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30 August 2022
Ocala Felon with Loaded Handgun Convicted at TrialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has found Michael Tyrone Young (32, Ocala) guilty of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Young faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 15, 2022. Young had been indicted on December 7, 2021.
According to the evidence presented during the bench trial, on the night of August 31, 2021, officers from the Ocala Police Department encountered Young in the hallway of a building at a local public housing complex. The officers were patrolling the area because of recent shootings at the complex. The officers confronted Young after seeing him drop and retrieve what appeared to be a weapon. As they spoke with him, the loaded firearm fell out of Young’s pants and onto the floor. Young admitted that he had the firearm because he had been “looking for a certain person” who was “fixin’ to get him.” A records check showed that Young had three state felony convictions for drug distribution. As a convicted felon, Young is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the City of Ocala Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Weapons ViolationRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that the defendant RICHARD JONES, age 22, resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty on August 23, 2022 before U.S. District Court Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to a federal weapons violation of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
In Count 1 of the indictment, JONES is charged with possessing a firearm on November 21, 2021, as a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). JONES faces a maximum sentence of 10 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, a period of up to 3 years supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. JONES’s sentencing is scheduled for December 8, 2022.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney's Office.
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Muskegon Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Sexually Exploiting A ChildRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — Jeffrey David Paprocki, 33, from Muskegon, Michigan was sentenced to serve 300 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons for producing pictures of his sexual assault of a 7-year-old child.
U.S. District Judge Janet T. Neff also imposed 10 years of supervised release following his release from custody. In sentencing Paprocki to serve 25 years in prison, Judge Neff expressed her desire to protect the community and send a strong message of deterrence to others. Paprocki was also ordered to pay restitution to the victims.
A deputy with the Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Sheriff’s Office was working undercover in a messaging application that is commonly used by individuals interested in sexually abusing children. The deputy identified Paprocki as someone who possessed and distributed child pornography. In a separate investigation by the FBI in Connecticut, an undercover FBI agent engaged in a chat conversation with an individual who was boasting that he was sexually assaulting a 7-year-old child. During that conversation, the individual stated that he planned on assaulting the child later that night. The FBI initiated emergency procedures to identify the person and locate him. The FBI connected the new case with the lead identified by the deputy in Wisconsin and that same day secured a search warrant. Paprocki confessed to sexually assaulting the child and to producing pictures of the assault. He was arrested that night and initially charged in a federal criminal complaint.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office filed federal charges against Paprocki for the production and possession of child pornography. The Muskegon County Prosecutor’s Office charged Paprocki for the sexual assault of the 7-year-old child. As part of a joint resolution, Paprocki pleaded guilty to production and possession of child pornography in federal court and agreed to plead guilty to the sexual assault charge in Muskegon County.
U.S. Attorney Mark Totten stated, “Mr. Paprocki’s conduct is horrific. This child depended on Mr. Paprocki and he abused that dependence for his own sexual pleasure. My office, working with our partners, will find and hold child exploiters accountable.”
“Protecting children from dangerous child predators is a priority for the FBI. The crimes committed by these offenders cause incalculable damage to their young victims,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Today’s sentence, in combination with the sentence he is facing in state court, holds Mr. Paprocki accountable for his conduct and ensures he cannot harm any more children. Cases like this one illustrate the commitment of the FBI and its law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and hold predators like him accountable.”
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit the following web site: www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Mekaru, in cooperation with the Muskegon County Prosecutor’s Office, and investigated by Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Sheriff’s Office, FBI in Connecticut, and WEBCHEX – “West Michigan Based Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force,” a partnership of FBI, Michigan State Police, and local agencies dedicated to investigating offenses against children.
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Ms-13 Gang Member Admits to Extorting Langley Park, Maryland Business OwnersRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – MS-13 gang member, Jilmer Hernandez-Alvarado, a/k/a “Toro”, age 27, most recently of Hyattsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to extort business owners.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department.
La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13 gang (“MS-13”), is an international criminal enterprise that is active throughout the United States, including in Maryland. MS-13 in Maryland is organized into “cliques,” smaller groups operating in a specific area. Hernandez-Alvarado was a member of the Fulton clique of MS-13.
According to Hernandez-Alvarado’s guilty plea, MS-13 generated income from various sources, including extorting money from businesses, such as unlicensed businesses which operated in the territory of MS-13. From at least February 2018 to December 2020, Hernandez-Alvarado and other MS-13 members conspired to extort money or “rent” payments from Langley Park, Maryland business owners through the threat of violence. Each week, Hernandez-Alvarado and his co-conspirators demanded rent payments from business owners for operating in territory controlled by MS-13 and threatened to harm business owners if the rent was not paid.
Hernandez-Alvarado faces a maximum sentence of 20 years and in prison for the extortion conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for December 5, 2022 at 2:00 p.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Montgomery County Police Department, for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica C. Collins and Chris M. Sarma, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Monroeville Felon Indicted on Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Monroeville, PA, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The three-count Indictment, returned on Aug. 23 and unsealed today, named Tiryn Green, 27, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, Green is alleged to have possessed with the intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl on or about Feb. 21, 2022. Green is also alleged to have possessed with the intent to distribute and distribution of heroin and fentanyl on or about Feb. 23, 2022. Additionally, on or about Feb. 24, 2022, Green is alleged to have possessed a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Ball is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Pennsylvania Attorney’s General Bureau of Narcotics Investigation along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mexican Man Convicted of Fraud Regarding an Identification DocumentRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Mexican citizen pled guilty to the federal felony offense of fraud regarding a visa, permit, or other immigration document.
U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi, Special Agent in Charge David Denton of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Field Office made the announcement.
According to court records, Benito Moreno-Bernal, 30, who had been living in Colorado, was arrested on January 26, 2021, at a residence in Gulfport by members of the FBI Southeast Mississippi Safe Streets Taskforce on a State of Colorado arrest warrant. The FBI requested assistance from Homeland Security Investigations in Gulfport regarding suspected fraudulent documents that Moreno-Bernal had in his possession. The documents, both of which were imprinted with Moreno-Bernal’s name, were a purported U.S. Social Security Administration Card and a Permanent Resident Identification Card which also bore Moreno-Bernal’s photograph.
Further investigation revealed that the number on the Permanent Resident Identification Card was a valid alien registration number assigned to a female, and the number on the Social Security Card belonged to another person other than Moreno-Bernal. Computerized record queries also revealed that Benito Moreno-Bernal had been previously removed twice from the United States under the alias of Alejandro Moreno-Bernal.
Moreno-Bernal is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30, 2022. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Moreno-Bernal also faces Department of Homeland Security removal proceedings to remove him from the United States to his home nation of Mexico.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department and law enforcement officials in Colorado. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
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Merrillville Man Sentenced to 41 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Keshaun Brownlee, 22 years old, of Merrillville, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon on his plea of guilty to selling a firearm to a known felon, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Brownlee was sentenced to 41 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on March 4, 2020, Brownlee sold a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and a high-capacity (30 round) magazine to an individual he knew was a convicted felon, which is prohibited under federal law. At the time of the transaction, Brownlee himself was under indictment for a felony offense, and as such, he illegally received the firearm he subsequently sold to the felon.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Hammond Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Toth.
This case was 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.
