Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
20 September 2022
Bowling Green Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 16 Years and 8 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Bowling Green man was sentenced today to 16 years and 8 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and other drug trafficking related offenses.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Task Force Director Tommy Loving of the Bowling Green/Warren County Drug Task Force, and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police made the announcement.
According to court documents, from October 1, 2019, to November 18, 2020, Dimitri Hill, 30, conspired to possess with intent to distribute over 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine. Hill was also charged with aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. These charges include aiding and abetting the possession of 107.98 grams of methamphetamine on March 10, 2020, 1,205.64 grams of methamphetamine on October 13, 2020, and 11.57 grams of methamphetamine on March 17, 2020. Hill, a convicted felon, also knowingly possessed a Ruger LC9S, nine-millimeter semiautomatic pistol, on August 19, 2019. Hill had previously been convicted of second-degree robbery and second-degree burglary on or about March 16, 2012, in Warren Circuit Court under case number 11-CR-00655-02.
Hill was also sentenced to 5 years of supervised release upon completion of his term of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
“This case resulted from the outstanding work and combined efforts of our local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies,” said Michael A. Bennett, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. “The citizens of the Western District are fortunate to have the dedicated professionals of the Bowling Green/Warren County Drug Task Force, Kentucky State Police, and ATF on duty every day, working tirelessly, to keep our communities safe from the scourge of illegal drug activity and the violent crime which accompanies it.”
“Too many families have endured pain and suffering resulting from the drug epidemic,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Division. “Often, the drug problem we see in our region directly contributes to violence on our streets. As this case shows, ATF is committed to working with our partners to pursue armed drug dealers who use guns and violence to harm our communities. I commend the Warren County Drug Task Force, Kentucky State Police, ATF’s Bowling Green Field Office, and the prosecution team for their hard work in bringing this offender to justice.”
The ATF, the Bowling Green/Warren County Drug Task Force, and the Kentucky State Police investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
###
Beech Grove Arsonist Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Amtrak and Greenwood Apartment Building Fires Causing over $1 Million in DamageRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Casey Sage, 35, of Beech Grove, Indiana, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty to arson of a federal property and arson of property of an organization receiving federal financial assistance.
According to court documents, on May 1, 2021, Sage, without permission, entered the Amtrak facility located at 202 Garstang Street in Beech Grove. Amtrak, a federally owned corporation, uses that facility for repair and servicing of locomotives and passenger rail cars. A little after midnight, Sage ignited a railroad flare and threw it into a building used to store acetone, paint, denatured alcohol, varnish, spray paint, degreaser, engine starting fluid, and paint remover. This quickly started a fire, which spread to another building close by that was also used to store flammable material. Both buildings were destroyed because of the fire. In total, Sage caused more than $1.1 million in damages to the Amtrak facility.
Investigators also discovered that, a few weeks before the Amtrak fire, Sage entered his ex-girlfriend’s apartment in Greenwood, Indiana, at an apartment complex receiving Section 8 funding through the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Sage intentionally started a fire in the master bedroom of the apartment. The fire eventually spread to most of the apartment before it was successfully extinguished. This arson caused more than $100,000 in damages to the apartment building and approximately $10,000 in property loss to the apartment tenant.
“The arsons committed by the defendant were an outrageous course of conduct that endangered apartment complex residents and emergency personnel,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “I appreciate the hard work of investigators and prosecutors who came together across agencies to identify and vigorously prosecute the defendant, and the first responders who risk themselves to keep the public safe. The serious sentence imposed today demonstrates that those who commit arsons with utter disregard for the lives and safety of the public will be held accountable.”
“Today’s sentencing brings a successful end to a fast-paced, complex, and highly collaborative investigation that brought several agencies together with a common goal of safeguarding the community by taking a dangerous criminal off the streets,” said Basil Demczak, Special Agent in Charge of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General Central Field Office. “We not only appreciate the dedication of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and all of the agencies involved, but we are grateful for the support of members of the Beech Grove community in helping our team solve this crime.”
“The defendant risked the lives and safety of numerous people, at both the Amtrak facility and at a public housing development, in addition to causing over a million dollars in damages to federal and personal property,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “ATF will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to ensure that individuals who use violence to endanger our community pay the price for those actions.”
“After the Beech Grove Fire Department successfully extinguished the arson fire, our department worked with local, state and federal authorities to develop evidence to lead to this guilty plea,” said Amtrak Police Chief Sam Dotson. “Our Heavy Maintenance Facility employs almost 500 Amtrak employees and is a critical element to our national network, so protecting it and assisting in prosecution of those who would damage it is an important part of the department’s mission.”
The cases were investigated by the Amtrak Office of the Inspector General, Amtrak Police, Beech Grove Police Department, Greenwood Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigation, and the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James Patrick Hanlon. As part of the sentence, Judge Hanlon ordered that Sage be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys William McCoskey and Adam Eakman who prosecuted this case.
Army National Guardsman ordered to prison for trafficking cocaineRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 28-year-old Austin resident and active duty Army National Guardsman has been sent to prison for possession with intent to distribute kilogram quantities of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Jonathan Zarazua pleaded guilty Jan. 13.
Today, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. ordered Zarazua to serve 50 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Zarazua was responsible for trafficking numerous loads of illegal narcotics.
On Sept. 11, 2021, Jonathan Zarazua attempted to enter the United States through the Brownsville and Matamoros Bridge in Brownsville. He claimed he was returning after visiting his father in Mexico. At secondary inspection, an x-ray scan of his vehicle revealed anomalies and officers ultimately discovered 6.62 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a false compartment under the center console.
At the time of his arrest, Zarazua was an active duty Army National Guardsman employed as a Petroleum Supply Specialist. He also served on active duty with the United States Army from 2016 to 2020.
Zarazua admitted to smuggling the cocaine for individuals in Mexico and to having smuggled drugs into the United States on at least 30 other occasions. He further admitted he was specifically recruited because he could use his military status to facilitate crossing the border with illegal narcotics.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edgardo J. Rodriguez prosecuted the case.
21-Year-Old Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting a Customs and Border Protection OfficerRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Cesar Alejandro Avendano-Soto, 21, of Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of Assault on a Federal Officer Resulting in Bodily Injury on September 16, 2022. Sentencing is scheduled for January 6, 2023, before United States District Judge Scott H. Rash.
On March 24, 2020, at the DeConcini Port of Entry, Avendano-Soto struggled with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer. During the struggle, Avendano-Soto intentionally threw the officer to the ground resulting in physical injury to the officer.
A conviction for assault on a federal officer resulting in bodily injury carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Houston, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR21-01527-TUC-SHR(DTF)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-158_Avendano-Soto# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
19 September 2022
“The Breadman” sentenced for trafficking narcoticsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 43 year-old Houston rapper has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and distributing meth, cocaine and opioids, announced U.S. Attorney B. Lowery.
Jermaine West aka The Breadman pleaded guilty April 6 to 10 counts of drug trafficking in the Houston area.
Today, U.S. District Judge George Hanks ordered West to serve 280 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by six years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional argument that West had engaged in gang activity beyond his drug trafficking. In handing down the sentence, Judge Hanks noted that West “destroyed people’s lives.” The court further noted that “for 20 years [West] played a dangerous game,” and that he had “played the game and lost.”
West was part of the Hood Kat Music Group rap studio based in southeast Houston.
The investigation began in 2019 when law enforcement learned West was trafficking narcotics. The information regarding drug trafficking as well as West’s known position as an influential gang member in southeast Houston triggered the multi-agency investigation.
West has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Houston Police Department.
The plea is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation dubbed Operation Bullet Trap. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States. It uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Corley and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Devon Helfmeyer prosecuted the case.
Willowbrook Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery Spree He Committed While on Supervised Release for Prior Bank Robbery ConvictionRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Willowbrook man pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for robbing three banks during a six-day crime spree while he was on supervised release for bank robbery convictions over a decade ago.
Rickey Lewis, 53, pleaded guilty to three counts of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank robbery.
According to his plea agreement, from January 22 to January 28, 2019, Lewis stole a total of $4,035 in cash by robbing two JPMorgan Chase bank branches in Gardena and an International City Bank branch in Long Beach. Lewis also attempted to rob a Bank of America branch in Downey.
During the robberies, Lewis threatened to shoot bank tellers – though it was not apparent that he was carrying a firearm – and he had clear tape on his fingers. In fear for their lives, the bank tellers handed over the cash.
According to an affidavit filed with a criminal complaint in this case, law enforcement recovered a partial palm print recovered from the Long Beach bank robbery that matched Lewis’ palm print.
While he committed the January 2019 bank robbery spree, Lewis was on supervised release for bank robbery convictions he sustained after he pleaded guilty in February 2006 to a month-long spree in which he robbed six banks in South Los Angeles and Inglewood.
United States District Judge Christina A. Snyder scheduled a January 23, 2023 sentencing hearing, at which time he will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count.
The FBI investigated this matter with the assistance of the Long Beach Police Department, the Downey Police Department, the Gardena Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Castañeda of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section and Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
Vista Man Sentenced to Almost Five Years in Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining More than $300,000 in Benefits Related to Coronavirus PandemicRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY—September 19, 2022SAN DIEGO—Darris Cotton of Vista was sentenced in federal court today to 57 months in custody for submitting false applications for unemployment benefits to California’s Employment Development Department (EDD).
As early as July and August of 2020, Cotton submitted at least sixteen fraudulent applications for unemployment using other people’s names, dates of birth, and social security numbers.
The United States Department of Labor funds unemployment benefits, but the administration of the benefits is overseen by EDD. To qualify for benefits, an individual must submit an application with his or her name, date of birth, social security number, and other personal information. If the information is approved, EDD sends a debit card to the address provided in the application via U.S. Mail. In March 2020, the United States Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which included an economic relief package of more than $2 trillion designed to help the American people during the public health and economic crises that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act expanded the population of persons eligible for benefits, the time period during which persons are eligible for benefits, and/or the amount of benefits.
In this case, Cotton used a relative’s address to submit the fraudulent applications. Once Cotton received the debit cards in the mail from EDD, he used the debit cards to purchase postal money orders and to purchase luxury items such as Gucci backpacks. Cotton admitted that his criminal conduct caused a loss of $312,640 and that he submitted additional fraudulent applications for benefits in other states such as Arizona, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Law enforcement seized $112,539 in currency and money orders from Cotton during the investigation and he agreed to forfeit that money as proceeds of his fraud.
“This defendant exploited an unemployment insurance program that was intended to be a safety net for workers who suffered financial hardship during a global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “Crimes like this took money away from those who truly needed it.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and the investigating agencies for their excellent work on this case.
“This sentencing sends a strong message that CARES Act fraud will be punished to the fullest extent by federal law enforcement,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason Reynolds, San Diego Field Office, U.S. Secret Service. “This has been the culmination of hard work by numerous law enforcement agencies in the San Diego area working together, and we are committed to continuing our efforts and pursuing justice, putting an end to more fraudsters and criminal networks.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to investigating all criminal organizations and individuals who commit financial fraud, and seek to exploit and profit from government programs that were created to benefit the American people,” said HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “This sentencing affirms HSI’s, and the government’s commitment to bringing these individuals to justice.”
DEFENDANT Case Number 21cr1108-TWRDarris Cotton
SUMMARY OF CHARGESConspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud—Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349 Criminal Forfeiture—Title 18, U.S.C., Section 981
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison; $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater; criminal forfeiture of all proceeds derived from the offense.
AGENCYUnited States Secret Service Homeland Security Investigations
Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (OIG) San Diego Police Department
Carlsbad Police Department
Vallejo Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Christopher Matthew Rougeau, 38, of Vallejo, pleaded guilty today to possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on April 20, 2022, law enforcement officers found Rougeau in his car and searched him pursuant to a search warrant. They found a pistol in a holster on his hip. On the passenger seat, officers found 159 grams of methamphetamine, which was 94% pure, and a digital scale. In the backseat, officers found another pistol. Rougeau has been previously convicted in California state court of multiple firearm and drug offenses.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Marin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg is prosecuting the case.
Rougeau is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 5, 2022, by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb. Rougeau faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, 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 Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Two North Carolina Tax Preparers Plead Guilty to $5 Million Tax ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Two North Carolina women pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the United States by preparing false tax returns for clients and causing them to be filed with the IRS. Hawkins, Ricks, and their co-conspirators caused more than 1,000 false tax returns to be filed with the IRS that claimed a total of approximately $5 million in fraudulent refunds.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately 2009 through 2018 Betty Hawkins, 51, and Phyllis Ricks, 63, both of Rocky Mount, conspired with others to file false tax returns for clients of the tax preparation businesses where they both worked. These returns included fictitious federal income tax withholding figures as well as other fraudulent items that generated fraudulent refunds the clients were not entitled to receive.
Hawkins and Ricks are scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 16. Both women face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States. They also face a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Michael Jones and Mary Frances Richardson of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Menzer are prosecuting the case.
Two North Carolina Tax Preparers Plead Guilty to $5 Million Tax ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Two North Carolina women pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the United States by preparing false tax returns for clients and causing them to be filed with the IRS. In total, Hawkins, Ricks, and their co-conspirators caused more than 1,000 false tax returns to be filed with the IRS that claimed a total of approximately $5 million in fraudulent refunds.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately 2009 through 2018 Betty Hawkins, 51, and Phyllis Ricks, 63, both of Rocky Mount, conspired with others to file false tax returns for clients of the tax preparation businesses where they both worked. These returns included fictitious federal income tax withholding figures as well as other fraudulent items that generated fraudulent refunds the clients were not entitled to receive.
Hawkins and Ricks are scheduled to be sentenced on December 16, 2022. Both women face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States. They also face a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Michael Jones and Mary Frances Richardson of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Menzer are prosecuting the case.
Statement from Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter on the District Court’s Decision in U.S. v. UnitedHealth Group and Change HealthcareRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter for the Antitrust Division issued the following statement regarding the District Court’s decision in U.S. v. UnitedHealth Group and Change Healthcare.
“We respectfully disagree with the court’s decision and are reviewing the opinion closely to evaluate next steps. Protecting competition and access to affordable healthcare is of the utmost importance to the Antitrust Division and the Department of Justice. We are grateful to the Antitrust Division staff – the attorneys, economists, paralegals, and administrative professionals – who work tirelessly to uphold the value of competition.”
St. Louis Woman entenced to 45 Months Imprisonment for Theft from Metro East Charity, Identity TheftRead the Press Release
East St. Louis, Ill – Kenesha Burlison, 40, of St. Louis, Missouri, was sentenced to 45 months in prison in connection with her theft from her former employer, an East St. Louis charity, and aggravated identity theft.
Burlison served as the Director of Human Relations for Call for Help, Inc. from 2016 until her termination in 2020. Call for Help is a longstanding charitable organization in East St. Louis, Illinois, that helps people overcome a variety of personal crises, ranging from sexual assault and poverty to homelessness and mental health issues. The organization receives federal funds annually to assist in carrying out its mission.At the time of her guilty plea, Burlison admitted that she fraudulently obtained a cashier’s check from Call for Help in the amount of $69,788.62, which she used to pay the down payment for a home she was purchasing. Burlison told Call for Help that she needed a cashier’s check to provide to the title company and claimed that she couldn’t get one from her bank because it was closed. In exchange for the cashier’s check, Burlison provided Call for Help with a personal check in the amount of $70,000. That check, as well as two others provided by Burlison in the coming months, bounced for insufficient funds.
Following her termination from the organization, Call for Help discovered that Burlison had also fraudulently submitted requests for reimbursements that she was not entitled to. Burlison abused her access to the company’s payroll system to fraudulently submit and approve mileage reimbursements and costs for diversity and inclusion trainings that she did not attend. In all, Burlison was paid more than $115,000 from these fraudulent reimbursements.
“Kenesha Burlison’s theft from Call for Help is particularly egregious in light of the essential, life- saving services that the organization provides to communities in Southern Illinois,” said
United States Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “We are proud to have organizations like Call for Help in our District and will continue to hold those who steal from them accountable for their actions.”“Nonprofits elect a board of directors to provide oversight regarding fiduciary, legal and ethical responsibilities for the organization,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge
David Nanz. “In this case, Call for Help’s board of directors did exactly what they were put in place to do.
Their oversight enabled the FBI to pursue an investigation into the criminal actions of Kenesha Burlison and prevent further harm to the organization’s reputation and financial resources. The FBI is committed to investigating public corruption in any form and at all levels.”
Burlison was also sentenced for aggravated identity theft. In 2020, Burlison submitted an inflated income verification as part of an application for a home mortgage. Because the verification required a signature on behalf of Call for Help, Burlison forged the signature of the organization’s Director of Quality Assurance. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, which must run consecutive to any other sentence imposed.In total, Burlison was sentenced to 45 months in prison. She was also ordered to pay over $185,000 in restitution to Call for Help, a $200 special assessment, and will spend three years on supervised release following her term of imprisonment.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Zoe J. Gross prosecuted the case.Six Mongols Motorcycle Club Members Found Guilty of Racketeering Conspiracy, Including MurderRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted six Tennessee men Friday for racketeering conspiracy and other charges involving murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, and other crimes, all stemming from their involvement with the Clarksville chapter of the Mongols Motorcycle Club (Clarksville Mongols).
A seventh man from Kentucky, who was not a member of the Mongols, was also convicted by the same jury of participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy with the Clarksville Mongols.
A federal jury convicted James Wesley Frazier, 34; Aelix Santiago, 34; Michael Forrester, 34; Jamie Hern, 43; William Boylston, 32; and Jason Meyerholz, 48, all of Clarksville, Tennessee, for charges including racketeering conspiracy. Also convicted was Derek Leighton Stanley, 48, of Owensboro, Kentucky, for engaging in a drug trafficking conspiracy.
“The Clarksville Mongols terrorized communities in Tennessee and Kentucky for far too long,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These convictions underscore the Justice Department’s dedication to disrupting and dismantling violent criminal enterprises.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the Clarksville Mongols were a violent motorcycle gang operating in and around the city of Clarksville. The Clarksville Mongols were a self-described “outlaw” motorcycle club with ties to Mongols chapters nationwide. Members and associates of the Clarksville Mongols engaged in a host of violent criminal activities, including murder, attempted murder, assault, kidnapping, robbery, extortion, witness tampering, money laundering, interstate travel in aid of racketeering, and large-scale drug trafficking.
In addition, the Clarksville Mongols engaged in widespread violence and, from spring 2015 to spring 2017, they distributed more than 50 pounds of nearly 100% pure methamphetamine, worth approximately $1 million, through their drug trafficking enterprise, in an effort to establish themselves as the area’s dominant motorcycle club.
Evidence at trial demonstrated that the Clarksville Mongols were responsible for the kidnapping and murder of Stephanie Bradley, as well as the separate kidnapping and murder of Stephen Cole. Prior to Bradley’s kidnapping and murder in May 2015, the Clarksville Mongols believed that she had information relating to stolen drugs, money, and guns, and had been disparaging the Clarksville Mongols. Members and associates of the Clarksville Mongols interrogated Bradley, threatening her and demanding that she should not mention the Mongols again. When the Clarksville Mongols learned that Bradley had failed to accede to their demands, she was kidnapped and murdered in the woods behind a cemetery in Bumpus Mills, Tennessee.
Then, in November 2017, Stephen Cole was kidnapped, brutally beaten, and murdered by the Clarksville Mongols. Cole, who had been a member of the Clarksville Mongols, was believed to have stolen motorcycles belonging to William Boylston, a fellow gang member. Boylston felt disrespected by Cole and was concerned about maintaining his standing and reputation among the Clarksville Mongols. Cole was kidnapped and transported to a shed in Trenton, Kentucky, where he was interrogated, tortured, and beaten for hours prior to being murdered.
“This verdict officially ends an era of drug-trafficking, violence, and intimidation inflicted on the people of Clarksville by the Clarksville Mongols,” said U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee. “I commend the investigation and prosecution teams for the enormous amount of time and resources they dedicated during the past seven years to bring every member and associate of this ruthless gang to justice. We look forward to the sentencing phase and seeking lengthy and life sentences for these defendants convicted today.”
“The criminal activities and horrendous acts of violence are dangerous and damaging to everyone involved,” said Special Agent in Carge Mickey French of the ATF’s Nashville Field Division. “We will use all of ATF’s resources to disrupt the illegal possession of firearms, distribution of narcotics, and other violent crimes. We will continue to work tirelessly with our local, state, and federal partners to combat violent crime and maintain public safety within our communities.”
Those convicted were:
Name
Age
Charges
Max Penalty
James Wesley Frazier
34
Racketeering conspiracy; conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; money laundering conspiracy; kidnapping; kidnapping in aid of racketeering; the murder of Stephanie Bradley in aid of racketeering; firearm offenses; and interstate travel in aid of racketeering.
Life in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of: life in prison for murder; 10 years for drug conspiracy; and up to 10 years for the firearms offense to be served consecutive to all other sentences.
Aelix Santiago
34
Racketeering conspiracy; conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; money laundering conspiracy; firearm offenses; and kidnapping.
Life in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of: life in prison for murder; and 10 years for the drug and firearm offenses to be served consecutive to all other sentences.
Michael Forrester
34
Racketeering conspiracy; conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; money laundering conspiracy; assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce and robbery affecting interstate commerce; kidnapping; and firearm offenses.
Life in prison, and up to seven years for the firearms offense to be served consecutive to all other sentences.
Jamie Hern
43
Racketeering conspiracy; conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; money laundering conspiracy; assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; firearm offenses; conspiracy to tamper with a witness and witness tampering; and kidnapping.
Life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years for the drug offense and seven years for the firearms offense to be served consecutive to all other sentences
William Boylston
32
Racketeering conspiracy; assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; kidnapping resulting in the death of Stephen Cole; kidnapping of Stephen Cole in aid of racketeering; and the murder of Stephen Cole in aid of racketeering.
Life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of life for kidnapping and murder, and seven years for the firearms offense to be served consecutive to all other sentences.
Jason Meyerholz
48
Racketeering conspiracy; assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; kidnapping resulting in death of Stephen Cole.; kidnapping of Stephen Cole in aid of racketeering; and the murder of Stephen Cole in aid of racketeering
Life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of life for kidnapping and murder, and seven years for the firearms offense to be served consecutive to all other sentences.
Derek Leighton Stanley
48
Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; money laundering conspiracy; distribution of, or possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and interstate travel in aid of racketeering.
Life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years for the drug offenses to be served consecutive to all other sentences.
A federal district court judge will separately determine each defendant’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Clarksville Police Department, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Kentucky State Police investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Matthew P. Mattis of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Risinger and Chris Suedekum for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
Six Members of Clarksville Mongols Motorcycle Gang Found Guilty of Racketeering Conspiracy, Including MurderRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE –A federal jury convicted six Clarksville, Tennessee, men on Friday for racketeering conspiracy and other charges involving murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, and other crimes, all stemming from their involvement with the Clarksville chapter of the Mongols Motorcycle Club (Clarksville Mongols).
A seventh man, from Kentucky, who was not a member of the Mongols, was also convicted by the same jury of participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy with the Clarksville Mongols.
After a three-and-a-half-month trial, the jury convicted James Wesley Frazier, 34, Aelix Santiago, 34, Michael Forrester, 34, Jamie Hern, 43, William Boylston, 32, and Jason Meyerholz, 48, all of Clarksville, Tennessee, for charges including racketeering conspiracy. Also convicted was Derek Leighton Stanley, 48, of Owensboro, Kentucky, for engaging in a drug trafficking conspiracy.
“Friday’s verdict officially ends an era of drug-trafficking, violence, and intimidation inflicted on the people of Clarksville by the Clarksville Mongols,” said U.S. Attorney Wildasin. “I commend the investigation and prosecution teams for the enormous amount of time and resources they dedicated during the past seven years to bring every member and associate of this ruthless gang to justice. We look forward to the sentencing phase and seeking appropriate sentences, including life, for these defendants.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the Clarksville Mongols were a violent motorcycle gang operating in and around the City of Clarksville. The Clarksville Mongols were a self-described “outlaw” motorcycle club with ties to Mongols chapters nationwide and internationally. Members and associates of the Clarksville Mongols engaged in a host of violent criminal activities, including murder, attempted murder, assault, kidnapping, robbery, extortion, witness tampering, money laundering, interstate travel in aid of racketeering, and large-scale drug trafficking.
In addition, the Clarksville Mongols engaged in widespread violence and terrorized the Clarksville area while distributing more than 50 pounds of nearly 100% pure methamphetamine, worth approximately $1 million, through their drug trafficking enterprise, in an effort to establish themselves as the area’s dominant motorcycle club. Violent acts included the kidnapping and murder of Stephanie Bradley, as well as the separate kidnapping and murder of Stephen Cole.
Evidence showed that, prior to Bradley’s kidnapping and murder in May 2015, the Clarksville Mongols believed that she had information relating to stolen drugs, money, and guns, and had been speaking negatively to others about the Clarksville Mongols. Members and associates of the Clarksville Mongols then interrogated Bradley, warning her not to speak about the Mongols again or tell anyone about the interrogation. When the Clarksville Mongols learned that Bradley had failed to accede to their demands, she was kidnapped and driven to a cemetery in Bumpus Mills, Tennessee. Despite begging for her life, Bradley was walked into the woods behind the cemetery and shot numerous times and killed.
Then, in November 2017, Stephen Cole was kidnapped, brutally beaten, and murdered by the Clarksville Mongols. Cole, who had been a member of the Clarksville Mongols, was believed to have stolen motorcycles belonging to defendant, and fellow gang member, William Boylston. Boylston felt disrespected by Cole and was concerned about maintaining his standing and reputation among the Clarksville Mongols. Cole was kidnapped from a house in Clarksville, Tennessee, and transported by defendants Boylston and Meyerholz to a shed in Trenton, Kentucky, where they interrogated, tortured, and beat him for hours, and then murdered Cole by driving a 10-inch tent stake through his head.
Other evidence elicited at trial included allegations regarding:
Setting fire to and destroying the Sin City Motorcycle Clubhouse in Clarksville on May 17, 2015;
Conducting a home invasion in Hopkinsville, Kentucky on July 4, 2015, and pistol whipping the resident and stealing his belongings while holding the victim at knifepoint;
Assaulting two individuals at a residence in Clarksville and holding them at gunpoint while they interrogated one of the victims and searched the residence for drug proceeds on January 17, 2016; and
From Oct. 26, 2016, through on or about Nov. 9, 2016, kidnapping a woman from a hotel in Nashville, and physically assaulting her and threatening her while interrogating her about the death of a co-conspirator member of the Mongols Harbor Chapter in California.
“The Clarksville Mongols terrorized communities in Tennessee and Kentucky for far too long,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s convictions underscore the Justice Department’s dedication to disrupting and dismantling violent criminal enterprises.”
“The criminal activities and horrendous acts of violence are dangerous and damaging to everyone involved,” said Special Agent in Charge Mickey French of the ATF’s Nashville Field Division. “We will use all of ATF’s resources to disrupt the illegal possession of firearms, distribution of narcotics, and other violent crimes. We will continue to work tirelessly with our local, state, and federal partners to combat violent crime and maintain public safety within our communities.”
The convictions are as follows:
Name
Age
Charges
Maximum Penalty
James Wesley Frazier
34
racketeering conspiracy; conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; money laundering conspiracy; kidnapping; kidnapping in aid of racketeering; the murder of Stephanie Bradley in aid of racketeering; firearm offenses; and interstate travel in aid of racketeering.
Mandatory life in prison
Aelix Santiago
34
racketeering conspiracy; conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; money laundering conspiracy; firearm offenses; and kidnapping.
Up to life in prison
Michael Forrester
34
racketeering conspiracy; conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; money laundering conspiracy; conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce and robbery affecting interstate commerce; kidnapping; and firearms offenses.
Up to life in prison
Jamie Hern
43
racketeering conspiracy; conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; money laundering conspiracy; assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; firearm offenses; conspiracy to tamper with a witness and witness tampering; and kidnapping.
Up to life in prison
William Boylston
32
racketeering conspiracy; assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; kidnapping resulting in the death of Stephen Cole; kidnapping of Stephen Cole in aid of racketeering; and the murder of Stephen Cole in aid of racketeering.
Mandatory life in prison
Jason Meyerholz
48
racketeering conspiracy; assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; kidnapping resulting in death of Stephen Cole; kidnapping of Stephen Cole in aid of racketeering; and the murder of Stephen Cole in aid of racketeering
Mandatory life in prison
Derek Leighton Stanley
48
conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; money laundering conspiracy; distribution of, or possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and interstate travel in aid of racketeering.
Up to life in prison
As a result of this seven-year investigation, 21 Clarksville Mongols members and associates were charged with federal offenses. In addition to the seven defendants convicted Friday, 13 previously pleaded guilty and two, including Stephen Cole, are deceased.
Chief U.S. District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw, Jr., will separately determine each defendant’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Clarksville Police Department, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Kentucky State Police investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Risinger and Chris Suedekum for the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Matthew P. Mattis of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime & Gang Section are prosecuting the case.
# # # # #
Sherri Papini Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Lying to Federal Agents About Being Kidnapped and Defrauding the California Victim Compensation BoardRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sherri Papini, 39, of Redding, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison to be followed by 36 months of supervised release for making materially false statements to FBI agents about the circumstances of her own hoax kidnapping and committing mail fraud based on her being a kidnapping victim, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today.
Papini was ordered to pay $309,902 in restitution for losses incurred by the California Victim Compensation Board, the Social Security Administration, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On April 12, 2022, Papini was charged in a criminal information with 34 counts of mail fraud and one count of making false statements. On April 18, 2022, Papini pleaded guilty to a single count of mail fraud and one count of making false statements.
According to the criminal complaint and Papini’s plea agreement, on Nov. 2, 2016, Papini was reported missing and was believed to be kidnapped. Extensive searches were conducted for her in Shasta County, throughout California, as well as other states. Twenty-two days later, on Nov. 24, 2016, Papini reappeared with various bindings on her body and injuries, including a “brand” on her right shoulder, and claimed that she had been abducted by two Hispanic women at gunpoint, held against her will, and that she had been abused by her captors. At that point, law enforcement efforts focused on finding her abductors. For over four years, Papini repeated her false story about her kidnapping, while law enforcement continued its investigation to identify Papini’s kidnappers.
Eventually, the evidence showed that Papini’s story was a carefully planned, false story. DNA, cellphone, and car rental evidence proved she had been voluntarily staying with a former boyfriend and that she had harmed herself to support her false statements. On Aug. 13, 2020, an FBI special agent and a detective with the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office met with Papini. At the outset of the meeting, they told Papini it was a crime to lie to federal agents. Papini continued to claim she was kidnapped. Later in the interview, Papini was again warned that it was a crime to lie to federal agents and was told about the DNA and telephone evidence showing that she had been with her former boyfriend. Yet, even after this second warning and evidence, Papini continued to make false statements.
Not only did Papini lie to law enforcement, her friends, and her family, she also made false statements to the California Victim Compensation Board and the Social Security Administration in order to receive benefits as a result of her alleged “post-traumatic stress” from being abducted.
This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI and the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Forensic Services and Bureau of Investigation, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Veronica M.A. Alegría and Shelley D. Weger prosecuted the case.
San Antonio Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Bobby Dominguez, 35, of San Antonio was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra to 30 years in prison for production of child sexual abuse material. According to court documents, Dominguez produced images of a six-year-old child performing sexual acts and sent those images over the internet.
On November 19, 2020, Dominguez pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography. He has been in federal custody since his arrest on December 27, 2018.
“Judge Ezra sentenced Dominguez to the statutory maximum sentence in this case, 30 years without parole” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “The judge’s comments on how life-altering Dominguez’s callous actions are for the young victim are true. I am thankful this predator is behind bars and the healing process can begin for this child.”
“The FBI is committed to protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation,” said FBI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. “This is a horrific crime and we will do everything in our power to hold perpetrators accountable for these heinous acts. Thanks to the hard work of our law enforcement partners and the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force, this individual is now off the streets.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.
###
Oshkosh Sex Offender Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard G. Frohling announced that on September 16, 2022, Matheau P. Martinez (age: 38) of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by Senior District Judge William C. Griesbach.
Between March and May of 2022, the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office and the Milwaukee Office of the FBI investigated the receipt and distribution of child pornography via BitTorrent file sharing networks. That investigation led to the arrest of Martinez for possessing and distributing images and videos of child pornography. At the time of his arrest, Martinez was a registrant with the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry Program based on a 2014 conviction for causing mental harm to a child.
At sentencing, Judge Griesbach noted the serious nature of the charge, the effect such crimes have on their victims, and the need for just punishment. Following his release from prison, Martinez will spend the remainder of his life on supervised release. He will continue to be required to register as a sexual offender.
This case was investigated by the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office and the Milwaukee office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
###
For further information contact: [email protected]
(414) 297-1700
Follow us on Twitter
Oregon Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges After Twice Breaking Windows and Destroying Property at a Planned Parenthood ClinicRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—An Oregon man pleaded guilty today after twice breaking windows and destroying property at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Grants Pass, Oregon because the clinic provides reproductive health services.
Devin Friedrick Kruse, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.
“The Justice Department will not tolerate unlawful and violent conduct that interferes with the work of reproductive health clinics,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This conviction should send a strong message that we will use federal civil rights law to protect clinics and staff that provide reproductive health services while safeguarding the rights of their patients.”
“The First Amendment does not allow individuals to violate the civils rights of others. In this case, Mr. Kruse’s destructive and intimidating acts prevented women from accessing vital reproductive and pregnancy health services,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
“Citizens have a legal right to peacefully protest, but Mr. Kruse’s actions of repeated violence toward a Planned Parenthood clinic crossed a line,” said Kieran L. Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Portland Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of our communities while respecting individuals' First Amendment rights.”
According to court documents, on November 23, 2021, Kruse broke five security cameras, a window, and a sign at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Grants Pass. Three days later, on November 26, 2021, Kruse returned and threw a concrete block through the clinic’s window, tore down an intercom system, and broke several light bulbs. Kruse later admitted to damaging the facility because he was angry at Planned Parenthood for providing abortion services.
On February 24, 2022, Kruse was charged by misdemeanor criminal information with two counts of violating the FACE Act.
Under the FACE Act, first offenses involving property destruction are charged as misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in federal prison. Subsequent violations are charged as felony offenses.
Kruse will be sentenced on January 5, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Ann L. Aiken.
As part of his plea agreement, Kruse has agreed to pay restitution in full to Planned Parenthood as identified by the government prior to sentencing and ordered by the court.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Grants Pass Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Gavin W. Bruce and John C. Brassell, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon, and Cameron A. Bell, Trial Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
In 1994, Congress passed the FACE Act in response to an increase in violence toward patients and providers of reproductive health services. The FACE Act prohibits violent, threatening, damaging and obstructive conduct intended to injure, intimidate, or interfere with an individual’s right to seek, obtain, or provide reproductive health services.
If you or someone you know is in danger, please call 911.
Suspected violations of the FACE Act can be reported to the FBI by calling (503) 224-4181 or by visiting tips.fbi.gov.
Oregon Man Pleads Guilty for Planned Parenthood Property DestructionRead the Press Release
An Oregon man pleaded guilty today after twice breaking windows and destroying property at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Grants Pass, Oregon, because the clinic provides reproductive health services.
Devin Friedrick Kruse, 27, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.
“The Justice Department will not tolerate unlawful and violent conduct that interferes with the work of reproductive health clinics,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This conviction should send a strong message that we will use federal civil rights law to protect clinics and staff that provide reproductive health services while safeguarding the rights of their patients.”
“The First Amendment does not allow individuals to violate the civils rights of others,” said U.S. Attorney Natalie Wight for the District of Oregon. “In this case, Mr. Kruse’s destructive and intimidating acts prevented women from accessing vital reproductive and pregnancy health services.”
“Citizens have a legal right to peacefully protest, but Mr. Kruse’s actions of repeated violence toward a Planned Parenthood clinic crossed a line,” said Special Agent in Charge Kieran L. Ramsey of the FBI Portland Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of our communities while respecting individuals’ First Amendment rights.”
According to court documents, on Nov. 23, 2021, Kruse broke five security cameras, a window, and a sign at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Grants Pass. Three days later, on Nov. 26, 2021, Kruse returned and threw a concrete block through the clinic’s window, tore down an intercom system and broke several light bulbs. Kruse later admitted to damaging the facility because he was angry at Planned Parenthood for killing unborn children.
On Feb. 24, 2022, Kruse was charged by misdemeanor criminal information with two counts of violating the FACE Act.
Misdemeanor violations of the FACE Act are punishable by up to one year in federal prison. Kruse will be sentenced on Jan. 5, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Ann L. Aiken.
As part of his plea agreement, Kruse has agreed to pay restitution in full to Planned Parenthood as identified by the government prior to sentencing and ordered by the court.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Grants Pass Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gavin W. Bruce and John C. Brassel for the District of Oregon, and Trial Attorney Cameron A. Bell for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
In 1994, Congress passed the FACE Act in response to an increase in violence toward patients and providers of reproductive health services. The FACE Act prohibits violent, threatening, damaging and obstructive conduct intended to injure, intimidate or interfere with an individual’s right to seek, obtain or provide reproductive health services.
If you or someone you know is in danger, please call 911.
Suspected violations of the FACE Act can be reported to the FBI by calling 1-800-225-5324 (1-800-CALL-FBI) or by visiting tips.fbi.gov.
North Idaho Woman Sentenced for Embezzling over 3.6 Million Dollars in Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE – Trina Welch, 49, of Osburn, Idaho was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for committing wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, Welch, was employed by Kasco of Idaho, LLC as a bookkeeper from 2012 until 2019. Kasco is a construction and telecommunication company that does work in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Alaska. Beginning in at least 2013 and continuing until the day she was terminated on July 3, 2019, Welch used her position as a bookkeeper to engage in a scheme and plan to defraud Kasco and obtain money and property for herself. Welch conducted the scheme by issuing 341 fraudulent checks to purchase properties, vehicles, and travel for herself, her family, and her friends.
In January of 2022, Welch pleaded guilty to the charge of wire fraud, admitting that in 2017 alone she took over $930,000 just to pay her Bank of America credit cards. As part of the plea agreement, Welch admitted writing the 341 fraudulent checks, and agreed to pay restitution and forfeit her interest in any of the properties she bought with the money. However, she contested that the entire amount of the checks represented a loss to Kasco. After a two-day hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye found that Welch’s scheme caused a $3,673,934.00 loss to Kasco.
Chief Judge Nye also ordered Welch to forfeit her interest in six different properties she bought with Kasco funds, and to pay restitution in the amount of $3,678,237.73.
Welch was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshal Service after the hearing to begin her prison sentence. After prison, Welch will serve 3 years of supervised release wherein she will be required to report to a U.S. Probation Officer.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit, of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Rathdrum Police Department which led to charges.
###
North Carolina Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting Oregon Child OnlineRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—A Greensboro, North Carolina man was sentenced to more than 16 years in federal prison today for sexually exploiting an Oregon child using Musical.ly, a social media application now known as TikTok.
Andrew Thomas Tager, 32, was sentenced to 195 months in federal prison and 15 years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, in May 2018, when Tager was 28 years old, he posed as a female employee of Musical.ly and began communicating with a then-10-year-old Oregon child. He encouraged the child to participate in a fictional “crown program” wherein the child could earn a “crown” by sending the “employee” photos and videos of herself. The child believed earning a crown would give her access to various privileges on Musical.ly not available to other users.
Tager directed the child to produce and send him pornographic photos and videos of herself using Kik Messenger, an instant messaging mobile application. Tager instructed the child on how she should pose and move, what she should wear, what props she should use, and how long the videos needed to be. Tager further threatened the child, telling her that if she quit “the program,” her photos and videos would be released to others.
When the child’s parents found the sexually explicit photos and messages on the child’s phone, they reported the conduct to law enforcement. On May 30, 2019, after a lengthy investigation, Tager was arrested in North Carolina.
On May 2, 2019, Tager was charged by criminal complaint with production of child pornography. Later, on May 31, 2022, he was charged by criminal information with production and attempted production of child pornography. On June 6, 2022, Tager waived indictment and pleaded guilty.
As part of his sentence, Tager must also register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by FBI Portland’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) with assistance from the North Bend Police Department. It was prosecuted by Ashley R. Cadotte and Amy Potter, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
The FBI CETF conducts sexual exploitation investigations, many of them undercover, in coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. CETF is committed to locating and arresting those who prey on children as well as recovering and assisting victims of sex trafficking and child exploitation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Norfolk Woman Sentenced for Identity Theft Impersonation SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Norfolk woman was sentenced last week to 10 years in prison for misuse of a Social Security number, loan fraud, and identity theft.
According to court documents, Shaneca Moseley, 39, engaged in an identity takeover of C.J., a New Jersey resident. Between 2018 and 2020, Moseley impersonated C.J. by possessing and using a forged driver’s license containing C.J.’s personal identifying information, including name, date of birth, home address, and driver’s license number, and a Social Security card containing C.J.’s Social Security number. During these two years, Moseley used C.J.’s personal identifying information in acquiring an apartment lease; purchasing and obtaining a loan for a Mercedes Benz; purchasing furniture on credit; obtaining an email account, insurance, and other utilities; and masking her true identity during a traffic stop, among various other acts. Moseley’s activity left C.J. to deal with the results of various payment defaults and impacts to their credit.
Moseley pleaded guilty in 2009 to running another social security fraud scheme and was previously sentenced to 2 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Michael Goldsmith, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Samuels and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Danbee C. Kim prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-cr-54.
Member of Large Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 168 Months in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced the sentencing of Kim K. Murphy, age 57, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as part of Operation Hidden Fee, an extensive federal, state, and local investigation by the Middle District Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) aimed at a drug trafficking network based and operating in Baton Rouge.
Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Murphy to 168 months in federal prison following his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine. Murphy must also serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, Murphy conspired with his co-defendant Travis James and others to obtain, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine. Pursuant to court orders, federal law enforcement agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) intercepted communications occurring over the cellular phones used by James. During those court-authorized wiretaps, Murphy brokered multi-ounce transactions of cocaine and crack cocaine for customers. Murphy and James would then set up meetings in Port Allen and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where James delivered those amounts either to waiting customers or to Murphy, who then supplied his buyers.
On or about January 11, 2018, James and Murphy were traveling from Texas to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in different vehicles when each of them were stopped separately for traffic violations. During Murphy’s traffic stop, he gave unreliable answers to law enforcement’s questions. Law enforcement sought and received Murphy’s written consent to search the vehicle wherein a green duffel bag was found in the trunk containing several vacuum sealed bags containing suspected bricked cocaine. Murphy claimed ownership of said bag.
To date, nine members of this large-scale conspiracy have been prosecuted and convicted.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration with invaluable assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Baton Rouge City Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police. Other agencies also assisted in apprehending the defendants, including the U.S. Marshal’s Service, and the Sheriffs’ Offices in Ascension, Iberville, and West Baton Rouge Parishes. These cases were prosecuted Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Piedrahita and Lyman E. Thornton III.
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.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty in $4 Million Romance Scam FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Massachusetts man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston in connection with a wire fraud and money laundering scheme involving funds obtained from “romance scam” victims.
Kofi Osei, a/k/a Paul Proia, a/k/a Kenneth Buck, a/k/a Jeffrey Anashe, a/k/a Author Ivey, a/k/a David Label, a/k/a Manuel Abdalla, a/k/a Andrew Matses, 30, pleaded guilty on Sept. 16, 2022 to seven counts of making a false statement to a bank, six counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Jan. 20, 2023. Osei was charged in February 2021.
Between no later than 2016 through at least 2020, Osei opened bank accounts in the greater Boston area using fake identity documents. Those bank accounts were used to receive fraudulently obtained funds from a number of victims of romance scams, in which perpetrators create fictitious online personas to develop online romantic relationships with individuals in the United States and then leverage those relationships to obtain money and/or property. Once the fraudulently obtained funds reached the accounts controlled by Osei, Osei generally withdrew the money in cash, used the funds to purchase cashier’s checks, or spent the money on personal purchases. During a search of Osei’s residence and vehicle in February 2021, additional fake identity documents in the names of other aliases were recovered. In total, Osei opened more than 40 bank accounts using seven aliases. Those accounts received more than $4 million in victim funds.
The charge of making a false statement to a bank provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $1 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 $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the scheme, whichever is greater. The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the criminally derived property. 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; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Maryland Man Ordered to Pay $90,000 for Role in Romance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Oluwabamishe Awolesi, 29, of Beltsville, Maryland, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation, including 60 days on home detention, and ordered to pay $90,000 in restitution for receipt of stolen money.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Awolesi, also known as Oluwabamise Johnson, admitted to his role in a romance fraud scheme that defrauded more than 200 victims, many of them elderly, of at least $2.5 million. One victim of the scheme transferred a total of $90,000 into Awolesi’s checking account in September 2018. Awolesi kept $12,000 of the total and forwarded the rest to others involved in the scheme.
Awolesi, a citizen of Nigeria and the United States, lived in Huntington during his involvement in the scheme. Three indictments targeting the scheme allege that from 2016 to 2020, multiple defendants participated in a series of romance and other online scams designed to coerce vulnerable victims into sending money to various bank accounts controlled by them. The indictments describe romance scams as online schemes that target individuals looking for romantic partners, friendship, and other close personal and business relationships on dating websites and other social media platforms. Members of the fraud and money laundering conspiracy created profiles using fictitious names, locations, and images which allowed them to cultivate relationships with the victims. To carry out the schemes alleged in the indictments, victims were often led to believe that they were in relationships with U.S. residents working abroad. However, the investigation revealed that the individuals the victims viewed as their romantic partners were false personas created by members of the fraud and money laundering conspiracies.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), the West Virginia State Police, and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Kathleen Robeson and R. Gregory McVey prosecuted the case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday-Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
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. 3:21-cr-68.
###
Martin Estrada Sworn in as United States Attorney, Becoming Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer in Nation’s Most Populous DistrictRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Martin Estrada was sworn in today as the United States Attorney for the Central District of California.
Estrada, 45, was sworn in by Chief United States District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez in a private ceremony this morning.
Estrada now oversees the largest United States Attorney’s Office outside of Washington, D.C. The office, which currently employs approximately 270 attorneys, serves approximately 20 million residents in the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo.
After being confirmed by the United States Senate on September 13, Estrada was given a four-year appointment by President Joe Biden.
“I am deeply honored to return to the United States Attorney’s Office and have the opportunity to serve the people of this district,” Estrada said. “As the leader of this office, I will be focused on protecting our community, safeguarding the rights of every individual in this district and upholding the rule of law. I will also work to further develop the office’s relationships with federal, state and local law enforcement and with our community partners. Working together, we will always put the people of this district first.”
Prior to becoming the United States Attorney, Estrada was a partner at the law firm of Munger, Tolles & Olson where he focused on trials, complex litigation and investigations. There, in addition to representing corporate clients, Estrada handled high-impact pro bono matters in the areas of education, immigration and equal justice.
Estrada is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He also was an Adjunct Professor for Loyola Law School’s Ninth Circuit Appellate Clinic, part of the Alarcón Advocacy Project, where his teams achieved success for indigent clients.
From 2007 to 2014, Estrada was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California. As a federal prosecutor, Estrada served as Deputy Chief of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and as the International Organized Crime Coordinator. He prosecuted a broad array of criminal violations, including the nation’s largest racketeering prosecution targeting members and associates of Eurasian organized crime; one of the country’s largest bank fraud and identity theft prosecutions, in which more than $8 million was stolen from elderly victims; and a major public corruption matter involving the illegal leaking of sensitive, under-seal information by a federal court clerk who tipped off organized crime figures before law enforcement could arrest them.
For his work as a prosecutor, Estrada received the U.S. Department of Justice’s prestigious Director’s Award for Superior Performance as well as other recognitions.
Estrada graduated with distinction from Stanford Law School and earned his undergraduate degree in history from the University of California, Irvine, where he graduated magna cum laude. Estrada served as a law clerk for U.S. District Judge Robert J. Timlin of the Central District of California and Judge Arthur L. Alarcón of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Man Sentenced After Performing Autopsies Using False CredentialsRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A man was sentenced today to 69 months in prison for engaging in a wire fraud scheme.
In May 2022, Shawn Lynn Parcells, 42, of Topeka pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. According to court documents, in July 2016, Parcells, as owner of National Autopsy Services LLC, convinced a client he was qualified to conduct an autopsy based on the false credentials. The client paid the defendant $5,000.00 and received an emailed copy of a final report from Parcells. The report included an opinion made within “a certain degree of medical certainty as a Forensic, Neuro, and Infectious Disease Epidemiology Fellow,” and appeared authored by the defendant. No pathologist participated in this examination or report.
According to court documents, between May 2016 and May 2019, the defendant used NAS to obtain fees from more than 350 clients for a total amount of $1,166,000. In many cases, the defendant failed to provide an authentic completed report.
“It’s troubling whenever criminals deceptively present themselves as professionals to commit fraud on unwitting victims, but the fact that Parcells’ schemes were predicated upon exploiting the grief and bereavement of others, makes his act a particularly predatory crime,” said U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard.
“During their most vulnerable state, Mr. Parcells willfully defrauded individuals while they were grieving the loss of a loved one. He used deception as a means to prey on those looking to find answers surrounding the death of their loved ones by claiming to be a pathologist and being able to provide those answers” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub. “Mr. Parcells fraudulently collected fees and profited on their grief for his own personal gain. Today’s sentencing sends a clear message - the FBI will hold those accountable who use deception and fraud to take advantage of others in our community.”
The FBI and the Office of the Kansas Attorney General investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney prosecuted the case.
###
Lower Brule Man Returns to Federal Prison for over 33 Years for Leading a Meth and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering was sentenced on July 25, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Canbie Ryan Thompson, age 45, was sentenced to 400 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Thompson was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering by a federal grand jury in July of 2021. He pleaded guilty on May 5, 2022.
From December 2020 until on or about March 2021, Thompson reached an agreement to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere. On March 23, 2021, Thompson was transporting 4,989 grams of methamphetamine and was lawfully stopped and searched by police. During the search the police located and seized the 4,989 grams of methamphetamine. Thompson was also responsible for transporting and delivering other quantities of methamphetamine for further distribution.
Additionally, beginning in January of 2018, Thompson intentionally conspired to knowingly conduct and attempt to conduct financial transactions affecting interstate and foreign commerce, to wit: depositing U.S Currency at financial institutions and conducting wire/money transfers, which involved the proceeds of a specified unlawful activity, that is, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, with the intent to promote the carrying on of the unlawful activity, and that while conducting and attempting to conduct such financial transactions knew that the property involved in the financial transactions represented the proceeds of some form of unlawful activity. In that manner, Thompson, along with his co-conspirators, wired funds derived from the sale of methamphetamine by utilizing various financial institutions on behalf of the conspiracy. Thompson had bulk currency deposited into his Wells Fargo account, wired/sent thousands of dollars to co-conspirators, and sent money across state lines from South Dakota to California. Thompson attempted to conceal the fact that the money was acquired from the sale of methamphetamine.
Thompson had an obstruction of justice sentencing enhancement because after being indicted, he obtained discovery information from the case and disseminated it to an unauthorized individual. The dissemination of that discovery impeded the investigation and prosecution of the case by making the name of a cooperating witness public.
Thompson was previously convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance in South Dakota in 2010, for which he was sentenced to 63 months.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, IRS Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Thompson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Longmeadow Man Sentenced for Tobacco Tax Fraud and Illegal Check-Cashing BusinessRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Longmeadow man was sentenced on Sept. 15, 2022 in federal court in Springfield for two cases in connection with evading payment of tobacco sales tax and operating an illegal check-cashing business.
Satish Kumar, 67, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark. G. Mastroianni to one year of probation. In November 2015, Kumar pleaded guilty in one case to one count of conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. In the second case, Kumar pleaded guilty to one count of failure to register a money transmitting business.
In 2006, Kumar purchased a wholesale warehouse business in Berlin, Conn. Kumar systematically evaded Connecticut state tobacco taxes, in selling cigars and smokeless tobacco to convenience stores and gas stations. Kumar consistently failed to pay the required tobacco excise taxes to Connecticut, paying just two percent of the tax owed. In 2008, Kumar sold the business, but he continued to receive proceeds from the continuing tobacco tax fraud that occurred at the Berlin warehouse. In June 2012, the fraud ceased when federal agents executed a search warrant at the Berlin warehouse and 12 other locations in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. During the six-year scheme, Kumar and others helped to evade over $16 million in taxes owed to the state of Connecticut.
In the illegal check cashing case, Kumar owned a liquor store in Springfield, Mass. that also acted as an unregistered money transmitting business. Kumar cashed checks without the required registration despite warnings from his bank. Among the checks cashed were 195 United States Treasury tax refund checks worth approximately $1.2 million obtained through fraudulent returns filed with the IRS.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; Commissioner Geoffrey E. Snyder of the Massachusetts Department of Revenue; Acting Commissioner John Biello of the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services; and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Morgan and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Breslow of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the cases.
Littleton Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Katie Ricker, 22, of Littleton, New Hampshire, and formerly of South Ryegate, Vermont, pleaded guilty in federal court to bank fraud, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2018 and October 2021, Ricker was employed in various positions by a company in Sugar Hill, New Hampshire. In or about October 2021, Ricker stole blank checks belonging to the company. She wrote fraudulent checks addressed to herself, her co-defendant William Hill, and others to transfer funds from the company’s account to her joint bank account with Hill. Ricker forged the signature of the employee authorized to sign on the company’s account. The defendants were caught on camera cashing some of the fraudulent checks. In total, Ricker stole $46,055.35 from the company.
Ricker is scheduled to be sentenced on December 29, 2022. Hill pled guilty on June 27, 2022.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Sugar Hill Police Department and Lisbon Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen.
###
Lawrence Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking and Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for charges related to fentanyl trafficking and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Luis Berroa, 33, was sentenced on Sept. 15, 2022 by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to seven years in prison followed by four years of supervised release. On May 18, 2022, Berroa pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Berroa has remained in federal custody since his arrest in May 2019.
During a search of Berroa’s residence in March 2019, more than 70 grams of fentanyl, a metal drug press, two handguns and ammunition were found in Berroa’s bedroom. Berroa is not licensed to carry firearms, had not applied for a license and did not purchase the handguns from a licensed federal firearms dealer. On his cellular phone, law enforcement found photographs of numerous handguns, including one of the handguns seized from Berroa’s bedroom.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Lawrence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Ferguson and Stephen Hassink of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Kentucky Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Harvest of PaddlefishRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – Two Kentucky men were sentenced recently by the U.S. District Court for felony charges arising out of the illegal harvest of paddlefish and paddlefish roe from closed waters in Mississippi.
According to court documents, James Lawrence “Lance” Freeman, 27, of Eddyville, Kentucky, and Marcus Harrell, 34, of Murray, Kentucky, plead guilty to conspiring to violate the Lacey Act by travelling from Kentucky to Mississippi on multiple occasions between November 6, 2018, and January 5, 2018, for the purpose of harvesting paddlefish from Moon Lake in Coahoma County, which was closed to paddlefish harvest. Freeman or Harrell would take the harvested paddlefish roe back to Kentucky to sell to commercial processors, falsely claiming that the paddlefish had been caught in the Ohio River or other places in or near Kentucky where the harvest of paddlefish was legal.
Freeman was sentenced on September 15 in Oxford before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills. Freeman was sentenced to 6 months incarceration, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $20,000.00 to the Lacey Act Reward Account. Freeman, a commercial fisherman, was further banned from all fishing, both commercial and recreational, for a period of 5 years. Freeman is scheduled to report to prison on November 28.
Harrell was sentenced on July 26 in Oxford before U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock. Harrell was sentenced to 5 years probation and ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $7,500.00 to the Lacey Act Reward Account. Harrell, who is also a commercial fisherman, was banned from all fishing in the State of Mississippi for a period of 5 years and further banned from harvesting fish roe of any species in any state for a period of 5 years.
Following the sentence, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement Assistant Director Edward Grace stated, “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement is committed to conducting criminal investigations with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks in an effort to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats. The Office of Law Enforcement takes violations of the Lacey Act seriously. The investigation involving the 2 defendants who were involved in the unlawful harvest and dealing of paddlefish roe is no exception. We will continue to work closely with our state partners to conduct these important joint investigations.”
“I am extremely proud of these Officers for their hard work and dedication they put forth in bringing these violators to justice,” remarked Col. Jerry Carter of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. “Thanks for the joint effort by all agencies State and Federal that were involved, it truly sends a message that unlawful acts such as this will not be tolerated in our state and that we will use all the manpower and equipment available to protect our natural resources.”
U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner of the Northern District of Mississippi and Edward Grace, Assistant Director of the Office of Law Enforcement for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made the announcement.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigated the case, along with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.
Jury Convicts Sparks Man of Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A Sparks resident was convicted by a jury on Friday, September 16, for distribution of fentanyl — a deadly synthetic opioid.
After a five-day trial, Jaime Collazo Munoz, aka “Chivo,” (36) was found guilty of two counts of distribution of a fentanyl. Chief U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du presided over the jury trial and scheduled sentencing for December 16, 2022. Munoz faces a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison. Each count of conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison.
According to evidence presented at trial and court documents, from July to November 2020, Munoz distributed at least 80 grams of fentanyl in exchange for over $10,000. Munoz distributed the fentanyl pills out of Stay Faded Barbershop in Sparks, Nevada.
U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the DEA, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), United States Marshals Service (USMS), Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, and Regional Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andolyn Johnson and Andrew Keenan are prosecuting the case.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine: only a few milligrams of this chemical compound, equivalent to a few grains of table salt, are enough to cause a fatal overdose.
If you have information of a potential violation of controlled substances laws and regulations, including the growing, manufacture, distribution or trafficking of controlled substances, please contact the DEA at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip.
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.
###
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Downloading Videos and Images of Children Being Sexually AbusedRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Michael Ray King (42, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to using the internet to download and receive videos and images of children being sexually abused. King faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and forfeit certain computer media. King was arrested by FBI agents on November 18, 2021. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to court documents, in 2021, the FBI was investigating individuals who were using online networks to receive and share child sexual abuse materials. The investigation revealed that in July, August, and September 2021, King used a computer connected to the internet at his residence to access videos depicting young children being sexually abused.
On November 18, 2021, during the execution of a federal search warrant at King’s home, FBI personnel seized an external computer hard drive that was connected by a cable to a gaming computer. A forensic examination of this external drive revealed that it contained at least 250 images and at least 50 videos depicting child sexual abuse material, including young children being sexually assaulted, bestiality, and bondage. This drive also contained evidence showing dates and times that King had downloaded these child sexual abuse materials from the internet.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown. Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran is handling the forfeiture of assets.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Indianapolis Felon Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm while on Community CorrectionsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Steven Williams Jr., 39, of Indianapolis, was sentenced Friday to fifty-seven months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on September 13, 2019, a Marion County Community Corrections officer, and officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) conducted a compliance check at William’s residence. Officers found in plain view, evidence of illegal drug activity. During the execution of a search warrant, officer located a loaded 9mm handgun, cocaine, marijuana, digital scales, a pill press, baggies, and U.S. currency from William’s bedroom. Further investigation led to the discovery of two loaded 9mm handguns two .223 caliber rifles, and three 30 round high-capacity magazines.
Williams is prohibited from lawfully possessing firearms due to multiple prior felony convictions in Marion County, including dealing in cocaine, dealing in methamphetamine, and reckless homicide.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and IMPD Chief Randal Taylor made the announcement.
ATF and IMPD investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II following the defendant’s guilty plea. As part of the sentence, Judge Sweeney ordered that the defendant be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney William L. McCoskey who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Illinois Man Sentenced to Ten Years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine Possession on AmtrakRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Shawron Thomas, 47, of Calumet City, Illinois, was sentenced on September 16, 2022, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, after being convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Thomas to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On January 16, 2021, a Nebraska State Patrol trooper doing routine interdiction work encountered Thomas on the Amtrak train in Omaha. Thomas had a suitcase at his feet below the seat in which he was sitting. The trooper and Thomas engaged in a conversation about Thomas’s travel, during which the trooper noticed signs of possible drug trafficking.
Thomas consented to have a drug detection canine sniff the suitcase. The canine alerted to the suitcase and it was searched. Inside, agents found seven bundles of methamphetamine weighing a total of 5,049 grams. One bundle, weighing 467 grams, was submitted to the crime laboratory for testing, which determined it was 100 percent pure methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Illinois Man Convicted of Attempted Online Enticement and Sex Trafficking of A ChildRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Timothy Streitmatter, age 44, of Peoria, Illinois, was found guilty on September 16, 2022, of attempted online enticement and attempted sex trafficking of a child, after a five-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, jurors deliberated for a little more than an hour before rendering guilty verdicts against Streitmatter for using the internet and an electronic device to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a person who he believed to be 13 years old to engage in unlawful sexual activity, and to engage in a commercial sex act in exchange for U.S. currency.
Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office offered testimony from multiple special agents from the FBI-Allentown Office and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and an FBI special agent from the Philadelphia Office who offered expert testimony in cell phone forensics and undercover online child exploitation investigations.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Philadelphia Division, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Olshefski and Sean Camoni prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the 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 justice.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law is life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, sex offender registration under the Adam Walsh Act, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
# # #
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Curtis Leroy Hayes Jr., 47, of Huntington, was sentenced today to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute heroin and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 10, 2021, law enforcement officers observed multiple suspected hand-to-hand drug transactions at a Fifth Avenue residence in Huntington involving an individual later identified as Hayes. When Hayes left the residence in a vehicle, officers initiated a traffic stop of the vehicle. Hayes was arrested, and officers found approximately 6.4 grams of suspected heroin on his person. Hayes admitted to officers that he had been selling heroin for several months. Officers executed a search warrant at Hayes’ residence that day and recovered a loaded Bryco Arms, Jennings Model Nine 9mm pistol in his bedroom.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Hayes knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his convictions for first-degree murder and second-degree murder in Cabell County Circuit Court on December 19, 1995, and for possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on March 27, 1995.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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. 3:21-cr-251.
###
Huntington Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marquette Damon Eanes, 50, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Eanes admitted that he ran from law enforcement officers when they approached him on the 300 block of Olive Street in Huntington on December 12, 2019. The officers caught Eanes after a brief chase and recovered approximately 26 grams of methamphetamine from Eanes’ right vest pocket, a loaded Ruger 9mm pistol from his waistband, and a loaded Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver from his right pants leg. Eanes admitted that he intended to sell the methamphetamine and that he possessed the firearms to protect himself while selling it.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Eanes knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his conviction for using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime on February 3, 1998, and his two convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm, on June 28, 2004, and May 25, 2011, all in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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. 3:19-cr-306.
###
Houston woman admits to importing meth in “aloe vera” jugsRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 28-year-old Houston woman has entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to import 40.5 kilograms of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
As part of her plea, Evelyn Fabiola Ramirez admitted that on April 3, she attempted to enter the United States from Mexico driving an SUV at the Lincoln Juarez Bridge Port of Entry in Laredo. She was carrying several jugs which she claimed was aloe vera.
Authorities referred her to secondary inspection after it appeared someone had tampered with the lids and due to the unusual color of the liquid.
There, they opened one of the jugs and inspected the liquid. It tested positive for meth and weighed 40.5 kilograms.
Ramirez admitted someone hired her to move the drugs into the country. She was told to bring her children along for the ride to make the trip look legitimate. Ramirez was given $500 for expenses and traveled to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, to pick up the narcotics. She believed she would be paid $3,000 to move the narcotics.
She actually thought she was transporting cocaine.
Ramirez has been in custody, but could be released upon posting bond. Sentencing will be det at a later date, at which time she faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Harrison is prosecuting the case.
Greenville Man Sentenced to More Than a Dozen Years in Prison for Drugs Sales and Illegal GunsRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – A Greenville man was sentenced Friday to 12 years and 7 months in prison for selling drugs and for possessing guns as a previously convicted felon.
According to court documents, William L. Mays, Jr., 45, of Greenville, Mississippi, pled guilty in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi to one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The felon-in-possession charge arises out of Mays’ sale of firearms to a confidential informant. Mays was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Glen H. Davidson to 151 months for the distribution of methamphetamine and 120 months for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, to run concurrently. He was further sentenced to 3 years of supervised release following his release from prison. Mays is currently in custody.
“The trafficking of illegal narcotics and illegal gun sales are key drivers of violent crime across the Northern District of Mississippi, and it is imperative that offenders are held accountable if we wish to reduce violent crime,” remarked U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “There can be no doubt that the sentence imposed in this case will help make the community of Greenville safer.”
“We are pleased with the hard work between the Greenville Police Department and our federal partners” stated Chief Marcus Turner, Greenville P.D. “Although there is much work to be done, it is encouraging to know that the long hours of investigating these crimes are followed to its disposition. We thank the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office for their help in making our community safer.”
The case was investigated by the Greenville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by AUSA Robert Mims.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Fugitive Extradited from Dominican Republic to Face Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the extradition of Jose Ramon Tejeda-Guerrero (38) from the Dominican Republic to the United States. Tejeda-Guerrero was charged in a 2012 indictment with fraudulent possession of counterfeit or unauthorized access devices and four counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Tejeda-Guerrero faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for the access device fraud charge, and a mandatory two-year consecutive term of imprisonment for each of the aggravated identity theft charges. He made his initial appearance in Orlando before U.S. Magistrate Embry J. Kidd on September 15, 2022, and has been ordered detained pending trial.
According to court documents and information disclosed during his initial appearance, on July 20, 2007, Tejeda-Guerrero was arrested at the Orlando International Airport on state charges for possession or transfer of credit card-making equipment. During a search incident to his arrest, the police confiscated a laptop and two flash drives. The laptop contained approximately 13,000 credit card numbers, including active accounts belonging to individuals all around the world. The laptop also contained instructions on how to make, evaluate, and test magnetic stripes of credit cards and instructions on how to clean a card maker and its components. The actual fraud loss associated with credit card accounts found on that laptop exceeds $1 million.
Tejeda-Guerrero was released on bail in connection with his state charges on August 23, 2007, and fled. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2012.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Kissimmee Police Department, with assistance from the Orlando Police Department and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in the Dominican Republic to secure the arrest and extradition of Tejeda-Guerrero to the United States. The U.S. Marshals Service also provided critical assistance. This case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily C. L. Chang.
Franklin County Man Sentenced to 162 Months for Receiving of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FRANFORT, Ky. — A man residing in Frankfort, Kentucky, Marcus Tate, 39, was sentenced on Friday to 162 months in federal prison, by U.S. District Judge Gregory VanTatenhove, for the receipt of child pornography.
According to Tate’s plea agreement, on May 13, 2017, he knowingly received sexually explicit videos and/or images of minors, using a peer-to-per file sharing program. Tate admitted that he knowingly searched for and received these images, and he knew the content was produced using minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Tate pleaded guilty in February 2022.
Under federal law, Tate must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jerry Templet, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations; and Col. Phillip Burnett, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations and KSP. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
-END-
Fourth and Final Co-Defendant in Brutal West Philly Sex Trafficking Case Sentenced to 17 ½ Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Rafael Robinson, 35, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to seventeen years and six months in prison, ten years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $459,000 restitution by United States District Judge C. Darnell Jones II, for sex trafficking of an adult by force.
The defendant is the fourth and final member of a brutal sex trafficking ring in West Philadelphia to be sentenced. According to court documents, the four defendants ran a strip club, known as “Club Passions,” and a brothel, known as “Passionate Touch,” at a leased property in the Mill Creek section of West Philadelphia. Along with his three co-defendants, the defendant engaged in acts of force, threats, fraud and coercion to cause a young woman referenced as “Person 1” in the second Superseding Indictment to engage in prostitution over the course of approximately three years, including subjecting her to repeated acts of sadistic torture.
The defendant and his co-defendant, Kevino Graham, were convicted by a jury on February 5, 2016. Graham was convicted of two counts of sex trafficking by force, and attempted sex trafficking by force, and was sentenced to 100 years in prison. Co-defendant Brian Wright pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 21 years and ten months in prison. Co-defendant Renato Teixeira pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight years and six months in prison.
“The crimes committed in this case were truly horrific,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “And while the victims may never fully recover from the crimes committed against them, they can rest assured that these four perpetrators have now been brought to justice. Our Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners at all levels to relentlessly investigate and prosecute human trafficking crimes.”
“The actions of Rafael Robinson and his co-defendants were unconscionable,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “While it’s gratifying to see the last member of this sex trafficking ring handed a lengthy term, no sentence can make up for the terrible physical and emotional harm these men inflicted. We hope those they victimized continue to heal with each new day that passes. Combatting sex trafficking remains squarely in the FBI’s sights, as we work to free victims from such cruel and calculating exploitation and to hold accountable the ruthless criminals who would engage in such heinous acts.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department Special Victims Unit and the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Morgan.
Four Charged with Conspiring to Steal $425,000 in Fitness TrackersRead the Press Release
Four defendants have been charged with systematically stealing fitness trackers from a warehouse in Corsicana, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. The scheme, which spanned about four months, allegedly netted them more than $425,000 in value.
Antonio Marcell Lewis, 41, Samuel Earl Lewis, 36, Aaron Lincoln, 43, and Ricka Smith, 37, were indicted for conspiracy to commit theft from interstate shipment on Sept. 8. They were arrested Thursday and made their initial appearances on Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renee Toliver.
According to the indictment, Antonio Lewis and Mr. Lincoln, both shipping and receiving employees for a department store distribution center in Corsicana, allegedly stole fitness trackers and accessories destined for retail stores, unloading them from freight trailers by the pallet full and placing them near the facility’s loading docks. Ms. Smith, a driver for a commercial freight carrier, allegedly parked her truck near the loading docks, so that Antonio Lewis and Mr. Lincoln could load the trackers onto her truck. Ms. Smith would allegedly met up with Antonio Lewis and his brother, Samuel Lewis, after each of the thefts to unload the stolen fitness trackers from her truck. The brothers then sold the fitness trackers to unauthorized retailers.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All four defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, they face up to five years in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations’ Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Briggs is prosecuting the case.
Former Tribal IT Director Sentenced in Federal Court for Roles in Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Florida man convicted of Bribery Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds, was sentenced on September 12, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann.
Sven Schreiber, age 54, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a $15,000 fine. He was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Schreiber was indicted for Bribery Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds by a federal grand jury in May of 2021. Schreiber pled guilty on May 23, 2022.
Schreiber’s co-defendant, Arnaldo Piccinelli, was also charged, and he pled guilty to Embezzlement from an Indian Tribal Organization on May 19, 2022. Piccinelli was sentenced to two years of probation.
According to court documents, in or around December 2015, Schreiber became the Director of the Information Technology Department of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Schreiber’s duties included serving as the Tribe’s primary contact with outside vendors and generating bids, contracts, and agreements relating to the work of the Tribe’s Information Technology Department.
On behalf of the Tribe, Schreiber contracted with Piccinelli to provide information technology services on a contract basis with the Tribe. Schreiber served as Piccinelli’s point of contact regarding all of the contracts with the Tribe. The Tribe paid Piccinelli or his company, Hexagon Code, Incorporated, at the direction of Schreiber. At some time after Piccinelli entered into the contract, Schreiber solicited Defendant Piccinelli for money. As a result, Defendant Schreiber received cash payments of approximately $15,000.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Schreiber must self-report to the institution designated or the U.S. Marshals Office by 2:00pm on November 15, 2022.
This case was brought pursuant to the Guardians Project, a federal law enforcement initiative to coordinate efforts between participating agencies, to promote citizen disclosure of public corruption, fraud, and embezzlement involving federal program funds, contracts, and grants, and to hold accountable those who are responsible for adversely affecting those living in South Dakota’s Indian country communities. The Guardians Project is another step of federal law enforcement’s on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination, and positive action on behalf of tribal communities. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the participating agencies include: the FBI; the Offices of Inspector General for the Departments of Interior, Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration, Agriculture, Transportation, Education, Justice, and Housing and Urban Development; IRS Criminal Investigation; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.
For additional information about the Guardians Project, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (605) 330-4400. To report a suspected crime, please contact law enforcement at the federal agency’s locally listed telephone number.
Former San Quentin Prison Guard and Three Others Plead Guilty to Bribery and Smuggling Contraband into Death RowRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO - Keith Christopher, Isaiah Wells, and Dustin Albini pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday to charges of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and bribery of a public official, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan. Another co-defendant, Tanisa Smith-Symes, pleaded guilty earlier to the same charges based on the same underlying conduct. The pleas were entered before United States District Judge Susan Illston.
On September 29, 2021, Keith Christopher, 38, of Pittsburg, Calif.; Isaiah Wells, 33, of Tracy, Calif.; Tanisa Smith-Symes, 46, of Las Vegas, Nevada; and Dustin Albini, 38, of Pittsburg, Calif., were charged in a federal indictment with bribery of a public official and conspiring to smuggle numerous cell phones into San Quentin State Prison (SQP) located in Marin County. Each defendant entered a plea agreement admitting their own participation in the criminal conspiracy and briberies.
Christopher was employed as a Correctional Officer at SQP and, as described in the indictment, worked in SQP’s East Block, known as Death Row. Cell phones are deemed contraband for prisoners in all parts of the prison as they create safety and security risks for prison employees and other inmates. The California Code of Regulations accordingly prohibits prisoners from possessing cell phones.
Christopher admitted in his plea agreement that as a correctional officer in 2019 he orchestrated a conspiracy involving Wells, Albini, Smith-Symes, and a condemned inmate referred to in the plea agreement only as “Inmate 1.” According to Christopher’s plea agreement, the object of the conspiracy was to pay Christopher bribes in exchange for his smuggling of contraband cell phones into SQP. He delivered the cell phones to Inmate 1, who in turn sold the phones to other inmates.
Christopher’s plea agreement includes descriptions of two instances in which he arranged to receive bribes in exchange for smuggling cell phones into the prison. In the first instance, Christopher admitted that in December 2019, Inmate 1 arranged for 10 cell phones to be shipped to the Nevada residence of an associate. That associate was Smith-Symes. Christopher instructed Smith-Symes to send the cell phones to Albini’s residence in Pittsburg, Calif. Christopher then collected the 10 cell phones from Albini and smuggled them into SQP for Inmate 1. Inmate 1 was the ultimate source of the bribes, and Smith-Symes informed Inmate 1 that Christopher’s price for smuggling the phones was $5,000. At Christopher’s direction, Smith-Symes sent some of the $5,000 to Albini and some to Wells. Christopher admitted that he collected the bribe money from both Wells and Albini.
The second example in Christopher’s plea agreement of smuggling cell phones into SQP in exchange for bribes involves a May 2020 transaction. Christopher admitted that he agreed to smuggle 15 more cell phones into SQP for Inmate 1 and requested a bribe of $7,500. Inmate 1 once again arranged to have the phones shipped to Smith-Symes. Christopher directed Smith-Symes to send those cell phones to the Tracy, Calif. address for Wells, which she did. Smith-Symes also forwarded a text message from Inmate 1 to Christopher requesting that Christopher reduce his smuggling fee from $7,500 to $6,500. Christopher agreed and directed Smith-Symes to send the $6,500 payment to Wells. Christopher retrieved the 15 cell phones and approximately $6,000 in cash from Wells, leaving Wells the balance as his fee. Christopher admitted he then smuggled the 15 cell phones into SQP and delivered them to Inmate 1.
For her part, Smith-Symes described in her plea agreement that in 2018 she began a romantic relationship with the condemned Inmate 1 at SQP. Starting in 2019, Inmate 1 began asking for favors, eventually asking her to help smuggle contraband cellphones into SQP. She agreed and followed Inmate 1’s direction to work with a SQP Corrections Officer she knew as “Dude,” who was Christopher. Smith-Symes admitted she conspired with Christopher as well as Wells and Albini to smuggle the cell phones into SQP and to pay bribes to Christopher.
In their plea agreements, both Wells and Albini admitted they joined the conspiracy to pay bribes to Christopher in exchange for his use of his official position to smuggle cell phones into SQP. Each admitted that they knowingly and willingly engaged in their respective roles in the conspiracy and briberies.
Each defendant pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud in violation of 18 USC §§ 1343, 1346, and 1349, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Each defendant also pleaded guilty to two counts of bribery of a public official in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 666(a)(2), which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. However, any sentence following a conviction is imposed by a court only after the court’s consideration of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 USC § 3553.
U.S. District Judge Illston scheduled sentencing hearings for Christopher and Wells for January 13, 2023, and set status hearings for Albini and Smith-Symes for September 15, 2023.
Assistant US Attorney Casey Boome is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Erick Machado and Margoth Turcios. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Office of Internal Affairs.
Former Hinsdale Man Pleads Guilty to Crack Cocaine Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Michael Racine, 50, formerly of Hinsdale, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2019, Racine worked with another individual to distribute crack cocaine in and around the Hinsdale, New Hampshire and Brattleboro, VT areas. Specifically, on at least two occasions, investigators either directly or through intermediaries purchased crack cocaine from Racine. On a third occasion, Racine fled after being provided with buy money but before providing the crack cocaine. Racine was arrested in February 2022, and has been detained pending trial.
Racine is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2023.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Keene, NH Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
###
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to $223,000 Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Homosassa, Florida man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a $223,000 money-laundering conspiracy, which was part of an email hacking scheme that targeted a program at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., as well as victims in Tennessee and Idaho.
Franklin D. Huggins, 54, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Huggins admitted that he participated in a money-laundering conspiracy related to a $223,427 wire fraud scheme from Jan. 1, 2017, to Jan. 28, 2019. Huggins’s co-conspirators targeted Fort Leonard Wood and two businesses through a business email compromise scheme. In a business email compromise scheme, conspirators hack into a business email account, then send an email from what appears to be an employee of the business, instructing that money be sent to certain bank accounts.
Conspirators sent emails to individuals associated with businesses in an attempt to gain unlawful access to business email accounts. After hacking the email accounts, conspirators then utilized the business email accounts to portray themselves as those businesses and individuals. Under such assumed identities, conspirators engaged in what seemed to be normal financial transactions with other victim businesses, individuals, and entities, requesting money for certain purposes. These victims, believing they were conducting business with the real individuals, sent money to the conspirators based upon those false representations.
Huggins received the victims’ money in one of his own bank accounts. He withdrew cash, used the proceeds for his own personal benefit, and transferred the money to other individuals or entities, for purposes other than what was represented to the victims.
Huggins and his co-conspirators stole $164,568 from the Fort Leonard Wood branch of the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation. Conspirators hacked the email of an Illinois business that provided charter bus services then sent emails to Fort Leonard Wood purportedly from the business, which provides transportation for military service members during the winter holidays – including round-trip bus transportation to airports for military service members to be with their families during the holidays.
Huggins and his co-conspirators also stole $9,000 from an individual in Tennessee, and stole $49,859 from a business in Idaho.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Huggins must forfeit to the government a money judgment of $223,427.
By pleading guilty today, Huggins admitted that he conducted a financial transaction in excess of $10,000 in value, through a financial institution, that involved the proceeds of wire fraud, knowing that the transaction was designed in part to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds. Huggins admitted that, while conducting the financial transaction, he knew the proceeds were of some form of unlawful activity.
Under federal statutes, Huggins is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Money Mule Initiative. The Money Mule Initiative targets networks of individuals through which international fraudsters obtain proceeds of fraud schemes. These individuals, sometimes referred to as money mules, receive money from fraud victims and forward the illicit funds, often to overseas perpetrators. By receiving and transferring illicit funds, money mules facilitate a wide range of fraud schemes, including those that often predominately impact older Americans — like romance scams and lottery fraud — and those that target companies through business email compromise schemes.
More information about money mules is available at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch/money-mule-initiative.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, the Citrus County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office, and the Belle Meade, Tenn., Police Department.
Florida Jury Convicts Miami Woman of Making False Statement in Connection with Pediatric Asthma Drug StudyRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Florida woman on September 13 of making a false statement to a government investigator related to her role in a clinical trial that studied the effectiveness of asthma drugs in children.
According to evidence presented at trial, Jessica Palacio, 36, of Miami, worked from 2013 to 2015 as a clinical research coordinator at a clinical trial firm in Miami called Unlimited Medical Research. Unlimited Medical Research was one of many companies hired to conduct a clinical trial designed to investigate the safety and efficacy of an asthma medication in children. The drug manufacturer identified issues in the trial performed by the company based on a review of data and notified the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In May 2021, a grand jury in Miami returned a two-count indictment against Palacio alleging a scheme to falsify medical records to make it appear as though pediatric subjects made scheduled visits to Unlimited Medical Research, received physical exams from a clinical investigator, and took study drugs as required, when in fact these things had not occurred. The indictment alleged that when Palacio was confronted by an FDA regulatory investigator about her role in the clinical trial conducted by United Medical Research, she made a false statement by submitting a false affidavit claiming that she had performed a screening visit of a child subject when she had not.
Following trial, the jury found Palacio guilty of both conspiring to commit wire fraud and with making a false statement. U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles subsequently granted a defense motion for a judgment of acquittal on the conspiracy charge but denied a motion for judgment of acquittal as to the false statement charge.
“The safety of our nation’s prescription medications depends on the accuracy of the clinical studies reported to the FDA,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of this important process.”
“This announcement demonstrates that those who attempt to subvert the regulatory functions of the FDA by making false statements to the agency will be held accountable for their actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin C. Fielder of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office. “We commend the efforts of the Department of Justice for vigorously pursuing the prosecution of this matter.”
Palacio is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 21, 2022.
The FDA Office of Criminal Investigations investigated the case.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel David A. Frank and Trial Attorney Marilee L. Miller from the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, with the assistance of Kyrsten Melander, Associate Chief for Enforcement at the FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel.