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Thursday 7 July 2022
Missoula area man sentenced to 10 years in prison for trafficking controlled substancesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A man who admitted to dealing controlled substances in the Missoula area for more than two years was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Jamie Scott Chandler, 48, of Alberton, pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Chandler distributed methamphetamine and heroin in the Missoula area from about January 2019 through June 2021. Officers with the Missoula Police Department and Montana Probation and Parole arrested Chandler on June 29, 2021 in Missoula County on a state warrant. Officers searched Chandler’s backpack and recovered heroin, meth, packaging materials, and a large amount of U.S. currency. When interviewed, Chandler told law enforcement that he had obtained drugs and provided drugs to others and had purchased the drugs found in his backpack.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Minneapolis Man Sentenced to 160 Months in Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking on Mille Lacs ReservationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man was sentenced to 160 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between June 2019 and October 2020, Xavier Jerome Buckhanan, 47, conspired with others to traffic methamphetamine and other drugs from Las Vegas to communities in and surrounding the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation. Through the course of the investigation, law enforcement identified multiple packages containing drugs that were sent via the U.S. Postal Service from Las Vegas to a recipient in Eden Valley, Minnesota. On October 19, 2020, law enforcement conducted a controlled delivery of three packages that contained multiple bundles of methamphetamine. Officers arrested Buckhanan when he arrived to retrieve the packages.
Buckhanan was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Michael J. Davis. On December 14, 2021, Buckhanan pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Mille Lacs Tribal Police Department, Meeker County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Caleb J. Dogeagle and Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Y. Aanstad prosecuted the case.
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Mexican national admits to trafficking 11 kilograms of cocaine through borderRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 31-year-old man residing in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Sergio Bustos-Cruz, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, pleaded guilty to smuggling 11.62 kilograms of cocaine.
As part of his plea, Bustos-Cruz admitted he attempted to drive through the World Trade Bridge in Laredo on April 21.
Upon arrival, authorities referred him to secondary inspection where an X-ray scan of his tractor trailer revealed anomalies within the roof of the tractor cab. At inspection, law enforcement discovered several bundles containing 11.62 kilograms of cocaine.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing Oct. 18. At that time, Bustos-Cruz faces up to life in prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.
Bustos-Cruz will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Isaac is prosecuting the case.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegally Using a Social Security Number Belonging to Another PersonRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOSE GARCIA-NUNEZ, age 33, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty on June 6, 2022 to illegally using a social security number belonging to another individual, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B). JOSE GARCIA-NUNEZ pleaded guilty before the Honorable Susie Morgan, U.S. District Judge, Eastern District of Louisiana, and sentencing is set for October 13, 2022.
According to documents filed in federal court, JOSE GARCIA-NUNEZ used the social security number of another individual to secure employment and orientation training with a local company.
The maximum penalty for the offense is five years imprisonment, followed by up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to the victim, and a mandatory special assessment fee of one hundred dollars.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens, II is in charge of the prosecution.
Mexican National Captured on Drug Smuggling Vessel Sentenced to More Than 20 Years After Providing False Information to Law Enforcement During CooperationRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Senior U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Luis Alberto Bran-Lopez (43, Oaxaca, Mexico) to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine while onboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Bran-Lopez had pleaded guilty on April 15, 2022.
According to court documents, on January 14, 2021, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter STEADFAST interdicted a go-fast vessel (GFV) carrying Bran-Lopez and his six co-conspirators in international waters about 212 nautical miles south of Huatulco, Mexico. The defendants were carrying approximately 760 kilograms of cocaine on the GFV. During the boarding of the GFV, Bran-Lopez told the USCG that he and his co-conspirators were fishing for sharks even though there was a lack of fishing equipment and neither ice nor bait on board.
According to testimony and court documents, investigators learned of a plan that one of the seven co-conspirators would plead guilty and then provide information to law enforcement exonerating the others. Bran-Lopez was that person, and he later told federal agents, while under a cooperation agreement, that he tricked his co-defendants into thinking they were going on a fishing trip when, in reality, the co-defendants were going on a smuggling trip that Bran-Lopez had to take because his family had been kidnapped. The court rejected this explanation and found that Bran-Lopez had obstructed the investigation by making materially false statements to law enforcement.
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. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
Man Who Possessed Methamphetamine and Firearms Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed over fifteen grams of methamphetamine was sentenced July 6, 2022, to more than five years in federal prison. Kevin Kautman, age 37, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 1, 2022 guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
In a plea agreement, Kautman admitted that in December 2020, he was living in Dubuque, Iowa. Law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant for his residence. Inside Kautman’s bedroom, police located a .45 caliber pistol, a stolen shotgun, a wide variety of ammunition, over 15 grams of methamphetamine, counterfeit money, digital scales, marijuana, and other narcotic-related items. At sentencing, the evidence showed that Kautman had a lengthy criminal history with convictions for domestic abuse, assault, harassment, and violating a no contact order. Kautman also threatened his roommate with a firearm.
Kautman was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Kautman was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment and fined $100. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Kautman is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Liz Dupuich and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 21-cr-1028.
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Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
A Florida man was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, also known as ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Romeo Xavier Langhorne, 32, of St. Augustine, pleaded guilty in the Middle District of Florida to one count of attempting to provide material support to ISIS on May 13, 2021. According to court documents, Langhorne pledged his allegiance to ISIS at some point in 2014, knowing that ISIS was a designated foreign terrorist organization that engaged in acts of terrorism. Between 2018 and 2019, Langhorne reaffirmed his support of ISIS on various social media accounts, posted ISIS-produced videos to his YouTube account and participated in online ISIS chat rooms with like-minded individuals. In December 2018 and January 2019, Langhorne expressed in one of those chat rooms an interest in creating a video that would improve on existing videos demonstrating the making and use of a deadly explosive, triacetone triperoxide (TATP).
In February 2019, Langhorne began communicating with an undercover employee (UCE) of the FBI who was posing as someone working on behalf of ISIS. Langhorne told the UCE about his plans to create and disseminate an instructional video on making TATP and sought the UCE’s assistance in creating the video. Langhorne told the UCE that, in order to ensure that the video was not removed from the internet by service providers, it should include disclaimers advising that it was intended for educational purposes. However, Langhorne informed the UCE that his true purpose in making and distributing the video was to arm ISIS adherents and others with knowledge of how to make TATP and use it for terrorism-related purposes in support of ISIS.
During the summer of 2019, Langhorne sent multiple messages to the UCE for assistance with creating a Nasheed, which is a form of Islamic vocal music. Langhorne stated he wanted the Nasheed to include a particular recording of an ISIS member yelling “Allahu Akbar” while breaking out of prison, as well as a clip of children saying, “kill them all.” Langhorne explained that he wanted the Nasheed “to encourage justified retaliation” against the United States for its role in killing Muslims.
The FBI produced a video in accordance with Langhorne’s instructions, but – unbeknownst to Langhorne – it featured an inert chemical formula for TATP that would not produce an explosion. In November 2019, the UCE provided versions of the TATP video to Langhorne, and Langhorne distributed the video by uploading it to a video-sharing website.
Langhorne was arrested at his residence in Roanoke, Virginia, on Nov. 15, 2019. Langhorne admitted in a post-arrest interview that he had “probably at some point” pledged allegiance to both ISIS and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was the leader of ISIS from 2014 until his death on Oct. 26, 2019. Langhorne admitted that he communicated with the UCE and that he uploaded the TATP video to the internet.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida Roger B. Handberg, Acting Assistant Director Kevin Vorndran of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division and Special Agent in Charge Sherri E. Onks of the FBI’s Jacksonville Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI, including partner agencies participating in the Northeast Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force, investigated the case with investigative support from U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations and Border Patrol and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney D. Andrew Sigler of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – United States Attorney Roger Handberg announces today that a Florida man was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, also known as ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Romeo Xavier Langhorne, 32, of St. Augustine, pleaded guilty in the Middle District of Florida to one count of attempting to provide material support to ISIS on May 13, 2021. According to court documents, Langhorne pledged his allegiance to ISIS at some point in 2014, knowing that ISIS was a designated foreign terrorist organization that engaged in acts of terrorism. Between 2018 and 2019, Langhorne reaffirmed his support of ISIS on various social media accounts, posted ISIS-produced videos to his YouTube account and participated in online ISIS chat rooms with like-minded individuals. In December 2018 and January 2019, Langhorne expressed in one of those chat rooms an interest in creating a video that would improve on existing videos demonstrating the making and use of a deadly explosive, triacetone triperoxide (TATP).
In February 2019, Langhorne began communicating with an undercover employee (UCE) of the FBI who was posing as someone working on behalf of ISIS. Langhorne told the UCE about his plans to create and disseminate an instructional video on making TATP and sought the UCE’s assistance in creating the video. Langhorne told the UCE that, in order to ensure that the video was not removed from the internet by service providers, it should include disclaimers advising that it was intended for educational purposes. However, Langhorne informed the UCE that his true purpose in making and distributing the video was to arm ISIS adherents and others with knowledge of how to make TATP and use it for terrorism-related purposes in support of ISIS.
During the summer of 2019, Langhorne sent multiple messages to the UCE for assistance with creating a Nasheed, which is a form of Islamic vocal music. Langhorne stated he wanted the Nasheed to include a particular recording of an ISIS member yelling “Allahu Akbar” while breaking out of prison, as well as a clip of children saying, “kill them all.” Langhorne explained that he wanted the Nasheed “to encourage justified retaliation” against the United States for its role in killing Muslims.
The FBI produced a video in accordance with Langhorne’s instructions, but – unbeknownst to Langhorne – it featured an inert chemical formula for TATP that would not produce an explosion. In November 2019, the UCE provided versions of the TATP video to Langhorne, and Langhorne distributed the video by uploading it to a video-sharing website.
Langhorne was arrested at his residence in Roanoke, Virginia, on November 15, 2019. Langhorne admitted in a post-arrest interview that he had “probably at some point” pledged allegiance to both ISIS and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was the leader of ISIS from 2014 until his death on October 26, 2019. Langhorne admitted that he communicated with the UCE and that he uploaded the TATP video to the internet.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida Roger B. Handberg, Acting Assistant Director Kevin Vorndran of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, and FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Sherri E. Onks made the announcement.
“The willingness of this dangerous individual to go to great lengths to harm innocent Americans was always very real,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Sherri E. Onks, “but through hard work and determination, the FBI Jacksonville Joint Terrorism Task Force successfully disrupted his plan early on, and averted a threat to the safety of our community. Moving forward, we remain as vigilant as ever in our efforts to protect the public from others who support terrorist organizations, and we encourage the public to help us by reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement.”
“Due to the outstanding cooperation and coordination by our law enforcement partners, great harm to our community was prevented,” stated U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg. “I applaud the diligence of those who worked expeditiously to disrupt this threat to our public’s safety.”
The FBI, including partner agencies participating in the Northeast Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force, investigated the case with investigative support from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney D. Andrew Sigler of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.
Major black tar heroin conspiracy in Katy lands three men in prisonRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Three men have been ordered to federal prison following their convictions of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Esteban Lopez Hernandez, 41, illegally resided in Katy and pleaded guilty in June 2021 as did two others - Robert Gomez, 28, Missouri City, and Longino Jaimes-Solorzano, 23, also illegally residing in Katy.
Today, U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes found Hernandez to be a leader in the conspiracy and ordered him to serve a 235-month term of imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence detailing that their drug trafficking organization specialized in distributing black heroin. In handing down the prison terms, Judge Hughes noted the extreme negative impact of the drug on the community after hearing that since the group was placed in custody there is almost no black tar heroin circulating in the Katy area.
