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24 August 2022
East Longmeadow Man Indicted for Possessing Fentanyl Intended for Distribution and a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking FelonyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An East Longmeadow man was arrested yesterday on fentanyl and firearm offenses.
Carlos Gonzalez, 25, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Springfield on one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking felony. Following an initial appearance yesterday in federal court in Springfield before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Katherine A. Robertson, Gonzalez was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Aug. 23, 2022.
“The serious fentanyl and gun charges in this indictment reflect my office’s commitment to devote all the resources at our disposal to combat violence and drug trafficking wherever it occurs,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins.
“Fentanyl is causing deaths in record numbers and DEA’s top priority is to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes this poison,” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England. “Illegal drug distribution ravages the very foundations of our families and communities so every time we take fentanyl off the streets, lives are saved. This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners here in Massachusetts.”
According to the indictment, on Jan. 25, 2022, Gonzalez allegedly possessed 400 grams or more of fentanyl intended for distribution and a Glock 9 mm semi-automatic handgun in furtherance of the fentanyl trafficking.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, up to six years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking felony provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and DEA SAC Boyle Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District of Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation and Sex Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Christopher Young, 31, of Washington, D.C., has pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and second-degree child sexual abuse for abusing a minor child, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Young pleaded guilty on Aug. 23, 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Amit P. Mehta scheduled sentencing for Dec. 6, 2022.
According to the government’s evidence, Young, pretending to be a young girl, reached out to the victim, a 10-year-old child, in June 2019 through a messaging application. In the messages that Young exchanged with the victim, he blackmailed her for the purpose of sexually abusing her. While pretending to be a young girl, Young messaged the victim, stating that if the victim did not engage in sexual acts with Young, embarrassing photographs of the victim would be disseminated to the victim’s family. Young also photographed his sexual abuse of the victim. One of these photographs was recovered from Young’s e-mail account.
The victim reported the abuse to her mother, and Young was arrested on July 23, 2019. He has been in custody since his arrest.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, as well as the MPD’s Narcotics and Special Investigation Division, Human Trafficking Unit. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Alexis Spencer-Anderson, Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jodi Lazarus, Kathleen Kern, Rachel Bohlen, and Janani Iyengar.
Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Bobby James Mitchell, 42, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to six years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and violating his supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 11, 2021, a Hurricane Police officer pulled over a vehicle driven by Mitchell on Interstate 64 in Putnam County. Mitchell admitted that the officer found 499 pills containing approximately 54 grams of fentanyl in the vehicle. Mitchell further admitted that he intended to sell the fentanyl.
Mitchell was previously convicted of distributing heroin in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on November 21, 2016. Today’s prison sentence includes one year and one month for committing crimes while on supervised release.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Hurricane Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-71.
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Department of Justice Announces the Opening of Nominations for the Sixth Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community PolicingRead the Press Release
Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the Department of Justice is now accepting nominations for the Sixth Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing. Through this award, the Department of Justice honors the incredible work our nation’s law enforcement does to keep our communities and our country safe.
“Every day, law enforcement officers across the country work to forge and maintain strong community ties that are essential for ensuring public safety,” said Attorney General Garland. “The Department of Justice cannot fulfill its public safety mission without such critical efforts, and this award is just one way the Department says ‘thank you’ to our law enforcement partners.”
The Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing recognizes individual state, local, Tribal, and territorial police officers, deputies, and troopers for exceptional efforts in community policing. The awarded officers, deputies, and troopers will have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: innovations in community policing, criminal investigations, or field operations. Within each category, an award will be given to law enforcement agencies serving small, medium, and large jurisdictions. Those agency sizes are defined as follows:
- Small: agencies serving populations of fewer than 50,000.
- Medium: agencies serving populations of 50,000 to 250,000.
- Large: agencies serving populations of more than 250,000.
By acknowledging and rewarding these efforts, the Department strives to promote and sustain its commitment to community policing and to advance proactive policing practices that are fair and effective. With the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing, the Justice Department recognizes that the nation’s law enforcement agencies, officers, deputies, and troopers continue to work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.
The deadline for nominations is Sept. 23, 2022 at 8 p.m. (ET). More information and the application for nominees can be found at: www.justice.gov/ag/policing-award.
DeKalb Resident Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for Bringing Undocumented Workers to the U.S. for Private Financial GainRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A DeKalb, Ill., resident was sentenced today to three years in federal prison for bringing undocumented workers to the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain.
U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard imposed the sentence on LUIS ALFREDO DELACRUZ, 53, after a hearing in federal court in Rockford.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and R. Sean Fitzgerald, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of Homeland Security Investigations. The DeKalb Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincenza Tomlinson.
Delacruz admitted in a plea agreement earlier this year that on Nov. 1, 2015, he knowingly brought an alien to the U.S. to work at Delacruz’s business, Alfredo’s Iron Works in Cortland, Ill. Delacruz admitted that he paid a smuggling fee to another individual to bring the worker into the country. Once the worker started working for Delacruz’s business, Delacruz deducted the smuggling fee from the worker’s paychecks, referring to it as an “employee loan repayment.”
Investigating agents who executed a search warrant at Delacruz’s business found in a desk drawer fraudulent identification documents for an additional ten undocumented workers. In all, Delacruz admitted that he smuggled at least two people into the U.S. on at least four separate occasions.
Company Operating Aluminum Processing Facility in the Dalles Charged with Clean Air Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—An Illinois-based company that operates an aluminum processing facility in The Dalles, Oregon has been charged with violating the Clean Air Act by negligently releasing a hazardous air pollutant from its facility, endangering employees and nearby community members.
Hydro Extrusion USA (Hydro), a limited liability corporation based in Rosemont, Illinois, has been charged by criminal information with negligent endangerment under the Clean Air Act.
“Enforcing emissions standards for hazardous air pollutants is critical to protecting the air we breathe and ensuring companies play by the rules,” said Ethan Knight, Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “We will vigorously prosecute any company that risks the health and safety of its workers or our communities.”
“Our nation’s environmental laws are designed to protect our communities from hazardous pollutants,” said Special Agent in Charge Scot Adair of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) criminal investigation program in Oregon. “The criminal charge filed in this case demonstrates that companies that negligently violate those laws will be held responsible for their crimes.”
According to court documents, Hydro operates a secondary aluminum processing facility in The Dalles where it melts aluminum scrap in induction furnaces to produce reusable aluminum billets. While operating, air emissions from the company’s furnaces were open to the interior of the building and did not pass through any pollution control devices before reaching employees or being vented to ambient air.
Under the Clean Air Act, secondary aluminum production facilities are only permitted to use “clean charge,” aluminum scrap free of paints, coatings or lubricants. Despite this requirement, from July 2018 through June 2019, Hydro acquired and melted scrap aluminum coated in a mineral-oil based mixture that, when combusted, produced hazardous smoke. During this time, Hydro employees noticed excessive smoke in the facility. Despite being notified by inspectors from EPA and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (Oregon DEQ), Hydro continued melting the unclean charge.
Hydro has fully cooperated with the government’s investigation of this matter and agreed to plead guilty.
This case was investigated by the EPA Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID) with assistance from Oregon DEQ. It is being prosecuted by Ryan W. Bounds, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
A criminal information is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Colombian National Sentenced to 30 Years for Recruiting Crewmembers to Smuggle over 1,500 Kilograms of Cocaine on Ill-Fated Oil Freighter “Fat Crow”Read the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Hector Fabio Garcia Vengohechea (59, Cartagena, Colombia) to 30 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Garcia Vengohechea had pleaded guilty on January 19, 2022.
According to court documents, on August 24, 2017, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma interdicted the oil freighter “Fat Crow” in international waters south of Kingston, Jamaica. There were nine crewmembers on the vessel and 1,504 kilograms of cocaine concealed within. The vessel, registered in the Togolese Republic, was destined for a point off the coast of Honduras.
Garcia Vengohechea, who had a prior federal conviction for drug trafficking prosecuted in the Middle District of Florida, recruited the crewmembers of the “Fat Crow” and helped plan the venture. He also negotiated payments to the crewmembers and met with the crew prior to departure. After his arrest in Cartagena on October 10, 2019, on a provisional arrest warrant in this case, Garcia Vengohechea admitted to FBI and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service agents that he was in charge of providing guidance to the “Fat Crow” crewmembers as well as supplies for the venture.
This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. 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 case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
Cincinnati Men Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky.— Two Cincinnati men, Taravon Geer, 28, and Keith Upshaw, 26, were sentenced to federal prison Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, after previously pleading guilty to their roles in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Geer was sentenced to 216 months in prison and Upshaw was sentenced to 60 months in prison. A third member of the conspiracy, Radaja Ford, was sentenced to 228 months in prison.
According to court documents, the Geer and Upshaw conspired with Ford to distribute a large amount of fentanyl, by selling a combination of fentanyl and heroin on multiple occasions. Law enforcement made sixteen controlled drug buys from the group, in June and July of 2020. They arranged each transaction by calling a common cellular number and arranging the transaction with either Ford or Geer. At his arrest, Geer was found in possession of 16.251 grams of fentanyl, more than $3,500, digital scales, baggies, and two cellular phones. At his arrest, Ford was found in possession of more than $4,000 in cash, twenty oxycodone tablets, and three cellular phones. At his arrest, Upshaw was found in possession of a loaded Glock 19 handgun, a digital scale, and 3.955 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and a fentanyl analogue. Upshaw admitted to his involvement in distributing over 40 grams of fentanyl and Geer admitted to participating in the distribution of over 400 grams of fentanyl. Geer has prior convictions for drug trafficking, residential burglary, and burglary while in possession of a firearm and was on parole at the time of these offenses.
Under federal law, each Defendant must serve 85 percent of their prison sentence. Upon release from prison, Geer and Upshaw will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisville Field Division; and Rob Nader, Covington Police Chief, jointly announced the sentences.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Covington Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke.
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Casa Grande Man Sentenced to 13 Years for Shooting at Federal AgentRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Monday, Alejandro Nathaniel Rodriguez Stalter, 31, of Casa Grande, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Dominic W. Lanza to 13 years in prison. Stalter previously pleaded guilty to one count of Assault on a Federal Officer and one count of Discharge of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence.
In August 2020, Stalter fled an immigration checkpoint at a high rate of speed with two undocumented noncitizen passengers inside his car. United States Border Patrol (USBP) agents pursued Stalter for approximately 20 miles until his vehicle collided with a stationary object. Once the vehicle was disabled, a USBP agent approached the vehicle, identified himself as a law enforcement agent and tried to open Stalter’s door. As he tried to open the car door, Stalter shot at the agent through the driver’s side window with an AR-15 style assault rifle. The agent took cover, returned fire, and injured Stalter, who ultimately surrendered.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Coleen Schoch, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-00499-PHX-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-146_Stalter# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Career Recidivist Drug Dealer Sentenced to 25 Years for Trafficking Crack Cocaine while ArmedRead the Press Release
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – This week a federal judge sentenced a convicted felon charged with drug trafficking while armed announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives, and Firearms (“ATF”) Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
Chief United States District Judge L. Scott Coogler sentenced Clemmie Lee Spencer, 43, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to 25 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm after previous convictions of drug trafficking and possession.