Mercer County Man Under Indictment on Drug Charges Now Faces Firearms Law ViolationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Michael Love was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for receiving and transporting a firearm while under felony indictment, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The Indictment charges Love, age 43 of Jackson Center, Pennsylvania, with receiving and transporting several firearms in interstate and foreign commerce while under felony indictment in March 2022. At the time, Love was under indictment in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania for conspiring to distribute fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, cocaine base, and methamphetamine.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Under States Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller and Special Assistant United States Attorney/Mercer County Assistant District Attorney Shane T. Crevar are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Pennsylvania State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the return of the Indictment in this case. This case is being prosecuted 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.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Medical Director Convicted in Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Texas physician of engaging in a scheme that fraudulently billed TRICARE, the health care program for uniformed service members, retirees, and their families, for toxicology and genetic tests that were not provided as represented and/or were medically unnecessary.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dr. Sekhar Rao, 51, of Austin, was the medical director of the ADAR Group LLC. Rao authorized toxicology and genetic testing, including cancer genetic testing, for TRICARE beneficiaries without seeing, speaking to, or otherwise treating patients, and without incorporating the test results into ongoing treatment. In some cases, the patients did not know what they were being tested for. TRICARE beneficiaries were enticed to provide urine or saliva specimens in exchange for $50 gift cards. Evidence at trial demonstrated that Rao was paid in exchange for signing off on medically unnecessary and repetitive toxicology and genetic tests.
Rao was convicted of two counts of health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 27, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each health care fraud count. 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 Chad E. Meacham for the Northern District of Texas; Special Agent in Charge Michael Mentavlos of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS); Acting Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Dallas Regional Office; Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno of the FBI Dallas Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Steven Grell of the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) Dallas Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Breen of the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) South Central Field Office made the announcement.
DCIS, HHS-OIG, FBI, DOL-OIG, and VA-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Shy Jackson and Lee Michael Hirsch of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Health Care Fraud Strike Force. Since its inception in March 2007, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 15 strike forces operating in 24 districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for nearly $19 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Maryland Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for Production and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Justin Michael Peterson, age 27, of Westminster, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to production and distribution of child pornography. At the time of these offenses, Peterson was on probation for a previous 2016 conviction in Carroll County, Maryland Circuit Court for distribution of child pornography.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to his guilty plea, in February 2020, law enforcement initiated an investigation of an individual using messaging applications and an email account to distribute child pornography on the internet and discovered that Peterson was the user of the online accounts. On February 27, 2020, a search warrant was executed at Peterson’s residence and Peterson was arrested nearby. Law enforcement seized his cellular phone during the search. A subsequent forensic examination revealed that Peterson used social media, messaging applications and internet accounts to request, receive, and distribute child pornography.
As detailed in his plea agreement, between January 1 and January 16, 2020, Peterson also used social media and messaging accounts to produce sexually explicit videos and exchange approximately 1,244 messages with Victim 1, a 13-year-old boy. Peterson knew that Victim 1 was 13 years old and made the sexually explicit videos anyway. Peterson then offered the videos for distribution in online discussion groups and messaging platforms dedicated to the discussion, distribution, and production of child pornography, in which Peterson participated.
Peterson further admitted that he distributed videos of child pornography, including videos of Victim 1, to another minor male, Victim 2. In some of his messages with Victim 2, Peterson also discussed traveling to Victim 1’s home to kidnap him. In addition to the images and videos distributed to Victim 2, Peterson distributed other images and videos documenting the sexual abuse of children to users of a secure messaging application, including to an undercover law enforcement officer. All of these images were found during the forensic examination of Peterson’s cellphone. Peterson’s phone contained more than 600 images and videos depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including images and videos of adult males sexually abusing infants and toddlers.
Peterson and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Peterson will be sentenced to between 25 and 35 years in federal prison. As stated in his plea agreement, upon his release from prison, Peterson must continue to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”). U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for January 27, 2023 at 9:30 a.m.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Boone, North Carolina Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Barron and Mr. Polite thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Duey and Trial Attorney Eduardo Palomo of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
SPARTANBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA — Sung Wook Kim, also known as Paul, 36, of Lexington, was sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that Kim used a position of trust to defraud his employer, fabricating three contracts with one of the company’s clients and fraudulently signing documents related to those contracts. Relying on Kim’s fraudulent contracts, his employer spent $2,918.962.48. Kim also made $139,250 in bonuses and increased pay as a result of the fraudulent contracts. Evidence additionally showed that Kim had falsely reported his qualifications when obtaining his employment.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Kim to 24 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The Court ordered Kim to pay $2,918.962.48 in restitution and entered a forfeiture judgment of $139,250.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen prosecuted the case.
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Luzerne County Man Charged with Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Patrick Raymond Russin, age 52, of Dallas, Pennsylvania, was charged yesterday by criminal information with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the information alleges that between January 2021 and March 12, 2022, Russin conspired to distribute at least 40 grams of fentanyl in Luzerne County.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kingston Municipal Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this 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.
Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Leader of international drug trafficking organization pleads guilty to federal chargesRead the Press Release
Seattle – One of the leaders of a violent international drug trafficking organization that distributed heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine in the Puget Sound region pleaded guilty Monday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Seattle. Jose Elias Barbosa, 37, of Kent, Washington, faces a mandatory minimum ten years in prison and up to life in prison when he is sentenced by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour on December 13, 2022.
In his plea agreement, Barbosa admits he was one of the leaders of a transnational drug trafficking organization. Law enforcement has linked the organization to the CJNG cartel in Mexico. In November 2019, the DTO received a shipment of liquid methamphetamine concealed in candles. Barbosa helped DTO members to extract the methamphetamine and cook it into crystal form at a Port Orchard, Washington location. Barbosa was responsible for the distribution of at least 55 pounds of methamphetamine, 600 grams of heroin, and fentanyl throughout Western Washington and elsewhere.
Barbosa also pursued those who owed drug debts to the organization and possessed firearms during the drug conspiracy. According to the plea agreement, on one occasion, Barbosa took a car from another DTO member to satisfy a drug debt. Barbosa later threatened that same DTO member.
Prosecutors have agreed to recommend no more than 168 months in prison when Barbosa is sentenced in December.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Tacoma Resident Office in partnership with Tahoma Narcotics Enforcement Team (TNET), Kent Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, SeaTac Police Department, Thurston County Narcotics Team (TNT), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amy Jaquette and C. Andrew Colasurdo.
Latin Dragon Nation Member Sentenced to 420 Months ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Gustavo Mata, 29, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon on his plea of guilty to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity as a member of the Latin Dragons Nation street gang, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Mata was sentenced to 420 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, Mata has been a member of the Latin Dragons Nation street gang since approximately 2009. As a member of the Latin Dragons, Mata was involved in shootings of suspected rival gang members and participated in trafficking firearms and drugs. Mata also admitted responsibility for the 2012 murder of Kelly Vann in Chicago, Illinois. A total of 19 members and associates have been charged as codefendants with racketeering conspiracy for their participation in various Latin Dragon Nation activity, and three are awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Chicago Police Department Criminal Enterprise Unit; the Cook County Sheriff’s Office; the Bartlett Police Department; the Hammond Police Department; the East Chicago Police Department; the Merrillville Police Department; the Hobart Police Department; the Lake County Sheriff’s Department; and the Calumet City Police Department, with assistance from the Lake County, Indiana Prosecutor’s Office, the Cook County, Illinois State’s Attorney’s Office, the Indiana Department of Corrections, and the Illinois Department of Corrections. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin F. Wolff and Michael J. Toth, and former Northern District of Indiana Assistant United States Attorney Joseph A. Cooley, with assistance from the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Trial Attorney Hans Miller.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Las Vegas woman gets 7 years for elder financial fraudRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Nevada woman was sentenced to more than 7 years in prison today for committing financial fraud against the elderly, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Shelly Leipham of Las Vegas was found guilty by a jury in April of “Wire Fraud,” “Mail Fraud,” and “Money Laundering.” Leipham called an elderly victim living in Harrison County and claimed the victim won one million dollars. Leipham defrauded the victim of nearly $25,000 by directing the victim to send that amount to her over the course of a two-year period by mail and wire.
“Leipham badgered and manipulated her elderly victims by calling them over and over again, disregarded the hardships they were experiencing while she was exploiting them, repeatedly lied to them, and accepted no responsibility for her conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “The lengthy prison term imposed today was necessary in order to address her callous conduct.”
In addition to serving an 87-month prison sentence, Leipham must pay a money judgment of $336,402.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah E. Wagner and Andrew R. Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, the West Virginia State Police, and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
This case was prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice Elder Fraud Initiative. Since the bipartisan Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (EAPPA) was signed into law, the Department of Justice has participated in hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Lake City Man Sentenced to Five Years for Illegally Possessing Firearms and Distributing Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Edrick D. Jackson (28, Lake City) to five years in federal prison for distributing cocaine base (“crack” cocaine) and for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Jackson to forfeit the ammunition and firearms involved in the offenses. Jackson had pleaded guilty on May 25, 2022.
According to court documents, on three separate occasions, Jackson sold crack cocaine to a confidential informant who was working with law enforcement. The sales took place at Jackson’s home in Lake City. After obtaining a federal search warrant, investigators searched Jackson’s home and located crack cocaine, two digital scales, a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol that had previously been reported stolen, and a Glock 9mm pistol with an extended magazine, loaded with 20 rounds of ammunition. Jackson had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses and therefore is prohibited by law from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake City Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Cofer Taylor and Michael J. Coolican.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Key Supplier for Mexican Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Mexican National residing in Portland was sentenced to federal prison today for supplying large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin to a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization operating in the Portland Metropolitan Area.
Eduardo Barbosa Lopez, 44, also known as Barbas, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, beginning in 2018, two men, Samuel Diaz and Faustino Monroy, organized, led, and ran a drug trafficking organization, based in Mexico, responsible for trafficking hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine and heroin into Oregon for distribution. Diaz and Monroy worked closely with associates who ran a Portland distribution cell, which, at its peak, was responsible for distributing as much as 77 pounds of methamphetamine and 55 pounds of heroin weekly in and around Portland.
Barbosa, whose documented history of drug trafficking includes multiple felony convictions spanning nearly two decades, served as one of Diaz and Monroy’s most prolific sources of supply for methamphetamine and heroin in the Portland Metropolitan Area. Barbosa was directly involved in smuggling drugs from Mexico into Oregon where they were processed and prepared for sale at stash houses throughout the metro area. A large network of local drug dealers would then distribute user quantities of each drug. The organization would routinely change stash locations, rotate vehicles and phones, and pay individual couriers to take time off to avoid detection by law enforcement. To conceal his individual role in the conspiracy, Barbosa used multiple cell phones and false passports, lied to law enforcement about his identity, and successfully thwarted an effort to track the movement of his vehicle.
Diaz and Monroy leveraged relationships with the operators of Tienda Mexicana González Bros., a small convenience store and market in Southeast Portland, to launder millions of dollars in drug proceeds. Between January 2015 and October 2019, the organization laundered at least $19 million dollars through the market. In July 2021, one of the operators of the market, Jesus González Vazquez, was sentenced to 132 months in federal prison for his role in the conspiracy.
In October 2019, Barbosa and many of his co-defendants were arrested as part of a coordinated, multi-agency law enforcement operation. Investigators executed federal search warrants at more than a dozen locations throughout the Portland area, seizing approximately 22 pounds of methamphetamine, quantities of heroin and cocaine, and seven firearms. Law enforcement also seized 51 firearms, including assault rifles, shotguns, and handguns, from defendants affiliated with the Diaz-Monroy organization.
On October 24, 2019, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 61-count superseding indictment charging Barbosa and 41 others for their roles in the drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy. Later, on November 5, 2019, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a separate, one-count indictment charging Barbosa with illegally reentering the United States after being deported for a felony offense. On April 5, 2022, he pleaded guilty to both charges.
Barbosa is the thirty-second defendant sentenced for his role in the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Portland and the Gresham Police Department with assistance from the FBI; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Oregon State Police; Portland Police Bureau; and the Multnomah, Clackamas, and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon is prosecuting the case.
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.
Jefferson City Woman Sentenced for Throwing Molotov Cocktails into Two HomesRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City woman was sentenced in federal court today for throwing Molotov cocktails into two homes occupied by young children and elderly residents.
Iasha Denise Cannady, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 12 years in federal prison without parole.
On Dec. 16, 2021, Cannady pleaded guilty to two counts of maliciously using explosive materials to damage buildings and one count of possessing a Molotov cocktail (an unregistered destructive device).
By pleading guilty, Cannady admitted that she used Molotov cocktails to set fire to two rental properties in Jefferson City on July 27, 2020. A witness told investigators that Cannady was upset that her daughter was involved in a fight at Capital City Mall. According to the witness, Cannady stated that she was going to find the people involved and throw bombs at their houses.
The first property, in the 800 block of Lafayette Street, was rented by a victim identified in court records as “V.C.” Also living in the residence was V.C.’s boyfriend, her 3-year-old granddaughter, her disabled elderly mother, and her elderly aunt. After firefighters extinguished the fire at approximately 1 a.m., investigators found a broken window and a vodka bottle on a bedroom floor. Surveillance videos showed Cannady lighting a bottle and putting it on the windowsill. Cannady’s minor son then threw the bottle through the window.
Firefighters and police officers then responded to a call in the 1200 block of East Walter Street. A victim identified as “N.P.,” who rented the residence and lived there with her 13-year-old daughter, told investigators her window was broken and some of the siding was melted. There were also char marks on the front porch. Investigators found a burnt clear bottle on the front window of the residence which had an odor of gasoline and a Cognac bottle that contained gasoline with a rag sticking out of the top.
Police officers found Cannady driving in the area, with her son and nephew in the vehicle. Officers searched Cannady’s vehicle and found a tequila bottle filled with accelerant with a wick and a pink rag inside, three lighters, a white rag soaked with accelerant, a lid to a D’usse Cognac bottle and a Tropical Fantasy Lemonade bottle.
Cannady has a prior felony conviction for arson for setting her daughter’s car on fire, as well as several prior felony convictions for domestic assault, drug trafficking and stealing.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Maness. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department, the Jefferson City, Mo., Fire Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Jacksonville Convicted Felon Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Federal Prison for Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Jeromy Washington (25, Jacksonville) to five years and ten months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Washington to forfeit the ammunition and firearm involved in the offense. Washington had pleaded guilty on May 25, 2022.
According to court documents, Washington was arrested at the scene of a drug transaction where he was getting paid to provide armed security during the sale of narcotics. Prior to the arrest, Washington had sold cocaine and fentanyl to undercover agents numerous times. Washington had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses and therefore is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pled guilty to armed carjacking, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to court documents, Anthony Lee Holder, 21, carjacked a victim at gunpoint in Jackson on February 7, 2021. A federal grand jury indicted Holder for armed carjacking on April 14, 2021.
Holder will be sentenced on December 6, 2022. He faces a maximum penalty of fifteen years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the Jackson Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Terrill.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Jackson Felon Sentenced to over Five Years in Federal Prison for Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 62 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Field Office.
According to court documents, Jemarcus Demon Morgan, 32, possessed a firearm on November 13, 2019. On that date, officers with the Jackson Police Department responded to a domestic disturbance at Morgan’s home. Officers recovered a .22 caliber rifle under the bed in the master bedroom, that was claimed by Morgan. He had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including possession of controlled substances, simple robbery, and possession of contraband in a correctional facility.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department investigated the case.
Criminal Chief Erin Chalk and Assistant United States Attorney Adam Stuart prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Jackson County man sentenced to 9 years in prison for orchestrating $50 million Ponzi scheme involving over-sized tiresRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Jackson, Ohio man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 108 months in prison for orchestrating a $50 million dollar Ponzi scheme that defrauded more than 50 investors.
Jason E. Adkins, 46, solicited victims from all over the country and world.
“The victims in this case had their lives upended, their life savings taken, and their security ripped away, all while Adkins enriched himself and lived lavishly” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Adkins deserves the prison sentence he received today.”
According to court documents, from 2012 through 2018, Adkins conspired to solicit millions of dollars from investors under false pretenses, failed to invest the funds as promised, and misappropriated investors’ funds for his own benefit and the benefit of others.
Adkins and others claimed that they bought and sold over-sized tires commonly known as off-the-road tires, which are used on earth moving equipment and/or mining equipment. Investors were told their money would be used to buy the tires at a steep discount, and that the tires would then be re-sold to a buyer at a much higher rate.
Investors were promised a 15 to 20 percent rate of return on investment, generally within 180 days. Adkins would sometimes pay the return on investment for the first transaction with investor victims.
In addition, Adkins and his co-conspirators employed a sham escrow agent to falsely reassure investor-victims that their money was safe until the tire deals were consummated; more than $80 million flowed through the so-called escrow agent’s accounts related to the scheme.
Adkins also laundered his ill-gotten proceeds for at least five years, including by investing in front businesses created by co-conspirators.
Adkins bought cars, vacations and property with the funds from the scheme. For example, he paid for the construction of a pool at his personal residence and more than $20,000 to lease a private jet.
Further, Adkins failed to file individual income tax returns reporting his income derived from the scheme. In 2013, specifically, Adkins earned at least $1.1 million, which caused a tax loss of nearly $237,000 to the IRS.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation; and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the case. Assistant United States Attorneys S. Courter Shimeall, Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and David J. Twombly are representing the United States in this case.
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Inmate Charged with Assault of a Butler County Prison Corrections OfficerRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA.- An inmate at Allegheny County Jail has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge related to his assault of a corrections officer while in federal custody, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The one-count Indictment named David W. Fitzgerald, 42, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, Fitzgerald is alleged to have assaulted a corrections officer while in federal custody at the Butler County Prison on or about April 1, 2022. The assault occurred while Fitzgerald was being detained at this facility related to a prior federal firearm charge. The corrections officer suffered injuries including lacerations to his mouth and a broken tooth as a result of the assault.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Marshals Service and the Butler County Detective Bureau conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Indianapolis Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Federal Prison for Threats and Weapons Charges Related to Drive by Shooting of Masjid E Noor MosqueRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Jonathan Warren, 22, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 147 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to court documents, from May through August of 2020, Warren sent multiple threats and attempted to kill Victim 1 at least two times. In each of those attempts, Warren fired indiscriminately into crowded areas. On May 24, 2020, Warren fired into Victim 1’s house, then later that evening committed a drive by shooting into the Masjid E Noor mosque. Multiple worshipers were at the mosque, as it was the Eid al-Fitr, or the “Festival of the Breaking of the Fast.” On June 9, 2020, Warren fired multiple shoots across the parking lot of the Pangea Apartments on West 34th Street, causing multiple bystanders to flee in terror.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network Program were able to reconstruct the shootings, through the examination of shell casings collected at the scene, and identify Warren, leading to his arrest and conviction.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI investigated the case. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department provided valuable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker. As part of the sentence, Judge Barker ordered that Warren be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley P. Shepard who prosecuted this case.
Houston Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Fentanyl AnalogueRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss.– A Houston, Texas man was sentenced to 132 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute a fentanyl analogue, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Ronald Coleman, 47, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to information presented to the Court, on September 21, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling East on Interstate 10 in Harrison County. Ronald Coleman was the driver of the vehicle. During the stop, officers discovered marijuana hidden in the trunk of the vehicle. They also discovered suspected heroin hidden in a natural void in the back of the front passenger seat. Testing at the DEA laboratory revealed that the substances were over 400 grams of marijuana and over 500 grams of a fentanyl analogue.
The DEA and Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Buckner and Annette Williams prosecuted the case.
Heroin Drug Courier Sentenced to Five Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Birmingham, Alabama, man was sentenced in federal court on August 25, 2022, for his participation in a drug distribution organization operating in Baldwin County. Quantis Mandel Clark, 45, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances in June of 2019.
According to court documents, Clark was involved with other people who were making arrangements to obtain cocaine and heroin in Texas and in Birmingham. The drugs were distributed in Baldwin County through another conspirator from Daphne, Alabama. Clark was arrested by Baldwin County sheriff’s deputies when he was stopped in a rental car in February of 2019 as he traveled from Birmingham to Daphne on Interstate 65. The investigation that followed resulted in the seizure of approximately 205 grams of heroin and a small amount of cocaine from the rental car. Clark’s phone calls with the Daphne conspirator confirmed that he was an active participant in the distribution scheme and that he played a role in introducing at least one of source of supply to other conspirators, including the distributor in Daphne. Clark was held accountable for the distribution of approximately 6 kilograms of heroin during the time the conspiracy was ongoing.
United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a sentence of five years imprisonment in Clark’s case, to be followed by five years on supervised release to follow his imprisonment. As conditions of supervision, Clark will undergo testing and treatment for drug and alcohol abuse, and he will be subject to a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that the defendant pay $100 in special assessments.Clark’s case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Harrisburg Restaurant Owner Sentenced to 111 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking and Weapons OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Nyree Letterlough, a/k/a “Gram” or “Grammie,” age 51, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on August 29, 2022, to 111 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for cocaine trafficking and weapons offenses.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, in November 2021, a jury convicted Letterlough of drug trafficking, possessing a gun in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a stolen gun. These items were seized during a February 1, 2018, sweep of her home and other properties associated with her and her fellow drug trafficker, Saqueena Williams, a/k/a “Queenie,” following a years-long investigation.
Williams, the operator of Queenies Café, was convicted at the same trial of running a drug trafficking conspiracy from 2012 to 2018. The jury found that Williams trafficked in excess of five kilograms of cocaine, and that she possessed guns in furtherance of her drug trafficking operation.
Letterlough surrendered her interests in Grams Grill, located in Harrisburg, and other property. Williams also surrendered her interests in Queenies Café, located in Harrisburg, as well as the liquor license and other properties.
At Letterlough’s sentencing, issues regarding the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines were resolved after hearing argument from the parties. The sentence of 111 months’imprisonment imposed by Judge Conner was within the sentencing guideline range
The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Harrisburg Police Department and numerous other law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Consiglio and Samuel Dalke are prosecuting the case.
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Gulfport Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Gulfport man was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Broderick Demond Kelley, 44, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
According to information presented to the Court, on March 22, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that was being driven by Broderick Demond Kelley. During the stop, officers located user amounts of suspected methamphetamine, synthetic marijuana, and MDMA. They also located a Rossi .38 caliber revolver.
Kelley was taken into custody and admitted to purchasing the firearm two weeks before the stop. Kelley was on parole at the time of the stop. Kelley had two prior felony burglary convictions.
The DEA and Gulfport Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Gainesville Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Michael Lee Finn, Jr., 35, of Hawthorne, Florida, was sentenced to fifteen years in federal prison after pleading guilty on June 14, 2022, to production of child pornography. Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentenced.
“This sentence is yet another example of the unwavering commitment to the protection of our most vulnerable and should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would attempt to harm them,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and vigorously prosecute those who prey upon our children.”
Court documents reflect that on October 17, 2021, law enforcement officers were dispatched to a domestic disturbance at a residence in Gainesville, Florida. Upon arrival, officers spoke with the complainant, who advised she had been in a lengthy relationship with Michael Lee Finn, Jr. The complainant borrowed Finn’s cell phone, and while reviewing images stored on the phone observed numerous pornographic images of adults. She also located videos which appeared to depict a minor child victim laying partially naked on a couch as well as naked in the shower. It did not appear that the child victim was aware she was being videorecorded. The complainant confronted Finn about the videos, and an argument commenced during which Finn left the residence. Officers canvassed the area and located Finn, then advised him of his Miranda rights. Finn admitted to taking the photos and videos of the child victim without her knowledge. He further stated the pictures “might have been for personal gratification.” Finn was arrested on state charges for possession of child pornography. A state search warrant was obtained for the contents of the cell phone. In the “Hidden” Folder, there were several videos of the child victim which focus on her nude body and genitalia. Further investigation determined that the child victim was unaware that the images had been created.
“Parents must remain ever-vigilant, even in the confines of their own homes, as predators use technology to secretly exploit and victimize children,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “We are in the throes of a societal epidemic with regard to the sexual exploitation of children. Thanks to partners like the Gainesville Police Department, we were able to put a stop to this deviant’s behavior.”
Finn’s prison sentence will be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. He will be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to sex offender conditions.
This conviction was the result of a collaborative investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations and the Gainesville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Frank Williams prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Fourth Contractor Enters Guilty Plea to Bribing Former Mayor of CatañoRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – José Bou-Santiago, 50, was charged via information and pleaded guilty today in Puerto Rico to engaging in a bribery scheme in which he provided a bribe in exchange for being awarded a future municipal construction service contract that benefited his maintenance service company.
In 2019, Bou-Santiago, the owner Bou Maintenance Service, secured municipal contracts in Cataño for green area maintenance, construction, and the purchase, sale, and rental of vehicles. In order to stay competitive with bidding for these types of municipal contracts, Bou-Santiago agreed to provide the former mayor of Cataño with a Rolex watch. In April 2019, Bou-Santiago met with the former mayor of Cataño at his home and provided him with the watch. The watch was a Rolex “Pepsi” Model #116719 purchased by Bou-Santiago for $33,000 and given to the former mayor of Cataño in exchange for the awarding of a future construction service contract to Bou Maintenance Service.
In June 2019, in exchange for the Rolex watch provided to the former mayor of Cataño, Bou Maintenance Service was awarded a Cataño municipal contract for construction services valued at approximately $190,000.00.
Bou-Santiago pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in a bribery scheme. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. 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, W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s San Juan Field Office.
Trial Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant United States Attorney Seth A. Erbe of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matters, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and three contractors in the District of Puerto Rico for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts. See United States v. Félix Delgado-Montalvo, 21-463 (RAM); United States v. Oscar Santamaria-Torres, 21-464 (RAM); United States v. United States v. Raymond Rodríguez, 21-465 (RAM); United States v. Mario Villegas, 21-468(FAB); United States v. Luis Arroyo-Chiques, 21-485 (SCC); United States v. Eduardo Cintron-Saurez, 22-151 (SCC); United States v. Ramon Conde-Melendez, 22-221 (PAD); United States v. Pedro Marrero-Miranda, 22-251 (RAM); and United States v. Jose Luis Cruz-Cruz, 22-276 (SCC).
Additionally, the department recently obtained indictments charging several former officials and contractors with bribery related to municipal contracts, and those cases are still pending. See United States v. Ángel Pérez-Otero, 21-474 (ADC); United States v. Radamés Benítez-Cardona, 21-475 (PAD); United States v. Javier García-Pérez, 22-185 (ADC); and United States v. Reinaldo Vargas-Rodríguez, 22-186 (PAD).
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Fourteen in Elyria and Cleveland Indicted for Roles in Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - Fourteen members of a drug trafficking organization operating in Northeast Ohio were charged today after a grand jury returned a 38-count indictment, alleging that the defendants participated in a conspiracy that distributed over 5 kilograms of cocaine, over 280 grams of crack cocaine base and fentanyl throughout the area.
Named in the indictment are Montez Miller, 34, of Elyria, Ohio; Mario Hoyle, 32, of Elyria, Ohio; Marlon Hoyle, 30, of Elyria, Ohio; Marque Miller, 28, of Cleveland, Ohio; Theodore Nickoloff, 48, of Elyria, Ohio; Adrian Smith, 32, of Elyria, Ohio; Anthony Lee Smith, 33, of Elyria, Ohio; Mario McCray, 41, of Elyria, Ohio; Madonna Sanchez, 36, of Elyria, Ohio; Alex Perez, 25, of Sheffield Lake, Ohio; Bernard Green, 62, of Elyria, Ohio; Brandon Keith, 32, of Elyria, Ohio; Toquato Knowles, 42, of Elyria, Ohio and Darius Glass, 32, of Elyria, Ohio.
Each defendant is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and distribution of controlled substances.
According to the indictment, from February 2019 to August 2022, it is alleged that members of the drug trafficking organization obtained large quantities of cocaine from an unknown supplier, which they then redistributed to the named defendants to be further distributed throughout Northeast Ohio.
The conspirators are also accused of using cell phones and coded language to obscure and disguise their drug trafficking activity.
If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after a review of factors unique to this case, including prior criminal records, if any, role in the offenses, and the characteristics of the violations.
In all cases, sentences will not exceed the statutory maximums, and in most cases, will be less than the maximums.
The investigation was conducted by the Elyria Police Department, with assistance from the FBI Cleveland Division, the Lorain Police Department, the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office, Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office and the United States Marshals Service. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert F. Corts and Vasile C. Katsaros.
This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was also investigated as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.)., an initiative that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids and to identify wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers in Lorain County.
Four Jersey City Gang Members and Associates Admit Gang-Related StabbingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Four members and associates of a neighborhood street gang in Hudson County, New Jersey, admitted their respective roles in a gang-related stabbing, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Jermaine Jennings, aka “Maine” and “Drill,” 21, Divine Abraham, aka “Dee,” 22, Jamil Bowens, 21, and Jaylen Boone, 22, all of Jersey City, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court via video conference to separate informations charging each of them with one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Aug. 3, 2020, Jennings, Abraham, Bowens, Boone, and four others, all of whom are associated with a street gang operating in and around the Curries Woods Public Housing Complex in Jersey City – identified as “Curries Woods” or the “Tay Tay Shrimp Gang” or the “Sharks” – assaulted a rival gang member in retaliation for a prior gang-related assault. As the victim was walking down a street in Jersey City, Jennings, Abraham, Bowens, Boone, and the others approached in two cars, parked in the middle of the street, and violently assaulted the victim, who was punched, kicked, and stabbed and suffered life-threatening injuries.
The count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering activity is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is currently scheduled as follows: Jennings, Jan. 4, 2023; Abraham and Bowens, Jan. 6, 2023; and Boone, Jan. 10, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the special agents and task force officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews; the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director James Shea; the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez; and the Hudson County Department of Corrections with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas.
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, 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 Criminal Division in Trenton.
Former Owner and Executive at Long Island Mortgage Lender Sentenced to 24 Months' Imprisonment for $8.9 Million FraudRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Edward E. Bohm, formerly the President of Sales and part-owner of mortgage lender Vanguard Funding, LLC (Vanguard), based in Garden City, New York was sentenced by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert to 24 months’ imprisonment in connection with the diversion of more than $8.9 million of warehouse loans that Vanguard had fraudulently obtained purportedly to fund home mortgages and mortgage refinancing. Bohm was also ordered to pay $3,488,615.42 in restitution and $1,500,000 in criminal forfeiture. In February 2019, Bohm pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire and bank fraud.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Adrienne A. Harris, Superintendent, New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS), announced the sentence.
“With today’s sentence, Edward Bohm has been deservedly punished for his role in a fraudulent scheme that deceived banks that trusted and relied upon him as a business partner. Bohm diverted the loan proceeds to, among other things, pay tens of thousands of dollars in monthly personal credit card expenses and finance the luxury house in which he lived,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will vigorously investigate and prosecute those who commit fraud to advance their own financial interests at the expense of businesses and residents of our district.”
“Edward Bohm and his associates at Vanguard Funding defrauded the financial institutions that provide critical residential mortgage funding, helping themselves to the short-term loans they falsely claimed were on behalf of consumers,” stated DFS Superintendent Harris. “As New York's financial services regulator, I am proud of DFS’s mortgage banking examiners and criminal investigators who assisted in the investigation that brought Bohm to justice, and who will continue to root out fraud on behalf of all New Yorkers."
Between August 2015 and March 2017, Bohm and his co-conspirators at Vanguard engaged in a scheme in which they obtained more than $8.9 million in short-term loans, referred to as warehouse loans, by falsely representing that the loan proceeds would fund specific mortgages, or refinance specific mortgages, for Vanguard clients. Instead, Bohm and his co-conspirators diverted the funds to pay personal expenses and compensation, and to pay off loans they had previously obtained through false loan applications. Bohm is the third defendant to be sentenced in connection with this scheme. On February 6, 2019, Vanguard Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Edward J. Sypher, Jr., was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment and restitution in the amount of $3,488,615.42 following his conviction on conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud charges. On February 26, 2019, Vanguard Chief Operating Officer Matthew T. Voss was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment and $3,488,615.42 restitution following his conviction on conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud charges.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Whitman G.S. Knapp, with assistance from Special Agent Martin Sullivan of the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney Madeline O’Connor of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.
The Defendant:
EDWARD E. BOHM
Age: 44
Smithtown, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-36 (JS)
Florida Man Indicted on Charges Relating to the Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Tampa, Florida, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Thomas Edward Grossman, 47, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, in and around August 2022, Grossman traveled from Florida to the Western District of Pennsylvania for the purpose of engaging in criminal sexual activity with a minor. The indictment also alleges that Grossman transported a minor female from Pennsylvania to West Virginia with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, the West Virginia State Police and the Summersville, West Virginia Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Florida Lab Owner Charged in $53 Million Health Care Fraud and Kickback Scheme Related to Genetic Cancer Screening TestsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Florida lab owner has been charged with over $50 million in health care fraud related to fraudulent genetic cancer screening tests, Attorney for the United States Lee M. Cortes Jr. announced today.
Daniel Hurt, 48, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is charged by information with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He had his initial appearance and arraignment by videoconference today before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Hurt owned several clinical laboratories that conducted or arranged for a variety of medical tests. Hurt paid kickbacks and bribes to various entities who supplied referrals and orders for genetic cancer screening tests (CGX) for Medicare and other health care benefit program beneficiaries, without regard to medical necessity. The laboratories submitted claims for payment to Medicare for these CGX tests. Medicare reimbursed the laboratories without knowing that the services were not medically necessary or were procured through the payment of kickbacks. From January 2019 to October 2021, Hurt, through the laboratories, submitted or caused to be submitted claims to Medicare, including claims for beneficiaries residing in New Jersey.
Hurt paid kickbacks to entities who supplied referrals for each CGX test that was billed to Medicare and other health care benefit programs. To conceal the payments of bribes, Hurt and the suppliers entered into sham contracts to make it appear that the suppliers were engaged in, and being paid for, legitimate marketing and referral services. The scheme resulted in Medicare paying the laboratories at least $53.3 million for CGX test claims. Hurt received at least $26.9 million from the Medicare reimbursements.
The count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud carries a maximum potential punishment of 10 years in prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000.
Hurt has also been charged in the Western District of Pennsylvania and the Southern District of Florida in relation to other health care offenses. Those charges are also pending.
Attorney for the United States Cortes credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert; the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick Hegarty; and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri with the investigation leading to today’s charge.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Sherman of the Opioid Abuse Prevention & Enforcement Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the information are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Five additional defendants charged with fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief fundingRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: The number of defendants charged with illegally obtaining pandemic relief funds continues to rise in the Southern District of Georgia as investigators identify those who used fraud to receive government payments.
Since passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, in March 2020, and its subsequent funding of more than $6.5 billion, the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office has federally charged nearly 40 defendants for fraudulently obtaining Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) funding or Economic Injury Disaster Loans through Small Business Administration.
“The CARES Act provided a vital safety net for small businesses during months of pandemic-related disruptions,” said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “In coordination with our law enforcement partners, we continue to identify and hold accountable those who obtained funding to which they weren’t entitled and in violation of the law.”
Defendants recently charged in the Southern District include:
- Roshawnda Richardson, 29, of Waverly, Ga., pled guilty to an Information charging her with Wire Fraud. Richardson admitted participating in a scheme to fraudulently obtain PPP funding for two businesses.
- Jerrod Bellamy, 25, of Savannah, pled guilty to an Information charging him with Conspiracy and Filing a False Tax Return. Bellamy admitted he provided false information in his personal tax return, fraudulently obtained a PPP loan, and conspired with others to fraudulently obtain PPP loans for them. He also received more than $50,000 in kickbacks for helping co-conspirators fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief funding.
- Lesley Anne McCray, 31, of Fort Stewart, is charged via Information alleging she committed Wire Fraud. The Information alleges she provided false information to obtain PPP funding.
- Christopher Sylvester, 29, of Columbia, S.C., is charged via Information with Wire Fraud. Sylvester is alleged to have provided false information in a PPP application to receive relief funding.
- Monique Stoddart, 30, of Hinesville, Ga., is charged via Information with Wire Fraud. Stoddart is alleged to have provided fraudulent information and false tax forms in an application to receive PPP funding.
The defendants face possible penalty ranges of up to 20 years in prison. As alleged in the charges and reflected in testimony and court documents, the fraudulent loan applications in these cases combined to cause lenders to pay nearly $400,000 to defendants and co-conspirators.
Criminal indictments and informations contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“Army CID takes all attempts at committing fraud against the federal government by active duty or Department of the Army civilians seriously. This case is an example of the lengths our investigators and law enforcement partners will go to bring perpetrators to justice,” said Acting Resident Agent in Charge Jennifer Coleman of the Southeast Fraud Resident Agency, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division.
“Providing false information to gain access to SBA programs intended for victims of disasters is unacceptable,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “OIG is focused on rooting out bad actors in these vital SBA programs. I want to thank the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.”
“IRS-Criminal Investigation is dedicated to ensuring COVID-19 relief funds are going to those who really need it,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge James E. Dorsey. “We have a financial expertise that assists our law enforcement partners in these types of cases. Together we will continue to show the public the value we bring to our community ensuring these federal relief funds are going to the real small business owners in need, not to greedy criminals.”
“The U.S. Secret Service along with our law enforcement partners remain committed in the fight to defend the nation’s financial security, and we stand ready to protect our economic infrastructure from those that choose to feloniously exploit it,” said Craig Reno, Resident Agent in Charge of the Savannah Resident Office.” The Secret Service and our law enforcement partners will investigate and criminally prosecute such fraud to the fullest extent of the law.”
The cases are being investigated by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Secret Service, and prosecuted for the United States by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Firearms Trafficker Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Dealing Handguns and “Switch” Devices in Chicago AreaRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a Chicago-area firearms trafficker to ten years in prison for unlawfully dealing handguns and “switch” devices capable of converting semi-automatic firearms into machine guns.
In September 2020, LEONARD D. JOHNSON supplied at least four “switch” devices, also known as “Glock switches,” to an individual who later sold them to a confidential informant and an undercover law enforcement officer. The individual and Johnson then split the proceeds. In December 2020, law enforcement executed a court-authorized search of Johnson’s residence in Robbins, Ill., and discovered 117 “switch” devices and three handguns that had been converted into machine guns, as well as another handgun, a silencer, three extended magazines, and ammunition.
Johnson was arrested in December 2020 on a federal firearm charge. He violated his conditions of pre-trial release while continuing to traffic firearms in 2021. He later fled to Georgia, where he was arrested in March 2022.
Johnson, also known as “Scrap,” 34, pleaded guilty in June 2022 to one count of unlawfully dealing firearms and one count of illegal possession of a machine gun. U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Kendall imposed the ten-year prison sentence on Aug. 25, 2022.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Kristen de Tineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lansing, Ill., Police Department and the Midlothian, Ill., Police Department.
“Defendant was a prolific machine gun dealer in the Chicago area,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Mulaney argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Glock switches are a prevalent danger in this community that have no purpose other than to inflict maximum damage on enemies and any innocent bystanders who get caught in the spray of bullets.”
Disrupting illegal firearms trafficking is the focus of the Department of Justice’s Chicago Firearms Trafficking Strike Force. As part of the strike force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with ATF and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the Northern District of Illinois and across the country to help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms and identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes.
Holding firearm offenders accountable through federal prosecution is also a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Felon on Federal Supervision Sentenced for Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Antonio Ferguson, 41, of Port St. Lucie, Florida, has been sentenced to 46 months in prison after being convicted of possessing a firearm while being a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on September 29, 2021, multiple Federal and State law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant on a residence in Port St. Lucie, Florida, after a drug investigation. Antonio Ferguson was found in the residence and in possession of a firearm. Ferguson was on federal supervision after serving a prison sentence for selling narcotics. As a convicted felon, Ferguson was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Miami Field Division, made the announcement. ATF Miami investigated this case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-14010-CR-AMC.
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Federal Jury Convicts Man of Committing Murder to Maintain and Increase Position in Chicago Street GangRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury has convicted a man of committing murder to maintain and increase his position in a violent Chicago street gang.
PIERRE ROBINSON, 29, of Chicago, was found guilty of committing murder in aid of racketeering. The jury returned its verdict on Aug. 25, 2022, after a four-day trial in U.S. District in Chicago. The conviction is punishable by a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison. U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr., set sentencing for Feb. 8, 2023.
The conviction was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen de Tineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Albert Berry III and Margaret Steindorf.
Evidence at trial revealed that Robinson murdered Glenn Houston, Jr., on Dec. 23, 2014, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing Robinson’s position in the Evans Mob street gang. Robinson shot Houston, 23, multiple times inside a store in the 400 block of East 79th Street in the Chatham neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. The Evans Mob, also known as “GuttaGang,” is a criminal organization whose members and associates engaged in narcotics trafficking and committed acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, and assault, to acquire and preserve the gang’s territory on the South Side of Chicago. Members of the Evans Mob used social media to publicly claim responsibility for their acts of violence, taunt rival gang members, and took steps to prevent law enforcement’s detection of its criminal activities.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – A Fayetteville man was sentenced yesterday to 126 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court documents, during the months of June and July 2021, detectives with the Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force (DTF) conducted multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine from David Damarion Sims, age 25, in Washington County.
On July 9, 2021, detectives with the DTF were conducting surveillance at one of Sims' residences. Detectives observed Sims and an unknown female exit the residence and Sims was carrying a backpack. He got into the passenger seat of the vehicle and left the area.
Officers with the Fayetteville Police Department were in the area and were requested to initiate a traffic stop on Sims and arrest him on the felony distribution charges. When Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, Sims exited the vehicle and fled the area on foot.
Officers pursued Sims on foot and observed him discard the backpack he was carrying. Officers caught Sims and arrested him. Sims was in possession of approximately 58.7 grams of methamphetamine separated into three individual baggies, approximately 19.4 grams of marijuana, and two stolen firearms.
Detectives with the DTF conducted a search warrant at one of Sims' residences. During a search of the residence, detectives located an additional 29 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, $10,410.00 US Currency, DTF buy funds, approximately 2 strips of LSD ,5 unknown pills, and 2 spent shell casings located in the residence.
A search was also conducted at a second residence of Sims. That search yielded a baggie containing multiple rounds of ammunition, and a digital scale with methamphetamine residue.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force and the Fayetteville Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Farrell, PA Felon Charges with Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Maurice Brooks was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for firearm and drug trafficking crimes, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The Indictment charges Brooks, age 35 of Farrell, Pennsylvania, with distributing and/or possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine on eight occasions in May and June 2022, and with possessing a firearm and ammunition on June 2, 2022, after a prior felony conviction.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 250 years in prison and a fine of up to $16,250,000. Under the Under States Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller and Special Assistant United States Attorney/Mercer County Assistant District Attorney Shane T. Crevar are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Mercer County Drug Task Force, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the return of the Indictment in this case. This case is being prosecuted 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.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Fannin County Man Guilty of Multiple East Texas Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Leonard, Texas man has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Kevin Long, 30, pleaded guilty to bank robbery before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine A. Nowak on August 29, 2022.
According to information presented in court, Long robbed multiple banks in East Texas between 2020 and 2021. During the robberies he passed threatening notes to bank employees, he physically restrained bank employees, and he stole over $550,000. Those robberies include: CapTex Bank in Bonham on Jan. 31, 2020; Financial Bank in Farmersville on August 11, 2020; Bancorp South Bank in Tom Bean on Oct. 16, 2020; Commercial Bank in Farmerville on August 13, 2021; and First United Bank in Leonard on August 20, 2021.
Long was indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 10, 2021. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bonham Police Department, Farmersville Police Department, Grayson County Sheriff’s Office, Sherman Police Department, Allen Police Department, Leonard Police Department, Bells Police Department, Tom Bean Police Department, and Texas Department of Public Safety.
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Fairhope Man Pleads Guilty to over $1.2 Million in PPP FraudRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Jason Carl Pears of Fairhope, Alabama, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering before United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer on August 26, 2022. The guilty plea arises from Pears’ abuse of assistance programs provided under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Pears obtained two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans on behalf of two companies: The Jason Made It Company and Nanny For A Week. Pears utilized false tax forms, altered checks, and falsified loan documents to obtain the loans. After successfully securing over $1.2 million in PPP loan funds, Pears spent the money on luxury goods and real estate, among other things. Pears is due to be sentenced before Judge Moorer on November 18, 2022.
U. S. Attorney Sean P. Costello said, “Criminals who refuse to play by the rules and lie, cheat, and steal money will be tracked down. We continue to work with our partners in law enforcement to identify and prosecute anyone who abuses the system for their own selfish gain.”
“The Payroll Protection Program was designed to alleviate some of the financial hardship caused by the pandemic. By falsely claiming benefits from this program, Mr. Pears victimized the American taxpayer and took money away from deserving people in need. The FBI remains committed to investigating fraud against the government and protecting the American people” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown.
The case was investigated by a joint task force of Special Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasee Heisterhagen prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Fairfield Woman Admits Embezzling $1.5 MillionRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CAROLINA GUERRENO, 49, of Fairfield, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to a fraud charge related to her embezzlement of approximately $1.5 million from her employer.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Guerreno served as the Chief Financial Officer of a financial services company located in Shelton. As part of her job responsibilities, she had access to her employer’s bank accounts and was allowed to initiate financial transactions, including wiring company funds to other bank accounts. From January 2019 and continuing until her fraud was detected by the company in February 2021, Guerreno stole $1,532,207.24 by altering company financial transactions and directing electronic payments from her employer’s bank account to her credit card accounts, her personal bank accounts, and to pay her home equity line of credit.
Guerreno pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Judge Shea scheduled sentencing for November 28.
Guerreno is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, the Wallingford Police Department and the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
Dubois, PA Man Sentenced for Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Dubois, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to three years of probation on a conviction of a federal money laundering law related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Cindy Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Taylor Thomas, age 28. Thomas was one of 47 defendants charged in six related indictments as part of the Return to Sender investigation.
According to information presented to the court, Thomas was intercepted communicating with other members of the conspiracy, including Derek Hillebrand and Yusuf Adekunle. Those communications revealed that Thomas sent multiple parcels containing United States currency to individuals in California on behalf of Hillebrand, Adekunle, and other members of the drug trafficking organization. That money represented drug proceeds that were used to purchase additional methamphetamine and marijuana for the members of the organization, who would then receive shipments of methamphetamine and marijuana in mail parcels sent from suppliers in California, Nevada, and Oregon.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Michael R. Ball are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Clearfield, PA Felon Charged with Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Clearfield, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal firearms and narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The three-count Indictment named Christian Graham age 23, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about January 26, 2022, Graham possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a delectable amount of methamphetamine and quantities of cocaine and fentanyl. Also on January 26, 2022, Graham possessed a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possessed a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon is prohibited under federal law.
The law provides for a sentence of not more than 30 years in prison, a fine of $8,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Chicago, Illinois Man Sentenced to 46 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Markeese Deshon Thomas, 29 years old, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Jon E. DeGuilio on his plea of guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Thomas was sentenced to 46 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on October 31, 2021, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on I-90 in Hammond, Indiana for speeding. During the stop officers smelled marijuana, noted the occupants acted nervous and did not have identification. Thomas, provided a fake name and date of birth while also making sudden movements. After the occupants were removed from the vehicle, a search resulted in the recovery of two loaded semi-automatic pistols and marijuana. Thomas admitted to possessing the firearms. His criminal history revealed that he has three prior felony convictions for illegally possessing firearms, and as such, is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Gang Response Investigative Team and the Indiana State Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Toth.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
California Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Traffic Methamphetamine and to Launder Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A California man was convicted Friday, August 26, 2022, by a federal jury for his involvement in a conspiracy to traffic over a quarter of a million dollars’ worth of methamphetamine and marijuana into the Natchez, Mississippi area, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
According to court documents, from 2016 through 2018, Arthur Wilson, 57, from Moreno Valley, California, conspired with Wesley Bell of Natchez, MS, Jimmie Lee Swearengen, Jr., of Mesquite, TX, Thomas Jerome Mitchell and Justine Chambers of Victorville, CA, and Kevin Singleton, formerly of Natchez, MS, to traffic kilograms of methamphetamine and marijuana into the Natchez area for distribution and sale. Wilson was also convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering for his role in moving more than $345,000 in drug proceeds from Natchez to his drug suppliers in California.
Wilson will be sentenced on November 9, 2022. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $10 million fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. 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 OCDETF case is the result of an extensive investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force in Atlanta, GA, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mississippi Highway Patrol, and Pearl Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Carla J. Clark and Clay B. Baldwin.
Broward County Resident Charged in Alleged MJ Capital Financing Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Twenty-nine-year-old Pavel Ramon Ruiz Hernandez has been charged in South Florida federal court with conspiring to commit wire fraud through an investment Ponzi fraud scheme linked to MJ Capital Funding, LLC (“MJ Capital Funding”).
According to the allegations in the information, MJ Capital Funding was a Pompano Beach company that offered merchant cash advances, or MCAs, a type of short-term financing typically used by small and medium-sized businesses. The information alleges that from about March to August 12, 2021, Ruiz Hernandez and his co-conspirators fraudulently solicited money from investors to fund MJ Capital Funding’s MCAs. It also alleges that Ruiz Hernandez and his co-conspirators recruited others to solicit additional investors, typically paying the recruits about 10% of the money they raised each month.
According to the information, Ruiz Hernandez and his co-conspirators lied to investors about MJ Capital Funding’s use of investor funds. For example, Ruiz Hernandez told investors that they would use the money to fund MCAs and that the profits of MJ Capital Funding’s MCA business would fund investor returns, which was not true. In fact, MJ Capital Funding made few MCAs and failed to earn anywhere near the profits it needed to pay the investor returns or principal amounts, it is alleged. As a result, the information charges that Ruiz Hernandez and his co-conspirators paid investor returns by running a large Ponzi fraud scheme, paying existing investors using new investor funds, while misappropriating millions of dollars for themselves. The information alleges Ruiz Hernandez and his co-conspirators defrauded investors of over $42 million.
Ruiz Hernandez made his initial federal court appearance today in federal magistrate court in Miami. If convicted, Ruiz Hernandez faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Robert M. DeWitt, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami investigated this case. Florida’s Office of Financial Regulation and SEC Miami assisted. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric E. Morales of the Southern District of Florida is prosecuting the case.
An information is a charging instrument containing allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-cr-20185.
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Bronx Gang Member Admits to 2017 MurderRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that NYSHIEM SPENCER, a/k/a “Willy,” pled guilty today in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer Willis to charges relating to his involvement in a shooting on October 31, 2017, in the vicinity of the Soundview Houses in the Bronx, New York, which resulted in the murder of Luis Vargas, 16 years old, and injuries to two other individuals, including a 15-year old child.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “On October 31, 2017, Nyshiem Spencer opened fire in the courtyard of the Soundview Houses and killed Luis Vargas, who was 16 years old. Spencer also shot and injured two other people in the courtyard, including a 15-year old child. Today’s guilty plea shows that we will vigorously investigate and hold accountable those who are responsible for shootings and acts of gang violence in our community. I commend the extraordinary efforts of our law enforcement partners, who worked tirelessly to investigate Luis Vargas’s murder.”
According to the allegations in the Superseding Information and other filings and statements made in court:
NYSHIEM SPENCER was a member and associate of the Monroe Houses Crew, a racketeering enterprise which operates principally in the James Monroe Houses in the Soundview neighborhood of the Bronx. In order to enrich the enterprise, preserve and protect the power of the enterprise, and enhance its criminal operations, Monroe Houses Crew members and associates committed, conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit acts of violence, including murder; distributed and possessed with intent to distribute narcotics; committed robberies; engaged in fraud; and obtained, possessed, and used firearms.
On October 31, 2017, SPENCER carried out a shooting targeting rival gang members in the courtyard of the Soundview Houses, which resulted in the murder of Luis Vargas, age 16. Two other individuals, including a 15-year old child, were injured during the shooting.
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SPENCER, 21, of the Bronx, New York, pled guilty to one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in furtherance of a murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, which was brandished and discharged, which carries a maximum prison term of life and a mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
SPENCER is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Analisa Torres on March 7, 2023.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and New York City’s Department of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew K. Chan, Justin V. Rodriguez, and Emily A. Johnson are in charge of the prosecution.