Gomez and Jaimes-Solarzano were previously sentenced to 10 years in prison. Not U.S. citizens, Hernandez and Jaimes-Solarzano are expected to face removal proceeding following their terms of imprisonment.
All three men were involved in drug trafficking organization that specialized in black tar heroin for approximately two years. Hernandez was found to be the leader, while Gomez and Jaimes-Solarzano served as drug couriers.
The drug had a major impact on the Katy area in 2017. A rash of several young drug-related overdoses had links to specific dealers in the Katy area. Authorities were ultimately able to identify the source of supply for the dealers and uncover other details of the organization. The investigation revealed the organization deployed multiple stash houses and used several couriers.
All have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Harris County Precinct 5 Constable’s Office and Fort Bend Sheriff’s Office conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation dubbed Operation Shadow Theory with the assistance of IRS – Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Office of Inspector General and the Katy and Houston Police Departments. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Louisville Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Dealing Methamphetamine in New AlbanyRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Anthony Shanklin, 47, of Louisville, Kentucky, was sentenced late yesterday to 7 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers began investigating Shanklin’s drug trafficking activities in 2021. Shanklin trafficked in numerous illegal drugs including methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, marijuana, and THC edibles. Starting on May 3, 2021, and on three additional occasions, Shanklin brought methamphetamine from Louisville, Kentucky to sell at the Beechwood Public Housing area in New Albany, Indiana.
In total, law enforcement officers seized approximately 120 grams of methamphetamine during the four drug transactions.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Indianapolis, and New Albany Police Chief Todd Bailey made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Albany Police Department investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Chief Judge Tonya Walton Pratt. As part of the sentence, Judge Pratt ordered that Shanklin be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 4 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney William L. McCoskey who prosecuted this case.
Local man pleads guilty to trafficking over six kilograms of cocaineRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 44-year-old man from Laredo has admitted to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Erasmo Medina-Villanueva pleaded guilty to trafficking 6.8 kilograms of cocaine.
As part of his plea, Medina-Villanueva admitted to attempting to drive through the Lincoln Juarez Port of Entry in Laredo on April 7.
At that time, he told authorities he was visiting his mother in Mexico. However, an X-ray scan revealed anomalies near the center console of his vehicle. Upon further inspection, law enforcement discovered several bundles containing cocaine.
The drugs had an estimated street value of $170,000.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Medina-Villanueva faces up to life in prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Isaac is prosecuting the case.
Local man imprisoned after downloading nearly 700 pornographic imagesRead the Press Release
GALVESTON, Texas - A 40-year-old Alvin man has been sent to federal prison following his conviction of receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Timothy Alan Fortenberry pleaded guilty Jan. 19.
Today, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown ordered him to serve 180 months in prison. The sentence will be immediately followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, during which time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Fortenberry was a registered sex offender serving a term of supervised release for prior federal convictions for receipt and possession of child pornography. He will again have to register as a sex offender.
The investigation began in June 2021, when law enforcement discovered an individual utilizing a computer sharing files of child pornography on BitTorrent, a peer-to-peer file sharing system. Authorities downloaded a torrent file which contained 694 images from Fortenberry’s computer and found images of minor females engaged sexually explicit conduct.
On July 12, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence where Fortenberry was living. He admitted that while on supervised release, he purchased a tablet which was probation was not monitoring. He used it to download and view child pornography.
He further admitted that after doing so, he would factory reset the tablet in order to erase all of the child pornography.
Fortenberry will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Pearland Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Ann Leo prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Local man admits to receiving and storing child pornography via social mediaRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 22-year-old Laredo man has pleaded guilty to receipt and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Ricardo Reyna admitted to viewing and sharing child pornography between May 1, 2020 and May 6, 2022.
During the investigation, authorities found 51 video files and 16 images of child pornography on Reyna’s cellphones. Reyna admitted to viewing and sharing child pornography on Kik starting in 2020.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose a sentencing Oct. 18. At that time, Reyna faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Reyna has been and will remain in custody pending his hearing.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney April Ayers-Perez is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Lincoln Man Sentenced to More than Fifteen Years for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Anthony Dwayne Jackson, 39, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Jackson to 188 months in prison for distribution of 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine with a prior serious drug felony conviction. After serving his sentence, Jackson will be placed on supervised release for 10 years. Jackson faced a fifteen-year mandatory minimum sentence because of a prior drug trafficking conviction. There is no parole in the federal system.
From January through March, 2021, an undercover Lincoln Police Officer made a series of controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Jackson in Lincoln in quantities ranging from an eighth of an ounce up to three ounces of methamphetamine. On April 8, 2021, officers arrested Jackson in Lincoln and searched his vehicle. Inside the vehicle was about an ounce of methamphetamine, a digital scale with suspected methamphetamine residue, and a number of baggies typically used in the packaging and sale of narcotics. The methamphetamine seized or obtained from Jackson that was tested for purity was at least 90% pure.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Life sentence for Dayton man who fatally shot girlfriend’s ex-husband in front of victim’s childrenRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Sterling H. Roberts, 39, of Dayton was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to life in prison for fatally shooting his girlfriend’s ex-husband in front of the victim’s children.
A jury convicted Roberts in March 2022 of traveling interstate in August 2017 to murder Robert Caldwell, the former husband of his then-girlfriend after cyberstalking the victim.
According to court documents and trial testimony, around 6pm on Aug. 15, 2017, Caldwell and his three minor children left a counseling appointment in Riverside, Ohio. While crossing the parking lot, According to court documents and trial testimony, around 6pm on Aug. 15, 2017, Caldwell and his three minor children left a counseling appointment in Riverside, Ohio. While crossing the parking lot, Roberts executed Robert Caldwell by shooting him multiple times in front of his children. Caldwell died at the scene.
Roberts’ girlfriend at the time, co-defendant Tawnney Caldwell, and the murder victim had an ongoing dispute regarding the custody of their children. The two, along with four other co-defendants, collaborated to plan, execute and cover-up the murder.
“This heinous crime continues the American tragedy of children seeing loved ones shot down in front of them,” said Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “Our justice system must work hardest to protect our society’s children by ensuring their physical safety and mental well-being.”
“Killing a father in front of his children is a cold and ruthless act that deserves a lengthy prison sentence,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers. “I applaud the local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies that investigated this homicide and the prosecutors who pursued justice for the victim’s family.”
Judge Thomas M. Rose ordered Roberts to serve the life sentence consecutive to undischarged time from sentences in the U.S. District Court in South Carolina and to undischarged time in Montgomery County.
Sterling Roberts’ brothers, Chance Deakin and Christopher Roberts; Chandra Harmon (Tawnney’s mother); and James Harmon (Tawnney’s step-father) were each charged in March 2018 and have been convicted of crimes related to the cyberstalking and murder.
Tawnney Caldwell was sentenced in July 2021 to 35 years in prison for interstate stalking resulting in death.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Riverside Police Chief Frank Robinson and Sugarcreek Township Police Chief Michael A. Brown announced the sentence imposed today. Assistant United States Attorneys Amy M. Smith, Sheila G. Lafferty and Kevin Koller represented the United States in this case
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Las Vegas Man Charged with Theft of Firearms from St. George Firearms DealerRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – Brett Clinton Combs, 41, of Las Vegas, was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Utah with theft of firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer and being a restricted person in possession of firearms.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit filed by federal prosecutors, Combs used a rock to break into the Dixie Fish and Gun store in St. George during the early morning hours of March 4, 2022. After a “glass break” alarm alerted law enforcement to the incident, St. George police officers responded to find the front glass door of the business shattered and several cases containing firearms damaged. Video surveillance from the business showed a single suspect breaking the front glass door with a rock to enter the business. Continued surveillance footage showed the same suspect breaking several display cases, removing several firearms from the display cases, and then placing the firearms in a duffle bag, before exiting the business. A subsequent inventory of the firearms at the business revealed that 17 firearms, all 9mm semi-automatic pistols, were missing. During the investigation, responding officers discovered a substance resembling blood on broken glass from one of the display cases and submitted the substance to the Utah State Bureau of Forensic Services (UBFS) for analysis. Using the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) for comparison, investigators determined that the blood discovered on the broken glass was a DNA profile match with Brett Clinton Combs of Las Vegas. Additionally, one of the stolen firearms was recovered in conjunction with a separate crime in Las Vegas.
Assistant United States Attorneys from the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case. Special Agents from the ATF, along with officers from the St. George Police Department, are conducting the investigation.
An Indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Kyle Woman Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Kyle, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on June 30, 2022, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Christine Richards, age 26, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, $170 restitution for drug testing costs, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Richards was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on December 21, 2021. She pleaded guilty to the Indictment on April 8, 2022. Richards was responsible for bringing between 1.5 and 5 kilograms of methamphetamine to South Dakota during her involvement in the conspiracy. In South Dakota she dispersed the methamphetamine and recruited others as sub-distributors to sell for her. Richards frequently traveled to the Pine Ridge Reservation to sell methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Badlands Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of agents from the FBI, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, Martin Police Department and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Richards was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Kansas City, Missouri, Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crime in Attempted Murder of TeenRead the Press Release
A Kansas City man pleaded guilty in federal court today to committing a hate crime by shooting a local teenager eight times in an attempted murder that was motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation.
Malachi Robinson, 26, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to one count of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Robinson, who has been in federal custody since he was indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 10, 2021, will remain in federal detention until his sentencing hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.
By pleading guilty today, Robinson admitted that he shot the victim, identified in court records as “M.S.,” approximately eight times with a Taurus 9mm pistol in an attempt to kill him because of his sexual orientation, causing life-threatening injuries.
“This defendant is being held accountable for violently attempting to end the life of someone because of his sexual orientation,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This attempted murder is a reminder that hate crimes against the LGBTQI+ community are real and must be confronted. Violent acts targeting people based on their sexual orientation are heinous crimes that have no place in our country. The Justice Department will continue to use our civil rights laws to pursue justice for survivors and others impacted by bias motivated crimes.”
“Violence against others, motivated by hatred of their sexual orientation, is unacceptable,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore of the Western District of Missouri. “Such callous disregard for the life of a teenage victim, gravely wounded in a failed murder attempt, must be challenged by a commitment to protect the civil rights of all our citizens. When those rights are threatened, the Justice Department will act to hold the violators accountable.”
“Hate crimes—and the violence we saw in this case—are especially cruel because victims are attacked because of who they are,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI treats hate crimes as the highest priority of our civil rights program because everyone deserves to feel safe to express who they are, without fear of violence from others. We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to bring justice to all communities affected by hate.”
According to today’s plea agreement, after a chance meeting at the Kansas City Public Library on May 29, 2019, Robinson and M.S. talked briefly over Facebook Messenger before leaving the library. Robinson then walked with M.S. in the Swope Park area under the guise of looking for a place to engage in a sex act. Around the same time, Robinson wrote separately to his girlfriend that he “might shoot this boy” because of his sexual orientation. When Robinson and M.S. ultimately entered a wooded area nearby, Robinson pulled out his pistol and fired repeatedly at M.S.
Robinson fled through the woods toward his apartment building, and continued to engage in attempts to avoid detection or arrest. Later that day, and in the days that followed, Robinson told others that he shot M.S. because of his sexual orientation.
Under federal statutes, Robinson is subject to a sentence of up to life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Moore and Assistant Director Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dave Ketchmark for the Western District of Missouri and Trial Attorneys Shan Patel and Eric Peffley of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crime in Attempted Murder of TeenRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City man pleaded guilty in federal court today to committing a hate crime by shooting a local teenager eight times in an attempted murder that was motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation.
Malachi Robinson, 26, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to one count of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Robinson, who has been in federal custody since he was indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 10, 2021, will remain in federal detention until his sentencing hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.
By pleading guilty today, Robinson admitted that he shot the victim, identified in court records as “M.S.,” approximately eight times with a Taurus 9mm pistol in an attempt to kill him because of his sexual orientation, causing life-threatening injuries.
“Violence against others, motivated by hatred of their sexual orientation, is unacceptable,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore of the Western District of Missouri. “Such callous disregard for the life of a teenage victim, gravely wounded in a failed murder attempt, must be challenged by a commitment to protect the civil rights of all our citizens. When those rights are threatened, the Justice Department will act to hold the violators accountable.”
“As today’s plea indicates, any act of violence motivated by bias, hate or discrimination toward anyone is not only reprehensible but will not be tolerated by any law enforcement agency and is unwelcome in our country,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub of the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office. “Every individual has the right to live without fear of being attacked or harassed regardless of their sexual orientation. The FBI is committed to protecting those rights and will aggressively investigate those who violate them.”
“This defendant is being held accountable for violently attempting to end the life of someone because of his sexual orientation,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This attempted murder is a reminder that hate crimes against the LGBTQI+ community are real and must be confronted. Violent acts targeting people based on their sexual orientation are heinous crimes that have no place in our country. The Justice Department will continue to use our civil rights laws to pursue justice for survivors and others impacted by bias motivated crimes.”
According to today’s plea agreement, after a chance meeting at the Kansas City Public Library on May 29, 2019, Robinson and M.S. talked briefly over Facebook Messenger before leaving the library. Robinson then walked with M.S. in the Swope Park area under the guise of looking for a place to engage in a sex act. Around the same time, Robinson wrote separately to his girlfriend that he “might shoot this boy” because of his sexual orientation. When Robinson and M.S. ultimately entered a wooded area nearby, Robinson pulled out his pistol and fired repeatedly at M.S.
Robinson fled through the woods toward his apartment building, and continued to engage in attempts to avoid detection or arrest. Later that day, and in the days that followed, Robinson told others that he shot M.S. because of his sexual orientation.
Under federal statutes, Robinson is subject to a sentence of up to life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dave Ketchmark with the Western District of Missouri and Trial Attorneys Shan Patel and Eric Peffley of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Jamaican Man Who Supplied Flight Attendant with 60 Pounds of Cocaine to Smuggle at LAX Sentenced to Nearly 14 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Jamaican national was sentenced today to 165 months in federal prison for supplying a JetBlue flight attendant with nearly 60 pounds of cocaine that she attempted to smuggle onboard a flight at Los Angeles International Airport.
Gaston Brown, 42, of Clarendon, Jamaica, was sentenced by United States District Judge Christina A. Snyder.
A federal grand jury indicted Brown in January 2017, charging him with two counts of conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine, one count of unlawful use of a means of identification, one count of use of a counterfeit access device, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
At the conclusion of a four-day trial in February 2018, a jury found Brown guilty of all charges.
On six occasions between October 2015 and March 2016, Brown paid JetBlue flight attendant Marsha Gay Reynolds, 35, of Jamaica, New York, to transport cocaine and drug money across the country. Brown paid her to carry the drugs and cash in suitcases through “known crewmember” checkpoints at LAX and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. As a known crewmember, Reynolds was subjected to much lighter screening at airport security checkpoints and would be able to transport the cash and cocaine without being stopped.
To evade detection by law enforcement, Brown, an illegal immigrant and convicted felon, used identities he had stolen from two mentally disabled men so he could meet Reynolds in the “sterile” area of the airport, past security. While in the airport’s sterile area, he retook possession of the drug- and cash-laden suitcases, and traveled across the country with them, undetected.
On March 18, 2016, Brown supplied approximately 27 kilograms (59.5 pounds) of cocaine to Reynolds. She then attempted to board a JetBlue flight in Terminal 4 at LAX. After showing her official badge and identification to the Transport Security Administration officer on duty at the known crewmember checkpoint, Reynolds was randomly selected for additional screening. Reynolds was then escorted to a secondary screening area. Upon arriving at this checkpoint, Reynolds dropped her luggage, removed her shoes, and fled the area, running down an upward-traveling escalator and away from TSA officers.
Reynolds eventually surrendered herself to the Drug Enforcement Administration at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on March 23, 2016. She remained in custody while her case was pending and ultimately pleaded guilty in December 2016 to one count of conspiracy to possess and to distribute cocaine. In April 2018, she was given credit for time served and was released. Brown was indicted for the charges in this case while in federal custody for attempting to illegally re-enter the United States in April 2016 following deportation.
This investigation was conducted by the Los Angeles International Airport Criminal Enterprise Task Force (LAACETF), an inter-agency task force based at LAX. The Task Force, which includes representatives of the FBI, the DEA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Transportation Security Administration, the Los Angeles International Airport Police Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The LAACETF provides a coordinated law enforcement effort to target airport/airline internal criminal enterprises that use the aviation system to transport large amounts of illicit drugs throughout the United States and various international destinations.
Assistant United States Attorney Suria M. Bahadue of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
Jackson Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
According to court documents, Christopher Hawkins, 38, was arrested by Jackson Police officers at a Jackson hotel following a domestic disturbance call where drugs were found in the hotel room. Hawkins was indicted for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. He pled guilty on March 22, 2022.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jackson Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Murray prosecuted the case.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Assault on Federal Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pled guilty to assault on a federal law enforcement officer, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
According to court documents, on June 26, 2021, Demario Cotton, 39, was in a vehicle fleeing law enforcement when he stopped and fired a rifle multiple times at law enforcement vehicles, causing bodily injury to a federal law enforcement officer who was in the performance of his official duties. Cotton was subsequently taken into custody and admitted to his illegal actions.
Cotton was charged with assault on a federal law enforcement officer, and he pled guilty on July 1, 2022. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Murray is prosecuting the case.
Iowa Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Waterloo, Iowa, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on July 5, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Kurtis Jensen, age 43, was sentenced to nine years and six months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a special assessment of $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Jensen was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on April 6, 2021. He pled guilty on April 7, 2022.
Beginning on an unknown date and continuing until April 6, 2021, Jensen reached an agreement or came to an understanding to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in the District of South Dakota. During Jensen’s involvement, he purchased approximately four ounces of methamphetamine from a co-conspirator and transported it through South Dakota. On May 17, 2020, he was stopped in a vehicle by a South Dakota Highway Patrol Trooper. The trooper eventually searched the vehicle, found the four ounces of methamphetamine and arrested Jensen. Jensen intended to deliver the methamphetamine in his possession to a co-conspirator in Iowa. At the time of Jensen’s arrest, he had an extensive criminal history and was on parole.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Jensen was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Howes Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Howes, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on July 5, 2022, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Arnold Dean Buck Elk Thunder, Jr., age 55, was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Buck Elk Thunder was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 8, 2022. He pled guilty on March 14, 2022.
Buck Elk Thunder was convicted of Sexual Contact with a Child under the age of 16 in May 2001. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and to update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment. Between May 17, 2021, and January 11, 2022, Buck Elk Thunder failed to properly register as a sex offender and update his registration.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Buck Elk Thunder was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Hanover, Maryland Man Who Used a Ghost Gun to Shoot at United States Secret Service Security Guards is Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – On Tuesday, July 5, 2022, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Jeremiah Peter Watson, age 24, of Hanover, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for assault on a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in relation to a violent crime.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Acting Chief of Police Christopher Stock of the U.S. Park Police.
According to his guilty plea, on February 25, 2021, Watson drove to the entrance of a United States Secret Service facility, positioning his vehicle in a manner that blocked the driveway and prevented other drivers from passing through the entrance of the facility. When a security officer (Victim 1) approached Watson to ask him to move his vehicle, Watson became verbally combative and did not move his vehicle.
A second security officer (Victim 2) approached Watson and asked him to move his vehicle and informed him that if he did not move his vehicle, a United States Secret Service agent would arrest him. Watson continued to be combative towards the security. During the confrontation, Watson approached Victim 1 aggressively and lunged at Victim 2, putting his face within inches of Victim 2’s face.
When Watson lunged at Victim 2 and reached into his pocket, Victim 2 was startled and believed that Watson was armed. In response, Victim 2 began to pull out his firearm and Victim 1 sprayed pepper spray at Watson. Watson then retreated into his vehicle and drove away.
Before Watson drove away, the victims noted Watson’s distinctive colored cell phone case and license plate number. As Victim 1, Victim 2, another security guard (Victim 3) and a United States Secret Service agent (Victim 4), began to re-enter the facility building, the victims saw Watson’s vehicle return and saw a flash of a gunshot coming out of the driver-side window towards them. Watson did another U-turn and fired at least four additional shots before he drove away.
As stated in his guilty plea, United State Park Police officers responded to the scene where law enforcement recovered three 9mm ammunition shell casings and located a bullet fragment within a wall. Through the review of information associated with Watson’s license plate registration, law enforcement linked the vehicle to Watson’s Hanover, Maryland address and identified the vehicle at Watson’s residence later that night.
On February 26, 2021, law enforcement executed search warrants at Watson’s residence and recovered Watson’s cell phone, 9mm ammunition, two empty 9mm cartridge cases, and a privately made 9mm handgun without a serial number, also known as a “ghost gun”. Forensic examination concluded that the cartridge cases recovered from Watson’s vehicle had been fired from the recovered ghost gun and that the bullet fragment recovered from the scene was consistent with having been fired from the same ghost gun.
All four victims were acting in the course of their duties as federal officers or employees when Watson discharged his firearm at them.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and the U.S. Park Police for their work in the investigation and thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Secret Service for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Wright, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Hampton Man Sentenced for COVID-19 Loan Fraud While in BOP Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for falsely applying for loans intended to grant COVID-19 relief to small businesses.
According to court documents, in August 2020 and January and February 2021, Marlon McKnight, 44, falsely applied for four loans administered by the Small Business Administration. He applied for three Economic Injury Disaster Loans and one Paycheck Protection Program loan using false information, including false business names, income, and employee information, as well as a false tax return. McKnight sought over $100,000 in loans and obtained approximately $35,000. McKnight used the $35,000 obtained to pay his personal expenses, contrary to the purposes for these loans. McKnight submitted certain false applications from a halfway house and others after just being released from the Bureau of Prisons.
McKnight had been incarcerated because this instance of fraud came directly on the heels of a previous federal fraud scheme wherein McKnight, his wife, and several others victimized banks and stole individual identities. McKnight had been sentenced to 30 months for that scheme and ordered to pay nearly $100,000 in restitution. In addition to the 27-month sentence, McKnight was sentenced to an additional four months of consecutive incarceration for his violation of supervised release from his prior case.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Tira Hayward, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Samuels prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated under the leadership and coordination of the Newport News Financial Crimes Task Force.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-cr-71.
Haitian Gang Member Charged with Hostage Taking for Kidnapping of 16 U.S. Missionaries in Fall 2021Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Jean Pelice, a Haitian national, also known as “Zo,” with hostage taking for his role in the armed kidnapping of 16 U.S. citizens in Haiti in the fall of 2021. The victims were Christian missionaries serving in Haiti and most of them were held captive for 61 days before escaping.
Pelice, 27, a member of the 400 Mawozo gang, was transferred into U.S. custody on May 16, 2022, on the basis of an arrest warrant in the matter and has since been detained. He made his initial appearance this afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, and John J. Bernardo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Miami Field Office, made the announcement today.
The charges brought today are related to the Oct. 16, 2021, kidnapping of 17 Christian missionaries near Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Sixteen of the kidnapping victims were U.S. citizens, including five children, one as young as eight months’ old. According to the complaint, Pelice, along with other 400 Mawozo gang members, used firearms to guard the missionaries during their captivity. 400 Mawozo made ransom demands for the release of the missionaries, and one of the gang’s stated goals in holding the hostages was to secure from the Haitian government release of Joly Germine, a 400 Mawozo leader, from prison. Two of the hostages were released on or about Nov. 18, 2021, and three more were released on or about Dec. 5, 2021. The remaining hostages escaped captivity on or about Dec. 16, 2021.
Germine, 29, also known as “Yonyon,” was indicted in the District of Columbia on May 10, 2022, on a charge of conspiracy to commit hostage taking. He has pleaded not guilty.
Charges in a complaint or indictment are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted of any offense, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Miami Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen P. Seifert, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Jorge Casillas, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Franklin County Man Sentenced to 300 Months for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky.— A Belfry, Ky., man, Edward Leonidas Lewis, 54, was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison on Wednesday, by U.S. District Judge Greg Van Tatenhove, after pleading guilty to producing child pornography.
According to Lewis’ guilty plea, on February 25, 2021, law enforcement found images of child pornography on four different electronic devices in his possession. Lewis then admitted to using “spy cameras,” hidden in bathrooms and bedrooms of his residences, to produce child pornography images of a victim.
Lewis was previously convicted of four counts of Possession of a Matter Portraying a Sexual Performance by a Minor, in Franklin Circuit Court, in May 2013.
Lewis pleaded guilty to the federal charge in March 2022.
Under federal law, Lewis must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jerry Templet, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Colonel Phillip Burnett, Jr., Commissioner, Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the HSI and KSP. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Marye.
This case was prosecuted 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 Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Fourth Felon Who Possessed Guns Found During a Search of a House in Waterloo Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
The final person charged after five guns were found during a search in Waterloo, Iowa, was sentenced July 6, 2022, to more than three years in federal prison.
William Rashad Burt, age 28, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 22, 2022 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence in this case showed that, on July 6, 2021, law enforcement officers searched a residence and located four felons, including Burt, and five firearms. Officers also found evidence of marijuana trafficking. Burt was found with a revolver and $1,272 in cash. While being arrested, Burt told officers that he would obtain more guns and threatened them. Burt was previously convicted of the felony offense of possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute.
Burt’s co-defendants were sentenced on June 10, 2022. Qunshaundes Davion McNealy was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. William McNealy III was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment. Sahjit Mcyle Phillips was sentenced to 100 months’ imprisonment for possessing firearms and the Court revoked Phillips’ term of supervised release for a 2017 federal conviction and imposed an additional term of 10 months’ imprisonment to run consecutively to the new case for a total of 110 months’ months imprisonment.
Burt was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Burt was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Burt is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and was investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 21-cr-2064
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Fourth Circuit Upholds Multiple Life Sentences for Raleigh Gang Leaders Convicted on RICO charges and Gang-Related MurdersRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A three-judge panel from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has issued a unanimous, published opinion affirming the trial convictions and multiple life sentences for gang leaders who were convicted on charges of racketeering (RICO), drug trafficking, and gang-related murders.
“These gang leaders used gun violence, intimidation, and murder to terrorize parts of Raleigh for nearly two decades” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “The Court’s ruling ensures they will spend the rest of their lives behind bars. We will never stop seeking justice for victims of gun violence and we will ensure sentences reflect the severity of the crime committed.”
Demetrice R. Devine, a/k/a “Respect,” of Garner and Brandon Jowan Magnum, a/k/a “B-Easy,” of Knightdale were convicted in October 2019 for Conspiracy to Participate in a Pattern of Racketeering (RICO conspiracy), two counts of Murder in Aid of Racketeering, two counts of Murder with a Firearm During and in Relation to a crime of Violence, Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances, and Conspiracy to Commit Witness Tampering.
In 2020, Devine was sentenced to four consecutive terms of life imprisonment followed by a term of 240 months imprisonment and 5 years supervised release. Mangum was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences plus 240 months in prison. Devine and Mangum appealed the sentence on numerous counts, all of which were rejected by the Court.
Demetrice Devine is currently serving his life sentences at the “Supermax” Federal Prison in Colorado, as recommended the Court at the sentencing hearing.
Evidence presented at trial and other public documents established that Devine was the leader of the Gangsta Killer Bloods (GKB), and then created the Black Mob Gangstas (BMG), which became part of the Donald Gee Family (DGF) organization. The BMG/DGF are sets of the “Bloods” gang whose members committed various crimes in the city of Raleigh and especially in the area of Haywood Street.
Mangum was another high-ranking member of BMG/DGF. BMG/DGF members committed acts of violence to maintain membership and discipline, both within the gang and against non-gang members. Members committed acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, and assaults, in order to maintain their positions within the gang and to be promoted within the leadership structure of the gang.
BMG/DGF also held gang meetings to communicate gang information, to recruit members, issue punishment and collect gang dues from each BMG/DGF member for the benefit of the BMG/DGF organization. A portion of the dues were saved and utilized locally in what was referred to as a “community rent box” (CRB) while another portion was sent up the chain of command to gang leadership in Virginia and New York. BMG/DGF members were permitted to earn their money for dues through various methods, including, but not limited to, robberies, fraud schemes, and drug distribution. The monies were used locally for loans to gang members, for drug purchases, for firearm purchases, for gifts, and cellular telephones for high-ranking members who were in jail. Devine ordered that individuals selling narcotics in and around Haywood Street who were not BMG/DGF members were also required to pay gang dues in order to continue their drug sales in territory controlled by BMG/DGF. Individuals who did not pay gang dues risked being robbed, assaulted, or murdered.
In his leadership position, Devine directed members of his gang to shoot a 16-year-old rival gang member, Adarius Fowler, who died from gunshot wounds. He also ordered a gang member to shoot a person who provided information to law enforcement regarding the murder of Fowler. While this person was recovering from those gunshot injuries in the hospital, Devine ordered that the person be killed.
Devine presided over a “beat-in” gang initiation of a BMG/DGF gang member and personally assaulted another gang member whose loyalty he questioned. Devine conspired with other gang members to silence and threaten gang members that had been provided subpoenas to testify in a federal proceeding.
Mangum, along with other gang members, conspired to shoot an 18-year-old rival gang member, Rodriguez Burrell, because he refused to pay money to BMG/DGF. Burrell was shot multiple times in the presence of his father and died of his wounds.
In affirming the convictions and sentences, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals concluded that “Devine’s desire for ‘respect’ at all costs led to the murder of Adarius Fowler, while the Gangstas’ insatiable desire for ‘money’ led to the execution of Rodriguez Burrell. This collective malevolence . . . led to a neighborhood where so many deserved so much better and where respect for the old and opportunities for the young existed no longer.”
Devine and Mangum both sold drugs on behalf of BMG/ DGF. Specifically, the jury found Devine guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute more than 280 grams of cocaine base (crack), more than 500 grams of cocaine, and a quantity of marijuana. Devine frequently provided drugs to lower ranking gang members for further distribution into the community. The jury found Mangum guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and marijuana.
The prosecution of Devine and Mangum was a part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation (OCDETF) targeting violent gang members and drug traffickers in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals issued its opinion. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Raleigh Police Department led the investigation with assistance from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Wake County Sheriff’s Office, Raleigh/ Wake City-County Bureau of Identification, United States Marshal’s Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dena King (now U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina) and Scott Lemmon (now Deputy Criminal Chief for the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force, or OCDETF, section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina) prosecuted this case with Christina Taylor with the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristine Fritz defended the case before the Appellate Court.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:16-cr-00012-D.
Court documents for the appellate cases can be found on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals PACER website by searching for Case Nos. 20-4280 and 20-4327.
Four individuals, including owners of a freight forwarding company, charged for exporting 600 stolen outboard engines to MexicoRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Four Florida residents -- Carlos Orlando Ledesma, 56, Nadia Esperanza Ledesma, 45, and Roberto Marrero-Cisneros, 65 (all from Miami), and Osmani Valdivia Perez, 55 (from Lehigh Acres), were arrested and have made their initial appearances in federal court to face charges in the Southern District of Florida that they exported around 600 stolen outboard engines to Mexico through a Miami-based freight forwarding company.
Nadia Ledesma is the President of a freight forwarding company in Miami, and Carlos Ledesma is the warehouse manager. According to allegations in the indictment, from 2015 to 2018, Carlos and Nadia Ledesma received stolen outboard engines from Valdivia and others for export to Mexico. Valdivia paid cash for the exportation of the stolen outboard engines he delivered to the freight company himself, as well as for the exportation of stolen outboard engines delivered by others. Marrero-Cisneros created false serial number stickers to be placed on the stolen outboard engines. Nadia and Carlos Ledesma and their co-conspirators caused false bills of sale to be created, and false export information to be submitted to the United States, it is alleged.
The indictment charges Carlos Ledesma, Nadia Ledesma, Valdivia, and Marrero-Cisneros with conspiring to export stolen outboard engines and to smuggle goods from the United States. In addition, it charges: Carlos Ledesma and Nadia Ledesma with four counts of exporting stolen outboard engines, one count of attempting to export stolen outboard engines, and four counts of smuggling goods from the United States; Valdivia with two counts of exporting stolen outboard engines and two counts of smuggling goods from the United States; and Marrero-Cisneros with one count of exporting stolen outboard engines and one count of smuggling goods from the United States.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Anthony Salisbury, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge, Zinnia P. James, Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) Southeast Region, made the announcement.
This case is being investigated by HSI and CGIS, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana Maria Martinez of the Southern District of Florida. Asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove.
An indictment and criminal complaint are charging instruments containing allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-20269.
Former St. Croix Casino General Manager Sentenced to 18 Months for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Leva Oustigoff Jr., 60, Cumberland, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 18 months in federal prison for making false statements on his taxes. Oustigoff pleaded guilty to this charge on March 29, 2022.
Between 2015 and 2018, Oustigoff filed false tax returns by failing to report over $130,000 in income derived from money he embezzled from the St. Croix Turtle Lake Casino, operated by the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin. Oustigoff, a tribal member, was general manager of the St. Croix casinos during this time. He used the money for various personal expenses, including remodeling and construction on his personal residence. The unreported income amounted to a tax loss of just over $40,000.
In sentencing Oustigoff to prison, Judge Conley wanted to send a message to the Tribe that the Court took seriously that its leaders cavalierly took money from the Tribe to line their own pockets instead of helping the larger community. The Court observed that Oustigoff was a trusted steward who took advantage of his position. Finally, Judge Conley cautioned that while this may have been the “way of doing business,” it is unhealthy and cynical, and must stop. During his sentencing, Oustigoff told the Court that he convinced himself that using the money for home improvements was legitimate, but that he knew deep down it was not.
The charge against Oustigoff was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, and IRS Criminal Investigation, with the cooperation of the St. Croix Tribe.
Former Postal Employee Sentenced for Unlawfully Opening the MailRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TYRONE DILLING, age 27, of New Orleans, Louisiana was sentenced today by the Honorable Barry W. Ashe, District Court Judge, Eastern District of Louisiana, to a two-year term of probation after pleading guilty to unlawfully opening the mail he was entrusted to deliver. The Court ordered DILLING to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of one hundred dollars.
According to documents filed in federal court, TYRONE DILLING was employed by the United States Postal Service as a letter carrier in New Orleans when he was apprehended opening and tampering with the content of mail items he was entrusted to handle for the Postal Service.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens, II is in charge of the prosecution.
Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Prison for Depriving George Floyd and a Minor Victim of their Constitutional RightsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, 46, was sentenced to serve 252 months in prison with credit for time served for depriving George Floyd Jr. and a then-14-year-old child of their constitutional rights.
On Dec. 15, 2021, Chauvin pleaded guilty in federal court to violating a federal criminal civil rights statute on two separate occasions. First, Chauvin pleaded guilty to willfully depriving Mr. Floyd of his constitutional right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a police officer, resulting in Mr. Floyd’s bodily injury and death. In the plea documents, Chauvin agreed that the sentencing for this crime should be based on the sentence for second-degree murder because he acted willfully and in callous and wanton disregard of the consequences to Mr. Floyd’s life.
Chauvin also pleaded guilty to willfully depriving a then-14-year-old child of his constitutional right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a police officer, resulting in the child’s bodily injury.
“In no uncertain terms, George Floyd should be alive today,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Defendant Chauvin’s use of excessive force and his failure to provide medical care resulted in Mr. Floyd’s senseless murder. Chauvin’s unlawful actions in a separate incident also resulted in injury to a 14-year-old child. This sentence should send a strong message that the Justice Department stands ready to prosecute law enforcement officers who use deadly force without basis. While no amount of prison time can reverse the tragic consequences of Derek Chauvin’s violent actions, we hope that this sentence provides some small measure of justice for the families and communities impacted.”
“Derek Chauvin abandoned his sworn oath to uphold the sanctity of life when he callously took George Floyd’s life and when he violently assaulted a 14-year-old child,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger for the District of Minnesota. “Chauvin’s actions constituted a grave abuse of police authority and a clear violation of these individuals’ civil rights. To the victims, their families, and to the broader community: although the harm that Chauvin caused will never be erased, today’s sentence of more than 20 years in prison represents a measure of justice and accountability.”
In the plea agreement, Chauvin admitted that on May 25, 2020, he willfully violated Mr. Floyd’s constitutional right to be free from an officer’s use of unreasonable force. Specifically, Chauvin admitted that he held his left knee across Mr. Floyd’s neck, back and shoulder and his right knee on Mr. Floyd’s back and arm. The plea agreement stated that Mr. Floyd remained restrained, prone and handcuffed on the ground for approximately 10 minutes. Chauvin further admitted that he continued to use force even though he was aware that Mr. Floyd had stopped resisting, talking and moving, and even though he was aware that Mr. Floyd had lost consciousness and a pulse. Chauvin admitted that Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) policy and training requires officers to stop using force when a subject is not resisting and to move an arrestee from the prone position into a side recovery or seated position because the prone position may make it more difficult to breathe. Chauvin admitted that his willful use of unreasonable force resulted in Mr. Floyd’s bodily injury and death because his actions impaired Mr. Floyd’s ability to obtain and maintain sufficient oxygen to sustain Mr. Floyd’s life.
In the plea agreement, Chauvin also admitted that he willfully violated Mr. Floyd’s constitutional right not to be deprived of liberty without due process of law, which includes an arrestee’s right to be free from a police officer’s deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs. Specifically, Chauvin admitted that he failed to render medical aid to Mr. Floyd, although he saw that Mr. Floyd was lying on the ground, in serious medical need, and although he was aware that MPD policy required him to provide emergency medical aid, including CPR, to an arrestee who needs it. Chauvin admitted that his failure to render medical aid resulted in Mr. Floyd’s bodily injury and death.
Additionally, according to the plea agreement, Chauvin admitted that on Sept. 4, 2017, he willfully violated the then-14-year-old child’s constitutional right to be free from an officer’s use of unreasonable force. Specifically, Chauvin admitted that he held the child by the throat and struck the child multiple times in the head with a flashlight, resulting in the child’s bodily injury. In the plea agreement, Chauvin also admitted that he held his knee on the child’s neck, shoulders and upper back for between 15 and 16 minutes, even though the child was face-down on the floor, handcuffed and not resisting. Chauvin admitted that these actions resulted in the child’s bodily injury.
On Feb. 24, 2022, following a more than month-long trial, a federal jury convicted three other officers — former Minneapolis Police Officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Kiernan Lane — of violating the same criminal civil rights statute. The jury found that Thao and Kueng both willfully deprived Mr. Floyd of his constitutional rights when they failed to intervene in Chauvin’s excessive force. The jury also found that Thao, Kueng and Lane willfully deprived Mr. Floyd of his right to be free from a police officer’s deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs, by seeing Mr. Floyd in clear need of medical care and willfully failing to aid him. The jury found that Thao, Kueng and Lane’s offenses resulted in Mr. Floyd’s bodily injury and death. Thao, Kueng and Lane will be sentenced separately at a future hearing.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. It was prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Samantha Trepel and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha Bates, LeeAnn Bell, Evan Gilead, Manda Sertich and Allen Slaughter for the District of Minnesota.
Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Prison for Depriving George Floyd and a Minor Victim of Their Constitutional RightsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Justice Department announced today that former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, 46, was sentenced today to serve 252 months in prison, with credit for time served, for depriving George Floyd, Jr. and a then-14-year-old child of their constitutional rights.
On Dec. 15, 2021, Chauvin pleaded guilty in federal court to two violations of a federal criminal civil rights statute. First, Chauvin pleaded guilty to willfully depriving George Floyd of his constitutional right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a police officer, resulting in Mr. Floyd’s bodily injury and death. In the plea documents, Chauvin agreed that the sentencing for this crime should be based on the sentence for second-degree murder because he acted willfully and in callous and wanton disregard of the consequences to Mr. Floyd’s life.
Chauvin also pleaded guilty to willfully depriving the then-14-year-old child of his constitutional right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a police officer, resulting in the child’s bodily injury.
“In no uncertain terms, George Floyd should be alive today,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Defendant Chauvin’s use of excessive force and his failure to provide medical care resulted in Mr. Floyd’s senseless murder. Chauvin’s unlawful actions in a separate incident also resulted in injury to a 14-year-old child. This sentence should send a strong message that the Justice Department stands ready to prosecute law enforcement officers who use deadly force without basis. While no amount of prison time can reverse the tragic consequences of Derek Chauvin’s violent actions, we hope that this sentence provides some small measure of justice for the families and communities impacted.”
“Derek Chauvin abandoned his sworn oath to uphold the sanctity of life when he callously took George Floyd’s life and when he violently assaulted a 14-year-old child. Chauvin’s actions constituted a grave abuse of police authority and a clear violation of these individuals’ civil rights,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. “To the victims, their families, and to the broader community: although the harm that Chauvin caused will never be erased, today’s sentence of more than 20 years in prison represents a measure of justice and accountability.”
In the plea agreement, Chauvin admitted that on May 25, 2020, he willfully violated Mr. Floyd’s constitutional right to be free from an officer’s use of unreasonable force. Specifically, Chauvin admitted that he held his left knee across Mr. Floyd’s neck, back, and shoulder and his right knee on Mr. Floyd’s back and arm. The plea agreement stated that Mr. Floyd remained restrained prone and handcuffed on the ground for approximately 10 minutes. Chauvin further admitted that he continued to use force even though he was aware that Mr. Floyd had stopped resisting, talking, and moving, and even though he was aware that Mr. Floyd had lost consciousness and a pulse. Chauvin admitted that Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) policy and training requires officers to stop using force when a subject is not resisting and to move an arrestee from the prone position into a side recovery or seated position because the prone position may make it more difficult to breathe. Chauvin admitted that his willful use of unreasonable force resulted in Mr. Floyd’s bodily injury and death because his actions impaired Mr. Floyd’s ability to obtain and maintain sufficient oxygen to sustain Mr. Floyd’s life.
In the plea agreement, Chauvin also admitted that he willfully violated Mr. Floyd’s constitutional right not to be deprived of liberty without due process of law, which includes an arrestee’s right to be free from a police officer’s deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs. Specifically, Chauvin admitted that he failed to render medical aid to Mr. Floyd, although he saw that Mr. Floyd was lying on the ground, in serious medical need, and although he was aware that MPD policy required him to provide emergency medical aid, including CPR, to an arrestee who needs it. Chauvin admitted that his failure to render medical aid resulted in Mr. Floyd’s bodily injury and death.
Additionally, according to the plea agreement, Chauvin admitted that on Sept. 4, 2017, he willfully violated the then-14-year-old child’s constitutional right to be free from an officer’s use of unreasonable force. Specifically, Chauvin admitted that he held the child by the throat and struck the child multiple times in the head with a flashlight, resulting in the child’s bodily injury. In the plea agreement, Chauvin also admitted that he held his knee on the child’s neck, shoulders, and upper back for between 15 and 16 minutes, even though the child was face-down on the floor, handcuffed, and not resisting. Chauvin admitted that these actions resulted in the child’s bodily injury.
On Feb. 24, 2022, following a more than month-long trial, a federal jury convicted three other officers—former Minneapolis Police Officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Kiernan Lane—of violating the same criminal civil rights statute. The jury found that Thao and Kueng both willfully deprived George Floyd of his constitutional rights when they failed to intervene in Chauvin’s excessive force. The jury also found that Thao, Kueng, and Lane willfully deprived Mr. Floyd of his right to be free from a police officer’s deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs, by seeing Mr. Floyd in clear need of medical care and willfully failing to aid him. The jury found that Thao, Kueng, and Lane’s offenses resulted in Mr. Floyd’s bodily injury and death. Thao, Kueng, and Lane will be sentenced separately at a future hearing.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. It was prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Samantha Trepel and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha Bates, LeeAnn Bell, Evan Gilead, Manda Sertich and Allen Slaughter of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota.
Former Mayor of Guayama, Puerto Rico Sentenced for Accepting BribesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The former mayor of the Municipality of Guayama, Puerto Rico, Eduardo Cintrón-Suárez, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for his involvement in a bribery scheme in which he received cash payments in exchange for executing municipal contracts and approving invoice payments for an asphalt and paving company.
Eduardo Cintrón-Suárez, 54, pleaded guilty in April 2022 to one count of conspiracy to engage in a bribery scheme. According to court documents and statements made in connection with his plea and sentencing, Eduardo Cintrón-Suárez, was the mayor and highest-ranking government official in the municipality of Guayama from 2013 until 2022. Starting in 2013, Cintrón-Suárez executed asphalt and paving contracts and also approved municipal payments to Company A. In exchange, Cintrón-Suárez agreed to receive a kickback payment corresponding to $1.00 per square meter of new asphalt laid by Company A in the municipality of Guayama under the contracts. This kickback scheme continued until approximately February 2021. In addition to the term of imprisonment, the defendant forfeited $114,000 in cash and was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matters, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the District of Puerto Rico for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts. See United States v. Pedro Marrero-Miranda, 22-251(RAM); United States v. Ramon Conde-Melendez, 22-221 (PAD); United States v. Eduardo Cintrón-Suárez, 22-151 (SCC); United States v. Luis Arroyo-Chiqués, 21-485 (SCC); United States v. Félix Delgado-Montalvo, 21-463 (RAM); United States v. Oscar Santamaria-Torres, 21-464 (RAM); and United States v. Raymond Rodríguez, 21-465 (RAM).
Additionally, the department recently obtained indictments charging several former officials and contractors with bribery related to municipal contracts, and those cases are still pending. See United States v. Mario Villegas-Vargas, 21-468 (FAB); United States v. Ángel Pérez-Otero, 21-474 (ADC); United States v. Radamés Benítez-Cardona, 21-475 (PAD); United States v. Javier García-Pérez, 22-185 (ADC); and United States v. Reinaldo Vargas-Rodríguez, 22-186 (PAD).
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Former Maine Woman Sentenced to 48 Months for Stealing over $500,000 from New Hampshire CompanyRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Jessica Pechtel, 35, now of Andover, Massachusetts and formerly of Springvale, Maine, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison today for embezzling over a half million dollars, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Pechtel was the office manager for a company in Somersworth, New Hampshire. In that role, she had full access to the company’s finances, including its accounting records, bank accounts, and company credit card.
Pechtel used her access to the company’s finances to make unauthorized purchases and transfers of funds to accounts that she controlled. Pechtel engaged in a multifaceted scheme for at least a year and a half to steal the funds. First, she transferred funds from the company’s bank accounts to her own accounts. Additionally, she used the company’s credit card to make unauthorized purchases from retailers such as Amazon or make payments via the online payment transfer system Venmo. Pechtel also drafted 17 unauthorized checks payable to herself that were drawn on the company’s bank account. And lastly, she stole almost $44,000 in COVID-19 relief funds that were intended for the company.
Pechtel also took steps to conceal her embezzlement. For example, she created and controlled a PayPal account in the name of one of her coworkers to transfer funds. Additionally, she manipulated the company’s accounting records to make her fraudulent transfers appear like payments to legitimate vendors.
Overall, Pechtel fraudulently obtained at least $587,219 from her employer. Those funds were used for various personal expenses such as Amazon purchases and the purchase of a boat.
Pechtel previously pleaded guilty to one count of Wire Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1343, on March 23, 2022.
“The defendant brazenly stole from her trusted employer’s funds, including COVID-19 relief funds the company received to help it through the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “In a sophisticated effort to cover her crimes, she manipulated the company’s record keeping. The repeated cunning that the defendant employed allowed her to steal more than a half-million dollars. Those convicted of violating the trust of others for personal profit will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The U.S. Secret Service is committed to investigating complex fraud schemes that significantly damage the financial stability of small business owners in New Hampshire,” stated Timothy Benitez, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service. “The outcome is a direct result of the coordination between local law enforcement participating on the Secret Service New England Cyber Fraud Task Force.”
This matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Somersworth Police Department and the Nashua Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Hunter and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen.
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On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Former DPS Employee Sentenced for Bribery and Fraud in CDL SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced yesterday to 24 months in prison for his role in a commercial driver’s license bribery and fraud scheme.
According to court documents, from January 2017 until June 2019, Alonzo Blackman, 68, was an employee of the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and oversaw the issuance of commercial driver licenses (CDLs). A CDL permits the holder to drive and operate large commercial vehicles and buses. To be eligible for a CDL, an applicant must pass a written exam and a skills test. Investigation revealed Blackman did not administer the skills test to applicants but passed them as if the test had been conducted.
Blackman issued 215 fraudulent CDLs and was paid approximately $1,000 per CDL. Bribes were paid to Blackman by two co-defendants, Fernando Guardado Vazquez, 43, of San Antonio, and Marino Maury Diaz-Leon, 55, a Cuban national living in San Antonio. Of the 215 fraudulent CDLs, 197 went to Cuban nationals; 11 to U.S. citizens; one to a Dominican Republic national; one to an Ethiopian national; one to an Iraqi national; one to a Puerto Rican national; one to a Ukrainian national; and two to Mexican nationals.
On February 13, 2020, Blackman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and honest services fraud. In addition to the prison sentence, Blackman was ordered to pay a $215,000 money judgment.
Codefendant Diaz-Leon also was sentenced today to 12 months and 1 day in prison. On May 26, 2021, Diaz-Leon pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and honest services fraud.
Codefendant Vazquez is scheduled to be sentenced on August 10, 2022. On May 9, 2022, Vazquez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services fraud.
“This case represents an appalling breach of public trust and safety,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “Our office will continue to work with the FBI and our other law enforcement partners to hold corrupt officials and those who conspire with them accountable for their criminal actions.”
“The FBI is committed to working with our partners to hold public officials accountable to the trust bestowed upon them by the citizens we serve,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. “We will continue to aggressively investigate allegations of public corruption and would like to thank our partners for their strong partnership and unrelenting pursuit of justice.”
The FBI and the Texas Rangers with the Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph E. Blackwell and William R. Harris prosecuted the case.
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Former Contracting Officer for the Department of Defense to Plead Guilty in Conspiracy to Defraud the GovernmentRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Uxbridge man has agreed to plead guilty to his role in a conspiracy to defraud the government of thousands of dollars from 2014 to 2018.
Thomas Bouchard, 59, of Uxbridge, Mass, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy and 10 counts of theft of government funds. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. Bouchard was arrested and charged in July 2020 along with co-defendant Chantelle Boyd.
Bouchard was the Contracting Officer in charge of the U.S. Army Natick Contracting Division, a full-service contracting organization for the Department of Defense. According to the charging documents, in 2014, Bouchard used his long-standing relationship with Evolution Enterprise, Inc., a government contractor, to allegedly have Boyd hired for a “no show” job as an assistant that specifically supported Bouchard. Boyd’s position cost the Department of Defense more than $490,000 during her time at Evolution from 2014 to 2018, during which Boyd allegedly performed little if any useful function.
Bouchard and, allegedly, Boyd took numerous government-funded trips, ranging in duration from two to 15 days, under the guise that they were work related. This included 31 trips to Orlando, Fla., among other locations such as Clearwater Beach, Fla., and Stafford, Va., during which Boyd allegedly performed little if any work. For many of the trips, Bouchard and, allegedly, Boyd stayed in the same hotel room and spent time at the pool and Disney parks – all during business hours. In order to conceal the personal nature of the trips, Bouchard altered, created and approved false travel to reimburse the Boyd for out-of-pocket expenses.
The charge of conspiracy provides a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charges of theft of government funds each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $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; Joseph Dattoria, Special Agent in Charge of the General Services Administration Office of Inspector General; Patrick Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and Michael Connor, Resident Agent in Charge of the Army Criminal Investigations Command, Major Procurement Fraud Unit made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Gotlob of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ford County Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted KidnappingRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Roberts, Illinois, man, Paul Theesfield, 37, of the 200 block of Maple Avenue, pleaded guilty on July 6, 2022, to attempted kidnapping. Sentencing for Theesfield has been scheduled on November 14, 2022, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois
In court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long, Theesfield admitted that he had attempted to kidnap a woman in Gibson City, Illinois, on December 5, 2020. During the hearing, the government stated that around 2:30 p.m. that day, Theesfield drove his red SUV past the woman multiple times while she was walking near Wood Street and 12th Street. Theesfield then used the SUV to strike the woman from behind in an attempt to incapacitate her, put her in his SUV, and drive her out of town to sexually assault her. After striking her, Theesfield got out of the SUV and approached the woman, who recognized him and screamed. Theesfield then fled the scene and returned to his Roberts residence, where he and his red SUV were later found by a Ford County Deputy. After initially telling authorities he accidentally struck the woman, Theesfield admitted his kidnapping plan and was arrested. The Ford County Sheriff later seized handcuffs, wire rope chokers, zip ties, duct tape, an electric cattle prod, and other items from the Roberts Water House, where Theesfield was employed.
Theesfield remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Theesfield faces statutory penalties of a maximum twenty-year term of imprisonment, a maximum $250,000 fine, and a maximum three-year term of supervised release.
The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Ford County Sheriff’s Office, and Gibson City Police Department. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller is representing the government in the prosecution.
Five Men Indicted for Crimes Related to Transnational Repression Scheme to Silence Critics of the People’s Republic of China Residing in the United StatesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Brooklyn returned a superseding indictment yesterday charging five defendants, including one current federal law enforcement officer and one retired federal law enforcement officer, with various crimes pertaining to a transnational repression scheme orchestrated on behalf of the Government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Defendants Fan “Frank” Liu, 62, of Jericho, New York; Matthew Ziburis, 49, of Oyster Bay, New York; and Qiang “Jason” Sun, 40, of the PRC were charged in March 2022 with allegedly perpetrating a transnational repression scheme that targeted U.S. residents whose political views and actions are disfavored by the PRC Government. Among other items, these defendants allegedly plotted to destroy the artwork of a PRC national residing in Los Angeles, who was critical of the PRC government and planted surveillance equipment in the artist’s workplace and car to spy on him from the PRC. Liu and Ziburis were arrested pursuant to a criminal complaint in March 2022, while Sun remains at large.
The superseding indictment adds two new defendants, Craig Miller and Derrick Taylor, to the scheme. Miller is a 15-year employee of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), currently assigned as a deportation officer to DHS’s Emergency Relief Operations in Minneapolis, and Taylor is a retired DHS law enforcement agent who presently works as a private investigator in Irvine, California. Miller and Taylor are charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly destroying evidence after they were approached by FBI agents and asked about their procurement and dissemination of sensitive and confidential information from a restricted federal law enforcement database regarding U.S.-based dissidents from the PRC. Both Miller and Taylor were arrested pursuant to a criminal complaint in June 2022.
“We will defend the rights of people in the United States to engage in free speech and political expression, including views the PRC government wants to silence,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen. “As charged, these individuals aided agents of a foreign government in seeking to suppress dissenting voices who have taken refuge here. The defendants include two sworn law enforcement officers who chose to forsake their oaths and violate the law. This indictment is the next step in holding all of these defendants responsible for their crimes.”
“As alleged, this case involves a multifaceted campaign to silence, harass, discredit and spy on U.S. residents for exercising their freedom of speech – aided by a current federal law enforcement officer and a private investigator who provided confidential information about U.S. residents from a restricted law enforcement database, and when confronted about their improper conduct, lied and destroyed evidence,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “This office will always work closely with our law enforcement partners to root out corrupt officials in all levels of government and will prosecute those who act on behalf of a hostile foreign state to target the free speech of U.S. residents on American soil.”
“This case exposes attempts by the government of the PRC to suppress dissenting voices within the United States. Actions taken by the defendants – two of which are current or former federal law enforcement officers – demonstrate how the PRC seeks to stalk, intimidate, and silence those who oppose it,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI battles transnational repression because it is an evil in its own right, and an assault on the freedoms of an open society. Our community’s safety and our nation’s security were jeopardized by this criminal behavior, and we remain dedicated to combating transnational repression and bringing to justice those that perpetrate it.”
Liu and Ziburis are charged with conspiring to act as agents of the PRC government. Liu, Ziburis and Sun are charged with conspiring to commit interstate harassment and criminal use of a means of identification. Liu and Sun are charged with conspiring to bribe a federal official in connection with their scheme to obtain the tax returns of a pro-democracy activist residing in the United States. Both Miller and Taylor are charged with obstruction of justice, while Taylor is charged with making a false statement to the FBI.
If convicted, Liu faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment; Ziburis, Sun and Taylor face up to 25 years’ imprisonment; and Miller faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment. The defendants will be arraigned at a later date.
As alleged, Liu and Ziburis operated under Sun’s direction and control to discredit pro-democracy PRC dissidents residing in the United States, including those in New York City, California and Indiana. with efforts to disseminate negative information about, and to spy on, stalk, harass and surveil U.S.-based dissidents.
According to the indictment, one of Liu’s co-conspirators (“Co-conspirator”) retained Taylor to obtain personal identification information regarding multiple PRC dissidents residing in the United States, including passport information and photos, and flight and immigration records, which Taylor allegedly tasked to two DHS law enforcement officers, including Miller. As alleged, Miller and the other DHS agent obtained the information from the restricted database and improperly provided it to Taylor, who shared it with the Co-conspirator. Liu, Ziburis and Sun used this information to target and harass these U.S. residents while acting on behalf of the PRC government.
According to court documents, Miller and Taylor both lied about their past conduct when confronted by the FBI. According to the indictment, Miller deleted text messages with Taylor from his phone while being interviewed by the FBI, and Taylor instructed a co-conspirator to withhold evidence from the U.S. government. When interviewed by the FBI, Taylor falsely claimed that he obtained the records in question from a friend who was using the “Black Dark Web” — likely a reference to the dark web.
According to the indictment, the Co-conspirator called Taylor and claimed he received a subpoena from the Department of Justice seeking the Co-conspirator’s communications with Taylor, and Taylor directed the Co-conspirator to withhold such information from the U.S. government.
According to court documents, when interviewed by the FBI, Miller initially claimed to be in sporadic contact with Taylor and said the two did not discuss work matters. After agents admonished Miller to be honest, Miller admitted that Taylor provided him names to run through law enforcement databases. Miller granted consent to the FBI to search his phone, and ultimately admitted that he ran the queries for Taylor and sent the results to Taylor via text message, and that Taylor had provided a gift card in return. Miller then admitted that he deleted the text chain with Taylor during the interview earlier that day and that he fabricated all earlier statements about the text chain, including whether the chain included the names requested by Taylor.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon and Emily J. Dean for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Grigg for the Central District of California and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Svendsen for the District of Minnesota. U.S. Attorney Peace also thanked the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Professional Responsibility, for its assistance in the investigation.
The FBI has created a website for victims to report efforts by foreign governments to stalk, intimidate, or assault people in the United States. If you believe that you are or have been a victim of transnational repression, please visit https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/counterintelligence/transnational-repression.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Five Individuals Indicted for Crimes Related to Transnational Repression Scheme to Silence Critics of the People's Republic of China Residing in the United StatesRead the Press Release
Yesterday, a grand jury returned an indictment in federal court in Brooklyn charging five defendants with various crimes pertaining to a transnational repression scheme orchestrated on behalf of the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The case is assigned to the United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall and the defendants’ will be arraigned at a later date.
Three of the defendants—Fan “Frank” Liu, Matthew Ziburis, and Qiang “Jason” Sun—allegedly perpetrated in the transnational repression scheme to target U.S. residents whose political views and actions are disfavored by the PRC government, such as advocating for democracy in the PRC. Among other items, the defendants plotted to destroy the artwork of a PRC national residing in Los Angeles, California that was critical of the PRC government, and planted surveillance equipment in the artist’s workplace and car to spy on him from the PRC. Liu and Ziburis were arrested pursuant to a criminal complaint in March 2022, while Sun remains at large.
There are two new defendants charged in the scheme, Craig Miller and Derrick Taylor. Miller is a 15-year employee of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), currently assigned as a Deportation Officer to DHS's Enforcement and Removal Operations in Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Taylor is a retired DHS law enforcement agent who presently works as a private investigator in Irvine, California. The charges against Miller and Taylor pertain to their alleged obstruction of justice, including by destroying evidence, after they were approached by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and asked about their procurement and dissemination of sensitive and confidential information from a restricted federal law enforcement database regarding U.S.-based dissidents from the PRC. This information was used by Liu and Sun in the transnational repression scheme. Both Miller and Taylor were arrested pursuant to a criminal complaint in June 2022.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, FBI, New York Field Office, announced the arrests and charges.
“As alleged, this case involves a multifaceted campaign to silence, harass, discredit and spy on U.S. residents for exercising their freedom of speech – aided by a current federal law enforcement officer and a private investigator who provided confidential information about U.S. residents from a restricted law enforcement database, and when confronted about their improper conduct, lied and destroyed evidence,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office will always work closely with our law enforcement partners to root out corrupt officials in all levels of government and will prosecute those who act on behalf of a hostile foreign state to target the free speech of U.S. residents on American soil.”
Mr. Peace thanked the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Professional Responsibility, for its assistance in the investigation.
“We will defend the rights of people in the United States to engage in free speech and political expression, including views the PRC government wants to silence” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Olsen. “As charged, these individuals aided agents of a foreign government in seeking to suppress dissenting voices who have taken refuge here. The defendants include two sworn law enforcement officers who choose to forsake their oaths and violate the law. This indictment is the next step in holding all of these defendants responsible for their crimes.”
“As alleged in the indictment, the defendants committed various acts in furtherance of a transnational repression scheme aimed at silencing the free speech of PRC dissidents on U.S. soil. One of the defendants was even a federal law enforcement officer who allegedly accessed government databases to aid the illegal campaign in direct conflict with his duty to protect the rights of all U.S. residents. Today’s action is the latest example of the FBI’s commitment to aggressively pursue those who attempt to put the interests of hostile foreign governments above those of our residents,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.
Defendant Overview
According to court documents, Liu, a resident of Jericho, Long Island, is president of a purported media company based in New York City; Ziburis, a resident of Oyster Bay, Long Island, is a former correctional officer for the State of Florida and a bodyguard; Sun is a PRC-based employee of an international technology company; Miller is a 15-year employee of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), currently assigned as a Deportation Officer to DHS’s Emergency Relief Operations in Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Taylor is a retired DHS law enforcement agent who presently works as a private investigator in Irvine, California.
As alleged, Liu and Ziburis are charged with conspiring to act as agents of the PRC government. Liu, Ziburis, and Sun are charged with conspiring to commit interstate harassment and criminal use of a means of identification. Liu and Sun are charged with conspiring to bribe a federal official in connection with their scheme to obtain the tax returns of a pro-democracy activist residing in the United States. Both Miller and Taylor are charged with obstruction of justice, while Taylor is charged with making a false statement to the FBI.
The Scheme
As set forth in court filings, Liu and Ziburis operated under Sun’s direction and control to discredit pro-democracy PRC dissidents residing in the United States—including in New York City, California, and Indiana—by spying on them and disseminating negative information about them. For example, at Sun’s direction, Liu paid a private investigator in Queens to bribe an Internal Revenue Service employee to obtain the federal tax returns of one of the dissidents. The private investigator was cooperating with law enforcement, and no Internal Revenue Service employee received a bribe payment. The defendants planned to publicly disclose the dissident’s potential tax liabilities to discredit him. The co-conspirators also made plans to destroy the artwork of a dissident artist whose work is critical of the PRC government, and the artist’s sculpture depicting PRC President Xi Jinping as a coronavirus molecule was demolished in the Spring of 2021. Sun paid both Liu and Ziburis for these efforts to stalk, harass, and surveil dissidents residing in the United States.
As part of their efforts, Liu, Ziburis, and Sun electronically spied on the pro-democracy activists. For example, posing as an art dealer interested in purchasing the artwork of the dissident artist, Ziburis secretly installed surveillance cameras and GPS devices at the dissident’s workplace and in his car. While in the PRC, Sun watched the live video feed and location data from these devices. Liu, Ziburis, and Sun made similar plans to install surveillance equipment at the residences and on the vehicles of two other dissidents. Liu and Ziburis planned to gain access to one such residence by posing as a member of an international sports committee.
Liu, Ziburis, and Sun also planned to interview the dissidents in mock media sessions, using the cover of Liu’s purported media organization. Sun provided outlines for these fake interviews and designed questions to elicit answers that were intended to humiliate or discredit the dissidents. Liu, Ziburis, and Sun intended that audio or video clips of these statements could be used in PRC propaganda materials targeting the dissidents.
One of Liu’s co-conspirators (Co-conspirator) retained Taylor to obtain confidential and sensitive personal identification information regarding multiple PRC dissidents residing in the United States, including passport information, passport photos, flight records, and immigration records. In turn, Taylor tasked two DHS law enforcement officers, including Miller, to obtain these records. Miller and the other DHS agent obtained the information from a restricted federal law enforcement database and improperly provided the records to Taylor, who then passed the information to the Co-conspirator. Liu, Ziburis, and Sun used this information to target and harass the PRC dissidents, while acting on behalf of the PRC government.
Later, the Co-conspirator, acting at the direction of law enforcement, called Taylor and claimed that he had received a subpoena from the Department of Justice seeking the Co-conspirator’s communications with Taylor. Taylor directed the Co-conspirator to withhold such information from the government. Miller and Taylor procured and disseminated sensitive and confidential information from a restricted federal law enforcement database regarding U.S.-based dissidents from the PRC. This improperly provided information was used by Liu, Ziburis, and Sun in the transnational repression scheme targeting these very dissidents.
When FBI special agents confronted Miller and Taylor about their roles in improperly disseminating confidential and sensitive law enforcement information, Miller and Taylor both lied about their past conduct. Additionally, Miller deleted text messages with Taylor from his phone while being interviewed by the FBI, and Taylor instructed a co-conspirator to withhold evidence from the government.
When interviewed by FBI special agents, Taylor falsely claimed that he had obtained the records in question from a friend who was using the “Black Dark Web”—likely a reference to the “Dark Web.”
When FBI special agents interviewed Miller, he initially claimed to be in sporadic contact with Taylor, but that the two did not discuss work matters since Taylor’s retirement to become a private investigator. After agents admonished Miller to be honest, Miller admitted that Taylor had provided him names to run through law enforcement databases but claimed that the names were not in his phone, which he repeatedly consulted and referred to during the interview. FBI special agents then asked Miller for consent to search the phone. Miller granted consent and ultimately admitted that he had run the queries for Taylor and sent the results to Taylor via text message, and that Taylor had provided a gift card in return.
Following the interview, FBI special agents began to search Miller’s phone but were unable to find the text messages between Miller and Taylor that Miller had referred to during the interview. Agents then called Miller to ask whether the text messages were still in the phone. He confirmed that they were under the name “Derrick” and expressed surprise that the agents could not find them. After FBI agents reminded Miller that it is a crime to lie to federal law enforcement officers, Miller admitted that he had deleted the text chain with Taylor during the interview earlier that day and that he had fabricated all earlier statements about the text chain, including whether the chain included the names requested by Taylor.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the charges, Liu faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment; Ziburis, Sun, and Taylor face up to 25 years’ imprisonment; and Miller faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment.
The FBI has created a website for victims to report efforts by foreign governments to stalk, intimidate, or assault people in the United States. If you believe that you are or have been a victim of transnational repression, please visit https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/counterintelligence/transnational-repression.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon and Emily J. Dean are prosecuting the case with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Grigg of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Svendsen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota.
The Defendants:
FAN "FRANK" LIU
Age: 62
Jericho, New YorkMATTHEW ZIBURIS
Age: 49
Oyster Bay, New YorkQIANG “JASON” SUN
Age: 40
People’s Republic of ChinaCRAIG MILLER
Age: 48
Hastings, MinnesotaDERRICK TAYLOR
Age: 60
Irvine, CaliforniaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-00311 (LDH) (VMS)
Five Alleged Members of Enfield-Area Drug Trafficking Organization IndictedRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Enfield Police Chief Alaric Fox today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned a five-count indictment charging the following five men with narcotics trafficking offenses:
SERGIO HORTA-MOLINA, 46, of Suffield
OCTAVIO RAZON-MEJIA, also known as “Pachas,” 36, of Enfield
CARLOS GUTIERREZ-FERNANDEZ, also known as “Shaggy,” 38, of Enfield
JUAN SANCHEZ-RAZON, also known as “Juanito,” 27, of Enfield
GUILLERMO CAPETILLO-CERVANTES, 34, of EnfieldHorta-Molina, Razon-Mejia and Gutierrez-Fernandez were arrested on federal charges on May 5. An indictment was returned on May 19 and unsealed on June 21 after Sanchez-Razon and Capetillo-Cervantes were arrested on that date. Sanchez-Razon and Capetillo-Cervantes appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford and entered pleas of not guilty. Each defendant is currently detained.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in October 2021, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force began investigating a drug trafficking organization, with ties to a Mexican drug cartel, operating in the area of Enfield, Connecticut, and Springfield, Massachusetts. The organization was believed to be trafficking multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, as well as heroin. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases and seizures of narcotics, revealed that Horta-Molina arranged the shipment of cocaine and other narcotics to Connecticut, and then distributed the drugs to other members of the organization who, in turn, sold the drugs to street-level traffickers and drug customers.
It is further alleged that, during the investigation, Horta-Molina arranged the shipment of a package from California to Sanchez-Razon’s Enfield residence. On April 27, 2022, Sanchez-Razon delivered the package to Gutierrez-Fernandez. Law enforcement subsequently stopped Gutierrez-Fernandez as he was attempting to deliver the package to Horta-Molina. A search of the package revealed more than one kilogram of cocaine.
The indictment charges the five defendants with conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, controlled substances. If convicted of this charge, based on the type and quantity of narcotics involved, Horta-Molina, Razon-Mejia and Gutierrez-Fernandez face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and Sanchez-Razon and Capetillo-Cervantes face a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Each defendant is also charged in one or more counts related to the possession and distribution of narcotics.
The indictment alleges that Horta-Molina faces enhanced penalties based on a prior federal conviction in the District of New Jersey for conspiring to distribute cocaine and heroin. Horta-Molina was charged with the offense after a search of his Suffield residence in September 2017 revealed approximately 23 kilograms of cocaine and one kilogram of heroin. In November 2019, Horta-Molina was sentenced to 40 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for that offense. He was released from prison in July 2020 and was on federal supervised release at the time of his arrest in this case.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force and the Enfield Police Department. The Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Reed Durham through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Fentanyl, meth dealer who hid drugs in teddy bear sentenced to 230 months in prisonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Bryce Montrea Hodges, 34, of Cincinnati has been sentenced in U.S. District Court to 230 months in prison for dealing drugs out of an apartment where children lived. He also illegally possessed firearms.
The FBI, Warren County Drug Task Force, the DEA, and the Northeast Hamilton County Drug Task Force began investigating Hodges in January 2021. Agents made five controlled buys of methamphetamine and fentanyl over a matter of weeks. Investigators arranged a sixth purchase and arrested Hodges without incident when he showed up for the deal at a location on Springdale Pike in March 2021.
Investigators found a stuffed teddy bear in his car. Inside the teddy bear was a hidden compartment containing a plastic bag with approximately 72.5 grams of acetylfentanyl.
Investigators searched Hodges’ apartment in Springdale. Several people, including children, lived there. Agents found a hidden compartment in a bathroom. Hodges had stored a loaded handgun, more fentanyl and drug paraphernalia in the compartment. Agents also found a blender used to “cut” fentanyl when they searched a child’s bedroom closet.
A federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment against Hodges in May 2021, charging him with five counts of illegal distribution of a controlled substance, two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and one count each of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug offense and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Hodges pleaded guilty on October 12, 2021, to all counts charged in the indictment.
“Courts reserve their most severe punishments for those whose crimes can have a devastating impact on children,” said Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “Crimes involving illegal drugs and firearms threaten the safety of our entire community.”
Joining Mr. Parker in announcing the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Michael Barrett are J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, members of the Warren County Drug Task Force, the Northeast Hamilton County Drug Task Force, and DEA Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly K. Rossi represented the United States in this case.
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Felon Previously Convicted of Shooting into an Occupied Home Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man and self-avowed member of the Bloods Gang was sentenced today to six and a half years in prison for possession of a firearm after being convicted of discharging a firearm in a public space on two separate occasions.
According to court documents, Alexander O’Neal Jackson, 36, was arrested on September 25, 2021, after he shot a firearm six times into a loaded parking lot at the St. Luke’s Apartment Complex on September 23. One of his bullets struck the vehicle transporting a mother and her minor son. Another bullet struck the apartment sliding door of another woman while she and her three children were inside. When arrested, Jackson was found in possession of a Taurus PT709, 9mm semiautomatic pistol.
An expert firearm and toolmark examiner conducted microscopic comparisons of test-fired cartridge cases fired from the pistol with the cartridge cases recovered from the apartment complex. The analysis confirmed that the cartridges were fired from the defendant’s pistol.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Washington Field Division; and Colonel Eric D. English, Chief of Police for Henrico County Police Department, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Simon prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-142.
Federal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced- July 2022Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the July 2022 Federal Grand Jury A.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
James Arthur Berry. Assault of a Spouse and Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling in Indian Country. Berry, 30, of Tulsa, is charged with strangling an intimate partner on April 22, 2022. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-159
Daniel Thomas Giraldi. Possession of Oxycodone with Intent to Distribute (Count 1); Possession of Clonazepam with Intent to Distribute (Count 2); Use of a Communication Facility in the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Felony (Counts 3-12); Interstate Travel to Aid Racketeering (Count 13); Honest Services Fraud (Counts 14-17) (superseding). Giraldi, 44, of Joplin, allegedly possessed with intent to distribute Oxycodone and Clonazepam on April 19, 2022. Giraldi and a woman also allegedly engaged in a texting conversation about Giraldi providing the woman with Xanax on April 14, 2022. He is further charged with traveling from Missouri to Oklahoma to distribute Oxycodone and Clonazepam. Finally, he is charged with honest services fraud. According to the indictment, from February 2019 until April 20, 2022, Giraldi abused his official position as an Assistant District Attorney in the Ottawa County District Attorney’s Office when he secretly used his position to provide favorable official action related to certain defendants’ criminal cases in exchange for sexual acts. Official actions included dismissing criminal charges, reducing charges and/or offering favorable plea agreements; moving court dates; reducing bond amounts and dismissing or reducing traffic infractions. Prosecutors also alleged that Giraldi took steps to cover up his activity by communicating via untraceable physical notes, using secured messaging applications, communicating in coded language, and using the trappings of his office to perform official actions for his own gain. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle M. McWaters is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-143
Samuel Goana-Gonzalez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Goana-Gonzalez, 37, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully being in the United States after having been removed on Sept. 9, 2008, near Hidalgo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the U.S. Marshals Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. McLoughlin is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-102
Imani Neiya Jones. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Jones, 26, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly possessing with intent to distribute both methamphetamine and marijuana on July 29, 2018. She is further alleged to have maintained a residence for manufacturing, distributing and using the drugs and to have possessed firearms to further her drug trafficking crimes. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-209
Michael Lee Knighten. Robbery in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Carjacking. Knighten, 35, of Tulsa, allegedly stole a leaf blower then pointed a firearm at the lawn maintenance worker who tried to pursue him. Knighten is further charged with pointing a firearm at a second victim when he stole the man’s Toyota Tundra pickup truck that contained numerous professional tools. Both alleged crimes occurred the morning of April 29, 2022. The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina S. Gilmore is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-204
Hector Prado-Jimenez. Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography. Prado-Jimenez, 46, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly receiving and distributing child sexual abuse material from June 1, 2020, through June 14, 2022. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Snow is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-210
Ruben Vega Escobar. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Vega, 28, an El Salvador national, is charged with unlawfully residing in the United States after having been removed the from the country on Dec. 18, 2019, at or near Alexandria, Louisiana. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O. Johnston is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-203
Joseph Austin Wagener. Wagener, 32, of Tulsa, is charged with stealing a 2003 Acura sedan, worth over $1,000, on March 14, 2022. The Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam C. Bailey is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-205
Joshua Wayne Willis. Kidnapping in Indian Country. Willis, 25, of Tulsa, allegedly held a woman hostage at her residence on June 12, 2022. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven J. Briden is prosecuting the case. 22-CR-206
Directing transportation of drugs lands local meth trafficker in prisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 34-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for 27 years for drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Henry Wilkinson pleaded guilty Nov. 23, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge David S. Morales handed Wilkinson a sentence of 324 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Wilkinson organized the drug trafficking by purchasing hotel rooms in Houston where meth was purchased on several occasions. In handing down the sentence, the court found Wilkinson was in fact the leader/organizer of the drug trafficking conspiracy.
On June 2, 2020, authorities arrested a drug dealer in possession of 39.99 grams of pure meth. Soon after, they learned that Wilkinson supplied the individual with meth from February through June 2020.
On Aug. 25, 2020, law enforcement intercepted a 2.8 kilogram shipment of meth in transit from Houston. Subsequent investigation revealed that Wilkinson instructed the individual to transport multiple kilograms of meth and other drugs on numerous occasions from Houston to Corpus Christi.
Wilkinson will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Dunn prosecuted the case.
Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Detroit man pleaded guilty today to the distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Eugene W. Williams, also known as “Bo,” 45, admitted that he sold what he now knows was a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant near Mount Hope in Raleigh County on March 4, 2021. Williams further admitted that he sold another quantity of fentanyl to the same confidential informant on March 11, 2021.
Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison as well as at least three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit for conducting the investigation. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-32.
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Deming man pleads guilty to producing child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Guillermo Rodriguez Garcia pleaded guilty on July 6 to production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Garcia, 40, of Deming, New Mexico, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
In his plea agreement, Garcia admitted that on Aug. 27, 2021, he produced a video of himself engaging in sexual conduct with a victim who was 12 years old. Garcia produced the video with a cellphone. Garcia faces a minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison and must register as a sex offender.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this case with assistance from the Sixth Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the Deming Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Marisa A. Ong and Matilda McCarthy Villalobos are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
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Cleveland Man Sentenced to Prison for Leading Conspiracy that Purchased Thousands Worth of Jewelry Using Stolen Financial InformationRead the Press Release
Hasan Howard, 23, of Cleveland, was sentenced on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Sara Lioi to more than six years in prison and ordered to pay $261,319.28 in restitution after he pleaded guilty to leading a conspiracy that bought stolen credit and debit card information from the dark web and used it to purchase expensive watches, chains, jewelry and services at retail locations around Northeast Ohio.
Howard pleaded guilty in March 2022 to conspiracy to commit access device fraud, access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, from September to May 2020, Howard recruited a number of coconspirators in Cleveland and elsewhere, including codefendants Robert Nathaniel Andre Thomas, Tyvione Guthery and Jaelen D. Lattimore, to participate in a scheme that bought stolen credit and debit card information from the dark web and used it to purchase expensive jewelry and services at retail locations around Northeast Ohio.
As part of the conspiracy, Howard used the stolen financial information to create fraudulent credit and debit cards, which he then provided to his coconspirators. Howard and the others would then use the cards to make purchases of expensive merchandise and services, including jewelry. Howard and the coconspirators purchased the items either over the phone or in-store, using fraudulent identification cards embossed with the stolen information of others.
In one instance, court documents state that Howard, Guthery and Lattimore purchased a Rolex watch from a jewelry store in Westlake, Ohio, valued at $19,062 using a fraudulent credit card. In a separate instance, court records show that Howard again used a fraudulent credit card to purchase four diamond and gold bracelets from a jewelry store in Canton, Ohio, valued at $26,463.
After obtaining the jewelry, Howard frequently sold the stolen items to others and used the proceeds for his own benefit and to pay his coconspirators.
Howard was arrested on May 20, 2021, with codefendant Lattimore, after purchasing more than $20,000 in items from jewelers in Aurora, Ohio. At the time of the arrest, court documents state that Howard and Lattimore had in their possession a credit card embossing machine and three Rolex watches.
In total, court records show that Howard and the other coconspirators made fraudulent purchases at approximately 30 stores and caused a total loss of $261,319.28.
Codefendants Thomas, Guthery and Lattimore have each pleaded guilty to their role in the scheme.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI Cleveland and the Avon, Westlake, Aurora and Cleveland Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryson N. Gillard.