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15 August 2022
Pain Management Physician Convicted of Unlawfully Distributing OpioidsRead the Press Release
A federal jury in the Southern District of Ohio convicted an Ohio physician on Friday for unlawfully distributing opioids from his Martin’s Ferry clinic.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Thomas Romano, 72, of Wheeling, West Virginia, owned and operated a self-named pain management clinic where his clients traveled hundreds of miles to obtain prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances. For his opioid and other controlled substance prescriptions, Romano only accepted cash—$750 for an initial prescription and $120 for subsequent monthly prescriptions. The evidence offered at trial demonstrated that the prescriptions Romano issued for opioids and other controlled substances greatly exceeded recommended dosages and were in dangerous, life-threatening combinations which served to fuel the addiction of his clients. According to evidence introduced at trial, between January 2015 and June 2019, Romano prescribed over 111,000 pills, including opioids, benzodiazepines, and muscle relaxants, to nine of his clients.
Romano was convicted of 24 counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, outside the usual course of professional practice, and not for a legitimate medical purpose to these nine clients. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Kenneth L. Parker; Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the DEA’s Detroit Division; and Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Service Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The DEA, FBI, and HHS-OIG, as well as the Ohio Bureau of Worker’s Compensation and Ohio Board of Pharmacy, investigated this case.
Acting Assistant Chief Andrew B. Barras and Trial Attorney Christopher Jason of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
Owasso Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
A man who was discovered downloading and viewing child pornography during an FBI investigation pleaded guilty in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Gregory Allen Kirk, 62, of Owasso pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography.
During a search of Kirk’s computer, agents located images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct and filenames associated with child pornography. In his plea agreement, Kirk admitted that from May 5, 2018, through Jan. 31, 2020, he received, possessed, and accessed at least 600 images of child sexual abuse material on his computer.
The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cymetra M. Williams and Vani Singhal are prosecuting the case.
Oregon Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Kidnapping Ex-GirlfriendRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for kidnapping his ex-girlfriend and transporting her from her home in Ilwalco, Washington to Rainier, Oregon.
James Donald Cooley, 61, a resident of Rainier, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, on May 18, 2020, Cooley traveled from his home in Rainier to his ex-girlfriend’s home in Ilwalco without notice or invitation. After parking his vehicle on the side of Highway 101 near his ex-girlfriend’s home, Cooley approached the woman and a confrontation ensued. Cooley grabbed the woman’s arms, tied her hands with zip ties, and began pulling her toward the highway. Cooley drug the woman several hundred feet to his vehicle, put a knife to her throat, shoved her into the backseat, and began driving back to Rainier, threatening to kill her several times en route.
When Cooley arrived at his residence, his sister, who also lives in Rainier, spotted Cooley’s ex-girlfriend at his residence. The ex-girlfriend told Cooley’s sister that she feared Cooley was going to kill her. Cooley’s sister immediately contacted the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office to report the incident. Sheriff deputies responded and arrested Cooley.
On June 17, 2020, Cooley was charged by criminal complaint with kidnapping. On February 11, 2022, Cooley waived indictment and pleaded guilty to the single charge.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Greg Nyhus, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Oregon.
Domestic violence involving a current or former partner is a serious crime that includes both physical and emotional abuse. Sometimes these crimes are hidden from public view with survivors suffering in silence, afraid to seek help or not knowing where to turn. The traumatic effects of domestic violence also extend beyond the abused person, impacting family members and communities.
If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, please call 911.
If you need assistance or know someone who needs help, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or texting “START” to 88788. Many communities throughout the country have also developed support networks to assist survivors in the process of recovery.
Ohio woman admits lying about St. Louis romance scamRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A woman from Ohio on Monday admitted lying about a missing teen in an attempt to recover money that was intercepted on its way to romance scammers.
Linda Matson, 61, of Xenia, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Sarah E, Pitlyk to a charge of making false statements to a federal agent.
On April 29, 2020, U.S. Postal Inspectors found $50,000 that had fallen from an Express Mail package on a conveyor belt, and later found a second $50,000 in another package. Both were addressed to a post office box being used in a romance fraud scheme.
The inspectors reached out to Matson, who acknowledged that she had been scammed into sending the money by someone claiming to be an officer in the U.S. Army, her plea says. But on May 18, 2020, she sent multiple texts to a postal inspector, falsely claiming that she needed the money back immediately to buy posters and T-shirts to help find her missing 18-year-old niece. Matson sent the postal inspector links to various news articles and Facebook stories about a missing Ohio teenager in an attempt to deceive the inspector into quickly releasing the funds to her.
Matson admitted in her plea agreement that she intended to use the money for reasons she was concealing from the postal inspector, and that she lied to the inspector and the FBI.
The post office box was being used by Bonmene Sibe, Ovuoke Frank Ofikoro and others to trick women into sending them money. Judge Pitlyk sentenced Sibe, 43, to five years and three months in prison in May and Ofikoro, 43, to four years and two months in prison in June. Both men were ordered to repay $844,070 to victims.
Last year, Glenda Seim, 81, of Kirkwood, admitted being a romance scam victim who later aided her scammers and agreed to tell her story in a public service announcement produced with the FBI.
Matson’s charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. Matson is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 16.
The U.S. Postal Inspection service and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Structuring Financial TransactionsRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – An Ohio man pleaded guilty today to structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Gary McComas, 26, of Chesapeake, Ohio, admitted that he obtained multiple money orders in the Huntington, West Virginia area to help an individual in California evade financial reporting requirements. Federal law requires financial institutions to report certain information to the Department of the Treasury whenever a person exchanges cash for a money order in the amount of $3,000 in one transaction or a series of transactions. On June 28, 2018, McComas obtained six money orders, each for $500, from three different Huntington businesses for the purpose of evading financial reporting requirements. McComas further admitted to conducting approximately 200 money order transactions totaling $99,400 in and around Huntington for the same purpose between June 28, 2018, and January 13, 2019.
McComas is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service and the assistance provided by the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman 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. 3:22-cr-144.
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Norfolk Man Guilty of Stealing Identities to Defraud Navy Federal Credit UnionRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man pleaded guilty today to aggravated identity theft and bank fraud in connection with a fraud scheme targeting Navy Federal Credit Union.
According to court documents, Taimak Peters, 28, helped devise a scheme to defraud Navy Federal Credit Union out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. From approximately April through July 2018, Peters, along with other co-conspirators, stole the identities of various victims, including their names, social security numbers, and dates of birth. Using this information, the conspirators established accounts at Navy Federal Credit Union and applied for automobile loans in the victims’ names from information secured from internet websites such as Autotrader. The court records indicate that once these loans were approved, a conspirator would go to a Navy Federal Branch, retrieve the loan check, then take it to a different branch to cash. The conspirators then split the proceeds of the fraudulently obtained check amongst themselves. Peters admitted in Court to supplying stolen identities in this fashion on at least three such transactions. Peters specific action caused Navy Federal Credit Union to lose over $57,000, the overall conspiracy caused a loss exceeding $300,000. Peters is the fourth person to plead guilty in this scheme.
Peters is scheduled to be sentenced on January 20. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 2 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of 32 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-conspirators, Raven Dixon, 29, of Norfolk, Ryan Eugene Gregory, 38, of Norfolk, and Thomas Jules Rogers, 33 of Prince George’s County, Maryland, all previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Kosky is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-78.
Montgomery Man Convicted of Committing Multiple Armed CarjackingsRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On Friday, August 12, 2022, a federal jury found defendant Johnnie Leeanozg Davis, 36, from Montgomery, Alabama, guilty of committing three armed carjackings.
During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence of Davis, in 2020, stealing three vehicles for use in alleged robberies at various Montgomery businesses, then abandoning the vehicles afterwards. First, the jury heard testimony showing that on January 23, 2020, Davis approached a vehicle in Montgomery with a woman and her two grandchildren, displayed a gun he had in his waistband and told her, “Don’t move or say anything, all I want is the car.” Once Davis took the car, he proceeded to the Sunoco at the corner of Carmichael and East Trinity. Davis put a mask on, went inside the store armed with two handguns, and demanded money.
Later, on October 30, 2020, a man and his 15-year-old son were parked on the side of the street. When the father got out of the car and walked around the other side, he saw Davis pointing two guns at the 15-year-old. The father and son quickly moved from the vehicle and Davis drove away with the car. Testimony was also provided alleging that Davis robbed the Dollar General on Perry Hill Road about 25 minutes after the carjacking.
Finally, Davis approached a man sitting in a car outside a Montgomery business on November 11, 2020. Davis pointed a gun at the man and demanded he get out. Davis then took the car, and, within 10 minutes, a robbery occurred at the Fresh Market grocery store on Perry Hill Road. Less than 10 minutes after the Fresh Market robbery, witnesses testified that Davis entered a Dollar General on the Eastern Boulevard, pointed a gun at an employee, and demanded money.
The jury found Davis guilty of three counts of carjacking and three counts of brandishing a firearm in relation to a federal crime of violence, i.e., the carjackings. Following these convictions, Davis faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 21 years in prison, and a maximum sentence of life. There is no parole in the federal system.
This FBI investigated the case, with assistance from the Montgomery Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin P. Davidson and John J. Geer, III are prosecuting the case.
Mill Valley Man Pleads Guilty to Unlicensed Firearms Manufacturing and TraffickingRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – James William Palmer pleaded guilty in federal court today to the unlicensed manufacturing and dealing of firearms, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Patrick T. Gorman.
In a plea agreement he entered today, Palmer, 38, of Mill Valley, admitted that from May 2020 to January 2021 he engaged in the business of manufacturing and dealing in firearms. He acknowledged that he ran his business for profit and without a license, and he knew it was unlawful to do so. Palmer described that he manufactured firearms at his Mill Valley home, where he maintained an area in his garage for his firearms manufacturing and had on hand the tools, parts, and accessories necessary to do so. He also admitted he sold marijuana during this time period.
To run his firearm business, Palmer communicated with buyers and sellers of firearms via text messages in which he discussed the prices for firearms, the meeting places for transactions, and the amounts owed. In his plea agreement, he further detailed that he utilized a white board to write down customer names and numbers and the amounts owed or paid by the customers. As an example of one of his firearms sales, Palmer described a sale in October 2020 of a Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol to a customer for $780.
Palmer also described that on January 27, 2021 – the day of his arrest – he was driving his car and had ammunition in his pants pocket, a loaded Glock Model 26 .45 ACP caliber semi-automatic pistol in the car, and two loaded .45 caliber magazines in the center console. He had bought the Glock pistol for $900 at a gun show, paying a higher price to avoid paperwork and get the handgun immediately.
Palmer also admitted that on the day of his arrest he had in his garage multiple firearm receivers in various stages of handgun construction, privately made firearm (PMF, or “ghost gun”) jigs, and firearms parts and assorted ammunition, along with the tools necessary to manufacture firearms. He also had in his garage a Glock pistol frame with its serial number plate removed as well as magazines of standard and high capacity for multiple firearm calibers. Palmer admitted he also had a loaded P80 .45 caliber Glock-style semi-automatic handgun in the garage.
Palmer is next scheduled for a sentencing hearing before United States District Judge James Donato in San Francisco federal court on December 12, 2022. Palmer remains out of custody pending his sentencing hearing.
Palmer pleaded guilty to one count of unlicensed firearms manufacturing and dealing in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(1)(A). The count carries a maximum of 5 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. However, any sentence following conviction that is imposed by the court will occur only after the court’s consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ilham A. Hosseini and Alexis J. James prosecuted the case with the assistance of Maribel Gallegos. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by ATF and the Marin County Sheriff’s Office.
This case follows the U.S. Department of Justice’s launch in five key regions of Cross-Jurisdictional Firearms Trafficking Strike Forces that are focused on disrupting illegal firearms trafficking. One of the five Strike Forces was launched here in the San Francisco Greater Bay Area and Sacramento Region. The Strike Force identifies and investigates sources of illegally trafficked firearms and disrupts straw purchasing as well as firearms trafficking networks by collaborating in cross-jurisdictional efforts that include multiple federal agencies and multiple states and their local law enforcement agencies.
Middleborough Man Charged with Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Middleborough man has been charged in connection with his alleged theft and attempted sale of three firearms from FedEx packages he was responsible for delivering.
Frank P. O’Toole, 39, was charged with one count of possession of a stolen firearm. O’Toole was arrested on Aug. 12, 2022. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Paul G. Levenson, O’Toole was detained pending a detention hearing which is scheduled for Aug. 17, 2022.
According to the charging documents, O’Toole previously worked as a FedEx delivery truck driver out of the FedEx facility. It is alleged that, between October 2021 and June 2022, O’Toole stole three packages he was responsible for delivering, each containing a firearm intended for a Federal Firearms Licensee. On Aug. 9, 2022 and Aug. 12, 2022, O’Toole allegedly sold the three firearms to an undercover agent during two separate controlled purchases.
The charge of possession of a stolen firearm provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and Middleborough Police Chief Joseph Perkins made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum 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.
Martinsburg man sentenced for firearms violationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Nicholas Hall, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 96 months of incarceration for a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Hall, 31, pleaded guilty in March 2022 to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Hall, a person prohibited from having firearms because of a prior felony conviction, admitted to having a .40 caliber pistol and a .22 rifle in Berkeley County in January 2021.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley D. Crockett prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Man Arrested for Making Threats of Violence Against FBIRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A Pennsylvania man has been arrested on charges of making threats of violence against FBI personnel.
Adam Bies, 46, of Mercer, was arrested late Friday in Mercer. He made his initial appearance in federal court today in Pittsburgh and remains in custody pending a detention hearing.
According to court documents, on or around August 11, the FBI National Threat Operations Section Social Media Exploitation team received a tip from MEMRI Domestic Terrorism Threat Monitor regarding Gab user “BlankFocus,” later identified as Bies, who allegedly posted violent threats towards the FBI and law enforcement stating: “My only goal is to kill more of them before I drop” and “If You Work For The FBI Then You Deserve To Die”.
According to court documents, on August 10, Bies allegedly wrote: “Every single piece of [expletive] who works for the FBI in any capacity, from the director down to the janitor who cleans their [expletive] toilets deserves to die. You’ve declared war on us and now it's open season on YOU.”
In another post on August 10, Bies allegedly wrote: “HEY FEDS. We the people cannot WAIT to water the trees of liberty with your blood. I’ll be waiting for you to kick down my door.”
Bies is charged with influencing, impeding or retaliating against federal law enforcement officers. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.U.S. Attorney Cindy K. Chung of the Western District of Pennsylvania, and Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bengel is prosecuting the case.The FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office, North Country Violent Offender Task Force, Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General are investigating the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Arrested for Making Threats of Violence Against FBIRead the Press Release
A Pennsylvania man has been arrested on charges of making threats of violence against FBI personnel.
Adam Bies, 46, of Mercer, was arrested late Friday in Mercer. He made his initial appearance in federal court today in Pittsburgh and remains in custody pending a detention hearing.
According to court documents, on or around August 11, the FBI National Threat Operations Section Social Media Exploitation team received a tip from MEMRI Domestic Terrorism Threat Monitor regarding Gab user “BlankFocus,” later identified as Bies, who allegedly posted violent threats towards the FBI and law enforcement stating: “My only goal is to kill more of them before I drop” and “If You Work For The FBI Then You Deserve To Die”.
According to court documents, on August 10, Bies allegedly wrote: “Every single piece of [expletive] who works for the FBI in any capacity, from the director down to the janitor who cleans their [expletive] toilets deserves to die. You’ve declared war on us and now it's open season on YOU.”
In another post on August 10, Bies allegedly wrote: “HEY FEDS. We the people cannot WAIT to water the trees of liberty with your blood. I’ll be waiting for you to kick down my door.”
Bies is charged with influencing, impeding or retaliating against federal law enforcement officers. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Cindy K. Chung of the Western District of Pennsylvania, and Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bengel is prosecuting the case.
The FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office, North Country Violent Offender Task Force, Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General are investigating the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Long Island Chiropractor Pleads Guilty to $1 Million Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Peter Adamczak, a licensed chiropractor operating in East Meadow, Long Island, pleaded guilty to health care fraud in connection with billing a private insurance company over $1 million for acupuncture services that were never performed. The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Arlene R. Lindsay.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Michael Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Lucy Lang, Inspector General of New York State, announced the guilty plea.
“Adamczak bilked an insurance company for acupuncture services that he never performed, brazenly lying in order to line his own pockets with money that he did not earn,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “As a health care professional, Adamczak was required to uphold the highest standards of honesty and integrity, and failed both miserably. This Office will continue to hold healthcare providers accountable for fraud and abuse.”
“False medical claims jeopardize the wellbeing of sick and injured New Yorkers and drive-up costs for all of us,” said New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang. “Thank you to our colleagues at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for their partnership in protecting the integrity of our healthcare system.” The IG thanked Deputy Inspector General, Long Island Office Jean Carsey, Director of Audit for the Downstate Office Giovaani Liotine, Investigative Auditor Angelus Okeke, and Investigator Mario Rubino for their work on the investigation.
According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, from 2016 to 2020, Adamczak submitted over $1 million in fraudulent claims for reimbursement to a private insurance company. Adamczak was not licensed to perform acupuncture, but claimed that the services were rendered by an unaffiliated acupuncturist who leased office space from the defendant. Neither the unaffiliated acupuncturist nor Adamczak performed the billed acupuncture services. Based on Adamczak’s fraudulent claims, the private insurance company paid approximately $994,838.16 in reimbursements to its beneficiaries who, in turn, delivered the payments to Adamczak. In one case, a beneficiary who was a relative of Adamczak deposited the reimbursement checks to their personal bank account and kept the funds.
Assistant United States Attorney John Vagelatos is in charge of the prosecution. Assistant United States Attorney Claire Kedeshian of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.
The Defendant:
Peter Adamczak
Age: 65
Huntington, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-287 (JS)
Local man sent to prison for violently abducting ex-girlfriendRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 24-year-old Conroe man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of kidnapping of a minor victim from Northwest Houston, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Roaim Shams Shaikh pleaded guilty April 19.
Today, U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes ordered Shaikh to serve 131 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described the trauma this caused the victim.
On Jan. 24, 2021, Shaikh abducted his 17-year-old ex-girlfriend from a vehicle parked in front of a residence and transported her to Panama City, Florida.
At that time, Shaikh assaulted, threatened to kill and violently coerced her to participate in sexual intercourse. He has also made threats to shoot her with a pistol in the past.
Law enforcement soon located Shaikh and the victim at a Microtel Inn and took him into custody.
Shaikh will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and the Panama City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Peneguy prosecuted the case.
Local man sent to prison for violently abducting ex-girlfriendRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 24-year-old Conroe man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of kidnapping of a minor victim from Northwest Houston, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Roaim Shams Shaikh pleaded guilty April 19.
Today, U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes ordered Shaikh to serve 131 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described the trauma this caused the victim.
On Jan. 24, 2021, Shaikh abducted his 17-year-old ex-girlfriend from a vehicle parked in front of a residence and transported her to Panama City, Florida.
At that time, Shaikh assaulted, threatened to kill and violently coerced her to participate in sexual intercourse. He has also made threats to shoot her with a pistol in the past.
Law enforcement soon located Shaikh and the victim at a Microtel Inn and took him into custody.
Shaikh will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and the Panama City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Peneguy prosecuted the case.
Lead defendant sentenced in Burke County drug trafficking investigationRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: An Atlanta-area man has been sentenced to federal prison after admitting his role in a major drug trafficking conspiracy that funneled cocaine and other drugs through Atlanta to the Waynesboro, Ga., area.
Chadric Antonio Rhaney, a/k/a “Chad,” 42, of Powder Springs, Ga., was sentenced to 88 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, Cocaine, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Rhaney to forfeit $68,610 seized during the investigation.
“The success of Operation Washout serves as an outstanding example of the value of partnerships between federal, state and local agencies,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “These collaborative efforts will continue to identify and remove from our communities those who would drive violent crime through the proliferation of illegal drugs.”