“Reducing violent crime is top priority of our office,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “Spencer repeatedly ignored the law, and today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of his crimes. Thank you to our prosecutors and law enforcement partners for working diligently to continue to remove the worst offenders from our communities.”
“Drug trafficking and the prevalence of guns on our streets continue to plaque our community at alarming rates,” SAC French said. “The ATF will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and charge those individuals who continue to make our neighborhoods unsafe with their armed drug trafficking activities.”
On August 15, 2019, Spencer was arrested at 1115 28th Street in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, following the execution of a search warrant. Upon arrival in the early morning, agents had to forcefully enter the home due to no response when they announced their presence. Once inside the house, agents found Spencer and his girlfriend. Agents seized over 60 grams of “crack” cocaine, 17 grams of marijuana, cash, a loaded Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver, a loaded H&R Arms Company .38 caliber revolver, a loaded Winchester .22 caliber rifle, assorted ammunition, and digital scales. The loaded rifle was found in a utility closet with children’s toys and bicycles.
Spencer’s prior convictions include a January 4, 2006 conviction for trafficking marijuana. He was sentenced to the Alabama Department of Corrections for 10 years. While incarcerated, he was disciplined 11 times, including 5 times for possession of prison contraband. Three months after being released, on February 22, 2011, Spencer was arrested for being in possession of marijuana packaged for sale. He was convicted on September 6, 2012, for unlawful possession of marijuana first degree, and sentenced to 32 months of home confinement. That sentence was suspended, and he was placed on probation for three years. While on probation, Spencer was a repeated violator.
Spencer was arrested again on December 10, 2014, and indicted for second degree rape and sex abuse of a child less than 12 years of age. These charges were dismissed on January 4, 2018, because the mother of the victims and the victims failed to cooperate with the prosecution of Spencer.
On November 17, 2020, a grand jury in the Northern District of Alabama charged Spencer in a three-count superseding indictment with possession with the intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The jury trial in this case began on March 22, 2021. After eight prosecution witnesses testified, Spencer knowingly and voluntarily pleaded guilty on March 23, 2021. The Court accepted Spencer’s plea of guilty to all three charges in the superseding indictment and found Spencer guilty. While in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service awaiting trial, Spencer committed numerous institutional violations including possession of drugs and weapons.
ATF investigated the case along with the Tuscaloosa Police Department and the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Cross and Brittany T. Byrd prosecuted the case.
Cody Man Sentenced to over Ten Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo announced today that PHILLIP AARON DOBBINS, 44, of Cody, Wyoming was sentenced for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Dobbins appeared for a sentencing hearing before United States District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on August 16, 2022. Dobbins was sentenced to 130 months’ imprisonment and four years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment and $500 in community restitution.
In approximately November 2020, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation began investigating Dobbins for the distribution of methamphetamine in the Cody, WY area. The investigation revealed that Dobbins was receiving methamphetamine from an in-person source in Aurora, Colorado and through the U.S. Mail from a source in California.
This crime was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, the Cody Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Forwood prosecuted the case.
Case No. 21-cr-84-NDF
Atlantic City Man Admits Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic City, New Jersey, man today admitted possessing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Cory Newman, 44, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of possession of child pornography.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On May 20, 2021, agents with Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, (HSI) served a search warrant at Newman’s residence in Atlantic City and discovered electronic devices containing numerous videos and images of children being sexually abused.
Because Newman has been previously convicted of possession of child pornography, the charge of possession of child pornography carries an enhanced mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 4, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of HSI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard W. Reinhold. He also thanked the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor William E. Reynolds, and the Atlantic City Police Department, under the direction of Interim Officer in Charge Deputy Chief James A. Sarkos, for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Johns of the Criminal Division in Camden.
Atlanta based rapper Paper Lovee sentenced to federal prison for firearm possessionRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Ibnisa Durr has been sentenced to federal prison for possessing a firearm after a felony sentence. Durr fled from officers in a highspeed chase on Georgia 400 before ultimately crashing his vehicle and attempting to throw a bag containing a loaded firearm over an interstate guardrail.
“Durr has a serious criminal history, which includes robbery and aggravated assault convictions,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “His reckless conduct seriously endangered the lives of innocent motorists and officers. However, the coordinated efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies led to Durr’s capture, and subsequent sentence.”
“The message from this sentencing is clear. Anyone who thinks about possessing an illegal firearm and compounding that crime by fleeing from police and putting innocent civilians in danger, will get caught, and when they do, they will serve significant time in prison,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Thanks to the assistance from our local law enforcement partners, the threat from this criminal is eliminated from our streets.”
“Anytime we take a career criminal off the streets of our great city, it’s a win-win situation for the city and the citizens of Atlanta,” said Interim Chief Darin Schierbaum. “The collaborative efforts of the Atlanta Police Department and the Sandy Springs Police Department is another example of two law enforcement agencies working together to bring a criminal to justice.”
“Lawlessness and criminal behavior should not be tolerated in a civilized society. This sentence imposed will serve as a reminder to all who would commit violent crimes, that you will pay a high personal price for your misdeeds. Metro Atlanta law enforcement will always work together to make our cities, roads, and neighborhoods a safe place for all,” said Sandy Springs Police Chief Kenneth DeSimone.
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: On May 30, 2021, officers with the Atlanta Police Department (APD) responded to a residence in Atlanta, after receiving reports that a person had been shot. When they arrived, APD discovered the victim had been shot multiple times with non-life-threatening injuries. Through a subsequent investigation, APD identified Durr as the shooter and obtained a warrant for his arrest.
Approximately three months after the shooting, APD’s Fugitive Unit located Durr and observed him enter a vehicle. When APD attempted to take Durr into custody, he sped away, and a highspeed chase ensued on Georgia 400. During the chase, Durr attempted to elude police by rapidly changing lanes, which led him to crash into two police vehicles, as well as an uninvolved motorist’s vehicle. Durr tried to flee on foot, and in doing so, he attempted to throw a bag containing a loaded firearm over a nearby guardrail. The firearm was recovered by the arresting officers.
Ibnisa Durr (“Paper Lovee”), 26, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee to seven years and four months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. On May 25, 2022, he pleaded guilty to the offense of felon-in-possession of a firearm.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Atlanta Police Department and the Sandy Springs Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dash A. Cooper prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In keeping with the Attorney General’s mission to reduce violent crime, the Northern District of Georgia’s PSN program focuses on prosecuting those individuals who most significantly drive violence in our communities, and supports and fosters partnerships between law enforcement and schools, the faith community, and local community leaders to prevent and deter future criminal conduct.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Albuquerque man sentenced to more than 5 years in prison for auto loan fraud schemes exceeding $1.5 millionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Rick Benavidez, 47, of Albuquerque, was sentenced in federal court to five years and three months in prison for leading and organizing two auto loan fraud schemes involving a total intended loss of more than $1.5 million.
Benavidez pleaded guilty on April 29 to two counts of bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of making fraudulent returns, statements or other documents. In his plea agreement, Benavidez admitted to conspiring with his co-defendant, Damian Maron, 41, of Albuquerque, to carry out a loan fraud scheme against federally insured credit unions in Bernalillo County. Benavidez and Maron convinced lower-level members of the conspiracy to apply for loans totaling $359,662.97. Benavidez gave the loan applicants false pay stubs overstating their income to improve the likelihood of loan approval. Benavidez, Maron and their co-conspirators did not actually use the proceeds of the loans to buy vehicles. Instead, they arranged for the lenders to disburse the loan funds to a fictitious auto dealership. The co-conspirators then divided the proceeds of the fraud and used the money for their own personal benefit.
Benavidez also admitted to taking part in a separate auto loan fraud scheme involving an intended loss of $1,154,493.42, of which $999,993.42 was actually disbursed by financial institutions. Benavidez agreed to make restitution to the victims of his crimes in an amount to be determined at a separate hearing. Benavidez must complete a five-year term of supervised release following his imprisonment.
In his plea agreement, Benavidez also admitted to submitting a false document to the Internal Revenue Service while his auto loan fraud case was pending. This false document purported to designate United States District Judge William P. Johnson as Benavidez’s legal fiduciary. Benavidez knew this designation was false when he submitted the document.
Maron previously pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 2.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Taylor F. Hartstein and Sean J. Sullivan are prosecuting the case.
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Agana Heights Resident Sentenced to 65 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute DrugsRead the Press Release
Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands announced that defendant Maria E.L. Untalan, age 64, from Agana Heights, Guam was sentenced in the United States District Court of Guam to 65 months in federal prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Fifty (50) Grams or More of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1). The Court ordered the Defendant to participate in a 500-hour drug treatment program, serve three years of supervised release following imprisonment, and pay a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee. The Court also ordered the forfeiture of a 2019 Harley Davidson motorcycle and $4,742.00 in cash. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
Between April 2018 and continuing through April 2019, Maria E.L. Untalan entered into an agreement with other persons to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride in Guam. As part of that agreement, Untalan received packages containing methamphetamine that were mailed using the United States Postal Service. On March 25, 2019, Untalan picked up a package at the Postnet facility in Upper Tumon. The package consisted of methamphetamine hydrochloride wrapped in plastic and electrical tape. The drug weighed 406 grams and was 100% pure.
“I congratulate our law enforcement partners for the results of their hard work in intercepting these drugs in the mail stream,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “As this case and recent reports indicate, methamphetamine continues to be shipped on island. We will make every effort to seize illicit drugs and prosecute those who engage in this criminal activity.”
“Those who distribute dangerous drugs such as methamphetamine cause great harm in our communities and ultimately contribute to the addiction and substance abuse problem,” said DEA Los Angeles Deputy Special Agent in Charge Anthony Chrysanthis. “This sentencing sends a clear message that we will pursue and hold those responsible for distributing drugs on the island.”
“This sentence is a reminder to drug traffickers that we will not tolerate using the United States mail to transport-controlled substances in Guam or anywhere else,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Kevin Rho of the United States Postal Inspection Service, San Francisco Division. “I would like to thank our federal, territorial, and local law enforcement agencies for their partnership in stopping the spread of this methamphetamine and bringing this defendant to justice.”
The case resulted from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rosetta L. San Nicolas, United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Guam.
Arapahoe Man Sentenced for Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo announced today that ELVIN WAYNE MCCLAIN, 30, of Arapahoe, Wyoming, was sentenced on August 18, 2022, for assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm. United States District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal sentenced McClain to 36 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release, and ordered him to pay a $100 special assessment.
On December 12, 2021, McClain’s vehicle pulled up to Sage West Hospital in Riverton, Wyoming. The victim exited the passenger side of the vehicle and limped into the emergency room, while McClain’s vehicle fled the area. The victim was treated for multiple stab wounds to the left leg. The injuries were the result of McClain stabbing the victim multiple times with a kitchen knife while driving across the Wind River Indian Reservation.
This crime was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case.
Case No. 22-CR-00013-NDF
10-Time Convicted Felon with Domestic Violence History Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Bradford Jensen, 50, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Jensen was on parole in Marion County, Indiana, after serving 8 years in prison for possession of a firearm by a serious felon. On October 28, 2021, parole agents searched Jensen and his residence, and found a loaded 9mm handgun. Jensen admitted to possession of the firearm during an interview with law enforcement officers.
Jensen is prohibited from possessing firearms because he is a convicted felon. Over 30 years, Jenson has accumulated ten felony convictions, including domestic battery, stalking, conspiracy to commit burglary, and two prior convictions for possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division made the announcement.
ATF investigated the case in conjunction with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II. As part of the sentence, Judge Sweeney ordered that Jensen be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for two years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Abhishek S. Kambli who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of the LEATH Initiative (Law Enforcement Action to Halt Domestic Violence), named in honor of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Officer Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance call. A partnership among the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the IMPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the LEATH Initiative focuses federal, state, and local law enforcement resources on domestic violence offenders who illegally possess firearms.
Additionally, this case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
23 August 2022
Wilmington Man Receives 74 Months for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Wilmington man was sentenced today to 74 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (crack) and being a felon in possession of a firearm. On March 30, 2022, Rasul Gatford, age 31, pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, in October of 2021, members of the Wilmington Police Department Vice and Narcotics Unit began an investigation into Gatford after receiving information concerning his drug trafficking activities. On October 28, 2021, Gatford was arrested by the Wilmington Police Department for distributing crack cocaine and, during his arrest, officers located a quantity of crack cocaine on Gatford’s person. A search warrant of Gatford’s home also revealed an additional quantity of crack cocaine, marijuana, drug manufacturing equipment, and a firearm.
At the time of this offense, Gatford was on Federal Supervised Release for a 2013 conviction for Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime and Aiding and Abetting (7:13-CR-10-1BO).
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The FBI’s Coastal Carolina Safe Street’s Gang Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Wilmington Police Department investigated the case and Special Assistant United States Attorney William Van Trigt prosecuted the cases. Mr. Van Trigt is a prosecutor with the New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office. District Attorney Ben David has assigned him to the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal violent crimes and other criminal matters. This has been made possible by a grant funded by New Hanover County.
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.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-cr-00140-BO.
Williamsport Man Indicted on Drug Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Richard Ansley, age 39, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, was indicted on August 11, 2022, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges.
According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Ansley with distribution of fentanyl on December 2, 2021, and with illegally possessing a .45 caliber Glock pistol on December 6, 2021, in Lycoming County.
The matter was investigated by the Lycoming County Narcotics Enforcement Unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin and other opioids. 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 opioid related offenses.
The maximum penalty for the most serious offense is up to 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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United States Enters into Agreement with Nigeria to Repatriate over $23 Million in Assets Stolen by Former Nigerian Dictator General Sani AbachaRead the Press Release
The United States, through the Department of Justice and FBI, forfeited approximately $23 million traceable to the corruption and money laundering of former Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha and his co-conspirators. This money will be returned to the Nigerian people through an agreement between the Governments of the United States and the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Nigeria) signed today in Abuja, Nigeria, by U.S. Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard. This repatriation will bring the total amount forfeited and returned by the Department of Justice in this case to approximately $334.7 million.
In 2014, U.S. District Judge John D. Bates for the District of Columbia entered a judgment ordering the forfeiture of approximately $500 million located in accounts around the world, as the result of a civil forfeiture complaint for more than $625 million traceable to money laundering involving the proceeds of Abacha’s corruption. In 2020, the department repatriated over $311.7 million of the forfeited assets that had been located in the Bailiwick of Jersey. Last year, the U.K. government enforced the U.S. judgment against the additional $23 million.
“This repatriation of $23 million reflects the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to recover and return corruption proceeds laundered through the U.S. financial system,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
“Today’s agreement illustrates the FBI’s commitment to tracing, seizing, and forfeiting the assets of corrupt foreign officials who enrich themselves by abusing their power and violating the trust of their citizens,” said Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office. “The repatriation of these funds back to the people of Nigeria represent an important collaboration between the United States and Nigeria. The FBI and our partners around the world remain steadfast in protecting our financial systems from those who seek to use them as a tool to hide their corrupt, criminal proceeds.”
The forfeited assets represent corrupt monies laundered during and after the military regime of General Abacha, who became Head of State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through a military coup on Nov. 17, 1993, and held that position until his death on June 8, 1998. The complaint alleges that General Abacha, his son Mohammed Sani Abacha, their associate Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and others embezzled, misappropriated and extorted billions from the government of Nigeria and others, then laundered their criminal proceeds through U.S. financial institutions and transactions in the United States. The United Kingdom’s cooperation in the investigation, restraint and enforcement of the U.S. judgement, along with the valuable contributions of Nigeria and other law enforcement partners around the world, including the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, as well as those of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, have been instrumental to the recovery of these funds.
Under the agreement signed today, the United States will transfer 100% of the net forfeited assets to the Federal Republic of Nigeria to support three critical infrastructure projects in Nigeria that were previously authorized by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian legislature. Specifically, the funds governed by this agreement will help finance the Second Niger Bridge, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Abuja-Kano road – investments that will benefit the citizens of each of these important regions in Nigeria.
The agreement includes key measures to ensure transparency and accountability, including administration of the funds and projects by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), financial review by an independent auditor and monitoring by an independent civil society organization with expertise in engineering and other areas. The agreement also precludes the expenditure of funds to benefit alleged perpetrators of the corruption or to pay contingency fees for lawyers. The agreement reflects the sound principles for ensuring transparency and accountability adopted at the Global Forum on Asset Recovery (GFAR) in December 2017 in Washington, D.C., which the United States and United Kingdom hosted with support from the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative of the World Bank and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
This case was brought under the Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative by a team of dedicated prosecutors in the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section working in partnership with the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Through the Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative, the Department of Justice and federal law enforcement agencies seek to safeguard the U.S. financial system from criminal money laundering and to recover the proceeds of foreign official corruption. Where appropriate and possible, the department endeavors to use recovered corruption proceeds to benefit the people harmed by acts of corruption and abuse of public trust.
Individuals with information about possible proceeds of foreign corruption located in or laundered through the United States should contact federal law enforcement or send an email to [email protected]. The department appreciates the extensive assistance provided by the Governments of the United Kingdom, Nigeria, Jersey, and France in this investigation.
Uniontown Man Charged with Possessing Meth and FentanylRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating various federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The one-count Indictment, returned on August 16 and unsealed today following his arrest, named Michael Grieve, 41, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about Feb. 8, 2022, Grieve is alleged to have possessed with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine in pill form, and a quantity of fentanyl.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $10,000,000 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 State Police along with 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.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Provides Update on Cross-Jurisdictional Firearms Trafficking Strike ForceRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Gregory K. Harris, United States Attorney for the Central District of Illinois, joined by other regional U.S. Attorneys, provided an update this week on the cross-jurisdictional Firearms Trafficking Strike Force.
The Department of Justice launched the strike force in July 2021 to disrupt illegal firearms trafficking and reduce gun violence. Led locally by U.S. Attorney Harris, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the Central District of Illinois and across the country to help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms and to identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes.
According to gun trace data, a significant number of firearms recovered in Chicago originate outside Chicago and are illegally trafficked into the city. The strike force has strengthened coordination between law enforcement in Chicago and counterparts in the locations where many of the firearms originate. In providing the update on the strike force’s efforts, U.S. Attorney Harris was joined by U.S. Attorneys from around the Midwest.
“Preventing gun violence is a top priority in our district and region,” said U.S. Attorney Harris. “These cross-jurisdictional efforts to stem illegal firearm trafficking are an important tool in making our communities safer.”
“Firearms traffickers and straw purchasers enable violence,” said U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch, Jr. “Over the past year, the cross-jurisdictional strike force has increased collaboration with our law enforcement partners and enhanced our longstanding efforts to hold accountable individuals or groups who illegally traffic firearms into Chicago.”
The Chicago strike force’s efforts have been substantially enhanced by the Chicago Police Department’s (CPD’s) Gun Investigations Team.
“While I am the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, this Office will continue to recognize that combatting violent crime – particularly gun crimes – requires coordinated, multi-jurisdictional efforts among federal and state prosecutors and federal, state, and local law enforcement,” said Clifford D. Johnson, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana. “We know that through these combined efforts the safety of the citizens in our respective communities is improved. We want all law-abiding citizens to be able to enjoy the many cultural, social, and recreational activities in the Chicagoland area without fear of violence.”
“Whether individuals are trafficking guns from Wisconsin into Chicago or sending guns from other states into places like Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha, we are fully committed to working with our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners to hold firearms traffickers and straw purchasers fully accountable,” said Richard G. Frohling, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. “By working together – both within our districts and across the region – we can make all of our communities safer places in which to live and work.”
“Illegal firearms traffickers help fuel the horrific gun violence inflicted on our communities and families,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Working with law enforcement partners across agencies and jurisdictions, our office will continue to prioritize investigations and prosecutions that stem the tide of crime guns onto the streets of all of our communities and hold gun traffickers accountable.”
“Reducing violent crime and gun crimes are top priorities of my office,” said Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. “The statements expressed here show that violent criminals cannot avoid federal prosecution by fleeing to another state. There is literally nowhere to run. We will work with our law enforcement partners across the Midwest to hold violent criminals and gun traffickers accountable and keep our communities safe.”
To investigate and prosecute cases as part of the strike force, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices work closely with U.S. law enforcement agencies, including ATF, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), and the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS). State and local partners in the Northern District of Illinois include CPD, Illinois State Police (ISP), Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC), Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rockford Police Department (RPD).
In the first year of the strike force, several dozen defendants have been charged or convicted in federal courts in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin, as illustrated by the examples below.
Northern District of Illinois
- ARSHAD ZAYED, of Orland Hills, Ill., was charged with illegally selling 36 firearms, including “ghost guns” and machine guns, in the Chicago area. Many of the transactions occurred in a car wash that Zayed managed in the Chicago suburb of Matteson, Ill. The investigation was conducted by FBI, ATF, CPD, ISP, and the IRS Criminal Investigation Division.
- Two Indianapolis men – DEVANTE T. BROWN and COREY SARTIN – were charged with federal firearm violations for allegedly trafficking ten guns, including four semiautomatic rifles and two “ghost guns,” from Indianapolis to Chicago. The probe was led by ATF and CPD, with assistance from the Dolton, Ill., Police Department.
- Chicago resident ANTHONY PEREZ-FLORES was charged with trafficking more than a dozen guns, including a “ghost gun” and a machine gun, in Chicago. Perez-Flores was on parole for a state firearm conviction when he allegedly sold the guns to an undercover officer. ATF, CPD, and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
- DEVON DOW, of Chicago, was charged with trafficking individually manufactured “ghost guns” in Chicago. Dow allegedly sold seven “ghost guns” to an undercover law enforcement officer on the city’s South Side. The firearms were considered “ghost guns” because they contained no identifiable serial number and had been manufactured from parts collected from various sources. HSI and CPD led the probe.
- Five men were indicted for allegedly trafficking guns from St. Louis to Chicago. The charges accuse ROBERT NARUP, of Washington, Mo., of buying firearms at gun shows throughout the United States and illegally selling them to JEROME BOYKIN, of St. Louis, Mo. Boykin then allegedly brought the guns to Chicago and sold them to ROGELIO MANCERA, of Schaumburg, Ill., in exchange for marijuana. The charges accuse Mancera, RODOLFO ORTEGA of Chicago, and HECTOR CHACON of Chicago, with selling the guns on the streets of Chicago. ATF and CPD’s Gun Investigations Team led the probe, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.
- A federal jury convicted JOSEPH GHANDOUR, of Glenview, Ill., of illegally selling a “ghost gun” to a convicted felon in a suburban Chicago grocery store parking lot. Unbeknownst to Ghandour, the felon to whom he sold the rifle was cooperating with law enforcement. FBI investigated.
- A man was indicted on firearm charges for allegedly straw purchasing 27 handguns from suburban Chicago stores. MATTHEW JAMAAL JOHNSON, of Dolton, Ill., allegedly falsely certified on federal forms that he was the actual buyer, when, in reality, Johnson purchased the guns on behalf of another individual. ATF and CPD led the probe.
- Chicago resident ISMAEL SENE was sentenced to a year in federal prison for straw purchasing handguns in the Chicago suburbs. In one of the transactions, Sene falsely certified on federal forms that he was the actual buyer. In reality, Sene purchased the gun on behalf of an individual whom Sene had reason to believe was a convicted felon who was prohibited by federal law from purchasing or possessing a firearm. ATF led the probe, with assistance from CPD.
- A suburban Chicago man was sentenced to eight and a half years in federal prison for trafficking dozens of guns from Kentucky to Chicago. Many of the guns trafficked by JOHN PHILLIPS, of Lyons, Ill., were later discovered by law enforcement at crime scenes in Chicago. The investigation was led by ATF’s Chicago office, with assistance from ATF agents in Louisville, Ky.
- PARIS STEELE, of Chicago, was sentenced in August to more than six years in federal prison for unlawfully dealing shotguns and other firearms in Chicago. While Steele was on bond and awaiting trial, he appeared in videos on social media holding a firearm and threatening violence against others. ATF and CPD conducted the investigation.
- A Chicago man was charged with making materially false statements in the acquisition of more than 20 firearms. STOVALL BUCHANAN acquired the guns from suburban Chicago firearms dealers and allegedly lied on federal forms about his home address and the actual buyer of the guns. ATF investigated, with assistance from CPD.
- Chicago resident JUSTIN GARCIA was charged in August with straw purchasing handguns in a suburban Chicago store on behalf of another individual. ATF investigated, with assistance from CPD.
- Two days after the fatal shooting of Chicago Police Officer Ella French, a Hammond, Ind., man was charged with conspiring to straw purchase the semi-automatic handgun used in the shooting. JAMEL DANZY pleaded guilty to the charge and admitted that he was a straw purchaser who bought the gun from a firearms dealer in Indiana at the request of a convicted felon who was found in possession of the gun after the shootings of Officer French and her partner. Danzy is awaiting sentencing. ATF and CPD led the probe.
Central District of Illinois
- JERON C. MCNEAL, of Peoria, Ill., was sentenced in October 2021 to a year in federal prison for his involvement in a burglary of a federally licensed firearms dealer and for giving false statements to federal law enforcement. A mob smashed the window of the business and approximately nine people entered the store and stole 29 firearms. McNeal drove a get-away car for some of the looters. McNeal’s sister, CHAYLA MCNEAL, was sentenced on the same charges in November 2021. Chayla McNeal stood outside the business, encouraged minor individuals to enter, and appeared to record the looting with her phone. Both McNeals also later lied to federal agents. In April 2021, one of the 29 guns stolen – an FNH 40 caliber pistol – was recovered by the Chicago Police Department.
- APRIL ALEXANDRIA SORIANO, of Springfield, Ill., pleaded guilty in October 2021 to making false statements during the purchase of multiple firearms. Soriano admitted to lying on ATF forms when she indicated she was purchasing the guns for herself when, in fact, she was buying them for someone else. An ATF gun trace revealed that Soriano purchased five firearms in 2019 and 2020. A 9mm Taurus handgun she purchased in East Peoria, Ill., was later discovered by law enforcement during a search of Soriano’s then-residence in Peoria, Ill. A second firearm – a 9mm Ruger handgun – that Soriano purchased in Springfield was later discovered in Chicago following a shooting incident where a victim sustained a gunshot wound.
Northern District of Indiana
- Twenty-four individuals were charged with violating various federal firearms laws, including the straw-purchasing of more than 150 firearms, lying about their eligibility to purchase more than 100 firearms, transferring firearms to a person who resided in another state, and engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. Approximately 30 firearms illegally purchased in Indiana were recovered by law enforcement in Chicago and the Chicagoland area, with some of the firearms being linked to shootings and seized from prohibited persons. ATF led the investigations, with assistance from law enforcement throughout the Northern District of Indiana.
Southern District of Indiana
- Six individuals were charged with straw purchasing 90 firearms, more than 20 of which were later discovered at crime scenes in Chicago. ATF led the investigation, with assistance from law enforcement in Chicago.
Eastern District of Wisconsin
- In February, a Chicago man was indicted for an armed carjacking in Milwaukee. SHAMONTE BRYANT is alleged to have stolen a firearm during the carjacking, driven the stolen car and firearm from Milwaukee to Chicago, and used the firearm during a shooting in Chicago the following day. The case was investigated by FBI and the Milwaukee Police Department.
- In April, two individuals from Racine County, Wisc., were charged with conspiring to purchase firearms, alter/obliterate the serial numbers, and sell the firearms to others. As part of the conspiracy, DEANDRE L. RODGERS and VIRIDIANA GARCIA-RAMIREZ are alleged to have purchased at least eleven handguns and one rifle from local gun stores between December 2021 and March 2022. Garcia-Ramirez entered a guilty plea to the conspiracy in July 2022. Rodgers’s case remains pending. The matter was investigated by ATF and the Racine Police Department.
- Between July 2021 and July 2022, three previously convicted felons from Fond du Lac, Wisc. – TREON DENNIS, JASON SPINKS, and SHAKIE DAVIS – entered guilty pleas and were sentenced in federal court for conspiring to have an individual straw-purchase approximately eleven firearms. According to court records, three of the firearms were recovered at crime scenes in the Chicago area. Dennis and Davis were sentenced to 18 months in federal prison. In August 2022, a fourth individual charged in the case, JONATHAN GRIFFIN acknowledged the straw purchases and entered a guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Griffin is set to be sentenced in November. The case was investigated by ATF and the Fond du Lac Police Department.
- In July, two individuals from Milwaukee – STEPHANIE GRIFFITH and WILLIE STATEN – were charged in federal court with straw-purchasing approximately 23 firearms. Staten also was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Three of the firearms were recovered by law enforcement, including one in Illinois. Griffith pleaded guilty, while Staten’s case is pending. The case was investigated by ATF and the Milwaukee Police Department.
Western District of Wisconsin
- SAMUEL SCHILTZ, of Waunakee, Wisc., was sentenced to five years in prison for illegally selling two handguns installed with 30-round magazines and auto sears, which converted the guns into fully automatic machine guns. Schiltz, who was on probation for a felony drug crime at the time of the sale, told an undercover agent that he also sold cocaine and prescription opiates. Schiltz offered other firearms for sale, and he offered to install auto sears on other guns. The Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation and ATF conducted the investigation.
In addition to the sustained focus on firearms trafficking prosecutions, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices endeavor to disrupt violent crime by seeking pre-trial detention for defendants who pose a danger to the community and by pursuing appropriate prison sentences to deter dangerous individuals from continuing to cause violence in their communities. Another critical aspect of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts is Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is an evidence-based program that focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs to pursue lasting reductions in crime.
“A primary goal of our office is to reduce violent crime, and we will continue to use every available federal law enforcement tool to keep people safe,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch.
The strike force’s efforts in Chicago and throughout the country remain active and ongoing. The public is reminded that charges are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Launches New Public Service Announcements to Help Deter Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – As part of the federal strategy to reduce violent crime, U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger released two public service announcements (PSA) to further the violent crime deterrence message.
Violent Crime PSA: https://youtu.be/VFeHe0Yn1D4
Auto Sear PSA: https://youtu.be/7IOM4JdOIRA
The Violent Crime PSA and the Auto Sear PSA are publicly available on YouTube, on the U.S. Attorney’s Office social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, and have been submitted to local media outlets. For further information, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office (612) 664-5600.
Two Walton County Men Convicted on Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – A federal jury in Pensacola has convicted Kenneth Ingram, 62, and Kadeem Ingram, 32, both of DeFuniak Springs, Florida for the offenses of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of cocaine base and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Kadeem Ingram was also convicted of distribution of cocaine or cocaine base which occurred on two occasions in July 2019. The guilty verdict returned on August 17, 2022, at the conclusion of a three-day trial, was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“This prosecution demonstrates the collaborative efforts of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, who work tirelessly to remove addictive and deadly controlled substances from our communities,” stated U.S. Attorney Coody. “We are grateful for their dedicated public service and remain committed in our efforts to investigate and vigorously prosecute criminals bringing drugs into North Florida.”
Evidence introduced during the trial revealed that the Ingrams conspired with others to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. In 2019, the Ingrams took monthly trips to South Florida to procure large quantities of cocaine. The cocaine purchased, which was, in part, converted to cocaine base, was then distributed by Kadeem Ingram and a co-conspirator. A months-long investigation culminated in law enforcement seizing approximately 1.5 kilograms of cocaine from a vehicle the Ingrams possessed on July 13, 2019.
The Ingrams are scheduled to be sentenced before United States District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers on November 16, 2022, at 9:00 a.m., at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Both defendants face not less than five years imprisonment to 40 years and not less than four years on supervised release for the conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute convictions. Kadeem Ingram also faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment and not less than three years on supervised release for the drug distribution convictions.
"It's been a long time coming for this father and son duo," said Sheriff Michael Adkinson. "This conviction, which stems from an investigation started more than two years ago, is the result of the hard work of men and women in our agency and the DEA. We are ready to see this case put to rest and are pleased with the jury's verdict."
“Drug trafficking plagues our communities, threatening the safety and health of all of our citizens,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “Through our partnerships with our local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, we will continue to hold those who bring this poison into our north Florida communities accountable for their actions.”
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the Office of Homeland Security Investigations, the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Lynn Haven Police Department, the Panama City Police Department, and the Panama City Beach Police Department. First Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Spaven prosecuted the case.
The prosecution, part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) OCDETF, is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to take down criminal organizations and seize assets.
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.
Topeka Man Indicted on Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with three counts of false statement during the acquisition of a firearm.
According to court documents, Todd Hetherington, 26, of Topeka is accused of purchasing a total of six pistols from various licensed dealers in which he allegedly falsely presented himself as the actual transferee or buyer.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Skipper Jacobs is prosecuting the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Tracee Casselle, 35, Anthony Massengill, 25, and Taylor Sanner, 25, all of Topeka were indicted on one count of controlled substance conspiracy. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating. Assistant U.S. Attorney Skipper Jacobs is prosecuting.
Fatima Jaghoori, 32, of Mildford, and Habibullah Jaghoori, 39, of Wichita were indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, and one count each of false statement during the acquisition of a firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Skipper Jacobs is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Three Members of Miami Crew Charged with Defrauding Banks and Cryptocurrency Exchange of More Than $4 MillionRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Ricky J. Patel, the Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) in New York, announced today that ESTEBAN CABRERA DA CORTE, a/k/a “Esteban Cabrera,” a/k/a “Esteban Da Corte,” a/k/a “Steban,” LUIS HERNANDEZ GONZALEZ, a/k/a “Luis Hernandez,” a/k/a “Luisito,” and ASDRUBAL RAMIREZ MEZA (collectively, the “Defendants”) were arrested this morning for participating in a scheme to steal millions of dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency and trick U.S. banks into refunding them for the millions used to purchase that cryptocurrency, in part by using personal identifying information stolen from other people. CABRERA, HERNANDEZ, and RAMIREZ will be presented in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Esteban Cabrera Da Corte, Luis Hernandez Gonzalez, and Asdrubal Ramirez Meza used stolen identities to buy cryptocurrency and then doubled down by disputing the transactions, deceiving U.S. banks into believing that they themselves were the victims of someone else’s fraud. Thanks to the efforts of HSI’s El Dorado Task Force, their duplicity has been uncovered and they now face serious federal charges.”
HSI Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Ricky J. Patel said: “Cabrera, Hernandez, and Ramirez coordinated this large-scale operation to launder millions of dollars through cryptocurrency exchanges and U.S. banks, ultimately exploiting both the virtual currency market and the U.S. financial system. Today’s arrests demonstrate how HSI, along with the U.S. Secret Service and our partners at the Southern District of New York, will continue to work together to leverage the transparency of cryptocurrency transactions to follow the trail of illicit funds and pierce the veil of anonymity.”
As alleged in the Indictment[1] unsealed today, from at least in or about 2020 through at least in or about March 2020, CABRERA, HERNANDEZ, and RAMIREZ engaged in a scheme to deceive U.S. banks and a leading cryptocurrency exchange platform (the “Cryptocurrency Exchange”) by purchasing more than $4 million in cryptocurrency and then falsely claiming that the cryptocurrency purchase transactions were unauthorized, deceiving the U.S. banks and the Cryptocurrency Exchange into reversing those transactions and redepositing the money into the bank accounts that the Defendants controlled. The Defendants then withdrew the money from the bank accounts.
To effect this scheme, the Defendants opened accounts with the Cryptocurrency Exchange, frequently using photos of fake U.S. passports, fake drivers’ licenses, and stolen personal identifying information. The Cryptocurrency Exchange accounts were linked to bank accounts that the Defendants controlled. The Defendants used money that had been deposited into the linked bank accounts, frequently through a series of cash deposits made using ATMs, to purchase cryptocurrency. That cryptocurrency was then quickly transferred to other cryptocurrency wallets outside of the Cryptocurrency Exchange that were controlled by the Defendants and their co-conspirators. After the cryptocurrency was transferred, the Defendants made telephone calls to the U.S. banks during which they falsely represented that the cryptocurrency purchases were unauthorized, leading the banks to reverse the transactions.
The operation of this scheme by the Defendants resulted in U.S. banks processing more than $4 million in fraudulent reversals and the Cryptocurrency Exchange losing more than $3.5 million worth of cryptocurrency.
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CABRERA, 26, HERNANDEZ, 23, and RAMIREZ, 34, all of Miami, Florida, are charged with (1) conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; (2) wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and (3) aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 2 years in prison, to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed. CABRERA is also charged with engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from wire fraud and bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in these cases are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the Homeland Security Investigation’s El Dorado Task Force for its outstanding work on the investigation.
The matter is being handled by the Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Deininger is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] The text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Three Armed Carjackers Who Shot Federal Agents Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Barium Martin, 19, Julius Armstrong, 19, and Adairius Armstrong, 20, have pled guilty to armed carjacking crimes. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., United States Attorney, announced the guilty verdict today.
According to information presented in court, in May of 2021, Barium Martin, Adairius Armstrong, Julius Armstrong, and another co-defendant participated in a string of carjackings, which culminated in the shooting of two federal agents.
On May 5, 2021, two suspects approached victims "C.N." and "M.C." while they were sitting in C.N.'s vehicle. One suspect, later identified as Adairius Armstrong, demanded the victims get out of the vehicle as he pointed an assault rifle at their heads. The suspects took the victims' belongings and fled in C.N.'s 2015 Hyundai. The suspects returned shortly and stole M.C.'s 2012 Mercedes.
On May 6, 2021, Adairius Armstrong and Julius Armstrong approached victim "L.P." while she was sitting in her 2017 Nissan. Adairius Armstrong tapped on L.P.'s window with an assault rifle and demanded the keys. L.P. fled as Julius Armstrong got into the passenger seat armedwith a handgun.
The two then stole L.P.'s vehicle and fled the scene.On May 7, 2021, Julius Armstrong approached victim "N.R." armed with an assault rifle as she checked the tire of her 2021 Nissan. Julius Armstrong demanded that N.R. give her phone, purse, and keys to him. The gunman got into her car and drove eastbound on Jackson Avenue along with a Honda
CRV, driven by Barium Martin. Adairius Armstrong also participated, his fingerprints were found inside of the carjacked vehicle. Also on May 7, 2021, at 1:40 a.m., victim “E.G.,” was traveling south on Montgomery approaching the Parkway when a tan SUV cut her off, making the victim come to a complete stop. A gunman stepped out of the passenger side of the SUV holding an assault rifle, demanding her to get out of the car as he threatened to kill her. The victim got out of the vehicle and the suspect got in her car and both vehicles left traveling south. Barium Martin was identified as the driver of the tan SUV.Later that same day, at approximately 2:30 p.m., special agents from the ATF and officers from the
Memphis Police Department Violent Crime Unit, received information that MPD patrol officers pursued and lost track of another stolen vehicle, but later recovered the vehicle near Alabama and Mosby.
Video from the area showed that four suspects emerged from the stolen vehicle, including one carrying what appeared to be a rifle. ATF and VCU officers observed a vehicle of interest and began to follow it near Dunlap and Mosby. The suspect vehicle then turned on Leath and stopped. A sergeant with MPD pulled his vehicle in front of the suspect vehicle.An ATF agent observed a man wearing a red hoodie, later identified as Barium Martin, outside of the vehicle raise a rifle at the officers. Another witness observed Julius Armstrong raise a rifle and begin shooting. The witness observed Julius Armstrong move toward the driveway as he shot his weapon before he jumped a gate and ran. The suspects fired approximately 10-20 shots at the special agent and sergeant, who were both struck by gunfire but survived their injuries and have since returned to full duty status.
On August 10, 2022, Barium Martin pled guilty to two carjackings, the use of a firearm during a carjacking, and the shooting of the ATF agent and Memphis Police Sergeant. Sentencing for Martin is set for November 10, 2022, before United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker.
On August 11, 2022, Adairius Armstrong pled guilty to four carjackings and the use of a firearm during two of the carjackings. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 14 years in federal prison.
Sentencing for Adairius Armstrong is set for November 10,2022, before United States District Judge
Thomas L. Parker.On August 18, 2022, Julius Armstrong pled guilty to two carjackings, the use of a firearm during a carjacking, the shooting of the ATF Agent and Memphis Police Sergeant, and the discharge of a firearm during the shooting of the officers. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 17 years in federal prison. Sentencing for Julius Armstrong is set for November 9, 2022, before United States
District Judge Thomas L. Parker.There is one remaining co-defendant who is currently scheduled for trial in November 2022. The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. There is no parole in the federal system.
“These violent offenders victimized and terrorized five citizens and two law enforcement officers.
They repeatedly showed total disregard for human life and personal property. Carjackings and the prevalence of guns on our streets continue to plague our communities at alarming and unacceptable rates and the ATF will continue to work with our state, local, and federal partners to remove violent criminals from the communities that we serve,” said Mickey French, ATF Special Agent in
Charge, Nashville Field Office.“This conviction sends a clear message that offenders who commit armed carjackings and shoot at our law enforcement partners will be expeditiously caught, prosecuted, and ultimately held accountable for their violent actions,” said Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s
Memphis Division, Douglas M. Korneski. “The FBI and our federal and local partners will continue to combine our resources and share our expertise to target those who perpetrate similar heinous acts."This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), FBI’s
Safe Streets Task Force, the Multi-Agency Gang Unit, and with assistance from the Shelby County
District Attorney’s Office.Assistant United States Attorney’s Dean DeCandia, Elizabeth Rogers, and Greg Wagner are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
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Tennessee State Representative and Former Chief of Staff Charged with Bribery and Kickback ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Tennessee state representative and his former chief of staff were arrested today at their homes on criminal charges related to a bribery and kickback conspiracy.
According to court documents, State Representative Glen Casada, 63, of Franklin, and Cade Cothren, 35, of Nashville, are charged with conspiracy to commit theft from programs receiving federal funds; bribery and kickbacks concerning programs receiving federal funds; honest services wire fraud; and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Both will make initial appearances in federal court later today.
According to allegations in the indictment, beginning in and around October 2019, Casada – while representing Tennessee House District 63; Cothren; and another conspirator – also a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, engaged in a fraudulent scheme to enrich themselves by exploiting Casada and the other conspirator’s official positions as legislators to obtain state approval of a company called Phoenix Solutions as vendor to provide constituent mail services to members of the Tennessee General Assembly. Casada, Cothren, and the other conspirator further allegedly sought to obtain State funds for Phoenix Solutions, Casada’s political consulting business, and a political consulting business owned by the other conspirator. Casada and the other conspirator are alleged to have enriched themselves by obtaining bribes and kickbacks from Cothren, in exchange for securing the approval of Phoenix Solutions as a mailer program vendor.
The indictment alleges that the conspirators told members of the Tennessee General Assembly that Phoenix Solutions was run by an individual named “Matthew Phoenix,” an experienced political consultant who had previously worked for a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm. In fact, Cothren operated Phoenix Solutions, and Casada, Cothren, and the other conspirator allegedly knew that “Matthew Phoenix” was a fictitious person and secretly profited from the fraudulent venture. Casada, Cothren, and the other conspirator allegedly concealed their involvement in Phoenix Solutions by submitting sham invoices to the State of Tennessee in the names of political consulting companies owned by Casada and the other conspirator, for the purpose of secretly funneling money from the State to Phoenix Solutions through the bank accounts of these companies. In 2020, these companies and Phoenix Solutions allegedly received approximately $51,947 from the State in payments associated with the mailer program.
If convicted, Casada and Cothren each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for certain individual counts. 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; and U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney John P. Taddei of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda J. Klopf for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tennessee State Representative & Former Chief of Staff Indicted in Bribery & Kickback ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE –Tennessee State Representative Glen Casada, 63, of Franklin, Tennessee, and his former Chief of Staff Cade Cothren, 35, of Nashville, were indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday and charged with conspiracy to commit the following offenses: theft from programs receiving federal funds; bribery and kickbacks concerning programs receiving federal funds; honest services wire fraud; and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Both were arrested at their homes this morning by FBI agents and will make initial appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge later today.
The announcement was made by Mark H. Wildasin, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
The 20-count indictment, unsealed this morning, also charges Casada and Cothren with using a fictitious name to carry out a fraud; theft concerning programs receiving federal funds; eight counts of money laundering; six counts of honest services wire fraud; and two counts of bribery and kickbacks.
According to the indictment, beginning in and around October 2019, Casada, while representing Tennessee House District 63, Cothren, and another conspirator, also a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, engaged in a fraudulent scheme to enrich themselves by exploiting Casada and the other conspirator’s official positions as legislators to obtain State approval of Phoenix Solutions as a Mailer Program vendor to provide constituent mail services to members of the Tennessee General Assembly. Casada, Cothren, and the other conspirator further sought to obtain State funds for Phoenix Solutions, Casada’s political consulting business, and a political consulting business owned by the other conspirator. It was further part of the conspiracy for Casada and the other conspirator to enrich themselves by obtaining bribes and kickbacks from Cothren, in exchange for securing the approval of Phoenix Solutions as a mailer program vendor.
The indictment alleges that Casada and the other conspirator told members of the Tennessee General Assembly that Phoenix Solutions was run by an individual named “Matthew Phoenix,” an experienced political consultant who had previously worked for a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm. In fact, Cothren operated Phoenix Solutions, and Casada, Cothren, and the other conspirator knew that “Matthew Phoenix” was a fictitious person and secretly profited from the fraudulent venture. Casada, Cothren, and the other conspirator concealed their involvement in Phoenix Solutions by submitting sham invoices to the State of Tennessee in the names of political consulting companies owned by Casada and the other conspirator, for the purpose of secretly funneling money from the State to Phoenix Solutions through the bank accounts of these companies. In 2020, these companies and Phoenix solutions received approximately $51,947 from the State in payments associated with the mailer program.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation in which the United States seeks to recover all proceeds of the crimes, including a money judgement representing the value of the proceeds traceable to any offense of conviction.
If convicted, Casada and Cothren each face up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda J. Klopf and Trial attorney John P. Taddei of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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St. Petersburg Felon Sentenced to Ten Years for Possessing A Firearm During Drug RobberyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Chris Boone (25, St. Petersburg) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The Court also ordered Boone to forfeit a Hi-Point (model 4995) .45 ACP caliber rifle and ammunition, which are traceable to the offense. Boone had pleaded guilty on April 12, 2022.
According to court documents, in January 2020, Boone agreed to participate in the robbery of a house where narcotics were being sold. On January 2, 2020, Boone went to a house in St. Petersburg with his co-conspirators to conduct the robbery. Boone’s role was to engage in a drug deal and act as a decoy. When Boone arrived at the home, he went to one of the bedrooms to purchase narcotics. His co-conspirators then entered the home and began firing shots. Boone, a convicted felon, armed himself with a rifle while in the bedroom, and fired the weapon multiple times inside the house before fleeing. Law enforcement officers responded to the scene, searched the premises, and found a Hi-Point (model 4995) .45 ACP caliber rifle on the living room sofa. Forensic testing revealed Boone’s DNA on the rifle. During an interview with law enforcement, Boone admitted that he was a felon and that he had fired the rifle multiple times after his co-conspirators entered the residence and opened fire.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pinellas Park Police Department, and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charlie D. Connally.
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.
St. Louis man sentenced to 7 years for sex act with minorRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Tuesday sentenced a St. Louis man who had sexual contact with a 15-year-old he met online to seven years in prison.
Michael S. Bakale met the then-15-year-old girl via an app in 2016. Over roughly six weeks, their conversation grew sexual and Bakale suggested the two meet. On Oct. 2, 2016, Bakale picked her up from a local mall and took her to a motel, where they engaged in oral sex.
Bakale, 39, pleaded guilty in May to a charge of coercion of a minor into an illegal sex act. There is no statue of limitations for that crime.
Bakale also faces a pending felony charge of statutory sodomy in St. Louis County Circuit Court.
The FBI and St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Collins prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
St. Louis man sentenced to 42 ½ years for drug-linked murderRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a St. Louis man to 42 ½ years in prison for his role in a fatal drug robbery.
Jerell Henderson, 32, and four others agreed to rob Ladareace Pool, 26, of drugs and money on Oct. 3, 2017 in the 4700 block of Goodfellow Boulevard, where Henderson and the others were selling drugs. During the armed robbery, Pool tried to run away and was shot twice in the back.
Henderson pleaded guilty in April, as his trial was set to begin, to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, one count of conspiracy to possess one or more firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking and one count of possession, brandishing, and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking resulting in Pool’s death.
Three of Henderson’s co-defendants, Stephan Jones, Larenta Jones, and Floyd Barber, have previously been convicted in this matter. Barber awaits sentencing. Judge Autrey sentenced Larenta Jones to 30 years in prison and Stephan Jones, the driver that day, to five years on a single drug charge.
This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. The Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case.
St. Louis County man admits $281,000 worth of fraudsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County on Tuesday admitted using stolen identities in a series of frauds that cost victims $281,669.
From October 2019 through November 2021, Michael Worsham, 33, bought vehicles using stolen identities, took out bank loans in the names of others and stole checks and then altered and cashed them.
Worsham admitted using stolen or false identification to buy a 2015 Mustang, a black Chevy Avalanche and a 2021 Suzuki motorcycle. He also admitted paying a friend to use a stolen identity to buy a 2021 Honda motorcycle. He unsuccessfully tried to buy a $17,841 Ford Mustang GT.
Worsham also took out a series of loans, ranging from $1,300 that he obtained from Ace Cash Express to $55,000 that he spent from one bank account, his plea agreement says.
Worsham altered checks and then deposited them. In two days during July of 2021, he deposited four checks and reaped $50,230 in cash. He opened an account in the name of a business and deposited two checks totaling $35,210.
On June 11, 2021, Worsham told O’Fallon, Missouri police officers that he obtained stolen identities using information that he had purchased online and then applied for loans online, estimating that he’d committed $200,000 in fraudulent activity, his plea agreement says. Worsham said he committed fraud to buy drugs and gamble.
Worsham pleaded guilty Tuesday in front of U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry to two counts of wire fraud, seven counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Each wire fraud charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. The bank fraud charges each carry a penalty of up to 30 years and a $1 million fine and the identity theft charge carries a mandatory sentence of at least two years consecutive to any other sentence.
Worsham is scheduled to be sentenced in November. He will also be ordered to forfeit money and property equal to the losses due to his schemes.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case, aided by a number of police departments including those in Maryland Heights, Arnold, O’Fallon, St. Louis County and St. Louis. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Dowd III is prosecuting the case.
South L.A. Gang Member Who Sold Methamphetamine and Crack Cocaine at His Storefront Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A member of the Hoover Criminals Gang pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge for conspiring to distribute narcotics, including crack cocaine and methamphetamine, which were sold at his storefront in South Los Angeles.
Andrew Tate, 54, a.k.a. “Batman,” of South Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. He is the lead defendant in an indictment targeting the gang's members and associates as part of an investigation dubbed “Operation Hoover Dam.”
According to his plea agreement, Tate owned a business named TNN Market and he sold methamphetamine, crack cocaine and powder cocaine from it. Tate and co-defendant Bobby Lorenzo Reed, 58, a.k.a. “Zo” and “Z,” who owned the South Los Angeles-based store H&E Smoke and Snack Shop, referred customers to one another, supplied one another, and directed their employees to engage in drug sales and referrals in dozens of narcotics transactions from June 2017 to May 2018.
United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr. scheduled a December 13 sentencing hearing, at which time Tate will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
In total, federal prosecutors have secured 10 convictions in this case.
Reed pleaded guilty on June 7 to federal criminal charges in this case and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 13. On June 22, co-defendant Willie Alsha Hill, 51, of South Los Angeles, was found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 11.
The FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jenna Williams and Jason Pang of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section are prosecuting this case.
Sexual Abuse Charges Against Former Federal Prison Warden Expanded to Include Two Additional Inmate VictimsRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – A federal grand jury issued an eight count superseding indictment today charging former federal prison warden Ray J. Garcia with seven counts of sexually abusive conduct against three female victims who were serving prison sentences and one count of making false statements to government agents, announced U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds, Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Los Angeles Field Office Special Agent in Charge Zachary Shroyer, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan.
At the time of the eight offenses, Garcia, 55, of Merced, California, was employed as the Associate Warden or as the Warden of the Federal Correctional Institute Dublin (FCI Dublin), an all-female low security federal correctional institution in Alameda County. Garcia was initially charged by a complaint filed on September 24, 2021, that alleged he committed one count of sexual abuse of a ward. A federal grand jury thereafter issued an indictment on November 2, 2021, charging Garcia with two counts of sexual abuse of a ward who was identified only as “Victim 1.” Victim 1 was described in the indictment as a female inmate serving a prison sentence at FCI Dublin.
Today, the federal grand jury issued a superseding indictment against Garcia, now charging him with three counts of sexual abuse of Victim 1 and one count of abusive sexual contact with Victim 1, all while she was a prisoner at FCI Dublin. These counts are alleged to have occurred from December 2019 to March 2020.
The superseding indictment further charges Garcia with sexual offenses against two additional females serving prison sentences at FCI Dublin. These females are identified only as “Victim 2” and “Victim 3.” The superseding indictment charges Garcia with two counts of abusive sexual contact with Victim 2, both acts occurring in the period from January to July 2021. The superseding indictment also charges Garcia with one count of abusive sexual contact with Victim 3. The abusive sexual contact is alleged to have occurred during the period from March to September 2020.
Lastly, the superseding indictment charges Garcia with one count of making false statements to a government agency on July 22, 2021. On that date, Garcia is alleged to have stated to a government agency that he had never asked inmates to be undressed for him at a specific time nor had he ever touched an inmate inappropriately. The charge alleges that Garcia knew these statements to be untrue because he had asked multiple inmates to undress for him at a specific time and had touched Victim 1, Victim 2, and Victim 3 in a sexual manner.
Garcia is out of custody and his initial appearance on the superseding indictment has not yet been scheduled. However, Garcia is set to begin a jury trial on the charges against him on November 21, 2022, in front of United States District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.
The charges contained in the superseding indictment are mere allegations. As in any criminal case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Garcia is charged with three counts of sexual abuse of a ward in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2243(b). If convicted, he faces a maximum period of imprisonment of 15 years for each count of conviction. Garcia is also charged with four counts of abusive sexual contact in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2244(a)(4). If convicted, he faces a maximum period of imprisonment of 2 years for each count of conviction. Garcia is lastly charged with making false statements to a government agency in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2). If convicted of this offense, he faces a maximum penalty of 8 years imprisonment. For each conviction of the above offenses, Garcia faces a maximum fine of $250,000. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The case is being prosecuted by AUSAs Molly Priedeman and Andrew Paulson with the assistance of Leeya Kekona. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DOJ-OIG and the FBI.
Serial Armed Robber Who Escaped from Kentucky Jail Sentenced to Twenty Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW ALBANY – Anthony Martinez, 32, of Scottsburg, Indiana, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to robbing a credit union and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in the Southern District of Indiana and robbing four banks in the Western District of Kentucky.
According to court documents, between November 13, 2015, and January 14, 2020, Martinez robbed four banks in Louisville, Kentucky and a credit union in Madison, Indiana. Armed and disguised, Martinez entered the institutions, demanded money, and threatened to shoot the employees if they did not comply with his demands. Martinez brandished his firearm, sometimes attempting to shoot it into the air, bound his victims with zip ties, and ordered them to the vault or bathroom—telling them not to come out for 10 minutes while he escaped. Martinez stole a total of $377,775.
Martinez was arrested on February 13, 2020, by the Louisville Metro Robbery Unit and detained in the custody of the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections. On September 29, 2020, Martinez escaped from jail. On October 13, 2020, federal and local law enforcement officers located and arrested Martinez in Hanover, Indiana.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana; Michael A. Bennett, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky; and Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office, made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Louisville Metro Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Indiana State Police. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. As part of the sentence, Judge Pratt ordered that Martinez be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years following his release from federal prison. Martinez is also ordered to pay $377,775 in restitution to the victim banks. Martinez was originally scheduled to be sentenced August 19, 2022, but the hearing was rescheduled after law enforcement officers transporting Martinez observed him attempt to remove his handcuffs, which had been tampered with using a small piece of metal in the keyhole.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Wheatley who prosecuted this case.
Rockford Woman Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Straw Purchasing FirearmsRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford woman has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms.
KIANA MARTIN, 30, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard in Rockford.
Martin pleaded guilty on May 18, 2022, to misrepresenting to federally licensed firearms dealers that she was the actual transferee or buyer of firearms when, in fact, she was not the actual transferee or buyer of the firearms. In a plea agreement, Martin admitted that on multiple dates she knowingly made false and fictitious written statements to the firearms dealers in connection with the acquisition of firearms, and then transferred those firearms to known felons who could not legally purchase them.
The sentence 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 Carla Redd, Chief of the Rockford Police Department. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Maveus.
Repeat Offender Is Sentenced to 9+ Years in Prison for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A repeat offender on federal supervised release was sentenced to prison today for illegally possessing a loaded firearm, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Corey Donnell Jenkins, 37, of Gastonia, N.C., was ordered to serve 112 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty in December 2021 to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to filed documents and statements made in court, Jenkins has a criminal history that includes state convictions for possession with intent to sell or deliver drugs and assault on a female, and a federal conviction for illegal possession of a firearm. On January 16, 2021, a CMPD officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the vehicle Jenkins was driving for a license plate violation. Jenkins failed to stop his vehicle and instead sped away. Law enforcement followed Jenkins and continued to attempt to pull over the vehicle. Jenkins eventually crashed into another car and then fled on foot into a nearby fast food restaurant. Court records show that, while inside the restaurant, Jenkins attempted to dispose of his loaded firearm. When CMPD officers entered the fast food restaurant, Jenkins escaped through the drive through window. He was apprehended shortly thereafter outside of the restaurant and was taken into custody. Officers also retrieved the firearm Jenkins was carrying, which was a loaded .38 special revolver that had been reported stolen. At the time of the incident, Jenkins was on supervised release stemming from a 2013 federal gun conviction and was not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition.
U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Regina Pack of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
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In July 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina launched Think Again, an informational campaign to educate the public on
how to prevent illegal firearms from getting into the wrong hands. The U.S. Attorney’s Office partnered with the ATF in this initiative, in a joint effort to reduce gun-induced violence and to increase reporting of illegal firearms. The campaign encourages the public to submit an anonymous tip about illegal firearms and other criminal activity to the ATF by calling 1-888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477), via text at 63975, or online at WWW.ATF.GOV/ATF-TIPS.
For additional information about our Think Again initiative, please visit our website. You can view our Think Again Public Service Announcements here.
Repeat Felon from Indianapolis Indicted for Illegal Possession of a Firearm Following Domestic Disturbance CallRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – James Hoskins, 41, of Indianapolis, was indicted by a federal grand jury for the federal crime of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on June 20, 2022, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) were dispatched to South Belmont Street on a report of a domestic disturbance. Upon arrival, officers learned that Hoskins and his wife had been arguing, and that during the argument, Hoskins had threatened, physically assaulted, and pointed a handgun at his wife. Police located the gun and arrested Hoskins.
Hoskins is prohibited from possessing firearms due to his prior felony convictions. Hoskins was convicted of forgery and theft in 2012, escape and burglary in 2016, and synthetic identity deception in 2018, all felony convictions in Marion County, Indiana.
Hoskins made his initial court appearance yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tim A. Baker of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana and was ordered detained pending trial. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division made the announcement.
The ATF is investigating the case. IMPD provided valuable assistance.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Fugate who is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of the LEATH Initiative (Law Enforcement Action to Halt Domestic Violence), named in honor of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Officer Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance call. A partnership among the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the IMPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the LEATH Initiative focuses federal, state, and local law enforcement resources on domestic violence offenders who illegally possess firearms.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Remaining Defendants Convicted in Conspiracy to Kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen WhitmerRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS – A federal jury today convicted two men charged in connection with a conspiracy to kidnap the Governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer.
Adam Fox, of Wyoming, Michigan, and Barry Croft Jr., of Bear, Delaware, were found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap the governor and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property. Croft was additionally convicted of knowingly possessing an unregistered destructive device, specifically an improvised explosive wrapped in pennies for shrapnel.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Fox and Croft intended to kidnap Governor Whitmer from her vacation cottage near Elk Rapids, Michigan and use the destructive devices to facilitate their plot by harming and hindering the governor’s security detail and any responding law enforcement officers.
“Today’s verdict confirms this plot was very real and very dangerous,” said former U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge for the Western District of Michigan, appointed to oversee the trial. “These men posed a threat not only to the Governor personally but also to bystanders. No elected leader should have to contend with what Governor Whitmer faced here. She deserves to live in safety, not in fear, just like everyone else in our State. All of our elected leaders deserve that, and the Justice Department will not tolerate violent extremist plots of this nature seeking to undermine our democracy”
“These defendants believed their anti-government views justified violence,” said Special Agent in Charge James A. Tarasca of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “Today’s verdict sends a clear message that they were wrong in their assessment. Violence is never the answer. The FBI will continue to investigate anyone who seeks to engage in violence in furtherance of any ideological cause and hold them accountable.”
Co-conspirator Ty Garbin was sentenced to six years in prison in August 2021 after pleading guilty to the original indictment charging him with conspiracy to kidnap Governor Whitmer. Co-defendant Kaleb James Franks also pleaded guilty to the conspiracy to kidnap charge in February 2022 and is awaiting sentencing. Co-defendants Daniel Joseph Harris and Brandon Michael-Ray Caserta were acquitted of charges at trial earlier this year.
The kidnapping conspiracy and the conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction are punishable by up to life in prison. Possession of an unregistered destructive device and the possession of an unregistered short barrel rifle are each punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The presiding judge, Judge Robert Jonker, will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s Detroit Field Office investigated the case with valuable assistance provided by the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office and the Joint Terrorism Task Force, including Michigan State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nils Kessler and Chris O’Connor conducted this retrial with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and Taryn Meeks of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
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Readout of Justice Department Officials’ Remarks to National Association of Election OfficialsRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. met today with a bipartisan group of election officials at the 37th Annual National Conference of The National Association of Election Officials.
Assistant Attorney General Polite discussed the ongoing work of the department’s Election Threats Task Force, including sharing intelligence, data, and analysis.
Assistant Attorney General Polite told participants that over the past year, the task force has held approximately 40 meetings, presentations, and trainings with the election community, state and local prosecutors, state and local law enforcement, vendors providing services to support election administration, and major social media companies.
Assistant Attorney General Polite thanked the election community for engaging directly with the task force in various ways over the past year. He stressed the importance that those lines of communication stay open ahead of election season and reminded the election community of the individual points of contact they have in every FBI field office in the country.
Assistant Attorney General Polite also briefed the election community on available funds for enhanced security for election offices, and the availability of additional resources from both academic and non-governmental organizations. Assistant Attorney General Polite and Principal Deputy Chief John Keller of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section also highlighted recent federal charges against an individual accused of making a threat to an Arizona election official.
Putnam County Man Sentenced to over 17 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse VideosRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard today sentenced Jason Lloyd Sweat (41, Palatka) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for receiving visual depictions of a minor forced to engage in sexually explicit conduct. The court also ordered Sweat to serve a 15-year term of supervised release, to register as a sex offender, and to forfeit the cellphone he had used in the commission of the offense. Sweat had pleaded guilty on March 8, 2022, and has been detained since his arrest on January 14, 2022.
According to court documents, in September 2021, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received information documenting the upload of nine files of child sexual abuse material over the internet. Further investigation led agents to an online account used by Sweat for which HSI obtained a federal search warrant. Upon a search of the account, agents found the reported files as well as multiple additional files depicting child sexual abuse.
Agents interviewed Sweat at the Putnam County jail, where he was serving a term of incarceration for nonpayment of child support. Sweat acknowledged that he viewed child sexual abuse files and claimed to do so as a “dope-infested curiosity.” Sweat said he downloaded the files from an online chatroom and had viewed them three to four times. The files showed the abuse of young children, including infants and toddlers.
At sentencing, the United States introduced evidence of Sweat engaged in sexual conduct with adults while discussing the sexual abuse of children. Sweat also viewed child sexual abuse material while engaged in sexual acts with adults.
“The vigilant efforts of technology providers and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children assisted in the identification and prosecution of this predator. The uploading of child sexual abuse material continues the abuse of the innocent victims,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “Thanks to our outstanding law enforcement partnership with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, this predator will now pay for his deviant actions.”
This case was investigated by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Oregon white supremacist pleads guilty to hate crime and false statement chargesRead the Press Release
Seattle – An Oregon man pleaded guilty yesterday to hate crime and false statement charges in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. Randy Smith, 42, pleaded guilty to committing a hate crime for his participation in the assault of T.S., a Black man, which occurred because of the man’s actual and perceived race. Smith assaulted T.S. at a bar in Lynnwood, Washington on Dec. 8, 2018.
In his plea agreement, Smith admitted that, at the time of the assault, he was a member of a white supremacist support group. On December 8, 2018, Smith entered a bar in Lynnwood, Washington, with others, including fellow support group members as well as members of a higher-level white supremacist group. Smith wore clothing and patches indicating his group membership and gave a “Nazi salute” as he entered the bar. While inside, Smith assaulted T.S, a Black man who was serving as the disc jockey at the bar, because he believed that T.S. was being disrespectful to the members of the white supremacist groups. Smith repeatedly punched T.S., while others punched, kicked, and/or stomped on T.S. and called T.S. racial slurs. As a result of the assault, T.S. suffered bodily injuries. Two bystanders attempted to intervene to help T.S. and stop the assault. Both bystanders were assaulted by members of the white supremacist groups, and both sustained injuries.
In addition to the hate crime charge, Smith pleaded guilty to making false statements to FBI agents about circumstances surrounding the assault. Specifically, Smith falsely claimed to the agents that he did not remember anyone calling T.S. a racial slur during the assault. This statement was false, in that Smith knew he and others called T.S. racial slurs before, during, and after the assault. Smith made this false statement to the FBI because he wanted to cover up the motive for the assault, which was the bias that he and others had against T.S.’s race.
Smith will be sentenced on November 18. The hate crime charge carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. The false statement charge carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison.
Smith was charged in an indictment that was unsealed on December 18, 2020. The seven-count indictment also charged three other men, each aiding and abetting one another, with punching and kicking T.S. while making derogatory comments about his actual and perceived race. The indictment further charged Smith and the three other men with assaulting two men who intervened to protect T.S. during the attack, as well as with making false statements to the FBI during the course of their investigation. Two of these three men, Jason DeSimas and Daniel Dorson, previously pleaded guilty in this matter.
Smith also pleaded guilty to an unlawful possession of a firearm charge, arising from conduct in Oregon in 2020. In the plea agreement, Smith admitted that he unlawfully possessed a Ruger 9mm pistol despite knowing that he had being previously convicted of a felony. The indictment for this charge was originally filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon in August 2020 and later transferred to the Western District of Washington. The unlawful possession of a firearm charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison. This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William McLaren of the District of Oregon.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas W. Brown of the Western District of Washington and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division made the announcement. This case was investigated by the FBI, with the support of the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Cohen and Trial Attorney Christine M. Siscaretti of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Oregon White Supremacist Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime and False Statement Charges in Connection with Assault of a Black ManRead the Press Release
An Oregon man pleaded guilty to hate crime and false statement charges in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. Randy Smith, 42, pleaded guilty to committing a hate crime for his participation in the assault of T.S., a Black man, which occurred because of the man’s actual and perceived race. Smith assaulted T.S. at a bar in Lynnwood, Washington, on Dec. 8, 2018.
In his plea agreement, Smith admitted that, at the time of the assault, he was a member of a white supremacist support group. On Dec. 8, 2018, Smith entered a bar in Lynnwood, Washington, with others, including fellow support group members as well as members of a higher-level white supremacist group. Smith wore clothing and patches indicating his group membership and gave a “Nazi salute” as he entered the bar. While inside, Smith assaulted T.S, a Black man who was serving as the disc jockey at the bar, because he believed that T.S. was being disrespectful to the members of the white supremacist groups. Smith repeatedly punched T.S., while others punched, kicked, and/or stomped on T.S. and called T.S. racial slurs. As a result of the assault, T.S. suffered bodily injuries. Two bystanders attempted to intervene to help T.S. and stop the assault. Both bystanders were assaulted by members of the white supremacist groups, and both sustained injuries.
In addition to the hate crime charge, Smith pleaded guilty to making false statements to FBI agents about circumstances surrounding the assault. Specifically, Smith falsely claimed to the agents that he did not remember anyone calling T.S. a racial slur during the assault. This statement was false, in that Smith knew he and others called T.S. racial slurs before, during and after the assault. Smith made this false statement to the FBI because he wanted to cover up the motive for the assault, which was the bias that he and others had against T.S.’s race.
Smith will be sentenced on Nov. 18. The hate crime charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The false statement charge carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison.
Smith was charged in an indictment that was unsealed on Dec. 18, 2020. The seven-count indictment also charged three other men, each aiding and abetting one another, with punching and kicking T.S. while making derogatory comments about his actual and perceived race. The indictment further charged Smith and the three other men with assaulting two men who intervened to protect T.S. during the attack, as well as with making false statements to the FBI during the course of their investigation. Two of these three men, Jason DeSimas and Daniel Dorson, previously pleaded guilty in this matter.
Smith also pleaded guilty to an unlawful possession of a firearm charge, arising from conduct in Oregon in 2020. In the plea agreement, Smith admitted that he unlawfully possessed a Ruger 9mm pistol despite knowing that he had being previously convicted of a felony. The indictment for this charge was originally filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon in August 2020 and later transferred to the Western District of Washington. The unlawful possession of a firearm charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison. This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William McLaren of the District of Oregon.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Nicholas W. Brown for the Western District of Washington made the announcement. This case was investigated by the FBI, with the support of the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. Trial Attorney Christine M. Siscaretti of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Cohen of the Western District of Washington are prosecuting the case.
New Orleans Man Sentenced on Weapons ChargeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that defendant, DARIUS WILLIAMS a/k/a “D-Nice,” of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced on August 10, 2022 by U.S. District Court Judge Lance M. Africk to a prison term of eighty (80) months for being a felon in possession of a firearm, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, 922(g)(1). Judge Africk also ordered that WILLIAMS be placed on supervised release for a term of three (3) years following his release from imprisonment. WILLIAMS was also ordered to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to documents filed in federal court, on October 30, 2020, WILLIAMS was observed openly brandishing a weapon while walking through the Pigeon Town neighborhood of New Orleans by New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) detectives. In 2019, WILLIAMS was convicted of drug possession in Jefferson Parish, a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term of more than one year. As such, WILLIAMS is prohibited from possessing firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) assisted NOPD in the arrest of WILLIAMS on October 30, 2020.
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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Multi-Convicted Felon with Ghost Ar-15 Pistol Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Keo Ibua Mike (29, Ocala) today pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Mike faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on or about November 7, 2019, law enforcement officers arrested Mike on outstanding warrants at an Ocala house that smelled strongly of marijuana. Investigators obtained a search warrant and recovered methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and MDMA from the home. They also located three loaded firearms in the attic, including an AR-15 “ghost” pistol (with no manufacturer markings) and an AK-47 rifle. Photos from Mike’s social media account showed him holding the AR-15 pistol hours before the arrest. DNA testing by the FBI later conclusively linked him to other two firearms. Mike’s prior felony convictions include aggravated assault with a firearm (2009) and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon (2014). As a convicted felon, Mike is prohibited from possessing firearms or 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.
This case was investigated by the City of Ocala Police Department, the Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team (UDEST), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
Mount Dora Convicted Felon Indicted for Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Woodrow Milton Butler (39, Mount Dora) on an indictment charging him with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, Butler has nine prior state felony convictions, including armed burglary of a dwelling (2002), sale of cocaine (2008), and fleeing and eluding law enforcement (2012). On March 21, 2019, Butler possessed a Glock pistol. As a convicted felon, Butler is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.
An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the City of Eustis Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
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.
Michigan man admits trafficking fentanyl on Rocky Boy’s Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS—A Michigan man admitted on Aug. 22 to bringing fentanyl pills to the Rocky Boy’s Indian reservation for distribution, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
Romeiro Mased Williams, aka Rico, 30, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Williams faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Chief Judge Morris set sentencing for Dec. 8. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Williams was released pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in December 2020, the FBI was investigating a number of individuals from the Detroit area who were suspected to be distributing fentanyl on and around the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation. The FBI learned in mid-December that one of the individuals from this group, identified as Williams, was picked up at the Great Falls airport and taken to a home on Rocky Boy’s. Williams and John Doe, the resident of the home, were seen with pills and cash. The FBI executed a search warrant at the residence. Williams, John Doe and others were present. Officers seized about $920 in cash from Williams’ pocket and a bag of fentanyl was found on the floor. Williams claimed to have traveled from Michigan to Rocky Boy’s looking for a better place to live and denied ever seeing pills and knowing anything about drug trafficking. John Doe and others at the residence stated that Williams, had in fact, brought the pills that were seized. John Doe also admitted to helping Williams connect with local drug purchasers. Approximately 179 pills were submitted for DEA testing, and all tested pills contained fentanyl.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan R. Plaut is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Tri Agency Task Force, Russell Country High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
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Mexican national faces federal drug trafficking charges in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Carlos Arturo “Ochenta” Quintana, 40, was arraigned on an indictment charging him with conspiracy to import a controlled substance into the United States.
A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Quintana, along with 10 other co-defendants, on July 23, 2015. According to the indictment and other court records, in February and March 2011, Quintana, Jesus Salas-Aguayo, Elmy Hermosillo, Raul Corella-Hernandez and Jorge Adrian Ortega-Gallegos allegedly distributed over 100 kilograms of marijuana to be imported into the United States for the Vicente Carrillo Fuentes Organization (VCFO).
The VCFO is a transnational criminal enterprise based in Chihuahua, Mexico, and is responsible for smuggling tons of narcotics into the United States. The VCFO is one of the oldest and most powerful criminal organizations in Mexico. Since its beginnings, the cartel has focused on drug trafficking, but has expanded into other criminal activities such as human trafficking, arms trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, and large-scale commercial gasoline theft from the Mexican government.
Quintana was extradited to the United States and taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service on Aug. 18. Quintana made an initial appearance in federal court on Aug. 19, and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Quintana faces a minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Las Cruces-Doña Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Quintana from Mexico, and the Department thanks the Government of Mexico for the extradition.
U.S. Attorney Uballez and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Y. Armijo and Randy Castellano are prosecuting the case.
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Marmaduke Woman Sentenced to a Year of Home Confinement for False Social Security StatementsRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—A Marmaduke woman who fraudulently obtained more than $96,000 in Social Security Administration funds was sentenced yesterday afternoon for making false statements to the United States government. United States District Court Judge Lee Rudofsky sentenced Tammy Jean Hogan, 58, to five years of probation with one year to be served in home confinement. Judge Rudofsky also ordered Hogan to pay a $9,600 fine and $96,397 in restitution as well as perform 400 hours of community service.
In February 2020, a referral to the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Cooperative Disability Investigations Unit alleged that Hogan, who served as representative payee for her husband, was concealing numerous properties the couple owned from 2009 through 2021. Investigation revealed that Hogan intentionally concealed household income and resources in order to maintain her husband’s eligibility from August 2009 through March 2021, resulting in $96,397 being paid to Hogan.
A grand jury indicted Hogan in May 2021, and she pleaded guilty in April 2022. The investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration OIG, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Jegley.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS