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Thursday 21 July 2022
Schenectady Felon Sentenced to 70 Months for Distributing Fentanyl-Laced Heroin and for Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK - Ralph St. Croix, a.k.a. “Stretch,” age 39, most recently of Schenectady, New York, formerly of Long Island, was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for distributing heroin laced with fentanyl, and for possessing two firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen.
In pleading guilty, St. Croix, a previously convicted felon, admitted to selling fentanyl-laced heroin to another person on three occasions in December 2020 at his apartment on Eastern Avenue in Schenectady. St. Croix further admitted to possessing, in his apartment, a loaded Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver and a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun, in order to guard against the potential theft of his drugs and drug proceeds.
Senior United States Senior District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr. also ordered that St. Croix serve a 3-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.
This case was investigated by ATF and NYSP with assistance provided by the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Saratoga Woman Indicted for Theft and Misappropriation of Funds as the Fiduciary of a VeteranRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – JoAnne Natalie, age 64, of Saratoga Springs, New York, was indicted earlier this month for misappropriating the funds of a veteran declared legally incompetent, as well as stealing from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Christopher F. Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Field Office for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charges filed against Natalie carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of $50,174.42, representing the amount allegedly stolen. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Natalie was arraigned today in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and released pending a trial scheduled before Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby.
This case is being investigated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping.
This case is part of the Elder Justice Initiative. The mission of the Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s older adults. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving elders can call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311.
Salvadoran Man Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Salvadoran man residing in Lynn was sentenced on July 19, 2022 in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Inmar Samuel Aguiluz-Palacios, 29, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Aguiluz-Palacios will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In March 2022, Aguiluz-Palacios pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry.
Aguiluz-Palacios was deported in May 2014. In June 2015, Aguiluz-Palacios was encountered in Texas and determined to be illegally present in the United States. He was convicted in the Southern District of Texas and deported. In December 2015, Aguiluz-Palacios illegally returned to the United States and was again encountered in Texas, determined to be illegally present in the United States, convicted and deported. At some point following this second 2015 removal, Aguiluz-Palacios illegally reentered the United States and was arrested and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in August 2021 in Lynn. In January 2022, Aguiluz-Palacios was convicted of assault and sentenced to nine months in state prison. In April 2022, Aguilar-Palacios completed his state sentence and was transferred to federal authorities.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Sacramento Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Possessing Cocaine with Intent to Distribute and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley sentenced Ou Vern Saeteurn, 26, of Sacramento, to 12 years in prison today for possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Sept. 6, 2018, law enforcement agents searched Saeteurn’s Oak Park home and found controlled substances or firearms in almost every room. In Saeteurn’s bedroom closet, agents found about 1 kilogram of methamphetamine and about 1 kilogram of cocaine. They also found two loaded firearms, additional ammunition, and about $9,400 in cash. In the rest of this home, officers found more methamphetamine, cocaine base, heroin, opium, about 16 firearms, magazines, and ammunition.
Saeteurn pleaded guilty on Feb. 3, 2022.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, the Sacramento Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael M. Beckwith prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Sacramento Area Home Health Care and Hospice Agencies Owner Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Defraud MedicareRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley sentenced Liana Karapetyan, 42, of El Dorado Hills, today to 18 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Karapetyan and her husband, Akop Atoyan, owned and controlled home health care and hospice agencies in the greater Sacramento area: ANG Health Care Inc., Excel Home Healthcare Inc., and Excel Hospice Inc. On behalf of the agencies, Karapetyan and Atoyan certified to Medicare that they would not pay kickbacks in exchange for Medicare beneficiary referrals to the agencies.
Despite their certifications, from at least July 2015 through April 2019, Karapetyan and Atoyan paid and directed others to pay kickbacks to multiple individuals for beneficiary referrals, including employees of health care facilities, as well as employees’ spouses. The kickback recipients included John Eby, a registered nurse who worked for a hospital in Sacramento; Anita Vijay, the director of social services at a skilled nursing and assisted living facility in Sacramento; Jai Vijay, Anita Vijay’s husband; and Mariela Panganiban, the director of social services at a skilled nursing facility in Roseville.
In total, Karapetyan, Atoyan, and others caused the agencies to submit over 8,000 claims to Medicare for the cost of home health care and hospice services. Based on those claims, Medicare paid the agencies approximately $31 million. Of that amount, Medicare paid the agencies at least $2 million for services purportedly provided to beneficiaries referred in exchange for kickbacks paid to, among others, Eby, Anita Vijay, Jai Vijay, and Panganiban. Because the agencies obtained the beneficiary referrals by paying kickbacks, the agencies should not have received any Medicare reimbursement.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Thuesen prosecuted the case.
In separate cases, Atoyan, Eby, Jai Vijay, Anita Vijay, and Panganiban pleaded guilty for their roles in the kickback scheme. They await sentencing.
Rock Hill Man Sentenced to More Than 2 Decades in Federal Prison for Illegal Drug SalesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Archie Arsenio Caldwell, 33, of Rock Hill, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana. He also plead guilty to distributing crack cocaine and money laundering.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Rock Hill Police Department began to investigate a group of defendants who were obtaining large amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana from a distributor in Southern California. Based upon the investigation, the police were able to determine that members of the group were flying to California and having the drugs shipped back to the Rock Hill and Charlotte, N.C. area. Specifically, Caldwell was a member of the group and helped other members obtain flights to California to purchase the illegal substances. Caldwell also flew to California to purchase illegal substances for other members of the group and orchestrated shipping the packages back. After the drugs were shipped back to South Carolina, the group distributed the drugs to local dealers. Later, the group began ordering fentanyl from California which they used to make fentanyl-laced pills which were sold to users in Rock Hill, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, Charlotte, N.C., and Atlanta, Ga. This group shipped more than 255 packages from California and distributed more than five kilograms of cocaine, 280 grams or more of crack cocaine, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, one kilogram or more of heroin, and more than a 1000 grams of marijuana. Eighteen defendants were charged in this case. Thirteen defendants have pled guilty, including Caldwell, to their involvement. Five defendants are awaiting trial.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Caldwell to 300 months imprisonment, to be followed by 10 years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Rock Hill Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), York County Sheriff’s Office, and Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William K. Witherspoon, Elliott Daniels, Elle Klein, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar Fyall of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Remaining Members of Indianapolis Methamphetamine and Heroin Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Jovan Stewart, 33, and Dwyatt Harris, 45, both of Indianapolis, were sentenced to 250 and 120 months, respectively, in federal prison, after both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
According to court documents, Stewart and Harris were members of a methamphetamine and heroin trafficking organization that operated in the Indianapolis area from the summer of 2019 through March 19, 2020. The organization was led by Christopher Tate, also a resident of Indianapolis, who coordinated the receipt of methamphetamine and heroin from different sources and organized the distribution of the controlled substances in Indianapolis. Tate was previously sentenced to 400 months in prison, by Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt, following his conviction at a jury trial. Stewart served as Tate’s top lieutenant, driving Tate to distribute controlled substances, delivering controlled substances to Tate’s customers at Tate’s direction, and sometimes coordinating with Tate’s sources of supply to obtain the controlled substances. Harris was a lower-level member of the conspiracy. Harris transported controlled substances from Indianapolis to Silver Lake, Ind., for Sandra Kellogg, who served as one of Tate’s methamphetamine distributors. The investigation resulted in the indictment and conviction of thirteen defendants for their roles in the organization’s drug trafficking activity.
Other noteworthy sentences included the following:
Defendant
Charges(s)
Sentence
Robert Hinton, 35, of Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
121 months
Sandra Kellogg, 41, of Silver Lake, Ind.
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute
288 months
Eric Poore, a/k/a Hollywood, 45, of Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
215 months
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana; Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Indianapolis Field Office; Justin Campbell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office; and Randal Taylor, Chief of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) made the announcement.
DEA, IRS Criminal Investigation, Indianapolis Metropolitan Drug Task Force, and IMPD investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. As part of the sentence, Judge Pratt ordered that Stewart and Harris each be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years following their release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Blackington who prosecuted this case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Real Estate Consultant Sentenced for Tax Crimes in Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
A Michigan real estate consultant and accountant was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for filing false tax returns with the IRS that omitted more than $800,000 in income, most of which he earned from a kickback scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Steven A. Mills, currently of Harbor Springs and formerly of East Lansing, operated Mills Real Estate Consulting LLC. Through his consulting business, Mills was retained by a corporation to supervise several outside real estate agents hired by the corporation and paid substantial commissions. From 2012 to 2015, Mills demanded and received approximately $577,000 in kickbacks from one of these agents, which he did not report as income on his tax returns. Mills also did not report all of the income he received from the corporation, nor did he report $100,000 in compensation he received from a real estate developer for the years 2013 to 2015.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney ordered Mills to serve one year of supervised release and to pay $297,858 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Mark A. Totten for the Western District of Michigan made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Kenneth Vert and Jeffrey McLellan of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald Stella of the Western District of Michigan prosecuted the case.
Readout of ATF Officials Briefing to Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and ATF Director Steven M. Dettelbach on Efforts to Stem Gun ViolenceRead the Press Release
One year after the announcement of cross-jurisdictional strike forces, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and ATF Director Steven M. Dettelbach were briefed by senior ATF officials on ongoing efforts to help reduce gun violence through the disruption of illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country.
Yesterday, ATF senior officials from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. joined the ATF Director at a briefing with Attorney General Garland held at Justice Department headquarters.
In July 2021, the Department announced the formation of cross-jurisdictional strike forces to help reduce gun violence by disrupting illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country.
ATF Special Agents in Charge described the strike forces’ work on several high impact investigations that identified and prosecuted individuals who illegally trafficked firearms from source cities, through other communities, and into major urban areas where they were often discovered at crime scenes or in the possession of violent actors. They noted that these strike forces have fostered cross-jurisdictional partnerships, cooperation and intelligence sharing among federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement, and led to the ultimate disruption of trafficking corridors.
In addition, the strike forces have encouraged partners’ participation in the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), as the ATF has continued to expand NIBIN’s presence and availability. The ATF conducted over 600,000 traces, and over 8,500 urgent traces from July 2021 to July 2022. ATF field offices in strike force areas seized over 7,700 firearms in the same period.
The strike forces represent one important, concrete step in implementing the Department’s Comprehensive Violent Crime Reduction Strategy, which was announced on May 26, 2021. The comprehensive strategy supports local communities in preventing, investigating, and prosecuting gun violence and other violent crime — and requires U.S. Attorneys’ offices to work with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, as well as the communities they serve, to address the most significant drivers of violence in their districts. In guidance to federal agents and prosecutors as part of that comprehensive strategy, the Deputy Attorney General made clear that firearms traffickers providing weapons to violent offenders are an enforcement priority across the country.
Reading Man Indicted for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Daniel Michael Gomez, age 27, of Reading, Pennsylvania was indicted by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking charges.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Gomez trafficked 50 grams and more of methamphetamine in Shamokin, Northumberland County. The indictment charges Gomez with distributing methamphetamine on July 6, 2022, and with possessing additional methamphetamine with intent to distribute on July 13, 2022.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Northumberland County Drug Task Force, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Bloomsburg Police Department, the Sunbury Police Department, the Shamokin Police Department, and the Coal Township Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney George J. Rocktashel is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case was also part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The maximum penalty under federal law for each offense is 40 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Randolph County woman sentenced for drug chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Cheyenne Mary Katherine Winning, of Montrose, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 30 months of incarceration for a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Winning, 30, pleaded guilty in February 2022 to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine—Aiding and Abetting.” Winning admitted to selling methamphetamine in November 2020 in Randolph County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug Task Force investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Raleigh County Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Raleigh County woman pleaded guilty today to distributing a quantity of heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Athena Grizzle, 37, admitted to selling a quantity of heroin to a confidential informant at a Shady Spring residence where she was staying on October 15, 2020. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed the controlled substance contained heroin and fentanyl.
Grizzle is scheduled to be sentenced on December 9, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-12.
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Raleigh County Man Sentenced to More than 10 Years in Prison for Attempting to Entice a Minor to Produce Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A Raleigh County man was sentenced today to 10 years and one month in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for attempted enticement of a West Virginia minor to engage in sexual activity. Kenneth Owens, 58, of Surveyor, must also register as a sex offender.
A federal jury found Owens guilty of attempted enticement of a minor on April 7, 2022. Evidence at trial established that Owens attempted to entice a 15-year-old female relative to take and send him sexually explicit photos of herself from April 1, 2020 through Jan. 12, 2021. Owens provided the minor with cigarettes, vapes and alcohol in exchange for the images. Owens initially communicated with the minor female relative through Facebook, and then by cell phone.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and the Beckley Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin Scott and Steve Loew prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-236.
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Pittsburgh Heroin Dealer Sentenced to Life in Prison Plus 80 Years for Murdering a Federal WitnessRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Price Montgomery has been sentenced in federal court to life in prison plus 80 years after having been found guilty at trial of retaliation against a witness by murder for the killing of Tina Crawford, attempted murder to silence a witness for the shooting of Patsy Crawford, use of a firearm during a federal crime of violence, conspiracy to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin, and money laundering, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Montgomery, 42, previously of the Pittsburgh’s Mount Washington section.
Evidence presented during a two-week jury trial in 2018 established that, from April 2013 until June 2014, in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, Montgomery and co-defendant James Perrin conspired to distribute large quantities of heroin. On June 8, 2014, Montgomery and Perrin, who both had prior felony convictions, possessed 16 firearms in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime. Montgomery also conspired to commit money laundering by using the proceeds of his illegal drug trafficking to purchases items, including cars and lease-to-purchase agreements on homes. Finally, the evidence proved that approximately an hour before Tina Crawford was scheduled to appear at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to discuss her role as a courier in the Montgomery drug distribution organization, Price Montgomery shot and killed her and severely wounded her mother, Patsy, in the garage area of the Hill District home they shared.
“Price Montgomery, a heroin dealer and convicted felon who illegally possessed firearms, murdered Tina Crawford because she was a federal witness. Montgomery killed Crawford and severely wounded her mother just as they were walking to their car to drive to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for an interview,” said U.S. Attorney Chung. “We hope that this prosecution brought justice and closure for the Crawford family. This prosecution also served to preserve the integrity of our justice system by prosecuting to the full extent of the law a murder aimed at silencing a witness.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message to anyone who chooses to commit murder, especially a murder which directly impacts the fabric of our justice system,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Office. “There is no sentence that can ease the pain of the victim’s family, but this case highlights the impact multiple agencies can have when they join forces to make certain justice is served.”
“The extreme violence that Montgomery demonstrated through the murder of Tina Crawford and the shooting of her mother is absolutely reprehensible,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “Anyone who harms, or attempts to harm, a federal witness will experience the full consequences of federal criminal prosecution. For Crawford’s murder and his drug-trafficking and firearms activities, Montgomery will well-deservedly spend the rest of his life in a federal prison cell.”
“Today’s sentencing holds Price Montgomery accountable for the worst of crimes,” said Yury Kruty, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation. “The Special Agents of IRS-CI are adept at tracing the illegal proceeds involved in drug trafficking organizations. We will continue to provide our financial expertise as we work hand in hand with our law enforcement partners to bring criminals like this to justice.”
“There was great collaboration between local and federal law enforcement agencies in finding this fugitive who was on the run for several months after shooting and killing this innocent female witness,” added Phil Cornelious, Acting United States Marshal for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
“Price Montgomery will spend the rest of his life in prison for committing this heinous murder. Let this case send a clear message -- anyone who seeks to interfere in a prosecution and bring harm to a witness will face the full force of the law,” said Attorney General Josh Shapiro.
“The sentence for Price Montgomery demonstrates a steadfast commitment to justice and underscores the responsibility of all of our law enforcement partners to continue to work together - no matter how much time has passed - to ensure that the families of victims of violent crime receive the redress they deserve,” said Acting Pittsburgh Police Chief, Thomas Stangrecki.
Assistant United States Attorneys Heidi M. Grogan and Shaun E. Sweeney prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Chung commended the Western Pennsylvania Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Price Montgomery.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 130 Months for Selling Narcotics and Gun Possession in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On Wednesday, July 20, 2022, United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced JOSH TAPP, age 35, a resident of New Orleans, to 130 months in the Bureau of Prisons for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841 and 846, and possessing an AK-47 in furtherance of drug trafficking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c). TAPP will be on supervised release for three years following his release from prison and must pay a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.
TAPP pleaded guilty on October 19, 2021. In his factual basis, TAPP admitted to regularly supplying heroin to another member of his drug trafficking conspiracy who would then sell the heroin in Hollygrove neighborhood of New Orleans
Pursuant to an indictment in this case, law enforcement agents attempted to arrest TAPP at his home in Slidell, Louisiana, on February 26, 2019. Upon learning of the police presence, TAPP barricaded the front door, forcing agents to enter through the rear of the house. After detaining TAPP, agents located an AK-47, scales, baggies, multiple pressing devices, blenders, and substances used to cut heroin.
TAPP was already on federal supervised release for a previous drug conviction at the time of his arrest in this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U. S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Orleans Gang Task Force. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Myles Ranier and Kathryn McHugh.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Stage Automobile Accident in Order to Defraud Insurance and Trucking CompaniesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that LARRY WILLIAMS (“WILLIAMS”), age 49, of New Orleans, was sentenced today for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, arising out of a staged automobile accident with a tractor-trailer occurring in New Orleans. Thus far, the total number of defendants convicted in “Operation Sideswipe” is thirty-eight (38).
According to documents filed in federal court, WILLIAMS admitted he conspired with Damian Labeaud (“Labeaud”), Mario Solomon (“Solomon”), and Genetta Isreal (“Isreal”) to stage an accident on June 12, 2017, that occurred on Chef Menteur Highway near the Danziger Bridge in New Orleans. Labeaud and WILLIAMS planned to stage an automobile accident to obtain money through fraud. During their planning, Labeaud told WILLIAMS that he had an attorney who would handle everything. WILLIAMS recruited Isreal and another individual (now deceased) to participate in the fraudulent scheme. WILLIAMS then borrowed a Chevrolet Trailblazer, and Labeaud operated the Trailblazer to collide with a 2015 Peterbilt tractor-trailer. After the staged accident, Labeaud fled the scene and WILLIAMS got behind the wheel to make it appear that he was operating the Trailblazer during the staged accident. Solomon picked up Labeaud after the staged accident. WILLIAMS told the New Orleans Police Department that he was the driver of the Trailblazer and that the tractor-trailer was at fault. After the staged accident, Labeaud introduced WILLIAMS and Isreal to Attorney A.
WILLIAMS and Isreal were treated by doctors and healthcare providers at the direction of Attorney A. Attorney A told WILLIAMS that he would get more money if he had shoulder surgery. On June 12, 2018, Attorney A’s law partner, Attorney B, filed the Larry Williams lawsuit in Civil District Court (“CDC”) for the Parish of Orleans and on September 14, 2018, Attorney B demanded approximately $60,000.00 in settlement for the deceased passenger and approximately $56,155.00 in settlement for Isreal. After the suit was filed, WILLIAMS and Isreal each provided false testimony in depositions taken in conjunction with the lawsuit filed by Attorney B.
United States District Judge Eldon Fallon sentenced WILLIAMS to 3 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release. Additionally, WILLIAMS was ordered to pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee and restitution of $28,816.64. Restitution was imposed jointly and severally with the other co-conspirators.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit; Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni; Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Rivera, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Long.
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New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –KAREEM MADISON, age 28, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty today before United States District Judge Susie Morgan to an indictment charging him with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, on December 9, 2021, MADISON and co-defendant Kyle Armstrong were stopped by law enforcement after using a United States Postal Service (“USPS”) “Arrow Key” to make unlawful entry into three blue collection boxes at the Metairie Main Post Office located in Metairie, LA. Armstrong removed the U.S. mail articles from the boxes and placed them into a duffel bag while MADISON stood near the corner of a nearby strip mall. After stopping the vehicle, law enforcement observed a black Glock Model 26 handgun with an extended magazine lying on the ground just below the driver's door of the vehicle where MADISON was sitting. Investigators also observed a black Adidas duffel bag containing a significant amount of U.S. mail matter on the floorboard of the vehicle. A search of the black duffel bag led to the discovery of approximately 424 pieces of stolen U.S. mail and approximately 20 checks stolen from the Greater New Orleans area and Metairie. Prior to this, MADISON knew he had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
MADISON faces a maximum term of (10) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Postal Service Inspection Service and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorneys Rachal Cassagne and Dall Kammer are in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Theft of Mail and Unlawful Possession of a Postal KeyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KYLE ARMSTRONG, age 20, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty on July 20, 2022 before United States District Judge Susie Morgan to an indictment charging him with theft or receipt of stolen mail matter in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1708 and 2 and with unlawful possession of a postal key in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1704 and 2, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, on December 9, 2021, ARMSTRONG and co-defendant Kareem Madison were stopped by law enforcement after using a United States Postal Service (“USPS”) “Arrow Key” to make unlawful entry into three blue collection boxes at the Metairie Main Post Office located in Metairie, LA. ARMSTRONG removed the U.S. mail articles from the boxes and placed them into a duffel bag while Madison stood near the corner of a nearby strip mall. After stopping the vehicle, law enforcement observed a black Adidas duffel bag containing a significant amount of U.S. mail matter on the floorboard of the vehicle. A search of the black duffel bag led to the discovery of approximately 424 pieces of stolen U.S. mail and approximately 20 checks stolen from the Greater New Orleans area and Metairie.
For count 1, ARMSTRONG faces a maximum term of five (5) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. For count 2, ARMSTRONG faces a maximum term of ten (10) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Postal Service Inspection Service and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorneys Rachal Cassagne and Dall Kammer are in charge of the prosecution.
My Big Coin Founder Convicted of Cryptocurrency Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a New York man today in connection with a scheme to defraud investors by marketing and selling fraudulent virtual currency.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Randall Crater, 51, of East Hampton, founded My Big Coin Pay Inc. (My Big Coin), a purported cryptocurrency and virtual payment services company headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, and offered virtual payment services through a fraudulent digital currency, “My Big Coins,” which he marketed to investors between 2014 and 2017 using misrepresentations about the nature and value of Coins. Crater and his associates falsely claimed that Coins was a fully functioning cryptocurrency backed by $300 million in gold, oil and other valuable assets. Crater also falsely told investors that My Big Coin had a partnership with MasterCard and that Coins could readily be exchanged for government-backed paper currency or other virtual currencies. Crater promulgated these misrepresentations through social media, the internet, email and text messages.
In reality, Coins were not backed by gold or other valuable assets, did not have a partnership with MasterCard and were not readily transferable. Over the course of the scheme, Crater misappropriated over $6 million of investor funds for his own personal gain, including spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on antiques, artwork and jewelry.
In January 2018, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced commodity fraud charges against Crater and My Big Coin Pay Inc. The CFTC also filed civil charges against the Chief Executive Officer of My Big Coin, John Roche, and two of Crater’s associates Mark Gillespie and Michael Kruger.
Crater was convicted of four counts of wire fraud, which carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison for each count, and three counts of money laundering, which carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison for each count. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 27. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins for the District of Massachusetts, Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta of the FBI’s Boston Field Office and Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) made the announcement.
The FBI, USPIS, and CFTC investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Babasijibomi Moore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham for the District of Massachusetts are prosecuting the case.
My Big Coin Founder Convicted of Cryptocurrency Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The founder of My Big Coin Pay Inc., (My Big Coin) a purported cryptocurrency and virtual payment services company headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., was convicted by a federal jury today in connection with a scheme to defraud investors by marketing and selling fraudulent virtual currency.
Randall Crater, 51, of East Hampton, N.Y., was convicted of four counts of wire fraud, three counts of unlawful monetary transactions, and one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Oct. 27, 2022. Crater was arrested and charged in February 2019.
“Fraud is fraud. Mr. Crater preyed on investors and offered them false opportunities in the expanding cryptocurrency marketplace to swindle them out of millions of dollars for his own personal use,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Mr. Crater saw the burgeoning popularity of crypto as a chance to get rich quick through an unscrupulous fraud scheme cloaked by flashy marketing tactics and outright lies. In the end, he is just another fraudster who made his way into the booming world of cryptocurrency. My office will continue to pursue criminals who seek to exploit and victimize investors with proposals based in fraud and deceit. Today’s conviction sends a clear message that we are monitoring the digital currency realm and bad actors will be found and prosecuted.”
“Cryptocurrency scams are on the rise, and today’s verdict proves that Randall Crater orchestrated one when he deceived and defrauded unsuspecting investors out of more than $6 million which he spent on luxury items for himself, including artwork, antiques, and jewelry,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI works diligently to investigate this type of fraud and we thank the jury for their verdict today, and for sending a clear message of the consequences of such greed.”
“The defendant preyed on victims with what appeared to be an unstoppable rise in cryptocurrency values, when in reality investors were only funding his lavish lifestyle,” said Eric Shen, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Criminal Investigations Group. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is proud to work on these complex fraud cases, alongside its federal law enforcement partners, to ensure criminals are brought to account.”
Crater founded My Big Coin in 2013, offering virtual payment services through a fraudulent digital currency, “My Big Coins,” which he marketed to investors between 2014 and 2017 using misrepresentations about the nature and value of Coins. Crater and his associates falsely claimed that Coins were a fully functioning cryptocurrency backed by $300 million in gold, oil and other valuable assets. Crater also falsely told investors that My Big Coin has a partnership with MasterCard and that Coins could readily be exchanged for government-backed paper currency or other virtual currencies. Crater promulgated these misrepresentations through social media, the internet, email and text messages.
In reality, Coins were not backed by gold or other valuable assets, did not have a partnership with MasterCard and were not readily transferable. Over the course of the scheme, Crater misappropriated over $6 million of investor funds for his own personal gain and spending on goods, including hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of expenses on antiques, artwork and jewelry.
In January 2018, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced commodity fraud charges against Crater and My Big Coin Inc. The CFTC also filed civil charges against the Chief Executive Officer of My Big Coin, John Roche, and two of Crater’s associates Mark Gillespie and Michael Kruger. The civil action was stayed on March 8, 2019, pending resolution of the criminal case.
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. The charges of unlawful monetary transactions provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the value of the criminally derived property. The charge of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business provides for a maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss. 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.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, FBI SAC Bonavolonta and USPIS Inspector in Charge Shen made the announcement today. The CFTC also provided valuable assistance with the matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham, of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit, and Trial Attorney Babasijibomi Moore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
Mexican drug smuggler sentenced for poly-drug case at borderRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 58-year-old Mexican national has been ordered to prison for knowingly and intentionally importing cocaine and meth into the United States from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Francisco Garduno Bobadilla pleaded guilty April 29.
Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez ordered Bobadilla to serve 63 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, Bobadilla is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that if someone agrees to involve themselves in a crime, even if only moments before it happens, they are still held liable.
Bobadilla arrived at the Hidalgo Port of Entry Feb. 1, 2021, driving a red Dodge Avenger. There, a K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics hidden inside the vehicle.
Authorities sent him to secondary inspection where they soon found bundles of cocaine and meth hidden within the panels of his vehicle.
The drugs had a combined weight of 13 kilograms – 11 and two kilograms for the meth and cocaine, respectively, with an estimated street value over $100,000.
Bobadilla 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 M. Alexis Garcia prosecuted the case.
Mercer County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A Mercer County man was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of hydromorphone.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Eric Hendricks, 46, of Bluefield, admitted he sold four hydromorphone pills for $100 to a confidential informant in the Bluefield area on February 26, 2018. Hendricks further admitted to selling four hydromorphone pills to a confidential informant on February 21, 2018, and again on March 7, 2018.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney John L. File prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-90.
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Mercer County Man Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A Mercer County man was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, for possessing child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 17, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Bluefield residence of Christopher Paul Knight, 56, and seized a laptop computer. A forensic review of the computer revealed more than 1,000 image and video files of suspected child pornography. Knight admitted to downloading and possessing the images and videos of child pornography, which included prepubescent minors engaged in sexual intercourse and other sexually explicit conduct.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-262.
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Maryland man guilty of firearms chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jamal Dashawn Harris, of Baltimore, Maryland, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Harris, 29, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Unlawful Possession of Firearm.” Harris, a person prohibited from having firearms, admitted to having a .22 magnum in September 2021 in Berkeley County.
Harris faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Manchester Man Sentenced to 42 Months for Conspiring to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Timothy Spaulding, 23, of Manchester, was sentenced today to 42 months in federal prison in connection with his role in a cocaine distribution conspiracy, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 6, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on a hotel room where Spaulding was staying with his girlfriend. During the search of the hotel room, law enforcement officers located a black backpack containing documents and receipts in the name of the defendant, a scale and 45.9 grams of cocaine. A 9mm pistol was also located on a table in the room. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Spaulding’s phone and retrieved messages about drug distribution.
Spaulding previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine on February 9, 2022.
“Drug dealers who have access to guns threaten the safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “This federal sentence reflects the dangerous combination that drugs and guns pose to the community. We are working closely with the Manchester Police Department to prosecute drug dealers who have access to guns and destroy communities with their drugs.”
“This case is a prime example of the focused policing efforts the Manchester Police Department and our partners are undertaking as part of our CompStat360 Gun Violence Reduction Strategy,” said Manchester Chief of Police Allen Aldenberg. “Timothy Spaulding represents the dangerous offenders we are targeting in Manchester. Drug sales and associated gun violence are a top priority and coordinated efforts with our federal partners at the FBI and US Attorney’s Office significantly impact community safety in Manchester.”
This matter was investigated by Manchester Police Department with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Krasinski and Debra M. Walsh.
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Luzerne County Woman Charged with Tax FraudRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that a Madeline Nieves, age 48, of Plains, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on tax fraud and conspiracy offenses.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Nieves conspired with other individuals to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), in connection with a temporary staffing company, Encore Staffing Solutions LLC (Encore), that she and her coconspirators owned and operated. Encore leased temporary employees to manufacturing businesses throughout Pennsylvania. Nieves also was charged with 10 counts of failing to report Encore employee wages to the IRS, resulting in approximately $67,000 in employment taxes owed, but never paid, by Encore to the IRS. Nieves further was charged with three counts of tax evasion, for failing to report her own personal income from Encore. The tax fraud activities allegedly occurred between 2018 and 2020.
Two other individuals were previously convicted in this investigation and await sentencing:
- Mark Holmes, age 66, of Hughes Springs, Texas, pleaded guilty to failing to remit approximately $135,000 in employment taxes to the IRS that were owed by Encore. Holmes also pleaded guilty to accepting, as the General Manager of a Pennsylvania food services company, approximately $400,000 in bribes and kickbacks from two temporary staffing companies, one of which was Penns Independent Staffing, in exchange for hiring their employees. The two temporary staffing companies, in turn, received approximately $7,800,000 from Holmes’s employer.
- Nari Lam, age 29, of Wilmington, Delaware, pleaded guilty to failing to remit employment taxes to the IRS. From 2016 through 2020, Lam, the owner of Pennsylvania-based temporary staffing company Penns Independent Staffing, failed to pay approximately $300,000 in employment taxes owed by Penns Independent Staffing to the IRS.
The case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigations Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo.
The maximum penalty under federal law for each offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Lost Nation Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug and Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – On July 19, 2022, a Lost Nation, Iowa man, Gary Dale Smith, age 50, was sentenced to 126 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and Felon in Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition. Following his prison term, Smith was ordered to serve five years of supervised release. Smith pleaded guilty in February 2022.
In June 2021, Clinton County Sheriff’s deputies observed stolen items on Smith’s property. Deputies obtained a search warrant and recovered the stolen property. Upon their arrival, deputies observed Smith run into an outbuilding and found Smith in possession of a knife, a firearm, and methamphetamine. Deputies obtained an additional search warrant for an RV on the property, in which Smith resided, and located approximately 100 grams of methamphetamine, ammunition, a money counter, a video surveillance system, and other evidence of drug trafficking. Defendant had prior drug trafficking-related convictions in Arizona and Illinois, which prohibited him from possessing a firearm.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.
The Clinton County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case.
Local woman admits to sending meth-laced mail into federal detention centerRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 55-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to mailing meth-laced papers disguised as mail to the Coastal Bend Detention Center (CBDC), announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Gail Hostetter, Corpus Christi, pleaded guilty to knowingly and intentionally possessing and attempting to provide meth to an inmate.
On Jan. 29, 2021, Hostetter mailed a letter purporting to be from a local law firm to an inmate at CBDC. However, facility staff intercepted it and sent it for testing. The mail tested positive for meth. Law enforcement subsequently executed a search warrant on Hostetter’s residence where they found additional empty envelopes pre-addressed from various local law firms.
The investigation revealed the inmate devised the plan and recruited Hostetter among others to mail meth-laced papers into the detention center. The scheme involved creating envelopes designed to look like legal mail.
As part of her plea, Hostetter admitted to mailing meth into a jail facility on at least one other occasion.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos will impose sentencing Oct. 18. At that time, Hostetter faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
She has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service, The GEO Group, Drug Enforcement Administration, Corpus Christi Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Prisons and FBI Miami Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Marin and John Marck are prosecuting the case.
Linn County Drug Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—A Linn County, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today after he sold methamphetamine and a firearm to an undercover federal agent while on federal supervised release for a previous conviction.
Roger Lee Bishop, 56, a resident of Sweet Home, Oregon, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in August 2019, law enforcement learned that Bishop, a convicted felon, was trafficking methamphetamine in Linn County and had access to firearms. On or about September 12, 2019, an undercover federal agent arranged to meet Mr. Bishop and an accomplice at a hotel in Corvallis, Oregon to purchase methamphetamine. Once Mr. Bishop entered the hotel room, he proceeded to sell approximately four ounces of methamphetamine to the agent. Following the drug sale, Bishop offered and sold a handgun to the agent for $150. On October 30, 2019, Bishop and his accomplice were arrested following a traffic stop as part of a joint local and federal law enforcement operation.
On October 24, 2019, Bishop was charged by criminal complaint with distributing methamphetamine and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Later, on February 18, 2021, a federal grand jury in Eugene indicted Bishop on the same charges. On March 24, 2022, Bishop pleaded guilty to both charges.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with assistance from the Philomath Police Department, the Linn Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (LINE), and the Sweet Home Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. McLaren prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Kansas Cattleman Indicted for Alleged Financial CrimesRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with one count of criminal conversion, one count of forgery of United States obligations or securities, and one count of false statement to a federally insured bank.
According to court documents, Blaine Schurle, 26, of Barnes as operator of Double S Cattle Company, LLC is accused of allegedly selling approximately 400 head of cattle valued at more than $400,000 without authorization from the Farm Services Agency although FSA guidelines prohibit the sale of collateral in which the federal government agency has security interest without prior approval. Schurle is also accused of allegedly attempting to deposit a $13,452 check into his bank account that was issued to both him and FSA despite the check not being endorsed by FSA. A grand jury additionally indicted Schurle for allegedly failing to report his debt obligations to FSA while securing a bank loan for $45,450.
The defendant is scheduled for his initial court appearance July 21 at 1:30 p.m. before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenny is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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KC Man Sentenced for Illegal Firearm at Nightclub ShootingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm during a shooting at a local nightclub.
Dana McCoy, 53, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to seven years in federal prison without parole.
On Oct. 25, 2021, McCoy pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. This is McCoy’s third federal conviction for being a felon in possession of firearms; he was on federal supervised release at the time of this offense.
According to court documents, Kansas City police officers responded to the Rendezvous Lounge, 11816 Blue Ridge Blvd., at approximately 1:50 a.m. on March 14, 2021. Officers observed numerous vehicles with damage, with many shell casings on the street and sidewalk area in front of the nightclub. Officers also contacted a victim, identified in court documents as “A.J.,” who had a gunshot wound to the face and was transported to the hospital by emergency medical service. A.J. was unable to give a statement to law enforcement prior to being intubated.
Officers learned that a fight had broken out at the club, with the club’s security attempting to control the situation by spraying pepper spray into the crowd. During the commotion, gunfire started going off. A witness told officers that McCoy was standing by one of the club doors and shooting towards the parking lot, where several people were fleeing to escape the gunfire. The witness saw McCoy give a pistol to another person. Another witness, who also saw McCoy shooting a firearm, recorded a cell phone video that showed McCoy standing near the door of the lounge, holding a firearm.
McCoy admitted that he shot a firearm and gave it to another person, but could not identify the firearm. When officers searched the other person, they found a Glock .45-caliber handgun and a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber handgun.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. McCoy has two prior felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and prior felony convictions for burglary, stealing, armed robbery on a military post, tampering with a motor vehicle, and the distribution, manufacturing or possession of a controlled substance,
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Jury Convicts Little Rock Man for Distributing Fentanyl That Resulted in DeathRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—A federal jury convicted a Little Rock man who distributed the fentanyl that resulted in a person’s overdose death in early 2021. Following a three-day trial and after one hour of deliberation, the jury convicted Jemel Foster, 32, of four federal drug and firearm crimes, including distribution of fentanyl that resulted in death.
Foster was also convicted of possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute it, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
The jury returned the verdict Wednesday evening to United States District Court Judge Billy Roy Wilson. Judge Wilson will sentence Foster, who remains in federal custody, at a later date. The statutory minimum sentence for the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death is 20 years, plus an additional minimum of five years for possessing the firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
“Drug crime is violent crime. We are very pleased with this verdict that demonstrates the importance of holding drug dealers accountable for the harm they inflict upon others,” stated United States Attorney Jonathan D. Ross. “The senseless death of a young woman is a tragic example of just how violent drug crimes can be, and the defendant who sold her the fentanyl that took her life will now be held accountable for his actions. Thank you to our law enforcement partners who have helped achieve justice in this case.”
On July 6, 2021, a grand jury charged Foster in a superseding indictment with the four counts he took to trial, all of which related to two January evenings in 2021.
The evidence at trial revealed that on the evening of January 11, 2021, a woman purchased fentanyl from Foster around 7:22 p.m. in the parking lot of a Little Rock Walgreen’s store. According to testimony from the medical examiner who conducted her autopsy, the woman died from a fatal dose of fentanyl around midnight that evening at her mother’s nearby home. After discovering her body the next morning, the woman’s family contacted the Little Rock Police Department, and eventually the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). At trial, the DEA agents involved in the case explained how they were able to identify Foster as the source of the fatal fentanyl from data in the victim’s phone.
The DEA, believing Foster would not be aware the woman had died, used the victim’s phone to contact Foster on January 12, 2021, and ask if he had any more fentanyl for sale. Foster agreed to meet at the same Walgreen’s parking lot the person he believed would be the woman who purchased fentanyl from him the night before. When Foster arrived at the parking lot, the DEA arrested him and located eight bags of fentanyl in his pants, totaling approximately four grams, and a firearm in his vehicle.
At trial, the medical examiner testified that there is no safe dosage of illicit fentanyl, and tiny amounts of the substance can kill a person nearly immediately. The medical examiner also located two bags of fentanyl in the victim’s clothing that exactly matched the eight bags of fentanyl Foster had in his pants on January 12.
“Fentanyl is an extremely dangerous opioid that has led to numerous overdose deaths across the country, including here in our state,” DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jarad Harper said. “The DEA, along with our local, state, and federal partners have been, and will continue to aggressively investigate and arrest those individuals who profit from the pain and suffering of others. This conviction demonstrates law enforcement’s devotion to working collaboratively and aggressively to combat drug trafficking.”
The statutory penalties for Foster’s convictions are: distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, 20 years to life imprisonment; possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, up to 20 years’ imprisonment; felon in possession of a firearm, up to 10 years’ imprisonment; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, five years to life imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence imposed. The drug offenses carry additional penalties of up to a $1,000,000 fine and at least three years of supervised release. The firearm offenses include penalties of up to a $250,000 fine and up to three years of supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by DEA, with assistance from the Little Rock Police Department and Arkansas State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Givens and Benecia Moore.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Joint Statement by the United States and the United Kingdom on Data Access AgreementRead the Press Release
The United States and United Kingdom intend to bring into force the Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Access to Electronic Data for the Purpose of Countering Serious Crime (“Data Access Agreement”), which was signed in 2019, on Oct. 3, 2022. The entry into force of the Data Access Agreement will start a new era of co-operation between the United States and the United Kingdom, bringing forward a renewed commitment to tackling the threat of serious crime.
The Data Access Agreement will be the first agreement of its kind, allowing each country’s investigators to gain better access to vital data to combat serious crime in a way that is consistent with our shared values and mission of protecting our citizens and safeguarding our national security.
The Data Access Agreement will allow information and evidence that is held by service providers within each of our nations and relates to the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of serious crime to be accessed more quickly than ever before. This will help, for example, our law enforcement agencies gain more effective access to the evidence they need to bring offenders to justice, including terrorists and child abuse offenders, thereby preventing further victimization.
Our Agreement will maintain the strong oversight and protections that our citizens enjoy and does not compromise or erode the human rights and freedoms that our nations cherish and share. It protects our citizens by improving both nations’ ability to fight serious crime while maintaining the democratic and civil liberties standards that we stand for and promote around the world.
This Agreement is the latest demonstration of the strength of the bond between the United States and the United Kingdom, and our commitment to robust co-operation in the future.
Iowa Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Domestic AssaultRead the Press Release
A man who punched his victim repeatedly in the head and face was sentenced today to more than 3 years in federal prison.
Kiedis Oldbear, age 29, from Tama, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 27, 2022 guilty plea to assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a dating partner.
Information from the case shows that, on September 28, 2021, Oldbear was parked in a car on the Meskwaki Settlement near Tama. The victim of the assault, a woman that Oldbear was dating, was with him in the car. Oldbear assaulted the victim by punching her in the head and face repeatedly, causing substantial injuries to her. The victim was eventually able to get out of the car and run for help.
Oldbear has an extensive criminal history and has been convicted of over 15 crimes as an adult. He has prior convictions for interference with official acts, operating while intoxicated, domestic abuse causing bodily injury, child endangerment, possession of a firearm as a felon, eluding, possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, assault on a police officer, and willful injury.
Oldbear was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Oldbear was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Oldbear is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa Williams and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Meskwaki Nation Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 21-CR-78.
Iowa City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Kevin Emmett Toomey, age 70, of Iowa City, was sentenced Tuesday, July 19, 2022, to 180 months in prison for Receiving Child Pornography. Toomey was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release following his prison sentence and was assessed a special assessment immediately payable to the Crime Victims Fund. Toomey pleaded guilty in February 2022 to this offense.
Law enforcement received a cybertip in March 2020 alerting them to an email address that had uploaded suspected child pornography. Detectives obtained and executed a search warrant at Toomey’s residence and seized several electronic devices. A forensic examination of those devices revealed over 4,000 images and nearly 300 videos depicting child pornography. Toomey began accessing child pornography shortly after his release from prison for a prior federal child pornography conviction and continued until the time of his arrest in 2020.
U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa City Police Department and the Joint Forensic Analysis Cyber Team.This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nation-wide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
Iowa City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Brett Thomas Kriz, age 32, was sentenced on July 19, 2022, to 260 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine. Kriz was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term. Kriz pleaded to the charges in December 2021.
According to court documents, law enforcement in Washington County, Iowa initiated a traffic stop on Kriz’s car, which resulted in a search of the vehicle. Officers discovered two backpacks containing ice methamphetamine and other drug paraphernalia. In post-Miranda statements, Kriz admitted to regularly purchasing methamphetamine, which he distributed in various places in eastern Iowa.
U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This matter was investigated by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Johnson County Drug Task Force and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Illinois Man Sentenced to over Five Years for Illegal Possession of Firearm and 50-Round Drum MagazineRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a firearm and a high-capacity magazine was sentenced on July 20, 2022, in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Dennis Earl Williams, Jr., age 32, from Chicago, Illinois, pled guilty on January 13, 2022, to being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm.
Evidence in the record showed that Williams was traveling through Dubuque, Iowa, with a loaded Glock, Model 19, 9mm caliber pistol along with a 50‑round drum magazine. Williams had marijuana in his system during the same time frame.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Williams was sentenced to serve 57 months’ imprisonment and must serve a three‑year term of supervised release following his term of incarceration. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and Assistant United States Attorney Jason D. Norwood and was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21‑CR‑01030.
Hudson County Man Admits Drug Conspiracy and Possession with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey man today admitted conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Jerome Powell, 43, of Jersey City, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Court Judge Susan D. Wigenton to a superseding information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From August 2019 through Feb. 2, 2020, Powell and others agreed to possess and distribute narcotics in Jersey City. Upon his arrest, Powell had 400 vials of cocaine in his pocket.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 8, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson, New Jersey Division; and members of the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director James Shea, with the investigation leading to the charges.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Trenton.
Harrisburg Man Sentenced to over 13 Years in Prison for Serving as Lookout During A Pharmacy RobberyRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kenrick Groover-Floyd, age 34, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on July 20, 2022, to 160 months' imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for robbery.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Kenrick Groover-Floyd pled guilty to robbery for his role in the April 8, 2019, robbery of a Rite Aid pharmacy in Harrisburg. Groover-Floyd served as a lookout, while his confederates stole cash and over 3,000 pills from the pharmacy. As Judge Wilson explained when she imposed sentence, Groover-Floyd facilitated the robbery as much as the other codefendants in the case. Judge Wilson also noted Groover-Floyd’s long criminal history and the fact that he committed this crime while he was out on bail for unrelated local charges when imposing the sentence.
Groover-Floyd’s codefendants pled guilty to their roles in this robbery, as well as their roles in a string of robberies committed on April 6, 2019. Brandon Harris, age 29, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 192 months’ imprisonment; Childes Neely, age 30, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 181 months in prison; and David Rinehardt, age 21, of Statesville, North Carolina, was sentenced to 111 months in prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation brought this case in conjunction with the Harrisburg Bureau of Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio is prosecuting the case.
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Hardy County man sentenced to 10 years for drug chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – David Lee Hockenberry, of Fisher, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 120 months of incarceration for a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Hockenberry, 49, pleaded guilty in February 2022 to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute More Than Five Grams of Methamphetamine.” Hockenberry admitted to having more than five grams of methamphetamine, also known as “crystal meth” and “ice,” in Hardy County in March 2021.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Hancock County women admits to methamphetamine chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Chellsie S. Boyer, of Weirton, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Boyer, 32, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine.” Boyer admitted to selling more than five grams of methamphetamine in November 2021 in Hancock County.
Boyer faces at least five years and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Glenn County Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Glenn County Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Erick S. Perez, 34, of Orland, charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on April 1, 2021, Perez was found to be in possession of 26 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, which was loaded into two “ghost guns.” Ghost guns do not contain serial numbers and are sold without background checks, making them difficult to trace and easy to acquire. Perez is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he was previously convicted of four felonies, including a 2021 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Glenn County Investigations and Narcotics Task Force, the Orland Police Department, and the Glenn County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily G. Sauvageau is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Perez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Georgia Woman Pleads Guilty in Staged Automobile Collision SchemeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that STACIE WHEATEN (“S. WHEATEN”), age 51, of Fairburn, Georgia, pled guilty on July 21, 2022 to count one (1) of her indictment, charging Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. In exchange, the government has agreed to dismiss four counts of Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1341 and 2. In pleading guilty to Count 1, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years’ imprisonment; a term of supervised release of up to three (3) years; and a fine up to $250,000.00, as well as a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. Today’s guilty plea bring the total number of defendants convicted in Operation Sideswipe to 38.
According to court documents, S. WHEATEN served as an intermediary who recruited and directed passengers to participate in staged automobile collisions with tractor-trailers on May 17, 2017 and June 6, 2017. The passengers in these collisions filed fraudulent lawsuits that falsely claimed that the tractor-trailers were at fault. S. WHEATEN coordinated with co-conspirators including “slammer” Damian Labeaud and attorney Patrick Keating to arrange the staged collisions.
The Honorable Jane Triche Milazzo set sentencing in this matter for October 26, 2022.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria M. Carboni; Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit; Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Rivera; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Long.
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Four Maryland Residents Facing Federal Indictment for CARES Act COVID-19 Unemployment Fraud Scheme with More Than $3 Million in LossesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging four Maryland residents with federal conspiracy and wire fraud charges related to a CARES Act unemployment insurance fraud scheme with more than $3 million in losses. The indictment was returned on July 13, 2022, and unsealed today upon the arrests of the defendants. Charged in the indictment are:
Tyshawna Davis, age 38, of Gwynn Oak, Maryland;
Tiia Woods, age 44, of Cockeysville, Maryland;
Donna Jones, age 55, of Hanover, Maryland; and
Devante Smith, age 27, of Baltimore.Davis, Jones, and Smith had initial appearances this afternoon in U.S. District Court in Baltimore before U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth P. Gesner. They were released under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services. Woods is detained in the Middle District of Florida pending a detention hearing scheduled for July 22, 2022.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge Troy Springer of the Washington Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to the 14-count indictment, from June 2020 through May 2021, the defendants used the personally identifiable information (PII) of victims to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance benefits. The CARES Act expanded states’ ability to provide unemployment insurance benefits for workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and allowed states to give an additional $600 per week to individuals collecting regular unemployment insurance compensation during certain months in 2020.
The indictment alleges that the defendants obtained the names, dates of birth, and social security numbers of victims using false pretenses, then used the PII to submit and certify fraudulent Maryland unemployment insurance (UI) benefit applications in the victims’ names. For example, the indictment alleges that as part of the conspiracy a Maryland UI application was submitted in the name of Davis’s deceased ex-husband. The defendants allegedly caused the UI benefits to be loaded onto debit cards which were mailed to the addresses of the defendants, rather than the victims. The indictment alleges that the defendants used the fraudulently obtained debit cards to make cash withdrawals and other transactions throughout Maryland. The defendants allegedly used the cash for their own benefit and for the benefit of others who were also not entitled to the money, including by purchasing luxury vehicles. The indictment seeks the forfeiture of two 2021 Mercedes-Benz automobiles and any other proceeds of the scheme.
The indictment alleges that as a result of the scheme, at least 160 fraudulent UI claims were submitted in Maryland, with a loss of more than $3 million. The indictment details 13 specific wire transfers involving fraudulent UI benefits obtained in the names of eight separate victims.
If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the conspiracy and for each count of wire fraud. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended DOL-OIG and the FBI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary H. Ray and Christine Goo, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Fort Myers Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Committing A Similar Crime Months After Being Released from PrisonRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Herman Fleming (29, Fort Myers) to 12 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and supervised release violations. Fleming had pleaded guilty in March 2022.
According to court documents, on August 24, 2021, an undercover ATF agent watched Fleming, a convicted felon, purchase an AK-47 style rifle at a North Fort Myers flea market. The agent recognized Fleming because, in nearly identical circumstances four years earlier, the agent had personally witnessed Fleming illegally purchase a rifle at a North Fort Myers gun show. That investigation resulted in federal charges for Fleming and a three-year federal prison sentence.
Knowing Fleming and that he had recently been released from prison, the undercover ATF agent and deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office followed Fleming from the flea market and conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle. Inside the vehicle, the officers found the AK-47 Fleming had purchased, as well as 25 grams of pure methamphetamine and 10 grams of fentanyl, which Fleming admitted he had intended to distribute to others.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Leeman.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Former Utica Police Officer Sentenced for Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Matthew Felitto, age 27, of Utica, New York, was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Syracuse after previously pleading guilty to violating the constitutionally protected right of an arrestee to be free from excessive force by a law enforcement officer. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
In pleading guilty previously, Felitto admitted that while working as a police officer for the Utica Police Department in September 2020, he arrived on the scene of an arrest to assist in transporting the arrested individual to the station. The arrestee was handcuffed behind his back and in leg shackles when Felitto arrived because he had been refusing to comply with the commands of other officers already on-scene. Felitto helped those officers place the arrestee in the back of a police van. Once the arrestee was lying on the floor of the van face up and restrained, Felitto kicked him several times in the face and upper chest while wearing work boots. The kicks were without legal justification and were made with sufficient force to cause the arrestee pain and a bruised and swollen lip.
Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby sentenced Felitto to a term of probation of 2 years and a fine of $7,500. Felitto will be required to perform 100 hours of community service during his probation term. As a convicted felon, Felitto will be prohibited under federal law from owning or possessing a firearm. Pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement Felitto has resigned from the Utica Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Michael F. Perry with the assistance of the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice.
Former Town of Cortlandt Employee and Peekskill Business Owner Indicted for Public Corruption and Fraud OffensesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of a seven-count Indictment in White Plains federal court charging GLENN GRIFFIN, the owner, president, and principal of Griffin’s Landscaping Corporation, in separate bribery and bid rigging schemes, and GRIFFIN and ROBERT DYCKMAN, a former Assistant General Foreman with the Town of Cortlandt, in the bribery scheme in which DYCKMAN allowed GRIFFIN to dump hundreds of truckloads of unauthorized materials at a Cortlandt facility. GRIFFIN and DYCKMAN were arrested this morning and will be presented before United States Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause in White Plains federal court later today.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Robert Dyckman, a former Town of Cortlandt employee, used his position of trust to enrich himself by allowing Glenn Griffin to dump unauthorized materials at the Town’s facility, which will cost the Town as much as $1.5 million to clean up. Griffin is also alleged to have defrauded the village of Croton-on-Hudson and the hamlet of Verplanck in a separate bid rigging scheme. My Office will continue to ensure that corrupt business leaders and public officials will be brought to justice.”
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in White Plains federal court[[1]]:
Illegal Dumping Scheme
From 2018 until February 2020, GRIFFIN and DYCKMAN engaged in an unauthorized dumping scheme. DYCKMAN gave GRIFFIN and his employees unauthorized access to Arlo Lane, a Cortlandt facility, to dump hundreds of large truckloads of unauthorized materials such as thick concrete, cement with rebar, large rocks, and soil. Based on estimates provided by third-party vendors, the Town of Cortlandt estimates that it will cost between $600,000 to $1.5 million to remove these materials.
DYCKMAN generally allowed GRIFFIN and his employees access to Arlo Lane on Saturdays or after working hours. To carry out the scheme, DYCKMAN would attempt to clear senior Town of Cortlandt management away Arlo Lane around the time of the unauthorized dumping. When DYCKMAN arranged for a subordinate Town of Cortlandt worker to work overtime when GRIFFIN was dumping unauthorized loads, DYCKMAN would falsely record the worker’s overtime as having occurred during the week in order to conceal the scheme.
In exchange for access to Arlo Lane, GRIFFIN gave DYCKMAN cash bribes, firewood, flowers and gardening materials and made extensive improvements to DYCKMAN’s home at no cost. GRIFFIN also gave DYCKMAN a backdated, false invoice for DYCKMAN to give to his insurance company in support of a false insurance claim.
Bid-Rigging Scheme
Between 2015 and 2018, GRIFFIN also engaged in a bid-rigging scheme. GRIFFIN defrauded the village of Croton-on-Hudson, for work on its schools, and the hamlet of Verplanck, for work at its fire department. He made sham, non-competitive, and inflated bids on behalf of entities that GRIFFIN did not work for or have authorization to submit bids on behalf of, so that GRIFFIN would be the low bidder in a pool of purportedly competitive bids and receive public money for work on the projects. Based on these sham, non-competitive, and inflated bids, GRIFFIN was awarded contracts with a combined value exceeding $133,000.
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A chart containing the charges and maximum penalties for GRIFFIN, 53, of Cortlandt Manor, New York and DYCKMAN, 51, of Verplanck, New York, are set forth below. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the Westchester County Police Department in this investigation. Mr. Williams also thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office and the New York City Department of Investigation for their assistance in the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David R. Felton and James McMahon are in charge of the prosecution.
22-233 ###
COUNT
DEFENDANT(S)
MAX. TERM OF IMPRISONMENT
Count One: Conspiracy to Pay and Receive Bribes and Gratuities: Illegal Dumping Scheme (18 U.S.C. § 371)
GLENN GRIFFIN
ROBERT DYCKMAN
5 years in prison
Count Two: Payment of Bribes and Gratuities in Illegal Dumping Scheme
(18 U.S.C. §§ 666(a)(2) and 2)
GLENN GRIFFIN
10 years in prison
Count Three: Receipt of Bribes and Gratuities in Illegal Dumping Scheme (18 U.S.C. §§ 666(a)(1)(B) and 2)
ROBERT DYCKMAN
10 years in prison
Count Four: Conspiracy to Misapply and Convert Property of Local Government Receiving Federal Funds in Illegal Dumping Scheme (18 U.S.C. § 371)
GLENN GRIFFIN
ROBERT DYCKMAN
5 years in prison
Count Five: Wire Fraud Conspiracy: Bid-Rigging Scheme (18 U.S.C. § 1349)
GLENN GRIFFIN
20 years in prison
Count Six: Wire Fraud: Bid-Rigging Scheme (18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2)
GLENN GRIFFIN
20 years in prison
Count Seven: Aggravated Identity Theft: Bid-Rigging Scheme (18 U.S.C. §§ 1028A(a)(1), 1028A(b), and 2)
GLENN GRIFFIN
Mandatory minimum of two years in prison
[1] As the introductory phase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Former School Bus Driver Sentenced to 10 Years for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Frederick J. Haresign, age 63, of Oswego, New York was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison to be followed by 20 years of supervised release for possessing child pornography. Haresign also will have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo Field Office.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Haresign, a former school bus driver, admitted that, in 2017, he provided a minor child who rode on his bus with nicotine and other gifts in exchange for the child creating sexually explicit images and videos and providing those images and videos to Haresign. Haresign admitted that he possessed those images and videos in 2017 so that he could view them.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the New York State Police: Fulton Bureau of Criminal Investigations, and Troop D Computer Crimes Unit and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Gadarian in coordination with the Oswego County District Attorney’s Office as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Minneapolis Police Officer Thomas Lane Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Depriving George Floyd of His Constitutional RightsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that former Minneapolis Police Officer Thomas Lane, 39, was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison and two years of supervised release for depriving George Floyd Jr., of his constitutional rights.
On Feb. 24, 2022, following a trial that lasted nearly five weeks, a federal jury in St. Paul, Minnesota, found Lane guilty of depriving Floyd of his constitutional right to be free from a police officer’s deliberate indifference to serious medical needs when Lane saw Floyd restrained in police custody in clear need of medical care and willfully failed to aid him. The jury found that Lane’s failure to act resulted in bodily injury to and the death of Floyd. This offense is a violation of the federal criminal civil rights statute that prohibits willful violations of civil rights by a person, such as a police officer, acting in an official capacity.
The same jury also found former Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) Officers Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng guilty of depriving Floyd of his constitutional right to be free from an officer’s unreasonable force when Thao and Kueng each willfully failed to intervene to stop former MPD Officer Derek Chauvin’s use of unreasonable force, resulting in bodily injury to and the death of Floyd. Thao and Kueng were also found to have deprived Floyd of his constitutional right to be free from a police officer’s deliberate indifference to Floyd’s serious medical needs, resulting in bodily injury to and the death of Floyd. A sentencing hearing for Thao and Kueng has not yet been scheduled.
Former Officer Derek Chauvin previously pleaded guilty to depriving Floyd and a then-14-year-old child of their constitutional rights in violation of the same federal statute. On July 7, 2022, Chauvin was sentenced to 252 months in prison for those crimes.
“The tragic death of George Floyd makes clear the fatal consequences that can result from a police officer’s failure to intervene to protect people in their custody,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Had this defendant and other officers on the scene with Derek Chauvin taken simple steps, George Floyd would be alive today. This sentence should send a message that protecting people in custody is the affirmative duty and obligation of every law enforcement officer, regardless of one’s rank or seniority.”
“In the critical last minutes of George Floyd’s life, former officer Lane understood the seriousness of the situation," said U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger for the District of Minnesota. “He knew that Mr. Floyd was in grave need of medical care, but he chose passivity rather than action. As a sworn law enforcement officer, he failed to uphold his duty to step in and save a man’s life.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. It was prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Samantha Trepel and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha Bates, LeeAnn Bell, Evan Gilead, Manda Sertich and Allen Slaughter for the District of Minnesota.
Former Minneapolis Police Officer Thomas Lane Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Depriving George Floyd of His Constitutional RightsRead the Press Release
St. Paul, Minn. - The Justice Department announced today that former Minneapolis Police Officer Thomas Lane, 39, was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison and two years of supervised release for depriving George Floyd Jr., of his constitutional rights.
On Feb. 24, 2022, following a trial that lasted nearly five weeks, a federal jury in St. Paul, Minnesota, found Lane guilty of depriving Floyd of his constitutional right to be free from a police officer’s deliberate indifference to serious medical needs when Lane saw Floyd restrained in police custody in clear need of medical care and willfully failed to aid him. The jury found that Lane’s failure to act resulted in bodily injury to and the death of Floyd. This offense is a violation of the federal criminal civil rights statute that prohibits willful violations of civil rights by a person, such as a police officer, acting in an official capacity. Lane was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Senior Judge Paul A. Magnuson.
The same jury also found former Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) Officers Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng guilty of depriving Floyd of his constitutional right to be free from an officer’s unreasonable force when Thao and Kueng each willfully failed to intervene to stop former MPD Officer Derek Chauvin’s use of unreasonable force, resulting in bodily injury to and the death of Floyd. Thao and Kueng were also found to have deprived Floyd of his constitutional right to be free from a police officer’s deliberate indifference to Floyd’s serious medical needs, resulting in bodily injury to and the death of Floyd. A sentencing hearing for Thao and Kueng has not yet been scheduled.
Former Officer Derek Chauvin previously pleaded guilty to depriving Floyd and a then-14-year-old child of their constitutional rights in violation of the same federal statute. On July 7, 2022, Chauvin was sentenced to 252 months in prison for those crimes.
“The tragic death of George Floyd makes clear the fatal consequences that can result from a police officer’s failure to intervene to protect people in their custody,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Had this defendant and other officers on the scene with Derek Chauvin taken simple steps, George Floyd would be alive today. This sentence should send a message that protecting people in custody is the affirmative duty and obligation of every law enforcement officer, regardless of one’s rank or seniority.”
“In the critical last minutes of George Floyd’s life, former officer Lane understood the seriousness of the situation,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger of the District of Minnesota. “He knew that Mr. Floyd was in grave need of medical care, but he chose passivity rather than action. As a sworn law enforcement officer, he failed to uphold his duty to step in and save a man’s life.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. It was prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Samantha Trepel and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha Bates, LeeAnn Bell, Evan Gilead, Manda Sertich and Allen Slaughter for the District of Minnesota.
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