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18 August 2022
Wildlife Trafficker from Uganda Sentenced to 63 Months for Large-Scale Trafficking of Rhinoceros Horns and Elephant IvoryRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MOAZU KROMAH, a/k/a “Ayoub,” a/k/a “Ayuba,” a/k/a “Kampala Man,” a citizen of Liberia and resident of Uganda, was sentenced today to 63 months in prison for conspiring to traffic in millions of dollars in rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory, both endangered wildlife species, which involved the illegal poaching of more than approximately 35 rhinoceros and more than 100 elephants. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods. KROMAH was previously extradited to the United States from Uganda on June 13, 2019, to face charges in this case, and he has been detained since his arrival in the United States.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The protection of endangered wildlife and natural resources remains a crucial and important priority for my Office. Today’s sentence demonstrates that those who are responsible for the decimation of global populations of endangered and threatened animals protected by international agreements will face serious consequences. This case also exemplifies our commitment, together with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration, to work with our international partners to arrest and bring to justice in a U.S. courtroom those who commit these serious crimes abroad.”
In imposing today’s sentence, Judge Woods remarked that he agreed with the Government that a significant sentence was necessary to send a “loud and clear message” that such large-scale wildlife trafficking warrants serious consequences.
According to the charging and other documents filed in the case, as well as statements made in court proceedings:
KROMAH and two of his co-conspirators, AMARA CHERIF, a/k/a “Bamba Issiaka,” a citizen of Guinea, and MANSUR MOHAMED SURUR, a/k/a “Mansour,” a Kenyan citizen, were members of a transnational criminal enterprise (the “Enterprise”) based in Uganda and surrounding countries that was engaged in the large-scale trafficking and smuggling of rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory, both protected wildlife species. Trade involving endangered or threatened species violates several U.S. laws, as well as international treaties implemented by certain U.S. laws.
From at least in or about December 2012 through at least in or about May 2019, KROMAH, CHERIF, and SURUR conspired to transport, distribute, sell, and smuggle at least approximately 190 kilograms of rhinoceros horns and at least approximately 10 tons of elephant ivory from or involving various countries in East Africa, including Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Kenya, Mozambique, Senegal, and Tanzania, to buyers located in the United States and countries in Southeast Asia. Such weights of rhinoceros horn and elephant ivory are estimated to have involved the illegal poaching of more than approximately 35 rhinoceros and more than approximately 100 elephants. In total, the estimated average retail value of the rhinoceros horn involved in the conspiracy was at least approximately $3.4 million, and the estimated average retail value of the elephant ivory involved in the conspiracy was at least approximately $4 million.
Typically, the defendants exported and agreed to export the rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory for delivery to foreign buyers, including a buyer represented to be in Manhattan, in packaging that concealed the rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory in, among other things, pieces of art such as African masks and statues. The defendants received and deposited payments from foreign customers that were sent in the form of international wire transfers, some of which were sent through U.S. financial institutions, and paid in cash.
On or about March 16, 2018, law enforcement agents intercepted a package containing a black rhinoceros horn sold by the defendants that was intended for a buyer represented to be in Manhattan. From in or about March 2018 through in or about May 2018, the defendants offered to sell additional rhinoceros horns of varying weights, including horns weighing up to approximately seven kilograms. On or about July 17, 2018, law enforcement agents intercepted a package containing two rhinoceros horns weighing over five kilograms sold by the defendants that were intended for a buyer represented to be in Manhattan.
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KROMAH, 49, of Kampala, Uganda, previously pled guilty on March 30, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to commit wildlife trafficking and two counts of wildlife trafficking.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and he thanked law enforcement authorities and conservation partners in Uganda and Kenya, including the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the Uganda Office of the Director of Public Prosecution, the Uganda Police Force, the Kenya Directorate of Criminal Investigations, and the Kenyan Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, for their assistance in this investigation. Mr. Williams also thanked the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for their assistance.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Sagar K. Ravi and Jarrod L. Schaeffer are in charge of the prosecution.
West Virginia County Deputy Sheriff Charged with Using Excessive Force and Engaging in Cover-UpRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — A federal court unsealed a two-count indictment today against Monongalia County, West Virginia, Deputy Sheriff Lance Kuretza, 38, for depriving an individual of his civil rights by using excessive force and for writing a false report to cover it up.
According to the indictment, on Jan. 20, 2018, while on duty, Deputy Kuretza subjected the victim to excessive force by punching and elbowing him in the face and, after the victim was handcuffed, spraying him with pepper spray and striking him. The offense resulted in bodily injury and included the use of a dangerous weapon. The indictment further alleges that Deputy Kuretza falsified his use of force report by claiming he used pepper spray before the victim was handcuffed, and by omitting any documentation of post-handcuffing force.
Kuretza was arrested earlier this morning and is scheduled to make his initial court appearance later this morning. If convicted, Kuretza faces up to 10 years in prison for the civil rights violation and up to 20 years in prison for falsifying the report.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld for the Northern District of West Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office announced the indictment.
The FBI is investigating the case, with the support of the Monongalia County Sheriff's Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Wagner for the Northern District of West Virginia and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
West Virginia County Deputy Sheriff Charged with Using Excessive Force and Engaging in Cover-UpRead the Press Release
A federal court unsealed a two-count indictment today against Monongalia County, West Virginia, Deputy Sheriff Lance Kuretza, 38, for depriving an individual of his civil rights by using excessive force and for writing a false report to cover it up.
According to the indictment, on Jan. 20, 2018, while on duty, Kuretza subjected the victim to excessive force by punching and elbowing him in the face and, after the victim was handcuffed, spraying him with pepper spray and striking him. The offense resulted in bodily injury and included the use of a dangerous weapon. The indictment further alleges that Kuretza falsified his use of force report by claiming he used pepper spray before the victim was handcuffed, and by omitting any documentation of post-handcuffing force.
Kuretza was arrested earlier this morning and is scheduled to make his initial court appearance later this morning. If convicted, Kuretza faces up to 10 years in prison for the civil rights violation and up to 20 years in prison for falsifying the report.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld for the Northern District of West Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office announced the indictment.
The FBI is investigating the case, with the support of the Monongalia County Sheriff's Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Wagner for the Northern District of West Virginia and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Washington Woman Sentenced to Five Years for Trafficking over 100 Kilos of Marijuana Through South DakotaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Tacoma, Washington, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on August 15, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Mei Ying Li, age 42, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Li was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in March of 2021. She pled guilty on May 23, 2022.
In June of 2020, Li reached an agreement to distribute 100 kilograms or more of a mixture and substance containing marijuana, a schedule I controlled substance, in the District of South Dakota.
While she was actively involved in the conspiracy, she accompanied a co-conspirator on multiple trips to deliver marijuana. Li would obtain marijuana from one co-conspirator and then deliver it to another co-conspirator for him to drive and deliver it to additional co-conspirators in other states. Li’s co-conspirator drove the marijuana in his vehicle, while she accompanied him in a different vehicle to serve as protection from law enforcement. During one such trip on December 12, 2020, her co-conspirator drove a vehicle that contained approximately 151.95 kilograms of marijuana through the state of South Dakota, when he was pulled over and the vehicle was searched. Her involvement in the conspiracy ended on December 12, 2020, when she was arrested following this incident.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Li was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Ventura County’s Organized Health System and 3 Medical Providers Agree to Pay $70.7 Million to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Ventura County’s organized health system and three medical care providers have agreed to pay a total of $70.7 million to settle allegations that they broke federal and state laws by submitting or causing the submission of false claims to Medi-Cal related to Medicaid Adult Expansion under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Justice Department announced today.
The parties that entered into the three separate settlement agreements are:
- Ventura County Medi-Cal Managed Care Commission which does business as Gold Coast Health Plan, a county-organized health system (COHS) that contracts to arrange for the provision of health care services under California’s Medicaid program (Medi-Cal) in Ventura County;
- Ventura County, which owns and operates Ventura County Medical Center, an integrated health care system that provides hospital, clinic, and specialty services;
- Dignity Health, a San Francisco-based not-for-profit hospital system that operates two acute care hospitals in Ventura County; and
- Clinicas del Camino Real, Inc. (Clinicas), a non-profit healthcare organization headquartered in Camarillo.
Pursuant to the ACA, beginning in January 2014, Medi-Cal was expanded to cover the previously uninsured “Adult Expansion” population—adults between the ages of 19 and 64 without dependent children with annual incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level. The federal government fully funded the expansion coverage for the first three years of the program.
Pursuant to contracts with California’s Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), if a California COHS did not spend at least 85 percent of the funds it received for the Adult Expansion population on “allowed medical expenses,” the COHS was required to pay back to the state the difference between 85 percent and what it actually spent. California, in turn, was required to return that amount to the federal government.
The three settlements resolve allegations that Gold Coast, Ventura County, Dignity, and Clinicas knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims to Medi-Cal for “Additional Services” provided to Adult Expansion Medi-Cal members between January 1, 2014, and May 31, 2015. The United States and California alleged that the payments were not “allowed medical expenses” under Gold Coast’s contract with DHCS, were pre-determined amounts that did not reflect the fair market value of any Additional Services provided, and/or the Additional Services were duplicative of services already required to be rendered. The United States and California further alleged that the payments were unlawful gifts of public funds in violation of Article IV, Section 17 of the Constitution of California.
As a result of the settlements, Gold Coast will pay $17.2 million to the United States; Ventura County will pay $29 million to the United States; Dignity will pay $10.8 million to the United States and $1.2 million to the State of California; and Clinicas will pay $11.25 million to the United States and $1.25 million to the State of California.
“We will pursue every health plan and provider that prioritizes profits over patients,” said Acting United States Attorney Stephanie S. Christensen. “The money at issue in this case was designated by the federal government to pay for services to treat Medicaid expansion patients, and it never should have been used to pay for services that were already – or, simply never – provided. Medicaid is a taxpayer-funded program that exists to help patients afford health care, and it never should be used to line the pockets of health care providers through fraudulent schemes.”
“Federal health care funds are not intended to serve as a blank check,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Health systems and health care providers will be held accountable when they misuse such funds, including funds intended to support Medicaid expansion programs.”
“Medicaid expansion programs were created to ensure access to coverage for those in need of health care services. Anyone who illegitimately diverts Medicaid funding for their own financial gain prevents valuable taxpayer dollars from being used for their intended purpose,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy DeFrancesca of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will not hesitate to investigate and pursue all forms of health care fraud.”
“Medi-Cal props up our communities by providing access to free or affordable healthcare services for millions of Californians and their families. Those who attempt to cheat the system are cheating our communities of essential care,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “I want to express my gratitude to the United States Department of Justice and the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles for their extensive efforts throughout the course of this investigation. The California Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold accountable those who defraud the Medi-Cal program, and protect those it serves.”
Contemporaneous with the False Claims Act settlement, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agreed to release its right to exclude Gold Coast and Ventura County in exchange for their agreements to enter into 5-year Corporate Integrity Agreements (CIAs). The CIAs require, among other things, that Gold Coast and Ventura County each implement centralized risk assessment programs as part of their compliance programs and each hire an Independent Review Organization to complete annual reviews. Gold Coast’s annual reviews will focus on its calculation and reporting of Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) data under Medi-Cal, while Ventura County’s annual reviews will target hospital claims submitted to Medicare and Medicaid, including claims submitted to Medicaid managed care organizations.
The civil settlements include the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Atul Maithel, Gold Coast’s former controller, and Andre Galvan, Gold Coast’s former director of member services. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The whistleblowers also alleged claims under the California False Claims Act. The qui tam case is captioned United States of America, et al. ex rel. Maithel, et al. v. Ventura Co. Medi-Cal Managed Care Commission d/b/a Gold Coast Health Plan, et al., No. 15-7760AB TJH (JEMx) (C.D. Cal.).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, and the California Department of Justice, with assistance from HHS-OIG and DHCS.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
Assistant United States Attorney Jack D. Ross of the Civil Division’s Civil Fraud Section and Trial Attorneys Alison Rousseau and Mary Beth Hickcox-Howard of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section handled this case.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
U.S. Government Seeks Information from Victims of Theranos FraudsRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE, CALIF. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California and law enforcement agencies have issued a call for information from victims of frauds perpetrated by Elizabeth Holmes and Ramesh Balwani in connection with their company, Theranos, Inc. The information is being sought in connection with the upcoming sentencings of Holmes and Balwani. Information obtained from victims may be presented to the Court for consideration in connection with the upcoming sentencing hearings of the two Theranos, Inc. officers.
On January 3, 2022, a jury in the Northern District of California returned a verdict finding Defendant Holmes guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud against Theranos investors, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, and three counts of wire fraud against Theranos investors, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343.
On July 7, 2022, a separate jury in the Northern District of California returned a verdict finding Defendant Balwani guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud against Theranos investors, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, conspiracy to commit wire fraud against Theranos paying patients, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, six counts of wire fraud against Theranos investors, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and four counts of wire fraud against Theranos paying patients, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343.
Defendant Holmes is scheduled to be sentenced October 17, 2022. Defendant Balwani is scheduled to be sentenced November 15, 2022.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California and investigating agencies are seeking information from those who may be victims of the Defendants’ crimes.
Simultaneous with this release, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California is distributing questionnaires, requesting information and statements about the impact of the frauds committed by the Defendants. The questionnaires are available online at the following website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndca/us-v-elizabeth-holmes-et-al. All responses are voluntary, but complete submissions will be useful in identifying respondents as potential victims and supplying the Court with the information necessary for sentencing. It is requested that respondents submit their statements via email as indicated on those questionnaires. Based on the information submitted, respondents may be contacted by law enforcement agencies and asked to provide additional information.
Both Defendants are currently free on bond pending sentencing. Defendants face a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years in prison, and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution, for each count of conviction. However, any sentence would be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan; Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Assistant Commissioner for Criminal Investigations Catherine A Hermsen; and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) San Francisco Division Acting Inspector-In-Charge Kevin Rho.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Leach, Jeff Schenk, John C. Bostic, and Kelly Volkar are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lakisha Holliman, Madeline Wachs, Sarah Slattery, Elise Etter, Susan Kreider, and Leeya Kekona. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, USPIS, and FDA Office of Criminal Investigations.
Two charged in $6M pediatric dental Medicaid fraud/kickback schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – An operator and manager at a dental clinic have been charged for their roles in a health care fraud scheme involving $6 million in claims to Medicaid, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Authorities took Ifeanyi Ndubisi Ozoh, 51, Houston, into custody today. He is expected to make his initial appearance tomorrow before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam Sheldon at 2 p.m. Also charged is Rene Fernandez Gaviola, 65, also of Houston. He had been previously arrested on similar charges Aug. 1. He is expected to appear on the new charges in the indictment in the near future.
On Aug. 16, a federal grand jury returned the 13-count indictment which was unsealed upon Ozoh’s arrest today.
According to the charges, Gaviola was the operator, while Ozoh was the manager of Floss Family Dental Care clinic located in Houston.
The indictment alleges Gaviola and other employees submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicaid for dental services such as cavity fillings that were never provided as billed. Gaviola and Ozoh also allegedly paid kickbacks to marketers and caregivers of children Medicare insures to bring them to Floss for dental services.
Gaviola also employed at least one individual to practice pediatric dentistry without a license and billed Medicaid for their services, according to the charges.
The indictment further alleges Gaviola laundered Medicaid monies from the Floss business bank account to his personal bank account in several transactions exceeding $100,000.
From 2019 to 2021, the dental company allegedly billed Medicaid for nearly $6.9 million for which Medicaid paid approximately $4.9 million. Many of the dental services were not provided or that unlicensed and non-enrolled individuals had administered.
If convicted, Ozoh and Gaviola face up to five years in federal for conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks. Gaviola also faces up to 10 years for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and each count of health care fraud and money laundering. All charges also carry a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The FBI, Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Olson is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Two Nashville Pharmacies Agree to Pay $250,000 in Civil Penalties to Settle Allegations of Controlled Substance Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Bradley Home Health Care Center, Inc. and Bradley Extended Care, Inc. have agreed to pay $250,000 in civil monetary penalties to resolve allegations that they violated the recordkeeping requirements of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), announced U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee. Bradley Home Health Care Center does business as Bradley Drug Company, and both companies operate pharmacies in Nashville
The United States alleged that Bradley Drug and Bradley Extended Care failed to maintain complete and accurate records of the movement of controlled substances, and omitted material information on multiple forms required by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that are used to order and track controlled substances. The United States also alleged that Bradley Extended Care transferred more than 5% of its controlled substance stock to Bradley Drug without registering as a distributor.
“Complete and accurate records are vital to ensure the safe distribution of controlled substances and to protect against improper diversion,” said U.S. Attorney Wildasin. “Our Office is committed to and expects total compliance with the closed system of drugs created by the Controlled Substances Act.”
“Proper recordkeeping is an essential step in preventing the diversion of controlled substances,” said Special Agent in Charge Todd Scott, head of the DEA’s Louisville Division. “All DEA registrants are expected to fully comply with the Controlled Substances Act; those who don’t can expect to be penalized accordingly.”
Congress passed the CSA to combat the illegal distribution and abuse of controlled substances, including prescription medications. Under the CSA, entities registered with the DEA who purchase, distribute, dispense, transfer, or sell controlled substances must comply with strict inventory and documentation requirements. Regulations promulgated under the CSA require that each DEA registrant, including narcotic treatment programs, maintain complete and accurate inventories and records of each substance manufactured, received, sold, delivered, dispensed, or otherwise disposed of by the registrant for two years. These requirements play a vital role in ensuring the appropriate handling, accounting, and distribution of controlled substances.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
This case was investigated by the DEA’s Louisville Division - Nashville District Office, Diversion Group. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Bowden McIntyre.
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Todd County Man Sentenced for Abusive Sexual Contact with a ChildRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Todd County, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact With a Child was sentenced on August 15, 2022, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Conrad Good Voice, Jr., age 27, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by seven years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Good Voice was indicted by a federal grand jury in June of 2021. He pleaded guilty on May 20, 2022.
The conviction stemmed from conduct that occurred between March 1, 2019, and March 1, 2021, in Todd County. On more than one occasion during that period, Good Voice engaged in sexual contact with the child victim, who was then between the ages of seven and nine years old.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Good Voice was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Three indicted in prison homicideRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Three men have been indicted in connection with the beating death of James “Whitey” Bulger.
Fotios Geas, also known as “Freddy,” age 55, Paul J. DeCologero, also known as “Pauly,” 48, and Sean McKinnon, 36, were charged on Wednesday with conspiracy to commit first degree murder.
Geas and DeCologero are accused of striking Bulger in the head multiple times and causing his death in October of 2018 while all were incarcerated at United States Penitentiary Hazleton in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia. In addition to the conspiracy charge, Geas and DeCologero have been charged with aiding and abetting first degree murder, along with assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
Geas faces a separate charge for murder by a federal inmate serving a life sentence.
McKinnon faces a separate charge of making false statements to a federal agent.
Geas is still incarcerated at USP Hazelton. DeCologero is no longer being held at USP Hazelton but remains housed in the federal prison system. McKinnon was on federal supervised release at the time of the indictment and was arrested today in Florida.
Bulger was 89 years old when he died.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon S. Flower and Randolph J. Bernard are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
View the indictment here.
Taunton Woman Pleads Guilty to Possessing Cocaine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Taunton woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to cocaine possession charges.
Kiyanna Ambers, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing with intent to distribute cocaine base and cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Aug. 22, 2023, when Ambers is set to complete the Court-run RISE (Repair, Invest, Succeed, Emerge) Program. Ambers was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2020.
On June 29, 2020, following a multi-week investigation into Ambers and her associates, investigators executed a search warrant at Ambers’ residence. During the search warrant, investigators located multiple baggies of white powder containing a total of over 340 grams of cocaine and cocaine base, as well as approximately $11,462 in Ambers’ home.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and cocaine provides for up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren A. Graber of Rollins’ Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Taunton Man Arrested for Illegal Firearms DealingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Taunton man was arrested today for allegedly manufacturing and dealing firearms without license, including ghost guns.
William Viera, 33, was charged with one count of dealing in firearms without a license. Following an initial appearance today in federal court in Boston before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley, Viera was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Aug. 22, 2022.
According to the charging documents, beginning in or around April 2022, federal agents identified Viera as an illegal firearms dealer and ghost gun manufacturer. Ghost guns, or privately made firearms (PMFs), are firearms assembled or otherwise produced by a person other than a licensed manufacturer, often without a serial number. In April 2022, through the use of a cooperating witness, agents contacted Viera about available firearms. It is alleged that in the communications, Viera stated he owned a 3D printer which he used to manufacture PMFs, including a Glock-style PMF. Viera also allegedly made completed firearms from unfinished firearms kits, and sold the completed firearms to other individuals. The cooperating witness subsequently met with Viera at his residence on multiple occasions, where Viera was allegedly observed in possession of a Glock-style PMF. Between July 15, 2022, and Aug. 8, 2022, Viera sold three Glock style PMFs and ammunition to the cooperating witness during three separate controlled purchases.
Viera does not possess a federal firearms license and is prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition due to prior felony convictions, including a 2012 conviction in Bristol County for armed robbery for which he was sentenced to two to five years in prison.
The charge of dealing in firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to 5 years in prison, up to 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 and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Taunton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Dell’Anno of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Statement from U.S. Attorney Rachael S. Rollins Regarding United States V. Geas, DeCologero and McKinnonRead the Press Release
“Today our hearts are with the 19 known murder victims and their loved ones, as well as anyone ever harmed by this man. He was a serial murderer, and each mention of his name is a trigger to the families he devastated, reopening wounds that we can only hope had finally started to heal.
With the indictment announced today, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia has started the process of holding the men alleged to have violently ended a life accountable. In the truest of ironies, Bulger’s family has experienced the excruciating pain and trauma their relative inflicted on far too many, and the justice system is now coming to their aid.
In honor of the memory and lives of the 19 known murder victims we fought tirelessly for here in the District of Massachusetts, we list each of their names below.
Arthur Barrett
John Callahan
Richard Castucci
Edward Connors
Debra Davis
Michael Donahue
Edward Halloran
Deborah Hussey
Thomas King
Francis Leonard
Paul McGonagle
John McIntyre
Michael Milano
Alfred Notorangeli
William O’Brien
James O’Toole
Albert Plummer
James Sousa
Roger Wheeler”
South Los Angeles Street Gang Targeted in Federal Racketeering Indictment that Alleges Narcotics, Firearms and Extortion OffensesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Authorities this morning arrested 28 members and associates of the South Los Angeles-based Eastside Playboys street gang on federal racketeering, narcotics and firearms charges. Today’s arrests stem from six grand jury indictments, one of which alleges a racketeering scheme and includes allegations of narcotics and weapons trafficking, as well as the extortion of local businesses.
One of the indictments alleges that the gang is a criminal enterprise under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. This indictment outlines the structure of the gang, its allegiance to the Mexican Mafia prison gang, and how it generates revenue through, among other things, the sale of narcotics and firearms.
Those arrested today are among 41 members and associates of the gang named across the six indictments. Three of the defendants were already in custody, and law enforcement continues to search for 10 defendants.
During this investigation, the Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Gangs seized from the Playboys and their associates approximately 47 firearms, 199 kilograms of methamphetamine, 13.6 kilograms of fentanyl, 27 kilograms of cocaine, 7.6 kilograms of heroin, 283 kilograms of marijuana, and $140,000 in cash. The RICO indictment further alleges that members of the racketeering enterprise operated two unlicensed marijuana dispensaries.
“This case is the culmination of years of work by our agents and prosecutors, alongside our local law enforcement partners, to remove violent gang members from our streets and dismantle the criminal organizations that fuel violent crime,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department has no tolerance for violent gangs that sow fear and terror in our communities, and we will continue to use every tool we have to stop them and bring them to justice.”
“The indictments unsealed today charge a gang that stands accused of plaguing South Los Angeles for 50 years through repeated acts of violence, drug trafficking, extortion of local businesses, and weapons violations,” said Acting United States Attorney Stephanie S. Christensen. “Today’s coordinated law enforcement action targeted the Playboys street gang because of its alleged widespread criminal conduct, as well as the fear and intimidation its members imposed on our community.”
“Members and associates of this gang have built a criminal enterprise by trafficking in guns and deadly drugs, by extorting business owners, and by terrorizing victims with violent assaults and robberies,” said Amir Ehsaei, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work with our local partners to identify the gangs wreaking havoc on our communities and to use federal tools to hold major offenders accountable for their crimes.”
“I am proud of the hard work and dedication of our LAPD officers, the FBI and the Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Gangs on such a demanding investigation,” said Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore. “Organized street gangs prey upon our communities with violence, intimidation and fear. Their tradecraft is furthered by the trafficking of dangerous firearms and narcotics. As in this case, and others, with strong federal partners and the support of our communities we are able to remove the distributors and root cause of such violence from of our neighborhoods.”
Today’s arrests are the result of an investigation that was opened about four years ago by the FBI and the multi-agency Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Gangs. The investigation, dubbed Operation Down the Rabbit Hole, utilized an array of tactics, including wiretaps and surveillance, to uncover evidence of extortion of businesses, violent robberies, burglaries, narcotics and firearms trafficking, and violence against their own members as “discipline” for violating gang rules and norms.
As part of the overall racketeering enterprise, some defendants engaged in large-scale drug trafficking, including sending kilogram quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl through the United States Postal Service, FedEx and United Parcel Service. Some defendants also allegedly distributed cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl powder and counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills in Los Angeles and Orange counties.
The 44-count RICO indictment charges 18 defendants, nine of whom are named in the racketeering conspiracy count. Various defendants are also charges with Hobbs Act conspiracy and robbery; a drug trafficking conspiracy; distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; using and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and a drug trafficking crime; being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition; and engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license.
The lead defendant in the RICO indictment is Eliseo Luna, 47, of South Los Angeles, who acted as overall “shot caller” for the gang, according to the indictment. Luna – who used a number of monikers, including “Chilo,” “Crazy,” “Toca” and “El Abogado” – allegedly oversaw the Playboys’ drug trafficking activities, gave orders to Playboys’ general leadership and membership, and authorized the assault and murder of members in bad standing with Playboys.
The 110-page RICO indictment alleges that four of the defendants participated in a March 2020 home invasion robbery of a marijuana dealer at a residence in Woodland Hills. In a subsequent conversation with Luna outlined in the indictment, one of the alleged robbers described the home invasion robbery, including the restraint of the victim, the theft of up to $50,000 in cash and approximately 10 pounds of marijuana, and a gun fight between the robbers and the victim, which resulted in one of the robbers being shot in the stomach by the robbery victim.
The RICO indictment outlines numerous conversations about criminal acts and specifically alleges that several gang members possessed approximately 3.3 kilograms of heroin at one point. One defendant also allegedly participated in the attempted murder of a Playboys member who was stabbed in the head and torso multiple times for betraying the gang.
A second indictment unsealed today names 17 defendants, all of whom are charged with participating in a narcotics-trafficking conspiracy. One of the defendants – Elvis Arreguin, 31, of San Pedro – allegedly maintained a laboratory in Long Beach where fentanyl and methamphetamine were processed.
“On July 7, 2021, defendant Arreguin and a co-conspirator drove together to a UPS store in Long Beach, California, where the co-conspirator dropped off a package containing approximately 10.007 kilograms of fentanyl that were packaged in one-kilogram bundles and covered in mustard,” the indictment alleges.
Another indictment charges four defendants with participating in a scheme to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl. The lead defendant in this case, Francisco Soria, 29, of South Los Angeles, an alleged member of a Latino street gang in Watts with close ties to the Playboys, is charged with possessing with the intent to distribute approximately 12 ounces of fentanyl, 20 ounces of heroin, and more than an ounce of methamphetamine. Soria also allegedly possessed two firearms – one of which was a 9mm “ghost gun” – in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The other three indictments unsealed today charge individual defendants with drug trafficking offenses, including Rene Paul Romero, a.k.a. “Capone,” 45, of Whittier, who allegedly knowingly distributed approximately 436 grams (nearly one pound) of methamphetamine.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The defendants arrested today are expected to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
The RICO conspiracy and Hobbs Act robbery charges each carry a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The narcotics and firearms offenses carry a range of potential sentences, many of which include a mandatory minimum sentence of at least five years in prison.
Operation Down the Rabbit Hole was led by the Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Gangs which is comprised of the FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department. Considerable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the United States Marshals Service; the Joint Regional Intelligence Center; the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; the United States Bureau of Prisons; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; and the Los Angeles County Probation Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Damaris Diaz and Claire E. Kelly of the Violent and Organized Crime Section, and Christopher C. Kendall and Maria Elena Stiteler of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section are prosecuting these cases.
South Charleston Man Sentenced to More than 20 Years in Prison for Major Role in Multi-State Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Timothy Wayne Dodd, 46, of South Charleston, was sentenced today to 21 years and seven months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for helping to operate a large-volume methamphetamine conspiracy in and around St. Albans and South Charleston during the summer of 2021.
A federal jury found Dodd guilty of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on March 24, 2022. Evidence at trial revealed that Dodd and co-defendant Shane Kelly Fulkerson divided large shipments of methamphetamine into pound and half-pound quantities for local dealers to distribute. Fulkerson would travel to Kentucky approximately once per week to obtain 20 or more pounds of methamphetamine at a time. Dodd collected and paid Fulkerson $137,740 in drug proceeds between July 10, 2021, and August 11, 2021.
Trial evidence further showed that Dodd continued to collect drug proceeds for Fulkerson following Fulkerson’s arrest and detention on August 12, 2021. Dodd also removed evidence from Fulkerson’s residence following Fulkerson’s arrest but prior to law enforcement officers arriving with a search warrant.
Fulkerson was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in prison on June 16, 2022. Dodd and Fulkerson are among 17 individuals charged with various drug and firearms offenses in three separate indictments resulting from a long-term investigation the methamphetamine conspiracy. All 17 defendants have been convicted.
Dodd was on parole at the time he committed this offense, and has prior felony convictions for drug crimes:
- For attempting to manufacture methamphetamine in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on October 31, 2002.
- For attempted possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine in Roane County Circuit Court on October 27, 2014.
- For possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine in Kanawha Circuit Court on November 26, 2019.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha and Putnam County Sheriff’s Departments, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Alex Hamner prosecuted the case.
This prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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. 2:21-cr-00172, 2:21-cr-00171, and 2:21-cr-00211.
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Slidell Woman Pleads Guilty to FEMA FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – SCHSHINETIA ANDERSON, age 44, a resident of Slidell, Louisiana, pled guilty on August 11, 2022 to FEMA fraud announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced before the Honorable Mary Ann Vial Lemmon on November 10, 2022. The defendant faces a maximum sentence of 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, on or about August 18, 2016, ANDERSON filed a fraudulent request for financial assistance due to a natural disaster related to the alleged loss of her primary residence. In truth and in fact, as she well knew, the house she had been renting did not sustain any damage and she prepared false records claiming that it had. She also prepared false and inflated rent lease agreements to increase the funds she received from FEMA. ANDERSON received approximately $22,104 as a result of her fraud.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney G. Dall Kammer, Chief of the General Crimes Unit.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal Officer and Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer and Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on August 15, 2022, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Cletus Gerald Williams, III, a/k/a C.J. Williams, age 25, was sentenced to 26 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. He was sentenced to 26 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentences will be served concurrently. Williams was also ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.
Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2022. He pleaded guilty on May 12, 2022.
The conviction for Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer stemmed from an incident that occurred in Todd County, South Dakota, on January 4, 2022. On that date, Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services officers responded to a report that Williams was causing a disturbance at a residence near Rosebud, South Dakota. Upon arrival, the officers made contact with Williams, who refused commands to comply. Williams took a fighting stance and then picked up pieces of firewood, which he used to keep the officers away. Williams then attempted to flee, but subsequently complied with commands and was arrested.
Williams was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in April 2017. As a result of this conviction, he is required to update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment. In October 2021, Williams was released from custody and began a period of supervised release. Williams initially registered and resided at an address in Sioux Falls, but he subsequently moved from his registered address and did not update his registration. His whereabouts were unknown until his arrest on January 4, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Williams was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Indicted for AssaultRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding.
Wesley Hammond, age 29, was indicted in July of 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 17, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to one year in federal prison and/or a $110,000 fine, one year of supervised release, and $25 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on May 26, 2022, in Todd County, South Dakota, Hammond assaulted the victim by striking, beating, and wounding.
The charge is merely an accusation and Hammond is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.
Hammond was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Serial Bank Robber Is Sentenced to over Five Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney sentenced a serial bank robber to 63 months in prison and three years of supervised release late Wednesday, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert R. Wells, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, Sheriff Eddie Cathey of the Union County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Chad Hawkins of the Belmont Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to information to which David Plyler, 62, of Charlotte, pleaded guilty, other documents filed in this case, and statements made in court, between December 2019 and February 2020, Plyler robbed four banks in Gaston and Union Counties. On December 18, 2019, Plyler robbed a BB&T bank located at 601 Hawley Avenue in Belmont, North Carolina. On that date, at approximately 2:17 p.m., Plyler walked in the bank and handed the teller a note demanding money. The teller told Plyler she was unable to read the note, at which point Plyler began to yell and demand money. The teller complied, handed Plyler $2,630 in cash, and Plyler fled the scene.
The second robbery occurred on January 7, 2020, when Plyler entered a SunTrust Bank located at 118 N. Main Street in Belmont. As with the previous robbery, Plyler entered the branch and handed a teller a note that said, “Give me your 20s, 50s, and 100s.” As the teller was gathering the money, Plyler told the teller to hurry up and that he had a bomb in his pocket. After taking the cash, Plyler approached another teller to demand money. Plyler repeated to the second teller that he had a bomb in his jacket. The second teller complied with Plyler’s demand for money and then Plyler left the bank.
On February 3, 2020, officers with the Belmont Police Department responded to a service call for a bank robbery at the aforementioned BB&T branch on Hawley Avenue in Belmont. Court records show that, upon entering the bank, once again Plyler approached a teller and demanded money. When the teller told Plyler she did not have a lot of cash, Plyler told her, “Open the drawer, I know you have money in there.” Plyler took approximately $1,600 in cash from the teller and he fled the scene.
The final robbery occurred on February 20, 2020, at a SunTrust Bank located at 307 Unionville Indian Trail Road, in Indian Trail, North Carolina. According to court records, Plyler entered the branch, approached a bank teller station and handed the teller a note that stated, “This is a robbery, give me all the money.” The teller gave Plyler approximately $10,000 in cash and Plyler left the bank in a gray Nissan vehicle. As described in court documents, a vehicle matching the bank robber’s Nissan was located and deputies with the Union County Sheriff’s Office attempted to conduct a traffic stop. Plyler did not comply and proceeded to attempt to flee the police. Plyler was eventually pulled over and arrested after he entered into South Carolina. Inside Plyler’s vehicle, law enforcement found $10,685 in cash, various items including fake moustaches and wigs Plyler wore during the bank robberies, and a handwritten demand note.
On December 29, 2021, Plyler pleaded guilty to four counts of bank robbery. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The FBI, the Union County Sheriff’s Office, and the Belmont Police Department handled the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the sentencing hearing.
Second “Felony Lane Gang” Member Who Defrauded Illinois Bank by Impersonating Victims of Identity Theft Sentenced to 34 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
East St. Louis, Ill. – Mary M. Thornhill, 36, of Knoxville, TN, was sentenced on Wednesday, August
17th, to 34 months in prison for her involvement in a bank fraud scheme that targeted female victims in Southern Illinois.
In July 2021, Thornhill conspired with others to cash stolen checks and fraudulently obtain funds from financial institutions using stolen IDs—including driver’s licenses—belonging to real individuals living in Southern Illinois. The group targeted banks located in the Metro East, including those in Glen Carbon and Wood River.At the time of her guilty plea, Thornhill admitted that members of the conspiracy broke into vehicles parked in public places throughout Southern Illinois to steal valuables left in those vehicles, including purses and wallets containing IDs and checkbooks. After the thefts, members of the organization wrote checks from the stolen checkbooks made payable to other persons from whom the group had stolen identities.
Thornhill and her co-defendant, Delvin Mills, attempted to cash checks at local banks using the furthest lane of each bank’s drive-up window to avoid detection by the tellers. The “Felony Lane
Gang” is a term used by law enforcement to describe individuals who use this particular tactic to defraud banks. Thornhill posed as the female victims and wore wigs or otherwise disguised herself to look more like the photos on the stolen IDs.Thornhill admitted that on July 19, 2021, she and Mills went to Regions Bank in Glen Carbon, Illinois, and successfully cashed a check made payable to a person whose identity had been stolen.
Thornhill and Mills were arrested by officers with the Glen Carbon Police Department within minutes of leaving Regions.“This prosecution and well-deserved sentence is another example of this office’s commitment to holding people who steal identities and commit related crimes accountable,” said United States
Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “We understand that identity theft has serious consequences for victims and they deserve the full support of the criminal justice system. I thank all of the federal and local law enforcement agencies involved for their time and effort investigating this case.”In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered Thornhill to pay restitution to her victims, a $200 fine, and spend three years on supervised release.
Thornhill’s co-conspirator, Delvin Mills, was sentenced on July 20, 2022, to 42 months in prison for his role in the conspiracy. Prior to arriving in Southern Illinois, Mills pleaded guilty to similar charges in the District of Oregon. On July 14, 2022, Mills was sentenced in that district to 55 months in prison. According to the Judgment entered in the Southern District of Illinois, Mills’ two federal sentences will run consecutively—for a total of 97 months in prison.
The investigation was conducted by local law enforcement agencies, including the Glen Carbon, Clinton County, Germantown, Belleville, New Baden, Salem, O’Fallon (IL), Kirkwood, and St. Louis
County Police Departments, along with the United States Secret Service, Fairview Heights Domicile
Office of the Springfield Resident Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Zoe J. Gross prosecuted the case.Savannah man convicted on gun charge after two-day jury trialRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: A Chatham County man faces significant prison time after his conviction at trial for illegal gun possession.
Raheem DaSheen Jackson, 30, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after being found guilty by a U.S. District Court jury of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Jackson has at least three prior felony convictions, and if adjudicated as an Armed Career Criminal could face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Our office and our law enforcement partners are committed to removing violent criminals from our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Previously convicted felons like Raheem Jackson know they are prohibited from carrying guns, and our streets are safer with them behind bars.”
Jackson was arrested in January 2021 when he ran from a traffic stop conducted by Savannah Police officers. Jackson, a passenger in the vehicle, fled into a neighborhood with an officer in pursuit, dropping a loaded semiautomatic handgun as he ran. Jackson was charged with illegally possessing the gun after a criminal background check revealed prior felony convictions.
U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood will schedule Jackson for sentencing after completion of a presentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services.
“ATF will continue to work alongside our federal, state and local partners in furtherance of reducing violent crime,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Savannah Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marcela C. Mateo and Noah J. Abrams.
San Rafael Man Visiting Yosemite Charged with Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Stefan Niels Weiste Kirkeby, 59, of San Rafael, charging him with domestic violence within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Aug. 4, 2022, Kirkeby and his wife got into a verbal confrontation that resulted in park visitors having to intervene due to the yelling as well as the threats of harm being made by Kirkeby. The victim reported she was forcibly grabbed by her wrist and both fell to the ground. Kirkeby was threatening to kill her then kill himself during the altercation. The victim sustained bruising, pain to her wrist, and scratches.
This case is the product of an investigation by the National Park Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.
If you have information related to this case, please submit a tip online, call 888-653-0009, or email [email protected].
If convicted, Kirkeby faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rocklin Business Owner Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Embezzling from His Employer and, While Awaiting Sentencing, Defrauding BanksRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kevin Lee Co, 51, of Rocklin, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for wire fraud, money laundering and submitting false statements to a financial institution, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Dec. 8, 2016, Co pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering for embezzling approximately $4.8 million from his former employer, Holt of California. Co used the money he embezzled to purchase, among other things, luxury cars, home furniture, NFL football and NBA basketball season tickets, and approximately $1 million in purchases for the online video game “Game of War.”
While out of custody and awaiting sentencing on those charges, Co defrauded federally insured financial institutions by submitting false statements to qualify for loans that were part of the Paycheck Protection Program.
Co was the sole owner of Apollo HP Inc., a Rocklin-based company that sells generators, windows, and residential solar panels. Between April 2020 and January 2021, Co applied for and obtained Paycheck Protection Program loans for his company. The loan applications required him to disclose his pending criminal charges and guilty pleas. However, in his loan applications, Co concealed the fact that he had pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges in order to cause two banks to approve loans for his company. As a result of Co’s false statements, financial institutions suffered a total loss of $530,552.
This case was the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg prosecuted the case.
Rapid City Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on August 17, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Amber Atchley, age 32, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Atchley was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2021 and pleaded guilty in February 2022. The conviction stems from Atchley conspiring with others to distribute methamphetamine in South Dakota and elsewhere between March and June 2021.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Atchley was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Indicted for EscapeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Escape from Custody.
Kyle Tobacco, age 28, was indicted in April of 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on August 15, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is five years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge stems from Tobacco leaving the Community Education Center in Rapid City and not returning as required. The charge is merely an accusation and Tobacco is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson is prosecuting the case.
Tobacco was detained pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Puyallup, Washington, man charged with child sex abuse crimesRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 21-year-old resident of Puyallup, Washington, was arrested at Sea-Tac International Airport last night on a criminal complaint charging multiple crimes related to the creation and transportation of child sexual abuse imagery, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Shawn Stone was arriving on a flight from Amsterdam when he was contacted by the FBI. Stone appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle today and remains detained pending further hearings.
According to the criminal complaint, investigators with the FBI became aware of someone with Stone’s username posting on an internet platform about child sex abuse. The platform has a reputation as a place offenders go to share child abuse imagery. Investigators linked the username to Stone and are investigating Stone’s involvement in creating and moderating discussion board devoted to child sexual abuse, and the sexual abuse of two minors. The abuse allegedly occurred while Stone was on a family trip to Germany in 2019. An initial review of his electronic devices revealed multiple images of child sexual abuse.
Stone is charged by criminal complaint with one count of production of child pornography and one count of transportation of child pornography.
The charges carry mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment of 15 and 5 years respectively.
The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The investigation is being led by the FBI. Other agencies involved include the Tacoma Police Department, the Washington State Patrol, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Washington State Department of Corrections, the Federal Protective Service and the U.S. Army.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Hampton.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Owner & Operator of Former Nashville-Based Lowry Medical Supply, Inc. Charged in HealthCare Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A 14-count felony Information was filed today charging Tache “Gabe” Georgescu, 45, and Natalia Georgescu, 38, both of Laguna Niguel, California, owner and operator of now defunct Lowry Medical Supply, Inc. (Lowry Medical) in Nashville, Tennessee, with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and paying illegal kickbacks, announced US. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to the charging document, in November 2017, the Georgescus purchased Lowry Medical, a durable medical equipment (DME). In 2018, the Georgescus purchased three other DME companies located in Florida, but which were operated interchangeably with Nashville-based Lowry Medical, including Medpros Associates LLC; Alliance DME LLC; and AYMS LLC., all of which are also now defunct. These Georgescu-controlled DME companies received nearly all their revenue from billing Medicare for orthotic braces.
The charging document alleges the Georgescus’ payment of illegal kickbacks and bribes in exchange for the referral of Medicare beneficiaries by medical professionals, working with fraudulent telemedicine companies, for back, shoulder, wrist, and knee braces that are medically unnecessary. Some of the charges concern luring Medicare beneficiaries, who were elderly or suffering from dementia, into a criminal scheme where the Georgescus’ mailed orthotic braces that these beneficiaries never asked for, never wanted, and never needed. They then billed Medicare for the cost of the orthotic braces.
In the summer of 2018, a Medicare accrediting agency advised the Georgescus that Lowry Medical was violating Medicare rules in many ways, including using a lead generation entity to buy doctors’ orders, contacting beneficiaries without their consent, sending orthotic braces to beneficiaries which those beneficiaries did not want or need, and refusing to allow the beneficiaries to return the orthotic braces. Despite these warnings, the Georgescus did not change their practices.
In just 17 months, the Georgescus paid so-called marketing companies approximately $7.8 million in illegal kickbacks and bribes in exchange for those marketing companies providing the Georgescus with ready to bill doctors’ orders for orthotic braces for Medicare beneficiaries. In turn, the Georgescus billed Medicare approximately $30 million for orthotic brace orders during this same period.
The Information also contains a forfeiture allegation in which the United States seeks to recover a money judgment in the amount of $4,172,553, which represents the value of proceeds obtained from the illegal conduct between August 2018 through April 2019.
If convicted, the defendants face up to ten years in prison.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services-Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski and Christopher J. Suedekum are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Blackburn is handling the forfeiture.
The charges are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Oregon Man Sentenced on Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Wilsonville, Oregon, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on August 15, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Leonardo Vazquez, Jr., age 22, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Leonardo Vazquez, Jr. was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in March of 2021. He pleaded guilty on May 23, 2022.
Beginning on an unknown date and continuing until February 2021, Vazquez reached an agreement to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in the District of South Dakota.
During his involvement in the conspiracy, Vazquez drove a vehicle that contained a large quantity of methamphetamine. He was assisting his co-conspirators who were selling methamphetamine to drug customers in Sioux Falls by driving them to their deals. On November 7, 2019, he was driving near Worthington, Minnesota, alone in a vehicle registered to him. There was approximately eleven pounds of methamphetamine and two guns in the car. He was stopped by the police, who then searched his car and found the guns and methamphetamine. His involvement in the conspiracy ended with the seizure of his vehicle on November 7, 2019.
This case was investigated by Worthington Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Vazquez was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 200 months on Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Steven Anthony Malechek, 48, Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Malechek to 140 months’ imprisonment on the drug charges and a consecutive 60 months’ imprisonment on the firearm charge, for a total sentence of 200 months. Additionally, more than $14,000 in cash was forfeited. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On May 19, 2021, Omaha Police Department gang unit and SWAT officers encountered Malechek near a residence in Omaha prior to the execution of a search warrant. Malechek disobeyed orders from officers to stop and fled from law enforcement in a vehicle, reversing up a hill at a high rate of speed. Malechek was eventually apprehended nearby. Malechek was subsequently arrested and during a search of Malechek and his vehicle, officers recovered approximately 70 grams of methamphetamine and two firearms—a Taurus .45 caliber pistol and a Luger LC9S 9mm handgun.
On May 28, 2021, law enforcement again had contact with Malecheck. Officers searched Malechek’s truck and found close to a pound of methamphetamine, a ballistic vest, a rifle, and cash.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.
Ohio County man admits to having child pornographyRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Conner David Patterson, of Valley Grove, West Virginia, has admitted to a child pornography charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Patterson, 21, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Possession of Child Pornography.” Patterson admitted to having child pornography involving a minor under the age of 12 in July 2021 in Ohio County.
Patterson faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI and the West Virginia Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Oglala Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that an Oglala, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on August 15, 2022, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Aric Singing Goose, a/k/a Eric Sharpfish, age 34, was sentenced to seven 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.
Singing Goose was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2022. He pled guilty on May 26, 2022.
Singing Goose was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in July 2009. 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 June 4, 2021, and August 17, 202, Singing Goose 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 Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
Singing Goose was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
North Fort Myers Man Indicted for Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of a superseding indictment charging Samuel Robert Bruner (46, North Fort Myers) with possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. If convicted, Bruner faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to the superseding indictment, Bruner had previously been convicted of 13 felony offenses when he possessed firearms and ammunition in Fort Myers on December 1, 2021. The indictment further states that Bruner is eligible for an enhanced penalty as an Armed Career Criminal because he has three previous convictions for a violent felony or serious drug offense, committed on occasions different from one another.
An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Network of Atlanta-based cocaine traffickers, money launderers, and fraudsters sentenced to years in prison and forfeiture of over $3.9 millionRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Tory Lenard Troup has been sentenced as the Atlanta-based leader of a ring of repeat offenders who moved large quantities of cocaine through Atlanta and laundered criminal proceeds using a network of bank accounts, business entities, and purchases of luxury and high-performance cars, homes, jewelry, and cosmetic surgery. Members of the group also obtained fraudulent loans from the Paycheck Protection Program and the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program.
“This network of drug traffickers victimized our community in many ways, including by distributing dangerous drugs and exploiting the banking system and pandemic disaster funds while buying homes in our neighborhoods as a way to conceal their illegal profits,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Through a successful multi-year, cross-agency investigation and resulting seizure of assets, the main culprits will serve prison sentences and lose the spoils of their crimes.”
“This sentencing deals a major blow to Troup’s drug trafficking organization, and is a major step in keeping drugs off the streets of metro Atlanta and elsewhere,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “This criminal organization has reached its final chapter, as these defendants will now spend well-deserved time in prison.”
“Homeland Security Investigations will continue to utilize our expertise to combat the movement of illicit narcotics and proceeds in an effort to stop our communities from being poisoned by greedy criminals,” said HSI Miami Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury. “Through the collaborative efforts with our partners, this narcotics trafficking network has been dismantled and their flow of dangerous narcotics into the United States has been stopped.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: in 2008, Tory Troup, shortly after his release from prison in 2007 for his second federal drug trafficking conviction, organized other convicted drug traffickers, including Franklin Troup, Joseph Alexander, and Rodriquez Redding, to form a new criminal operation. They worked together to source cocaine from Colombia, the Bahamas, and Texas; transported the drugs by private plane, car, and UPS shipments to the Atlanta area; and distributed the drugs to customers in Atlanta and South Carolina. One customer, Lidurrius Bailey, converted the cocaine into large batches of crack (nearly 400 grams at a time) for further distribution. They also smuggled bulk quantities of marijuana, up to nine bales at a time, into the Miami area by boat.
The group transported some of its drug proceeds by having people drive the cash in cars or shipping bundles of cash through the mail, FedEx, or UPS. And to minimize the risk of detection by law enforcement they used a multi-faceted money laundering operation to covertly gather payments, and move those proceeds from customers in Atlanta and South Carolina to Texas, using a network of bank accounts held by multiple individuals, including Troup’s wife, LaShana Johnson, as well as a girlfriend in Houston. Troup also enlisted a business entity and its bank accounts to collect and launder illegal profits disguised as revenue from legitimate business operations. The conspirators then used their illegal profits to buy luxury cars, often in other people’s names, all in an effort to avoid drawing law enforcement attention.
For example, Redding convinced two of his relatives to purchase and register a $92,000 Mercedes CL 63 AMG and a $65,000 Mercedes CLS 550 in their names with his drug money, drawing them into his web of crimes and ultimately subjecting them to the arrival of federal agents at their door. The group also concealed drug profits by buying properties, many of them homes in residential neighborhoods. Elgin Jordan, who sourced some of the drugs for members of the operation, accumulated 14 properties. Many of the homes sat vacant or were rented, preventing lawful citizens from purchasing the properties and peacefully residing in those neighborhoods. Members of the group also used their profits to buy expensive jewelry and even cosmetic surgery, most often paying cash in the mistaken belief that they could avoid law enforcement detection by doing so.
For many years the group managed to operate their scheme without law enforcement intervention due to their extensive concealment efforts, tight code of loyalty, and threats to others. But ultimately a collaboration of multiple federal agencies conducting a comprehensive financial investigation, in combination with evidence from local agencies, a wiretap, drug and money seizures, information from cooperating sources who feared violent retribution, and undercover recordings, produced a series of federal charges that dismantled the organization.
Redding and Johnson, two of the conspirators granted bond while their charges were pending, continued their criminal efforts and fraudulently obtained Paycheck Protection Program loans and an Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program advance for businesses that did not exist. As a result, the court imposed additional sentences and/or restitution obligations.
Tory Lenard Troup, 52, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to eight years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit two residential properties and $840,124. He pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering on June 2, 2021.
The following individuals were previously sentenced:
- Franklin Benson Troup, 51, of Austell, Georgia, was sentenced to eight years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $690,000. He pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering on June 2, 2021.
- Joseph Anthony Alexander, 52, of Coral Springs, Florida, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $111,860. He pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering on March 11, 2019.
- Rodriquez Deonte Redding, a/k/a “Rodriguez Redding,” a/k/a “Dreek,” 38, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to seven years in prison followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $46,666 in restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration and PPP lenders. He pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering on June 2, 2021, and pleaded guilty to a charge of committing wire fraud while on pretrial release on January 21, 2022.
- LaShana Michele Johnson, a/k/a “LaShana Troup,” 50, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to four years of probation and ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration. She pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering on June 7, 2021.
- Lidurrius Bailey, 49, of Fayetteville, Georgia, was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release and forfeited $709,985 and jewelry valued at $31,750. He pleaded guilty to a charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base on October 23, 2015.
- Elgin Demarco Jordan, 48, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to eight years in prison followed by four years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit 14 properties with a total tax assessed value of over $1.5 million. He pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin and conspiracy to commit money laundering on June 2, 2016.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, with valuable assistance provided by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office and Atlanta Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford, Deputy Chief of the Public Integrity and Special Matters section, prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Native of El Salvador Charged with Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Balmoth Alberto Caceres-Henriquez, age 36, of Sonsonate, El Salvador, was indicted by a federal grand jury on illegal reentry charges.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Caceres-Henriquez was removed from the United States on October 24, 2006, through Harlingen Texas, and it is alleged that he reentered the United States without first obtaining legal permission to do so. The indictment also alleges that on June 1, 2022, Caceres-Henriquez was encountered in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Carlisle Borough Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime M. Keating is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 2 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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McLaughlin Man Indicted for Assault and Threatening Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Threatening a Federal Law Enforcement Officer.
Richard Todd Steele, age 42, was indicted in September of 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 15, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $300 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on June 13, 2021, in McLaughlin, Steele assaulted a man with a knife and shod feet. After being arrested, he threatened physical harm to a federal law enforcement officer.
The charges are merely accusations and Steele is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, Standing Rock Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook is prosecuting the case.
Steele was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date was set for October 18, 2022.
Marrero Man Sentenced to 97 Months in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Philip Evans, age 50, of Marrero, Louisiana, to 97 months in federal prison following his conviction for distribution of child pornography. The Court further sentenced Evans to serve 5 years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and he must register as a convicted sex offender for life.
According to admissions made during his plea, between April 21, 2021 and June 3, 2021, Evans knowingly distributed numerous images and videos of child pornography using the electronic messaging application called WhatsApp.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Pugliese.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Man from Mescalero sentenced to prison for assault in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Romeo Martinez was sentenced on Aug. 16 to two years and nine months in prison for assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country. Martinez, 23, of Mescalero, New Mexico, pleaded guilty on Jan. 25.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on June 29, 2021, Martinez arrived at his grandmother’s residence on the Mescalero Apache Reservation and confronted his grandmother and her sister, identified in court records as “M.B.” Martinez, who is not an enrolled member of any federally-recognized Tribe, was not supposed to be on the Mescalero Apache Reservation because he had been banished by the Tribal Council for alleged violent assaults on Tribal members. Martinez accused his grandmother and M.B. of having his vehicle towed, and began to scream at them. Martinez attacked M.B., hitting her face multiple times, causing a laceration to her forehead, which required four sutures, and a broken nose and septum. As a result of Martinez’s assault, the victim’s nose is disfigured and her ability to breathe properly has been impacted.
M.B. is an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe.
Upon his release from prison, Martinez will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Matilda McCarthy Villalobos prosecuted the case.
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Man Sentenced to over 10 Years for Role in International Romance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, Onovughe Ighorhiohwunu, 47, a resident of Kennesaw, Georgia, was sentenced by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 130 months in prison for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. Ighorhiohwunu was previously found guilty by a federal jury of conspiring to launder more than $1.3 million in proceeds obtained from victims of an internet romance fraud. As part of his sentence, Ighorhiohwunu was fined $25,000 and ordered to pay $1,342,150 in restitution.
Evidence at trial and sentencing established that, between July 2019 and May 2020, Ighorhiohwunu participated in a scheme where conspirators with connections to Nigeria used fictitious or assumed online identities to meet victims in the United States. Conspirators contacted victims through dating websites and games like Words With Friends and then pretended to strike up romantic relationships with them. After establishing relationships, conspirators asked the victims for money, often to help with a phony crisis such as an emergency medical procedure, and usually told the victims their money would be repaid. Conspirators directed at least 10 victims to send large sums of money by mail or wire to Ighorhiohwunu and others, which was then withdrawn in cash and hand-delivered to conspirators or wired to other bank accounts. Ighorhiohwunu received payment for his role in the scheme.
“Internet-based scams like this one starkly illustrate both the greed of the perpetrators and the generosity of the elderly victims,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “Thanks to our partners at the Federal Bureau of Investigation for unraveling the complex scheme and providing a strong message of deterrence.”
The United States Attorney’s Office encourages the public to be wary of similar scams and to verify with law enforcement and family members before sending money after any online, or phone, solicitations.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Section of the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-1119-TUC-SHR-1
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-140_Ighorhiohwunu# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who possessed over 150 grams of methamphetamine in Eldora, Iowa pled guilty on August 17, 2022.
Shane Anthony Johnson, age 45, from St. Anthony, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine throughout the Northern District of Iowa.
In a plea agreement, Johnson admitted to being involved in the transport of 165 grams of methamphetamine before being apprehended by Eldora Police officers. It was later discovered Johnson had obtained approximately four ounces of methamphetamine from the same supplier before the date of his arrest.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Johnson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Johnson faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment and the following maximum penalties: (1) not more than life imprisonment, without the possibility of parole; (2) a fine of not more than $10 million; (3) a mandatory special assessment of $100; and (4) a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life.
This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Dorval Norwood.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-00031-CJW.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Madison Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Chaz E. Morris, 35, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 78 months in federal prison for possessing over 40 grams of fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Morris pleaded guilty to these charges on May 20, 2022.
On January 12, 21, February 3, 18, and 24, 2021, Dane County Narcotics Task Force (DCNTF) officers purchased crack cocaine from Morris’s co-defendant, Myron Macon, in Madison. The quantities ranged from 31 to 51 grams per buy and prices ranged from $2,000-3,000. During one of the buys, Chaz Morris personally distributed the crack cocaine.
On March 2, 2021, DCNTF officers executed search warrants at two drug houses operated by Morris and Macon in Madison, and leased by them using fake names. At the residence leased by Morris, officers found 718 grams of cocaine, 49 grams of fentanyl, 101 grams of heroin, 2,297 grams of marijuana, and $4,950 in cash which included buy money from a previous controlled purchase. At the residence leased by Macon, officers found 42 grams of fentanyl, 48 grams of crack cocaine, 206 grams of marijuana, a Taurus 9mm handgun with loaded magazines and over $27,000 in cash in a safe, an additional $6,000 in cash, four digital scales, and numerous cell phones. Macon was arrested at the residence and his DNA later came back on the Taurus firearm.
On August 9, 16, 25, and September 2, 2021, DCNTF officers purchased crack cocaine from Morris in Madison. On September 9, officers executed a search warrant at Morris’ new residence in Madison. When officers began knocking on the front door, Morris threw a firearm onto the street from the second-floor balcony. The firearm was identified as a loaded SCCY 9mm handgun which had been reported stolen out of Texas. Morris’ DNA was found on the firearm. In the residence, officers found 78 grams of fentanyl, 83 grams of cocaine, 27 grams of methamphetamine, 31 grams of marijuana, and $11,914 in cash, which included buy money from a prior controlled purchase. Morris was arrested at the residence.
Morris was prohibited from legally possessing a firearm and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions. During the time of the controlled buys and residence searches, Morris was out on bond for an open state drug trafficking case from 2019.
At sentencing, Judge Conley explained that Morris’s combination of dealing dangerous drugs and possessing a firearm to further that trafficking made the conduct more serious. He noted that Morris continued to deal drugs even after his partner, Macon, was arrested and search warrants were executed at their drug houses. Judge Conley also discussed Morris’s lengthy prior criminal record, which included multiple shorter prison sentences when he was in his early twenties.
Co-defendant Myron Macon pleaded guilty on June 1 to possessing crack cocaine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He is scheduled for a sentencing hearing before Judge Conley on September 27, 2022. Macon faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 5 years and a maximum term of life.
The charges against Morris and Macon were the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Madison Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Los Angeles Street Gang Targeted in Federal Racketeering Indictment that Alleges Narcotics, Firearms and Extortion OffensesRead the Press Release
Twenty eight members and associates of the South Los Angeles-based Eastside Playboys street gang were arrested today on federal racketeering, narcotics, and firearms charges.
The arrests stem from six indictments, one of which alleges a racketeering scheme and includes allegations of narcotics and weapons trafficking, as well as the extortion of local businesses.
“This case is the culmination of years of work by our agents and prosecutors, alongside our local law enforcement partners, to remove violent gang members from our streets and dismantle the criminal organizations that fuel violent crime,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland of the Justice Department. “The Justice Department has no tolerance for violent gangs that sow fear and terror in our communities, and we will continue to use every tool we have to stop them and bring them to justice.”
“One of our fundamental duties at the FBI is to protect the American people,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The law enforcement operations in the Los Angeles area today reflect only a portion of the work being done across the country and illustrate the FBI’s dedication to reducing violent crime in our nation, and combating the threats that gangs, violent actors, and criminal enterprises pose to our communities. I am proud of the work being done by the FBI, in concert with our local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners, to keep our citizens and communities safe.”
One of the indictments alleges that the gang is a criminal enterprise under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. This indictment outlines the structure of the gang, its allegiance to the Mexican Mafia prison gang, and how it generates revenue through, among other things, the sale of narcotics and firearms.
“The indictments unsealed today charge a gang that stands accused of plaguing South Los Angeles for 50 years through repeated acts of violence, drug trafficking, extortion of local businesses, and weapons violations,” said Acting United States Attorney Stephanie S. Christensen for the Central District of California. “Today’s coordinated law enforcement action targeted the Playboys street gang because of its alleged widespread criminal conduct, as well as the fear and intimidation its members imposed on our community.”
As part of the overall racketeering enterprise, some defendants engaged in large-scale drug trafficking, including sending kilogram quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl through the United States Postal Service, FedEx and United Parcel Service. Some defendants also allegedly distributed cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl powder and counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills in Los Angeles and Orange counties.
“Members and associates of this gang have built a criminal enterprise by trafficking in guns and deadly drugs, by extorting business owners, and by terrorizing victims with violent assaults and robberies,” said Acting Assistant Director in Chage Amir Ehsaei of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work with our local partners to identify the gangs wreaking havoc on our communities and to use federal tools to hold major offenders accountable for their crimes.”
During this investigation, the Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Gangs seized from the Playboys and their associates approximately 47 firearms, 199 kilograms of methamphetamine, 13.6 kilograms of fentanyl, 27 kilograms of cocaine, 7.6 kilograms of heroin, 283 kilograms of marijuana, and $140,000 in cash. The RICO indictment further alleges that members of the racketeering enterprise operated two unlicensed marijuana dispensaries.
“I am proud of the hard work and dedication of our LAPD officers, the FBI and the Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Gangs on such a demanding investigation,” said Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore. “Organized street gangs prey upon our communities with violence, intimidation and fear. Their tradecraft is furthered by the trafficking of dangerous firearms and narcotics. As in this case, and others, with strong federal partners and the support of our communities we are able to remove the distributors and root cause of such violence from of our neighborhoods.”
Those arrested today are among 41 members and associates of the gang named across the six indictments. Three of the defendants were already in custody, and law enforcement continues to search for 10 defendants.
The RICO conspiracy and Hobbs Act robbery charges each carry a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The narcotics and firearms offenses carry a range of potential sentences, many of which include a mandatory minimum sentence of at least five years in prison.
The defendants arrested today are expected to be arraigned this afternoon in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
Today’s arrests are the result of an investigation that was opened approximately four years ago by the FBI and the multi-agency Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Gangs. The investigation, dubbed Operation Down the Rabbit Hole, utilized an array of tactics, including wiretaps and surveillance, to uncover evidence of extortion of businesses, violent robberies, burglaries, narcotics and firearms trafficking, and violence against their own members as “discipline” for violating gang rules and norms.
Operation Down the Rabbit Hole was led by the Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Gangs, which is comprised of the FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives; DEA; U.S. Marshals Service; the Joint Regional Intelligence Center; Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; U.S. Bureau of Prisons; California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; and the Los Angeles County Probation Department provided considerable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Damaris Diaz and Claire E. Kelly of the Violent and Organized Crime Section, and Christopher C. Kendall and Maria Elena Stiteler of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California are prosecuting these cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Long Island Woman Charged with Embezzling $4 Million from Manhattan Company and Its ClientsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Daniel B. Brubaker, Inspector-in-Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), announced today that CARMEN MIRANDA, a/k/a “Millie Miranda,” was charged with wire fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, in connection with her scheme to embezzle over $4 million from her employer and its clients in Manhattan, New York. MIRANDA was arrested today and will be presented today before Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses in Manhattan federal court.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For years, Carmen Miranda allegedly pilfered funds from her employer and clients for her own benefit. She used the stolen funds to live a lifestyle she could not afford, purchasing expensive trips, luxury items, and throwing lavish parties. Her dishonesty led to serious disruptions in her employer’s and its clients’ businesses. Miranda’s arrest and prosecution should send a message to anyone engaging in fraudulent conduct that they will be found and prosecuted.”
Inspector-in-Charge Daniel B. Brubaker said: “Carmen Miranda was placed in a position of trust to help people manage their finances. She allegedly abused that trust by misappropriating approximately $4 million dollars and in stealing their money, sought only to enrich herself through personal gain. Miranda used the alleged stolen funds to pay for a lavish lifestyle full of vacations, parties, cosmetic procedures, high-end luxury goods, and even her own wedding. Her greed was her downfall, and in the end, the Postal Inspectors were there to put a stop to her ill-gotten spending spree.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint unsealed today:[1]
CARMEN MIRANDA, a/k/a “Millie Miranda,” the defendant, was an account manager at a small business management firm that primarily serviced clients in the entertainment industry (the “Company”). From at least in or about December 2014, up to and including at least January 2022, while serving as an account manager for the Company, MIRANDA embezzled funds from the Company and some of the Company’s clients (the “Clients” or individually “Client”). She added herself as an authorized user on two credit cards belonging to a Client, used two other credit cards issued to a Client’s employees, and wrote checks and sent electronic funds transfers out of the Clients’ accounts. MIRANDA used the credit cards, the checks, and electronic funds transfers to make payments to a cosmetic surgeon, her children, and others, and to pay for expenses such as tuition, travel, her wedding, an anniversary party, and luxury items from Jimmy Choo. To conceal the Client funds that she had stolen and spent, MIRANDA transferred funds between accounts belonging to different Clients.
As a part of this scheme, MIRANDA misappropriated approximately $4 million.
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MIRANDA, 50, of Massapequa, New York, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison, and one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of thirty years in prison, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory penalty of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other term of imprisonment.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the USPIS in this investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Camille L. Fletcher is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Lantry Woman Indicted for LarcenyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Lantry, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Larceny.
Trude Clown, age 46, was indicted in August of 2022. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 12, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to five years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between the February 1, 2022, and June 1, 2022, Clown unlawfully took and carried away, with intent to steal and purloin, the personal property of another, with a value of more than $1,000.
The charge is merely an accusation and Clown is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.
Clown was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has been set for October 18, 2022.
Kansas Man Sentenced in Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Kansas City, Kansas, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on August 15, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Michael Luntere Grayson, age 22, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Grayson was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in December of 2021. He pled guilty on May 24, 2022.
Beginning on or about August of 2021 and continuing until on or about December 2021, Grayson reached an agreement to distribute fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, in the District of South Dakota.
During his involvement, Grayson obtained pills containing fentanyl from a co-conspirator and distributed them to drug customers in South Dakota. On October 13, 2021, law enforcement conducted a targeted interdiction on a vehicle Grayson was driving. Grayson initially pulled the vehicle over, but when a trooper approached on foot he drove away and attempted to elude law enforcement. Law enforcement eventually got the vehicle stopped and searched it. They found approximately 278 grams of pills containing fentanyl, 228.6 grams of cocaine, 33 grams of crack cocaine, and 92 oxycodone pills. Grayson and his co-conspirators were planning to sell the drugs found in the vehicle. Grayson’s involvement in the conspiracy ended with his arrest on October 13, 2021.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.
Grayson was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Kansas Man Indicted for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with child pornography crimes.
Walter Haskin, 27, of Cottonwood Falls of was indicted on one count of attempted distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. According to a criminal complaint, the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force launched an investigation after Dropbox submitted a tip through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children hotline indicating the file sharing service said it had detected child pornography uploaded to an account.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Wichita Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly Gordon and Jason Hart are prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab "Resources."
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Christopher Cavanaugh, 56, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of an unregistered firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
Edward Cavanaugh Jr., 57 of Wichita was indicted on two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
Tremayne Darkis, 44, of Parsons was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
Alexis Ibarra, 23, of Garden City was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting the case.
Kelly Peng, 45, of Wichita was indicted on two counts of distribution of controlled substances – methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances – methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Mark Jason Pearson, 32, of Dunbar, pleaded guilty today to possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Pearson admitted to possessing approximately 5 pounds of methamphetamine at his First Street residence in Dunbar on July 13, 2022. Pearson further admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine to others, and that he previously obtained at least 3 pounds of methamphetamine and sold smaller quantities of methamphetamine to a confidential informant between June 6, 2022, and July 8, 2022.
Pearson is scheduled to be sentenced on November 10, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, as well as five years of supervised release and a $10 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe 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. 2:22-cr-156.
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KC Man Sentenced for Resisting Arrest After Deliberately Crashing Stolen Truck into Federal Deputy Marshals While Attempting to Flee in Stolen TruckRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who injured two United States deputy marshals by crashing into them while attempting to flee in a stolen truck was sentenced in federal court today for forcibly resisting federal law enforcement officers.
Ray E. Clevenger, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole.
On Jan. 5, 2022, Clevenger pleaded guilty to two counts of forcibly resisting a federal law enforcement officer.
Law enforcement officers located Clevenger, who was being sought on a state felony arrest warrant, at a Quality Inn in Kansas City, Mo., on Dec. 30, 2020. Clevenger left his hotel room shortly after noon with a woman and got into a Ford Explorer, which was later identified as stolen. Officers activated their flashing multi-colored police emergency lights and sirens as they approached Clevenger.
Clevenger quickly accelerated the Explorer from the parking space it had been backed into, and struck the front of a police vehicle. Clevenger continued to attempt to escape while recklessly driving the Explorer at a high rate of speed. Clevenger drove across the hotel’s parking lot with his tires squealing and drove near the exit on the west side of the property. A federal deputy marshal attempted to prevent Clevenger from leaving the parking lot by positioning his police vehicle in front of the exit and striking the Ford Explorer, causing Clevenger to lose control of his vehicle. Clevenger regained control of the vehicle, then fled across the hotel’s lawn and sidewalk toward the east side of the property. Another deputy marshal struck Clevenger’s vehicle on the passenger rear wheel well to prevent his escape. Clevenger continued to flee and returned to the west side of the property, where he rammed one of the police vehicles for the second time with enough force to push the SUV into a fence that surrounded the parking lot. Clevenger pushed the police vehicle with enough force that it also struck another police vehicle, which in turn struck a deputy marshal who was on foot.
Clevenger’s vehicle then stopped, and he was arrested. Officers searched Clevenger’s stolen vehicle and found a Springfield .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun that had been reported stolen, loaded with an extended magazine, a makeup case that contained approximately 69 grams of methamphetamine and marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.
The two deputy marshals suffered physical injuries because of Clevenger’s reckless driving while attempting to avoid arrest. Those injuries required one of the deputy marshals to be treated by emergency medical officials at the scene. The other deputy marshal was provided medical care and instructed to seek follow-up medical care.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefan C. Hughes. It was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the FBI.
KC Man Sentenced for Arson of Apartment BuildingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for setting the arson fire of an apartment building in which several residents were injured.
Rodney Boyles, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to eight years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Boyles to pay $12,500 in restitution to one of the apartment building residents who was intubated for approximately nine days in the hospital while being treated for smoke inhalation injuries she sustained from the fire.
On Feb. 10, 2022, Boyles pleaded guilty to one count of arson. Boyles admitted that he intentionally set fire to a four-story apartment building at 1102-1104 Benton Boulevard in Kansas City, Mo., on Jan. 13, 2021. The apartment building was occupied at the time of the fire. Three occupants of the apartment building sustained serious injuries because of the fire and were transported to the hospital for treatment. The building sustained significant fire damage on all four floors of the structure.
Fire investigators determined the fire had been intentionally set. One of the residents of the apartment building told investigators that Boyles had been staying in one of the apartments with his girlfriend and her son. Investigators interviewed Boyles on Thursday, May 27, and arrested him.
Boyles told investigators he was under the influence of a controlled substance when he used a cigarette lighter to start the fire in a storage room in the apartment. After starting the fire, Boyles said, he quickly left the building with his girlfriend, their 4-year-old son, and another female.
Investigators interviewed several victims of the arson. One resident, identified in court documents as “TN,” exited her third-floor apartment using the interior stairwell. She recalled the smoke being so thick in the interior stairwell that she could not see her hand in front of her face. She was transported to the hospital, where she was intubated for approximately nine days while being treated for smoke inhalation injuries she sustained from the fire.
Another resident, identified in court documents as “BF,” was asleep in the living room when he woke up and smelled smoke. He passed out in the apartment and was rescued by firefighters. He was treated at the hospital for partial thickness burns to his face, acute respiratory failure with hypoxia, carbon monoxide and cyanide poisoning, pneumonia, and volume overload. He was placed in a medically induced coma during his hospitalization.
Two residents, identified in court documents as “RF” and “NF,” were forced by heavy smoke to exit their apartment through a front window that provided access onto a second-floor overhang so they could jump to safety. RF broke his wrist and ankle after jumping onto the ground below; he was hospitalized for 14 days as a result of his injuries.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Michael Green. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Fire Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission Issue Joint Comment to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to Preserve Competition for Regional TransmissionRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission yesterday submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) a joint comment urging it not to restore a right of first refusal that would enable incumbent electricity transmission owners to block competitors from bidding to design, construct, and own certain new interstate transmission facilities.
The FERC is considering reinstating the right of first refusal, or ROFR – which was eliminated in certain instances in 2011 – as long as incumbent transmission owners agree to a joint ownership structure with one or more unaffiliated, non-incumbent partners. FERC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on April 21, 2022. This could mean that the design and construction of certain transmission facilities is less competitive, resulting in higher prices or lower quality.
“We commend FERC for undertaking this rulemaking, which is aimed at encouraging needed regional transmission planning and construction,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The rulemaking comes at a critical time, when the nation is undertaking major grid modernization efforts, and competition can make transmission design and construction less costly, more resilient, and more innovative for the American consumer. Thus, we urge FERC not to abandon competition, through the reinstatement of a federal right of first refusal, but to first evaluate the effects of its other proposals, which are consistent with competition, on achieving its goals.”
The joint comment addresses the benefits and importance of competition and new entry for the design and construction of interstate electric transmission facilities. These facilities are necessary to ensure robust wholesale electricity markets and interconnect renewable generation facilities. The comment notes that when FERC eliminated the ROFR under certain circumstances in 2011, it recognized the benefits to consumers of having competition for transmission design and construction. The comment urges FERC not to abandon competition, and it cites examples of where competition for transmission design and construction has resulted in lower costs and innovation.
The comment also supports proposals made in FERC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to require that regional transmission planning be done on a sufficiently long-term basis, that planning involve state regulators to reduce disputes over cost allocation, that transmission planning for local projects be more transparent, and that neighboring utilities improve their interregional coordination. The comment also notes other procompetitive solutions offered by stakeholders in the ongoing proceeding, including creating an independent transmission monitor (or regional monitors) to limit the influence of incumbent utilities over the planning process.
Judge Sentences Alabama Fraudster to 17½ Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former Alabama resident has been sentenced in federal court to 17½ years (212 months) in prison on his convictions for Conspiracy, Transfer of False Identification Documents, Mail Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft , United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Albert McCall, age 59, of Montgomery, Alabama.
According to information presented to the court, McCall went on a multi-state crime spree during 2016 and 2017 in which he engaged in at least five different fraud schemes.
The defendant is a long-time con artist who traveled around the country engaging in various fraud schemes, primarily involving identity theft. By his own admission, made on a recorded telephone call with a co-conspirator, McCall has been committing fraud for seventeen years. His frauds include the following: 1. Manufacturing Counterfeit Ohio Driver’s Licenses – McCall either manufactured or has manufactured counterfeit Ohio driver’s licenses that he and others used in various fraudulent schemes; 2. Instant Credit Schemes – in these schemes, McCall or a conspirator entered a retail establishment and, using a fake Ohio driver’s license and the personal identification information of a victim, applied for credit and, if approved, instantly made significant purchases using that credit; 3. Casino Fraud – in these schemes, McCall or a conspirator entered a casino and either passed counterfeit checks or applied for credit using a counterfeit Ohio driver’s license; 4. Counterfeit Credit Cards – McCall and his conspirators used counterfeit credit cards, often in conjunction with the counterfeit Ohio driver’s licenses, to rent cars, obtain hotel rooms, and to make purchases of merchandise. These counterfeit credit cards were obtained by purchasing, through dark websites, stolen credit card information, and then using equipment to place that information on the magnetic strips of credit cards; and
5. Car Loan Fraud – McCall and his conspirators obtained credit reports through dark websites and then used that information to apply for a loan to purchase a vehicle at a complicit dealership. After purchasing the vehicle, McCall arranged to sell the car to a “chop shop”, which in turn sold the parts.The investigation of McCall included conduct in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, Alabama, Michigan and other states, and the total losses exceeded $1 million. The Court enhanced the defendant’s advisory Sentencing Guideline range based on the sophisticated nature of the defendant’s schemes, which included use of the dark web and amassing a network of operatives who helped him execute his scheme across multiple states. The Court also enhanced his sentence based on the leadership role he played amongst these operatives and because he obstructed justice.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Schwab stated that in his twenty years as a Judge, he has never seen an identity theft scheme more complex or that had as many victims.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the United States Secret Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of McCall, and Ms. Chung further recognized the many other law enforcement agencies and departments involved in this complex multi-state case, including the following: U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Allegheny County Police Department, the Wilkins Township Police Department, the Warren, Michigan Police Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Columbus, Ohio Police Department, the Canfield, Ohio Police Department, the Westfield Center, Ohio Police Department, the Beavercreek, Ohio Police Department, the Clearcreek Township, Ohio Police Department, the Reynoldsburg, Ohio Police Department, the Zainesville, Ohio Police Department, the Grove City, Ohio Police Department, the State of Ohio Gaming Commission, the State of Indiana Gaming Commission, and the State of Kentucky Gaming Commission.