicted him of conspiring with others to distribute over 50 grams of actual methamphetamine and possessing with the intent to distribute over 5 grams and 50 grams of methamphetamine on January 2, 2017, and February 9, 2019, respectively. The jury also convicted McNeal of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute on January 2, 2o17.
Sentencing is set for November 15, 2022, before Chief United States District Judge S. Thomas Anderson. McNeal faces a mandatory-minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment, and he will also likely qualify as a career offender, in which case he would face a guideline range of 360 months to life imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Lexington, Tennessee Police Department, the Chester County Sheriff's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).
Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Davis and Josh Morrow prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
###Jacksonville Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Using A Minor in His Care to Produce Sexually Explicit ImagesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard today sentenced Richard Earl Jenkins, Jr. (45, Jacksonville) to 25 years in federal prison, followed by10 years of supervised release for using a minor to produce sexually explicit images. Jenkins had pleaded guilty on November 10, 2021.
According to court documents, on November 2 and 3, 2019, a 12-year-old child, Child Victim 1 (CV1) spent the night at Jenkins’s residence. On November 6, 2019, an officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) was dispatched to CV1’s mother’s residence regarding a complaint by CV1’s mother. While CV1 was spending the night at the defendant’s residence, she discovered a folder on the defendant’s computer with her name on it. CV1 said she opened the folder and discovered sexually explicit images of herself, from when she was younger to more recent.
On November 7, 2019, a JSO detective applied for, was granted, and executed a state search warrant at the defendant’s residence. The desktop computer described by CV1 was located in the defendant’s bedroom. A folder was observed on the bottom of the task bar, and when selected, revealed a folder named “[CV1]”.
JSO conducted a forensic review of the devices seized. Several images depicting CV1 were discovered on the devices. In addition to the images of CV1, hundreds of images of child sex abuse material were also discovered.
“Producers of child pornography are the worst of the worst, making victims of society’s most vulnerable victims” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “Through HSI’s law enforcement partnership with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, this predator will now be held accountable for his heinous actions.”
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Inmate sentenced for threat chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Shawn L. Price, an inmate at Federal Corrections Institution Gilmer, was sentenced today to 60 months of incarceration for a threat charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Price, 42, pleaded guilty in May 2022 to one count of “Transmitting Threatening Communications in Interstate Commerce.” Price threatened someone by phone in November 2021. According to the indictment, the threat included breaking the subject’s neck and torturing the subject.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Bauer prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Prisons investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tekoa Rivers, 22, of Huntington, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, admitted that he sold approximately 10 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant on Third Avenue in Huntington on April 29, 2021.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-27.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun and Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Christopher Eugene Capers, 34, of Huntington, was sentenced today to seven years and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 21, 2020, Capers was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement officers on Doulton Avenue in Huntington. Capers admitted that he possessed a Taurus G2 9mm handgun found by the officers in his waistband. Capers further admitted that on June 26, 2020, officers found approximately 46.2 grams of crack as well as drug paraphernalia and $3,734.25 in cash in his Huntington residence.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Capers knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony convictions for carrying a concealed deadly weapon-second offense on January 14, 2013, attempting to commit the felony of possession with intent to deliver heroin on September 8, 2016, and being a felon in possession of a firearm on February 21, 2019, all in Cabell County Circuit Court.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force, the Huntington Police Department, and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-26.
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High-Ranking Employee at Cryptocurrency Exchange Pleads Guilty to Bank Secrecy Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that GREGORY DWYER, a high-ranking employee of purportedly “off-shore” cryptocurrency derivatives exchange the Bitcoin Mercantile Exchange or “BitMEX,” pled guilty today to violating the Bank Secrecy Act (the “BSA”) by willfully failing to establish, implement, and maintain an anti-money laundering (“AML”) program at BitMEX, and aiding and abetting the same. DWYER pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “With this plea, this Office has now obtained criminal convictions against all three founders, as well as a high-ranking employee at BitMEX, for willful violations of anti-money laundering laws. Today’s plea reflects that employees with management authority at cryptocurrency exchanges, no less than the founders of such exchanges, cannot willfully disregard their obligations under the Bank Secrecy Act.”
According to the Indictment, public court filings, and statements made in court:
DWYER was one of the first employees of BitMEX, and served as its Head of Business Development. BitMEX is an online cryptocurrency derivatives exchange that, during the relevant time period, had U.S.-based operations and served thousands of U.S. customers. From at least September 2015, and continuing at least through the time of the Indictment in September 2020, DWYER, working with BitMEX’s founders Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo, and Samuel Reed, willfully caused BitMEX to fail to establish and maintain an AML program, including a program for verifying the identify of BitMEX’s customers (or a “know your customer” or “KYC” program). As a result of its willful failure to implement AML and KYC programs, BitMEX was in effect a money laundering platform.
DWYER aided and abetted BitMEX’s failure to institute AML or KYC programs despite closely following U.S. regulatory developments that made clear the legal obligation to do so if BitMEX operated in the United States, which it did. DWYER knew that BitMEX’s purported withdrawal from the U.S. market after in or about September 2015 was a sham, and that purported “controls” BitMEX put in place to prevent U.S. trading were an ineffective facade that did not, in fact, prevent users from accessing or trading on BitMEX from the United States. Among his other tasks at BitMEX, DWYER collected and circulated data evidencing that BitMEX users included traders, and that the company earned revenue, from the United States.
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DWYER, 39, of Australia and Bermuda, pled guilty to one count of violating the Bank Secrecy Act, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Under the terms of his plea agreement, DWYER agreed to separately pay a $150,000 criminal fine representing pecuniary gain derived from the offense.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
HAYES, DELO, and REED, previously pled guilty to the same count, and were sentenced by Judge Koeltl.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York Money Laundering Investigation Squad, and thanked the attorneys and investigators at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission whose expertise and diligence were integral to the development of this investigation.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Greenwood, Samuel Raymond, and Thane Rehn are in charge of the prosecution.
Harrison County man admits to fentanyl chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – James Curtis Jones, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, has admitted to a fentanyl charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Jones, 25, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl in Proximity to a Protected Location.” Jones admitted to selling heroin and fentanyl near Emmanuel Christian School in May 2020 in Harrison County.
Jones faces at least one year and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. 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 Brandon S. Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Hannibal man sentenced to 5+ years in prison on gun chargeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Monday sentenced a man from Hannibal who was caught with stolen firearms to five years and three months in prison.
Hannibal police and the Ralls County Sheriff’s Office were investigating the theft of firearms when they located Ronald Allen on Dec. 24, 2020 in a home in Hannibal. Officers found three stolen semi-automatic pistols, drug paraphernalia, prescription pains and marijuana in the home, Allen’s plea agreement says.
Two of the guns were stolen the night before in Ralls County and the other was stolen from Jefferson City, court documents show.
Allen, 46, pleaded guilty in April to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The Hannibal Police Department, the Ralls County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kourtney Bell prosecuted the case.
Goochland Powhatan Community Services Agrees to Settle Americans with Disabilities Act ComplaintRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The United States Attorney’s Office announced a settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with Goochland Powhatan Community Services (GPCS), which is the Community Service Board and local government mental health agency for Goochland and Powhatan Counties.
The settlement agreement resolves allegations that GPCS failed to furnish sign language interpreting services during multiple consequential and complex interactions with an individual who is deaf during a 33-month period, including monthly interactions when GPCS personnel were supposed to assess the individual for, among other things, previously unidentified risks, injuries, needs, or other changes in status, and the individual was supposed to have an opportunity to provide meaningful input and feedback about the services being provided. In Virginia, Community Service Boards, like GPCS, provide a continuum of community-based education, prevention, crisis intervention, counseling and rehabilitation to individuals, families and groups in need of mental health, intellectual and developmental disability, and/or substance use disorder services, including support coordination services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Entities covered by the ADA, such as state and local government agencies, are required to furnish appropriate auxiliary aid or services, including sign language interpreter services, when providing to people with communication disabilities. Ensuring that such services are provided is especially important for communication-intensive programs that human and social service providers offer to the public.
To resolve this complaint, GPCS agreed to adopt new ADA policies. These policies will make their services accessible to individuals with communication disabilities, including those who require the services of a sign language interpreter, by requiring GPCS to designate an ADA Administrator who will be responsible for ensuring the agency’s compliance with the ADA; requiring GPCS to enter into agreements with sign language interpreting service providers to provide their services to individuals who need them; and requiring GPCS to provide training for its personnel on the ADA’s effective communication requirements.
This resolution is particularly significant because Community Service Boards in Virginia are essential to ensuring that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are able to receive community-based services and be integrated into their communities, and individuals who are deaf are entitled to have access to such services.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Gordon, who is the Civil Rights Enforcement Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The civil claims settled by this ADA agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
The Department of Justice has a number of publications available to assist entities in complying with the ADA including Effective Communication, a Business Brief on Communicating with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Hospital Settings and ADA Update: A Primer for State and Local Governments. For more information on the ADA and to access these publications, visit http://www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD).
2022 marks the ADA’s 32nd anniversary. The Justice Department continues to advance the nation's goal of equal opportunity, integration, full participation, inclusion, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. Through its enforcement and technical assistance tools, the Justice Department strives to eliminate unlawful discrimination against individuals with disabilities.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Georgia man pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Brian Donaldson, 30, of Oakwood, Georgia, admitted to selling approximately 8 ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in the parking lot of a Huntington, West Virginia, restaurant on June 14, 2019.
Donaldson is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison as well as at least five years of supervised release and a $10 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-212.
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Friedens Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prisonfor Possessing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of Somerset County has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 70 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release on his conviction of possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Terrell Robison Ickes, 32, of Friedens, PA.
According to information presented to the court, on or about June 23, 2020, to on or about July 3, 2020, Ickes did possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard, Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Ms. Chung commended the Somerset County Detectives and the Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Ickes.
Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Isaiah Garcia, 20, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between Oct. 2, 2020, and Dec. 16, 2020, Isaiah Garcia and his brother, Mario Garcia, 28, who was incarcerated in the Fresno County Jail in an unrelated case, agreed that Isaiah Garcia would traffic fentanyl pills. The conspiracy was discovered when investigators listened to their recorded jail telephone calls. Federal agents then searched Isaiah Garcia’s residence and found over 1,200 fentanyl pills inside his bedroom.
The case is the result of an investigation by FORT, a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
Isaiah Garcia is set for sentencing on Oct. 31, 2022, and Mario Garcia is set for sentencing on Sept. 6, 2022. Both defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison up to a maximum sentence of 40 years and a fine up to $5 million. The actual sentences, however, will 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.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
Former Somerville Man Sentenced for Distributing Methamphetamine and Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Somerville man was sentenced on Aug. 4, 2022 in federal court in Boston for his role in a cross-country methamphetamine conspiracy and illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Antonio Gribaudo, a/k/a “Tony,” 41, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole, Jr. to 50 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Gribaudo was also ordered to pay forfeiture of $5,300. In November 2020, Gribaudo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a substance or mixture containing methamphetamine and one count of illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
In November 2018, Gribaudo was introduced to Brandon Greenberg, a methamphetamine supplier living in Phoenix. Between November 2018 and July 23, 2019, Greenberg mailed more than 30 methamphetamine packages through the United States mail to Gribaudo and Gribaudo’s girlfriend and co-conspirator Mary Stout at their apartments in Boston and Somerville. Upon receipt of the drugs, Gribaudo and Stout then distributed the methamphetamine to their customers. One of Gribaudo and Stout’s customers was co-conspirator Aaron Smith, who later contributed funds with Gribaudo and Stout to purchase the methamphetamine from Greenberg and distributed the narcotics in the Boston area.
In April 2019, a parcel mailed from Phoenix and addressed for delivery to Stout was intercepted by law enforcement and found to contain 887.1 grams of “ice” methamphetamine. This methamphetamine was later determined to be 99% pure. Investigators subsequently determined that Gribaudo, Stout and Smith had contributed funds toward the purchase of this methamphetamine and that the parcel had been mailed by an individual acting on Greenberg’s behalf.
In July 2019, Gribaudo left a backpack with a loaded firearm at a blackjack table inside an Everett casino.. During a search of Gribaudo’s storage unit in September 2019, investigators recovered 50 rounds of ammunition and a small quantity of additional methamphetamine.
On Oct. 28, 2021, Greenberg was sentenced to 50 months in prison. On Feb. 17, 2022, Smith was sentenced to one year and one day in prison. On June 22, 2022, Stout was sentenced to time-served and five years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Melissa Llosa, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Phoenix Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement today. The Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office, Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Arlington Police Department, and Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Arnold of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Former Fort Bliss Soldier Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a ChildRead the Press Release
EL PASO – Trevor Dylan Lehew, 28, of Plano, pleaded guilty today to one count of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Downey, El Paso Field Office.
According to court documents, between November 2014 and December 2015, Lehew engaged in the continuing sexual abuse of a six-year-old child at a residence located on Fort Bliss. During this period, Lehew was an active-duty soldier stationed at the military installation. By pleading guilty, Lehew admitted that he knowingly engaged in a sexual act with a child.
At the time of his arrest for these crimes, Lehew was serving a Texas state sentence for aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child related to two other minor children.
A sentencing date has not been set. Lehew faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division. FBI-Louisville and FBI-Seattle, Tacoma Resident Agency also assisted with this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Winters is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Florida Man Sentenced to Twenty Years Imprisonment for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Sean P. Costello, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama, announced that Enrique Miranda Martinez was sentenced on August 4, 2022 to twenty years imprisonment for trafficking methamphetamine. Martinez plead not guilty and was convicted by a federal jury in April 2022 of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. The convictions followed a three-day trial before United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer.
Testimony at the April 2022 jury trial of Martinez established that Martinez and a co-defendant, Yuri Maikel Hernandez Perez, were stopped on Interstate 10 in Baldwin County in June, 2020. The traffic stop lead to the recovery of close to four kilograms of nearly pure methamphetamine in the lining of a cooler on the back seat of the Mercedes SUV that Martinez was driving. The insulation for the cooler had been removed and the methamphetamine was packed in vacuum sealed bags and placed in the area where the insulation had been removed from the cooler.
Martinez testified at the trial and claimed to have no knowledge of the drugs in the vehicle he was driving. Evidence at the trial included a picture from a Wal-Mart in Tucson, Arizona, taken several days before the traffic stop in Baldwin County, showing Martinez purchasing a vacuum sealer of the same brand as the brand of bags the drugs were sealed in. An expert DEA agent testified that the overwhelming majority of methamphetamine trafficked in the United States comes across the border from Mexico. A large amount of the methamphetamine first goes to stash houses in the United States in cities close to the Mexican border like Tucson, where it is then distributed further into the United States.
The co-defendant, Yuri Maikel Hernandez Perez, plead guilty to the charges in April 2022 and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello praised the dedication and the outstanding investigative work of the federal and local investigative agencies and his prosecutors involved in the case. Costello said, “The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office does an outstanding job interdicting drugs and investigating other illegal activities on the highways in Baldwin County, and their partnership with our local, state, and federal partners is a cornerstone in fighting crime in the Southern District of Alabama.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys George F. May and Alex Lankford.
Federal Jury Convicts Wagoner Resident of First Degree Murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that George McEntire Smith, age 22, of Wagoner, Oklahoma was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Murder in the First Degree in Indian Country and one count of Causing the Death of a Person by Use of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
The jury trial began with testimony on Monday, August 1, 2022, and concluded on Friday, August 5, 2022, with the guilty verdicts. Based on the verdicts, the defendant is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of life imprisonment.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on April 8, 2021, a 69-year-old male was shot and killed inside his residence in Wagoner. The physical evidence indicated that the victim was shot twice in the back of the head, at a relatively close distance, with a .25-caliber firearm. The Defendant told responding officers that he was with the victim when unknown intruders entered the residence, shot the victim, then fled. Subsequent investigation revealed that the Defendant was in possession of a .25-caliber firearm several hours before the victim was killed and that Defendant’s account of how the killing occurred was inconsistent with the physical evidence at the scene.
The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Wagoner Police Department, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the Defendant in this case is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation.
The Honorable Timothy D. DeGiusti, U.S. Chief District Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. The sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report and the Defendant will remain in custody of the United States Marshal until then.
Assistant United States Attorneys James Montoya and Casey Richmond represented the United States.
Federal Jury Convicts Tahlequah Resident of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Aaron Richard Eubanks, age 32, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of five counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country.
The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, and concluded on Friday, August 5, 2022, with the guilty verdicts.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that between January of 2020 and February of 2021, Aaron Richard Eubanks engaged in sexual acts with a minor victim, who had not reached 10 years of age, on at least five occasions. Further, the United States presented evidence that in February of 2021, Aaron Richard Eubanks engaged in sexual acts with a second minor victim, who had not reached the age of 11 at the time of the abuse.
The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant in this case is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Adair and Cherokee Counties, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Eubanks was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Caila M. Cleary and Anthony C. Marek represented the United States.
Federal Judge Sentences Three Men Convicted of Racially Motivated Hate Crimes in Connection with the Killing of Ahmaud Arbery in GeorgiaRead the Press Release
A federal judge in the Southern District of Georgia today sentenced Travis McMichael, 36, to life plus 10 years in prison; and his father Gregory McMichael, 66, to life plus seven years in prison; and William “Roddie” Bryan, 52, to 35 years in prison, for committing federal hate crimes and other offenses in connection with the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, a young Black man, who was jogging on the public streets of a Brunswick neighborhood when he was chased down and shot to death in February 2020.
All three defendants were convicted at trial in February 2022 on multiple counts, including one count of using violence to intimidate and interfere with Arbery because of his race and because he was using a public street. All three defendants were also found guilty of attempting to kidnap Arbery by chasing after him in their trucks in an attempt to capture and confine him. Finally, Travis McMichael was found guilty of using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a Remington shotgun in the course of the hate crime, which added 10 years to his life sentence; and Gregory McMichael was found guilty of using, carrying and brandishing a .357 Magnum revolver, which added seven years to his life sentence.
“The Justice Department’s prosecution of this case and the court’s sentences today make clear that hate crimes have no place in our country, and that the Department will be unrelenting in our efforts to hold accountable those who perpetrate them,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Protecting civil rights and combatting white supremacist violence was a founding purpose of the Justice Department, and one that we will continue to pursue with the urgency it demands.”
“It was important that this murder was prosecuted for what it was—a brutal and abhorrent racially-motivated hate crime,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “Ahmaud Arbery should be alive today. The tragic murder of Mr. Arbery reminds us that hate-fueled violence targeting Black people remains a modern-day threat in our country, and we must use every tool available to hold perpetrators accountable. We hope that this sentencing ends one painful chapter for the family of Ahmaud Arbery, the Brunswick community and the nation as a whole.”
“Those who commit hate crimes target what makes us who we are as Americans, striking at the very heart of our society,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “This is why combatting hate crimes and protecting civil rights are top priorities for the FBI. We will continue to fulfill our mission, working with our partners to investigate these acts of hatred and violence, and protecting the American people.”
“These substantial sentences should deliver a sense of finality and closure to an exceptionally tragic chapter in the Southern District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney David H. Estes for the Southern District of Georgia. “Even as the family and friends of Ahmaud Arbery continue to mourn his horrific and needless murder, we can find hope for our community’s future in the cooperative work of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors who brought these men to justice for their hateful crimes.”
Evidence at trial revealed that on Feb. 23, 2020, defendants Travis and Gregory McMichael armed themselves with firearms and chased after Arbery as he ran past their driveway. The pursuit passed by the home of defendant Roddie Bryan, who got into his own truck and joined the chase, despite the fact that he did not know and had never before seen Arbery. For the next four to five minutes, the three defendants pursued Arbery through the neighborhood, trying to box him in with their trucks. For that entire time, Arbery ran from the defendants, unarmed and with his hands in plain view. He never spoke a word to the defendants, and never made any threatening sound or gesture; rather, he repeatedly tried to run away. Ultimately, after Arbery had already changed direction multiple times, trying to escape from the defendants, Travis McMichael got out of his truck and pointed a shotgun directly at Arbery. When Arbery tried to defend himself, Travis McMichael shot him in the chest. Arbery, wounded, grabbed for the gun. During a struggle over the gun, Travis McMichael fired two more shots into Arbery, who then stumbled a few steps and fell face-first onto the pavement, where he died in the street.
Evidence at trial revealed that the defendants had strongly held racist beliefs that led them to make assumptions and decisions about Arbery that they would not have made if Arbery were white.
Travis McMichael’s social media comments and text messages to friends, offered as exhibits at trial, showed that Travis harbored racial animus against Black people, whom he described at points as “sub-human savages” who “ruin everything”; the social media comments also revealed that Travis had for many years associated Black people with criminality and had expressed a desire to see Black people — particularly those he viewed as criminals — harmed or killed.
Witnesses testified at trial about deeply racist comments Gregory McMichael had made to people he barely knew. One witness testified about a brief encounter she had with Gregory in a professional capacity, during which she commented that it was “too bad” that Julian Bond, a Black Georgia civil rights leader, had recently passed away; Gregory angrily responded that he wished Bond had “been put in the ground years ago” and that Bond and “those Blacks” were “nothing but trouble.” According to the witness, Gregory then went on a five-minute rant about Black people.
The jury also saw racist text messages from Roddie Bryan. When Bryan learned, just four days before the shooting, that his daughter was dating a Black man, Bryan referred to the boyfriend as a “ni----” and a “monkey.” In other messages on social media, Bryan also referred to other Black people using racial slurs. When the police spoke to Bryan about Arbery’s death, he admitted that he had never seen or heard anything about Arbery before; when he saw a Black man being chased, his “instinct” told him that the man must be a thief, or maybe had shot someone.
At trial, the jury found that the evidence proved beyond a reasonable doubt that race formed a but-for cause of the defendants’ actions on Feb. 23, 2020—meaning that, but-for Arbery being Black, the defendants would not have assumed he was a criminal, chased him down, and shot him.
All three defendants were previously convicted in a separate state trial on felony murder charges and other offenses. In state court, the McMichaels were both sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, and Bryan was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole.
This case was investigated by both the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the FBI, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Lyons of the Southern District of Georgia, and Deputy Chief Bobbi Bernstein and Special Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Perras of the Civil Rights Division.
Fairmont man sentenced for his role in a drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Nathaniel Lee Williams, of Fairmont, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 60 months of incarceration for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Williams, also known as “Sticks,” 64, pleaded guilty in August 2021 to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Five Grams or more of Methamphetamine.” Williams admitted to having 37.43 grams of methamphetamine, also known as “crystal” or “ice,” in August 2018 in Marion County. As a part of the plea agreement, Williams also admitted that he sold more than a half of a gram of fentanyl during three separate buys in July 2020.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Three Rivers Drug Task Force and the Fairmont Police Department investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Find the related case here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/west-virginia-and-detroit-residents-indicted-drug-trafficking-operation
Everett Man Charged in Superseding Indictment for Additional Securities Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Everett man has been charged in a superseding indictment in connection with two securities fraud schemes: one involving an alleged pump-and-dump and one involving the alleged misappropriation of tens of thousands of dollars of investor funds to pay his personal expenses.
Christopher R. Esposito, 55, was charged in a superseding indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and sale of unregistered securities, one count of securities fraud and one count of sale of unregistered securities, concerning the alleged pump-and-dump scheme. In April 2022, Esposito was indicted on one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud, in relation to the alleged misappropriation scheme.
According to the charging documents, Esposito and co-conspirator Anthony Jay Pignatello conspired between 2012 and 2015 to conceal their control over the Massachusetts-based microcap company Cannabiz Mobile, Inc. and to use backdated promissory notes to fraudulently obtain free-trading shares in the company. They then allegedly arranged for a promotional campaign in October 2015 to pump up Cannabiz Mobile’s stock so that they could sell – i.e., dump – their shares into the market and make money. In so doing, they allegedly sold and offered to sell Cannabiz Mobile stock in violation of the securities laws because the securities were not registered with the SEC and no exemption from SEC registration was available.
In addition, between August 2019 and February 2020, Esposito allegedly sold shares in a separate company, Code2Action, Inc., based on material misstatements and omissions and then misappropriated much of the proceeds. More specifically, Esposito is alleged to have, among other things, deliberately misled prospective investors about Code2Action’s plan and ability to complete a reverse merger, which Esposito touted would enable the investors to sell their shares at a profit, and spent over $57,000 of the investors’ funds to pay himself and his personal expenses.
The charges of conspiracy and sale of unregistered securities each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The charges of securities fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $5 million. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Drabick of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Eliot Maine Man Charged with Interstate StalkingRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Michael Chick, 39, of Eliot, Maine, was charged via complaint in federal court with interstate stalking, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.
Chick was arrested without incident on Friday evening in Eliot, Maine. According to court documents and statements made in court, Chick was employed as a school bus driver and was assigned to bus routes servicing the Greenland Central School in Greenland, New Hampshire. Chick is alleged to have threatened a child attending the Greenland Central School and threatening the child’s family, and to have travelled from Maine to New Hampshire to make the threats.
Chick had an initial appearance hearing in federal district court this afternoon. The Court ordered him detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for August 18, 2022.
This matter was investigated by the Greenland Police Department, the Eliot, Maine Police Department, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kasey Weiland.
The charges contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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District of Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robberies for Role in Series of Crimes in Fall 2020Read the Press Release
Three Others Earlier Pleaded Guilty in the Investigation
WASHINGTON – Mekhi Truesdale, 19, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to two counts of armed robbery for his role in a series of armed robberies that took place during the fall of 2020 in Northwest Washington, admitting to two crimes in a 10-day period. He is the fourth defendant to plead guilty to charges involving multiple robberies.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, Christopher Stock, Acting Chief of the U.S. Park Police, and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Truesdale pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a sentence of eight to 10 years in prison, consistent with the Court’s voluntary sentencing guidelines. The Honorable Michael O’Keefe scheduled sentencing for Oct. 7, 2022
According to plea documents, on Oct. 22, 2020, at approximately 9:45 p.m., a woman was walking in the area of Belt Road and Harrison Street NW when Truesdale and an accomplice approached her. Truesdale told the woman he had a gun and demanded her cellphone and phone passcode. He lifted his sweatshirt to reveal a black semi-automatic handgun. The woman handed over her cellphone, passcode, and wallet. About 45 minutes later, the cellphone was used to transfer $500 to Truesdale via a Venmo account. The next morning, an unsuccessful attempt was made to transfer more than $12,000 to various Venmo accounts held by Truesdale and others.
Another robbery took place on Nov. 1, 2020. At approximately 1:05 a.m., a man and woman were getting into a vehicle that was parked in the 1400 block of 22nd Street NW. Truesdale and an accomplice approached them and demanded their cellphones, phone passcodes, wallets, and keys. The accomplice pointed a silver revolver, and the man and woman turned over their cellphone, wallets, and keys. The woman also turned over her Apple AirPods. Truesdale and the accomplice then ordered the man and woman to get into the car, which they locked using the stolen car keys. They then fled. Less than 15 minutes later, $20 was transferred from one of the victims’ accounts and an attempt was made to transfer another $50.
Three others pleaded guilty on July 13, 2022, to charges in the investigation, and all are awaiting sentencing. They include:
- William Bell, 20, of Washington, D.C. Bell pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of attempted robbery for two hold-ups on Oct. 17, 2020, and Oct. 21, 2020. The first took place near the intersection of 22nd Street and Virginia Avenue NW, and the second in the area of the 1200 block of W Street NW.
- Dave Harding, 20 of Washington, D.C. Harding pleaded guilty to one count of armed robbery and one count of robbery, for two hold-ups, both on Oct. 31, 2020, including one at Fort Reno Park and another in the 3100 block of P Street NW.
- Jada Winder, 19, of Greenbelt, Maryland. She pleaded guilty to two counts of receiving stolen property involving the transfers from victims’ accounts.
Truesdale was arrested in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 5, 2020, following a foot chase in the Georgetown area. Bell was arrested Nov. 30, 2021, in San Luis Obispo, Calif., by the U.S. Marshals Service. Harding was arrested on April 8, 2022, in Washington, D.C. Winder was arrested in Greenbelt on Nov. 24, 2021.
This case was investigated by MPD, the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force, and the U.S. Park Police. Valuable assistance was provided by the Metro Transit Police Department and the Montgomery County, Md., Police Department.
In announcing the pleas, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, Acting Chief Stock, and Chief Contee expressed appreciation for the work of those investigating the case from MPD, the FBI Washington Field Office, and USPP, as well as for the assistance of the Deputy U.S. Marshals involved in locating the defendants. They also acknowledged the efforts of those working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Debra McPherson and Alesha Matthews Yette.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Gold and Charles R. Jones who investigated and prosecuted the case, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Carter who investigated the case prior to indictment.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 66 Months for Smuggling AmmunitionRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Luis Carlos Eriksen, 56, of Nogales, Arizona, was sentenced August 3, 2022, by United States District Judge James A. Soto to 66 months in prison for Smuggling Ammunition from the United States into Mexico and Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon.
On May 20, 2020, Eriksen drove from Mexico to Phoenix, where he purchased 4,000 rounds of 7.62 x 39 ammunition, and 1,000 rounds of .38 Super ammunition from an ammunition retailer. After loading the ammunition into his vehicle, he began driving back to Mexico. He was stopped by an Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) officer, who discovered the ammunition in his vehicle. Eriksen admitted that he had entered into an agreement with individuals in Mexico to obtain bulk ammunition in the United States and smuggle it into Mexico for payment. Eriksen has prior convictions for drug trafficking offenses and is prohibited from possessing ammunition.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and DPS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela W. Woolridge, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-0542-TUC-JAS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-132_Eriksen# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Colombian Man Sentenced to One Hundred Sixty Eight Months Imprisonment for Trafficking 4,951 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
Sean P. Costello, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama, announced that Nester Javier Salazar-Montano was sentenced on August 4, 2022 to one hundred and sixty eight months imprisonment for trafficking cocaine. The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer. Salazar-Montano plead guilty to violating Title 46, United States Code, Section 70506(b), Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine on Board a Vessel in April 2022.
Documents filed with the guilty plea established that on December 13, 2021, while on routine patrol, in the Eastern Pacific, a marine patrol aircraft detected a low profile go-fast vessel in international waters near Malpelo, Colombia. US Coast Guard Cutter James diverted to intercept. The Coast Guard cutter launched an intercept vessel and helicopter, and ultimately boarded the vessel and discovered the 4,951 kilograms of cocaine on board the vessel.
Title 46 § 70506(b) makes it a federal crime for individuals to conspire to possesses with the intent to distribute drugs in international waters on, among other things, vessels that are determined to be vessels without nationality under the law. The law further states that these cases can be prosecuted in any federal court in the United States. Three other drug smugglers, Alonzo Escobar-Valenzuela, Fernando Preciado and Henry Hernadez-Garcia were with Salazar-Montano on the drug smuggling venture. They have all plead guilty and are awaiting sentencing before Judge Moorer.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello praised the outstanding work of the United States Coast Guard, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and his prosecutor involved in the case. Costello said, “The United States Coast Guard unfailingly lives up to its motto of “Semper Paratus” and does an outstanding job interdicting these drug smuggling vessels in international waters. The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations then dedicates its resources and expertise to follow up and ensure these smugglers receive the full measure of justice. There is surely a drug cartel bemoaning the seizure of more than five tons of its cocaine, and the prosecution of four of its smugglers.”
This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.
Co-Owner of Multiple Companies Admits Failing to Pay over $1 Million in Payroll TaxesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A co-owner of multiple businesses today admitted to his role failing to pay over $1 million in payroll taxes for his companies, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Omar Mostafa, 57, of New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner to an information charging him with willful failure to collect or pay taxes.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2016 through 2018, Mostafa co-owned three companies that operated in New Jersey and New York and was responsible for signing and causing to be filed the companies’ tax returns with the IRS. During those tax years, Mostafa substantially underreported each company’s payroll, causing a total tax loss to the IRS of approximately $1.4 million.
The count of failing to collect, account for, and pay employment taxes is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum $10,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 12, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy L. Tomlins, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
Charles Elsea, Jr., Leader of A Prison Gang, Sentenced to Life in Prison for Drug and Money Laundering OffensesRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On August 8, 2022, Charles Elsea, Jr., 44, a longtime inmate of the Tennessee Department of Corrections, was sentenced to life in prison by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville.
Following a six-day jury trial in March 2022, Elsea was convicted by a jury of Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Actual Methamphetamine, 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(A); Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana, 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(C); Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(A)(i).
During sentencing, Judge Greer found that Elsea was responsible for distributing over 56.8 kilograms of methamphetamine. Elsea was ordered to forfeit $1,263,490.00, which represented the illegal proceeds from distributing methamphetamine and money laundering.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Elsea was serving a prison sentence for First Degree Murder for a 1996 homicide in Hamilton County, Tennessee when he rose through the ranks to become the State President of the Brotherhood Forever, a Tennessee based prison gang. Elsea led the drug trafficking organization from behind prison walls using smuggled cellphones to conduct his business on the outside. Elsea orchestrated multi-kilo methamphetamine deals that involved methamphetamine being transported from California and Arizona to Tennessee. Elsea and his coconspirators used the drug proceeds from the methamphetamine sales to create marijuana grow houses in and out of Tennessee. Elsea was also involved in starting two marijuana grow operations during the pendency of this case, utilizing the jail’s video system to speak to coconspirators about the cultivation of marijuana.
The case was the result of a five-year investigation that began in the spring of 2017 by the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (“DHS-HSI”), the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and the United States Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”). Other agencies involved with the investigation included the Tennessee Department of Correction Office of Investigations and Conduct; the Elizabethton and Carter County Joint Drug Task Force; the Huron Undercover Narcotic Team with the Michigan State Police; the Arkansas Highway Patrol; the Missouri Western Interdiction Task Force with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department; and the California Visalia Police Department. This investigation was led by HSI Special Agent John Bulla.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan L. Gomez and J. Christian Lampe represented the United States at sentencing.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Bronx, NY Woman Convicted in Marriage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – This past Friday, a federal jury convicted 43-year-old Barbara Oppong of Bronx, New York on charges of naturalization fraud, conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and theft of government property.
Evidence presented at trial revealed that in February of 2019, a tipster alerted Fort Bragg U.S. Army CID (Criminal Investigation Division) that Samuel Agyapong, a U.S. citizen and soldier, was engaged in a sham marriage with Barbara Oppong, a citizen of Ghana who was unlawfully present in the United States. Agyapong agreed to engage in the sham marriage in exchange for and upfront $10,000.00 in cash and the benefit of additional Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) funds he would receive from the Army for having a dependent spouse. Oppong would obtain a lawful permanent resident card, commonly known as a green card. Agyapong and Oppong were married in New York in January 2015.
Thereafter, Agyapong and Oppong submitted fraudulent applications to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requesting Oppong’s adjustment of status as a lawful permanent resident in the United States, which she received. Based on the marriage to Agyapong, Oppong then filed an application for U.S. citizenship. Over the course of this sham marriage, roughly $110,000 of undeserved BAH was paid out by the U.S. Army.
Additional evidence presented at the trial showed that Oppong resided in New York, and Agyapong purchased a residence in Fayetteville, and they seldom, if ever, travelled to see each other nor had they engaged in an actual marital union. Further, evidence revealed that around the time Oppong and Agyapong were married and filed the applications, they omitted the fact that Oppong had two children with another man.
Agyapong was separately tried at a prior trial in which he was convicted and sentenced to 18 months in prison and restitution of more than $110,000. As a result of this past Friday’s conviction, Oppong faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison at her own sentencing hearing scheduled for the November 15th term of court.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan accepted the verdict. The Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF) in the Eastern District of North Carolina led by Homeland Security Investigations and assisted by the Diplomatic Security Service and U.S. Army CID investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel J. Diaz is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:19-CR-00423-FL-6
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Birmingham Man Sentenced on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham man was sentenced this week on the charge of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives, and Firearms Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
Christopher Jawan Weaver, 39, was sentenced on the charge of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Weaver was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Madeline Haikala to 57 months of imprisonment followed by 24 months of supervised release.
In April 2021, Weaver was involved in a domestic altercation with a juvenile while armed with a firearm. During the altercation, Weaver struck the juvenile in the face with the firearm, causing a large laceration above the juvenile’s left eye. The juvenile was taken by ambulance to the hospital where the juvenile received stitches to close the wound. Weaver was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he has three prior Alabama state court felony convictions for Robbery, First Degree.
“Our law enforcement partners are keenly aware that domestic abusers and firearms are a deadly combination,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “Those who commit a domestic violence offense while illegally armed with a firearm will draw the attention of federal law enforcement and the imposition of strict federal penalties.”
“ATF will continue to combat violent crime by holding individuals who unlawfully and knowingly possess firearms and use them to commit crimes of violence. Domestic violence is a growing problem across the country, and we will tirelessly fight to keep the citizens in our communities safe. Federal law prohibits individuals who have been convicted of domestic violence from legally possessing firearms” said ATF SAC Mickey French.
The ATF investigated the case along with the Lipscomb Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darius Greene and Kristy Peoples prosecuted the case.
Bakersfield Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Louis Torres, 37, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to seven years and seven months in prison for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Torres is a member of the Loma Bakers criminal street gang and goes by the moniker, “Youngster.” On July 23, 2021, Torres was driving a vehicle in Bakersfield that was stopped by police officers for traffic violations. After exiting his vehicle, Torres fled on foot, but was pursued and apprehended by police. After Torres was arrested, police officers discovered that he possessed methamphetamine and heroin that he intended to distribute to others. At the time of his arrest, Torres was under active court supervision for a burglary conviction and had a suspended driver’s license. Torres has more than 20 adult criminal convictions and in the last 15 years has violated the terms of his parole and court supervision approximately 22 times.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Baker and Jessica Massey prosecuted the case.
Akron Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Children and Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Joshua Allen Saunders, 27, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced to 40 years in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams on Thursday, August 4, 2022. Saunders previously pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of receipt and distribution of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
In addition to the sentence, Saunders was ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release and must pay $55,000 in restitution.
“There is no greater priority for all of law enforcement than protecting our community’s children from harm and predators,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler. “This lengthy sentence will ensure that this predator will no longer harm children and should send a message that this type of behavior only ends with significant time behind bars.”
“Identifying, investigating, and catching child predators is a critical part of our mission,” said Cleveland FBI Special Agent in Charge, Gregory Nelsen. “The conniving conduct and domineering behavior Saunders exerted over his victims is detestable. The FBI is proud to collaborate with our federal, state, and local partners to ensure thorough investigations are conducted and we eliminate criminal behavior that exploits children.”
According to court documents, federal authorities began an investigation into Saunders after receiving information that he was involved in distributing child sexual abuse materials online. On November 2, 2021, authorities executed a search warrant on Saunders at a residence in Akron. During the search, agents seized and reviewed the contents of Saunders’ cell phone and observed two videos of Saunders engaged in sexual conduct with a minor.
The case was investigated by the Akron FBI and the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Sullivan.
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Aircraft Parts Foundry Agrees to Settle False Claims Act Allegations of Failure to Conduct Testing and Falsified Test ResultsRead the Press Release
WDC Acquisitions LLC d/b/a Wellman Dynamics located in Creston, Iowa, will pay $500,000 to resolve alleged violations of the False Claims Act for failing to conduct contractually required testing and falsifying test results for parts used in military aircraft, the Justice Department announced today.
Wellman manufactures large metal castings that it supplies to prime defense contractors, including Bell Helicopter, Textron, Sikorsky Aircraft and the Boeing Company, for use in the UH-1Y, AH-1Z, AH-64 Apache, V22 Osprey and UH-60 Black Hawk programs.
The United States alleged that, between 2014 and 2021, Wellman failed to conduct required metallurgic and other tests on the castings, including tensile strength testing, destructive testing, microstructure analysis, hot isostatic testing and salt fog testing, and falsely certified results of tests that had not been performed. The settlement was based on an analysis of the company’s ability to pay.
“Proper testing is critical for ensuring the proper performance of the equipment that is provided to our men and women in uniform” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will hold accountable those who knowingly falsify or fail to conduct required tests and put our military at risk.”
“It is imperative that our defense contractors and subcontractors provide the high-quality and properly tested products the military needs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Timothy Duax for the Northern District of Iowa. “We are proud to work tirelessly with our partners to ensure that this is the case.”
The settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Wellman employee Bradley Keller. Under those provisions, a private party can file a lawsuit on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. Keller will receive $90,000. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Bradley Keller v. WDC Acquisitions, LLC d/b/a Wellman Dynamics and Trive Capital Management LLC (N.D. Iowa No. 20-CV-100-LTS-MAR).
This matter was investigated by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. The investigation was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Alicia J. Bentley of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Gillespie.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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22 Defendants Charged in 22-Count Indictment Alleging Middle Georgia Drug Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – 22 individuals are facing federal charges resulting from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation into an alleged armed drug trafficking organization distributing methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl and other controlled substances in Middle Georgia. An indictment is only an allegation of criminal conduct. All of the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
A federal indictment was returned on June 15 charging the following individuals:
- Cornelius Leonard aka Tae, 28, of Grantville, Georgia, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; three counts of distribution of methamphetamine; two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person; possession of a stolen firearm; possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute; possession of heroin with the intent to distribute; possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute; possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute; possession of marijuana with intent to distribute; and, conspiracy to tamper with a witness. If convicted, Leonard faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $8,000,000 fine.
- Kedric Fuller aka Blakk Ru, 41, of Woodbury, Georgia, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Fuller faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Markevious Snipes aka Big Dawg, 31, of Thomaston, Georgia, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to tamper with a witness. If convicted, Snipes faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Pedro Valencia aka Casper aka Bossman, 45, of Calhoun State Prison, Georgia, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Valencia faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Horatio Venable aka Ray, 25, of Columbus, Georgia, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. If convicted, Venable faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Rashad Moreland, 36, of Columbus, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Moreland faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Antovious Hunter aka Ant, 39, of Columbus, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Hunter faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Darius Wellmaker, 39, of Thomaston, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Wellmaker faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Ashley Ingram, 35, of Cataula, Georgia, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Ingram faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Mechile Hobbs, 48, of Woodbury, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, Hobbs faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Mark Dean, 44, of Manchester, Georgia, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Dean faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Nehemiah Johnson aka Brazy, 29, of Thomaston, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Johnson faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Jennifer Moss, 38, of Molena, Georgia, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, Moss faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Justin Whitten, 36, Hogansville, Georgia, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Whitten faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Natashia Antley, 34, of Thomaston, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Antley faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Krystal Juarez Norman, 33, of Thomaston, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Norman faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Dixie Bailey, 33, of Thomaston, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Bailey faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Carlton Power, 26, of Manchester, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Power faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Dustin Robbins, 33, of Columbus, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Robbins faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Sabrina Smith, 32, of Thomaston, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. If convicted, Smith faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Joshua McAfee, 34, of Thomaston, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, McAfee faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.
- Ramone Zorn aka Big Razor, 52, of Thomaston, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine and two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, Zorn faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $20,000,000 fine.
Initial appearances for the defendants occurred beginning on July 20 with more scheduled through August 10 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Q. Langstaff.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is being investigated by FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah McEwen is prosecuting the case.
- Cornelius Leonard aka Tae, 28, of Grantville, Georgia, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; three counts of distribution of methamphetamine; two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person; possession of a stolen firearm; possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute; possession of heroin with the intent to distribute; possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute; possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute; possession of marijuana with intent to distribute; and, conspiracy to tamper with a witness. If convicted, Leonard faces a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum $8,000,000 fine.
Saturday 6 August 2022
Bay City Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BAY CITY – On August 4, 2022, Justin William Zube, 34, of Bay City, was sentenced to 15 years in prison following his conviction by a federal jury of possessing child pornography depicting minors under age 12, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
U.S. Attorney Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge James A. Tarasca, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
Zube was convicted in April following a three-day trial before the Honorable Thomas L. Ludington in the United States District Court in Bay City. According to the evidence presented at trial, investigators from the Michigan State Police Computer Crimes Unit, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation launched an investigation into Zube after receiving a tip from Snapchat and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The investigation culminated in the execution of a search warrant at Zube’s Bay City residence on February 11, 2020. Agents seized multiple digital devices from Zube’s home which were found to contain in excess of 300 images and videos of child pornography.
Zube had been previously convicted of possession of child sexually abusive material in Bay County Circuit Court in 2014.
“Victims depicted in child pornography are not only victimized by their abusers, but also by the individuals who collect and view the images and videos,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “My office appreciates the work of the FBI and Michigan State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Computer Crimes Unit for their dedication to investigating crimes against children and holding those who possess these images accountable.”
“The possession of child sexual abuse material – images and videos of actual children being horrifically victimized by child predators - is not a victimless crime,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The children portrayed suffer real and permanent damage for the rest of their lives. With yesterday’s sentence, Zube now faces the consequences necessary to protect the community from this serial offender.”
The case was investigated by the Michigan State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys William Vailliencourt and Ann Nee.
Friday 5 August 2022
Weymouth Man Pleads Guilty to Market Manipulation ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Weymouth man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to his role in a sophisticated, multi-year market manipulation conspiracy involving securities traded on securities exchanges within the United States, including the New York Stock Exchange and NADSAQ.
Jiali Wang, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled by the Court. Wang was initially charged in October 2019 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury on May 24, 2022.
From approximately 2013 through at least 2018, Wang participated in the manipulative trading activity of a group of securities traders located in China and, at times, in Massachusetts. Specifically, Wang and his co-conspirators used multiple brokerage accounts in their names, and in the names of others with whom Wang had a relationship, to artificially depress or inflate the prices of thinly traded securities. They did so by repeatedly placing relatively small sell (or buy) orders designed to send a false signal about a security’s supply (or demand) and to depress (or inflate) the security’s price. Wang and his co-conspirators then immediately placed relatively large buy (or sell) orders on the other side of the market to take advantage of their manipulations. Once the large orders executed, Wang and his co-conspirators cancelled their outstanding manipulative orders.
Pursuant to a plea agreement, Wang agreed to forfeit at least $6.5 million in illicit proceeds from the conspiracy.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Drabick of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Western Maryland Physician and Pain Management Practice Group Agree to Pay $980,000 to Settle Federal False Claims Act Allegations of Billing for Medically Unnecessary Urine Drug TestsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Melvin Gonzaga, M.D., his son Rommel Gonzaga, and their practice group Gonzaga Interventional Pain Management (“GIPM”) have agreed to pay the United States $980,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the federal False Claims Act by submitting false claims to the United States for urine drug tests (“UDT”) that were medically unnecessary.
The civil settlement was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Paul A. Palumbo, of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board Office of Inspector General (RRB-OIG).
“We are committed to ensuring that patients depending on government-funded insurance are not misled by doctors seeking to line their own pockets by performing medically unnecessary tests or treatments,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron.
“Providers who perform medically unnecessary procedures damage the trust of physician patient relationships and exploit taxpayer-funded programs,” stated Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Along with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG is committed to protecting the health of patients and the integrity of federal health care programs serving them.”
“We are committed to holding unscrupulous Railroad Medicare providers accountable and are proud to be part of this collaborative effort,” said Railroad Retirement Board Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Paul A. Palumbo (RRB-OIG). “We would like to thank our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their dedication and excellent work in this case.”
Dr. Gonzaga is a board-certified anesthesiologist and pain management specialist who owns and operates a pain management clinic, GIPM, located in LaVale, Maryland. Rommel Gonzaga is the chief executive officer of GIPM. From January 1, 2016 through March 31, 2019, GIPM billed the Medicare Program, the Medicaid Program, and the Railroad Retirement Board (“RRB”) for a large number of UDTs. GIPM tested its patients using two types of UDTs: presumptive and definitive. A presumptive UDT is an initial test to detect the presence or absence of a substance or class of substances in the body. A definitive UDT is a more advanced test that can identify individual drugs, distinguish between structural isomers, and report the results of drugs present in concentrations of nanograms per milliliter.
This settlement resolves allegations that the UDTs that GIPM billed to the government were not ordered based on an individualized determination of medical necessity for each patient. Instead, GIPM used blanket orders that tested all patients for the same 22+ drug classes. GIPM patients were required to provide a UDT sample upon entry into the clinic and before being seen by a provider and discussing the results from any prior UDT the patient received. Often, UDTs showing unexpected positive or negative results were ignored, or not checked at all, while GIPM providers continued to prescribe the patients opioids and other controlled substances despite obvious warning signs that the patients were abusing drugs.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations. The settlement is not an admission of liability by Dr. Gonzaga, Rommel Gonzaga, or GIPM, nor a concession by the United States that its claims are not well founded.
The case arose from an initiative launched by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland which involves the use of specialized resources and personnel to review Medicare billing data. The review of that data has enabled the United States Attorney’s Office to identify areas of concern where it appears that billing irregularities may have taken place. Partnering with the affected agencies, the United States Attorney’s Office has developed the ability to investigate these billing irregularities to determine whether the matter is appropriate for enforcement under the False Claims Act.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the HHS-OIG and the RRB-OIG for their work in this investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tarra DeShields and former Assistant United States Attorney Vince Vaccarella, currently a Trial Attorney in the Justice Department’s Civil Frauds Section, who handled this case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Wahoo Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that David Wesley Swanson, 37, of Wahoo, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 4, 2022, to 15 years for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine actual, (pure), in July of 2020, with a prior violent felony conviction by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard. Following his release from prison, Swanson will serve ten years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On July 7, 2020, investigators were conducting surveillance on a Lincoln, Nebraska, apartment building. They saw Swanson arrive and go into the building. A short time later, Swanson came out and drove away, followed by investigators. Investigators learned Swanson’s driver’s license was suspended, and they saw him commit traffic violations. He was stopped and arrested for driving on a suspended license. Pursuant to Lincoln Police Department policy, his vehicle had to be towed. Prior to the vehicle being towed, investigators conducted an inventory search and found a bag of methamphetamine containing at least 74 grams (over 2 ½ ounces) of actual (pure) methamphetamine. Swanson told investigators he had just purchased the methamphetamine. Swanson said he had been selling methamphetamine for approximately two years.
Swanson had a prior Nebraska conviction for robbery.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Veterans Affairs Medical Center Employee Charged with Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Royalston man was arrested yesterday on child pornography charges.
Kevin Divoll, 51, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. Following an initial appearance yesterday in federal court in Springfield before U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni, Divoll was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Aug. 9, 2022.
According to the charging document, investigators identified the IP address of a device distributing child pornography through peer-to-peer communications and determined the device was using the public Wi-Fi at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Leeds. Further investigation identified that Divoll, an employee at the VA Medical Center, as the owner and user of the device. It is alleged that during a search of Divoll’s residence yesterday, a laptop, external hard drive and cellphone were found to contain child pornography including images of toddler-aged children.
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; and Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Assistance was provided by the Leeds VA Medical Center Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine G. Curley of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Face Federal Drug Charges After Multi-Agency Search in MontpelierRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced today that Kimberly Kuncz, 53, of Montpelier, Vermont, and Frederick Campbell II, 19, of Detroit, Michigan, were arrested yesterday and charged today by criminal complaint. Kuncz was charged with distributing cocaine base on June 23, 2022. Campbell was charged with possessing with intent to distribute cocaine base on August 4, 2022. Both defendants will appear before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle in the near future.
According to court records, the Vermont Drug Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted a controlled purchase of cocaine base from Kuncz on June 23, 2022 in Berlin, Vermont. Thereafter, significant drug activity was observed at Kuncz’s residence located at 19 George Street in Montpelier, Vermont. On August 1, 2022, a federal search warrant was obtained for Kuncz’s George Street residence. On the morning of August 4, 2022, in anticipation of executing the search warrant, law enforcement was conducting surveillance of the George Street residence. A rented black Ford F-150 was seen leaving 19 George Street at approximately 5:30 a.m. and was observed speeding on multiple occasions. After a traffic stop, Campbell was identified as the driver. The search of 19 George Street established probable cause that there were drugs in the F-150, and a search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure from under the driver’s seat of a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, with 14 rounds of ammunition including a round in the chamber. A search of Campbell’s person resulted in the seizure of approximately 7 grams of cocaine base. In addition, the search of Kuncz’s residence resulted in the seizure of approximately 78 grams of suspected cocaine base, 2.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine, $2,000 in cash, and digital scales.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that a criminal complaint contains allegations only and that Kuncz and Campbell are presumed innocent until and unless convicted of a crime.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Vermont Drug Task Force, the Montpelier Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Kerest also thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Northfield Police Department, the State of Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Vermont Capitol Police for their assistance during yesterday’s search warrant execution.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Ophardt. Kuncz is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender. Campbell is represented by Gregory Mertz, Esq.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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. For more information, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn
Statement of Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the 57th Anniversary of the Voting Rights ActRead the Press Release
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland issued the following statement today commemorating the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act:
"Fifty-seven years ago tomorrow, one of our nation’s most consequential pieces of civil rights legislation -- the Voting Rights Act of 1965 -- was signed into law.
"The Voting Rights Act sought to make real the 15th Amendment's guarantee that no American citizen be denied the right to vote on account of race.
"Central to the law was Section 5’s “preclearance” provision, which prevented jurisdictions with a history of discriminatory voting practices from adopting new voting rules until they could show the Justice Department or a federal court that the change would not have a racially discriminatory purpose or result.
"Yet in its 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder, the Supreme Court effectively eliminated the act’s preclearance protections. And in the years since, there has been a dramatic rise in legislative efforts that make it harder for millions of Americans to vote and to elect representatives of their own choice.
"Ahead of the 57th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, the Justice Department remains committed to relentlessly protecting voting rights with the enforcement powers we have. And we continue to ask Congress to restore critical tools to help protect the fundamental right to vote."
St. Louis County man sentenced to 5+ years for traveling for sex with teenRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Friday sentenced a St. Louis County man to five years and four months in prison for traveling to Springfield, Ill. in 2019 to have sex with a 15-year-old.
Wesley Kimble, now 25, will also be on supervised release for life.
Kimble met the 15-year-old via an online dating site in the fall of 2019 and began exchanging messages with the teen, with many of the messages being sexual in nature. In December of 2019, Kimble drove to Springfield to pick up the victim. On the return trip, Kimble engaged in sexual activity with the victim, he admitted in a plea agreement. Kimble also provided the victim with illegal drugs and engaged in unprotected sex with the victim once they arrived at his apartment in St. Louis County.
Kimble pleaded guilty in November to a charge of interstate transport of a minor for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct.
In court Friday, the victim’s mother read a statement in which the victim said she’d called Kimble after escaping from a Springfield hotel room where she’d been victimized by another man. Kimble took her phone and backpack away, drove her to his apartment and locked her in there.
The victim’s mother said the mental and emotion scars Kimble inflicted on her daughter “can’t be measured and have no end in sight.”
In addition to the prison time, Judge Pitlyk ordered Kimble to undergo drug, mental health and sex offender treatment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Springfield, Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Prison for Drug Trafficking in the Northeast KingdomRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Addiel Santini, 20, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced today to serve 6 months in prison after his conviction for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base. United States District Judge Christina Reiss also ordered Santini to serve a three-year term of supervised release after his incarceration.
As Santini admitted in his guilty plea hearing, the Lyndonville Police Department (LPD) entered an apartment on Center Street in Lyndon, Vermont on June 26, 2021. Santini was the only person found in the sole bedroom of the apartment. Later that same day, LPD obtained a search warrant for the apartment. According to court records, during execution of that search warrant, in the bedroom that Santini had been occupying, law enforcement found approximately 3,670 bags of fentanyl-laced heroin, 6.187 grams of cocaine base, 34.54 grams of cocaine, and $5,695 in U.S. currency.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigative efforts of the Vermont Drug Task Force of the Vermont State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Lyndonville Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly G. Ang handled the prosecution. Santini was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven Barth.
Six-Time Felon Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Prison for Cocaine and Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Sumter, South Carolina man was sentenced today to 77 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On April 21, 2022, Derrick Lee Daye pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Derrick Lee Daye, 35, was arrested on June 21, 2021 after officers with the Dunn Police Department found him with a backpack containing over $18,000 in cash, a loaded gun, and 90 grams of compressed cocaine. Daye, a member of the Bloods street gang, had five prior felony convictions before this arrest.
“I would like to thank U.S. Attorney Michael Easley and his team for their cooperation and hard work in assisting law enforcement officers in a successful prosecution and removal of a dangerous habitual felon from the community,” said Dunn Police Chief Clark White. “This is a perfect example of how local and federal agencies working together can achieve great results.”
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Dunn Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Webb and Nicholas Hartigan prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-CR-335.
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Sisseton Man Federally Indicted for Sexual Abuse of Three ChildrenRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Sisseton, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for aggravated sexual abuse of a child and abusive sexual contact.
Conrad Brown, a/k/a “Coon,” age 43, was indicted on July 6, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on Thursday August 4, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum term of imprisonment upon conviction for each count is up to life imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine, five years and up to life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution and forfeiture may be ordered.
According to the Indictment, from approximately 2019 to late 2021, Brown engaged in sexual acts and contact with three children. All counts alleged that the abuse took place in Roberts County.
The charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Sioux Tribe’s Law Enforcement and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri is prosecuting the case.
The defendant was detained pending further court proceedings. A trial date has been set for September 27, 2022.
Seattle man sentenced to 11 years in prison for distribution of drugs and possession of firearmsRead the Press Release
Seattle – A West Seattle-man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 11 years in prison and 4 years of supervised release for four federal felonies involving drug distribution, firearms, and obstructing justice, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. David Rosario, 30, was arrested in August 2020 after selling drugs and firearms to an undercover agent. He was arrested again five months later for additional crimes while released on bond. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Richard A. Jones noted that in all his years on the bench, it was the first time he had seen a defendant conspire to intimidate a witness by setting the witness’ car on fire. “That fire could have carried over to the apartment and injured and killed people… People who had no connection to this offense,” Judge Jones said.
Car burned to intimidate witness“Even after his arrest on federal charges, Mr. Rosario continued to endanger the community with guns and drugs and ultimately the fire he used to intimidate a witness,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “We are unwavering in our commitment to protect witnesses and those who assist in uncovering criminal conduct. Mr. Rosario’s demonstrated contempt for the rule of law requires a significant sanction.”
Rosario first came to the attention of law enforcement when an informant told investigators that Rosario was known for selling large quantities of drugs and stolen firearms. In late May, an undercover agent purchased heroin, methamphetamine, and a .22 caliber pistol from Rosario. Over the next two months, Rosario sold the agent more meth and three more guns. On August 11, 2020, Rosario was arrested for gun and drug crimes.
Rosario was released pending trial on the original counts. After Rosario’s release, law enforcement learned Rosario was attempting to retaliate against the person who had provided information about him to law enforcement. In fact, Rosario paid one of his drug customers to set fire to the informant’s car.
On an early morning in November 2020, Rosario’s associate threw a Molotov cocktail into the informant’s car while it was parked in a carport underneath an apartment complex. Fortunately, one of the residents smelled burning rubber and called 911, so the King County Fire Department was able to put out the fire before anyone was injured. An arson investigator from the King County Sheriff’s Office estimated that the fire would have spread to the apartments and possibly killed residents if it had not been discovered so quickly.
As law enforcement investigated the arson, they also discovered Rosario’s ongoing criminal conduct. He violated his bond by changing his residence, possessing firearms, and selling drugs such as methamphetamine and fentanyl. The investigation revealed that Rosario even sold fentanyl while attending required online drug treatment classes. When Rosario was rearrested in January 2021, his phone contained numerous photos showing him with guns, cash, fentanyl pills and a photo of the burned-out car.
On April 21, 2022, Rosario pleaded guilty to carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, distribution of methamphetamine, unlawful receipt of a firearm, and conspiracy to use fire to obstruct justice.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the King County Sheriff’s Office, with help from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M. Manca.
Drugs, money and guns