The indictment in USA v. Rhaney et al, dubbed Operation Washout, was coordinated through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) as the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration developed information about cocaine trafficking from Mexico, through California to Atlanta, and then primarily to distributors in Burke County. Investigators from the Burke County Sheriff’s Office then worked with the DEA to develop the investigation that identified the defendants and led to searches and subsequent seizures of cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, drug trafficking paraphernalia, cash, and more than two dozen firearms.
In addition to Rhaney, who was identified as the source of cocaine coming into the Burke County area from Atlanta, two other defendants have been sentenced and four await sentencing after pleading guilty to related charges in the conspiracy. The final two defendants are awaiting trial, and are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“The sentencing of the lead defendant in this case slams the door on a major conspiracy to peddle poison (cocaine) in Burke County and the surrounding area,” said the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division Robert J. Murphy. “DEA and its law enforcement partners are committed to tracking down and bringing to justice those who pollute our neighborhoods with illegal drugs.”
Agencies investigating Operation Washout include the DEA and the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Probation Service; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Georgia National Guard Counterdrug Task Force; the Screven County Sheriff’s Office; the McDuffie County Sheriff’s Office; the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office; and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry W. Syms Jr.
The case was investigated under the 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.
Las Cruces man charged for threatening to burn New Mexico State UniversityRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced that John Oliver Hamilton made an initial appearance in federal court on Aug. 12 on a criminal complaint charging him with threatening to burn a building by means of fire. Hamilton, 54, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing scheduled for Aug. 17.
According to the complaint, on July 27, Hamilton allegedly made a string of telephone calls to the Office of Institutional Equality at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. In those calls, as alleged in the complaint, Hamilton repeatedly threatened to burn the school. Under federal law, it is illegal to willfully make any threat by telephone to destroy any building by means of fire or an explosive.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Hamilton faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico State University Police. Assistant United States Attorney Joni Autrey Stahl is prosecuting the case.
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Lansing Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Defrauding Michigan State University of $1.2 Million for Compounded Drug PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced today that U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker sentenced Daniel Brown of Dimondale, Michigan to 12 months and one day in prison on a health care fraud conspiracy charge. Judge Jonker also sentenced Brown to three years of supervised release following his incarceration and ordered restitution totaling $1,267,418.00.
Brown’s conviction stemmed from an agreement to have expensive and medically unnecessary compounded pain creams and patches prescribed to Michigan State University (“MSU”) employees that were filled by pharmacies in Mississippi. Brown admitted soliciting a local physician to sign the prescriptions and splitting commission payments that the Mississippi pharmacies paid Brown for directing the prescription to their pharmacies. The pharmacies then charged MSU’s health plan $2,000 - $3,000 for each prescription.
As set forth in the government’s sentencing pleadings, Brown subsequently cooperated in the investigation and prosecution of the persons operating the pharmacies who were held criminally responsible in related federal cases in Mississippi for more than $200,000,000 in total claims paid for medically unnecessary compounded medications resulting from illegal kickbacks paid to sales representative and physicians around the country.
“Health care fraud raises costs on consumers, hurts businesses, and can subject persons to unnecessary treatment,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. He continued: “Those who scheme to defraud our public and private health care providers, and those who pay and receive kickbacks to influence the generation of medical services, face aggressive prosecution, significant financial penalties, and the real prospect of prison.”
“Individuals like Mr. Brown, who enrich themselves through fraud schemes, undermine the healthcare system and drives up costs for everyone,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The FBI remains committed to working closely with our law enforcement partners to swiftly and thoroughly investigate such fraud allegations and bring criminals who engage in these schemes to justice.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Corporate and Financial Investigations Unit, and the Michigan State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond E. Beckering III prosecuted the case.
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Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Multi-State Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. –A Kanawha County man was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Scott Edward Hudson, 50, of St. Albans, admitted to participating in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Kanawha County. As part of this conspiracy, Hudson sold approximately 3.5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on March 22, 2019. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hudson’s residence on March 23, 2019, and recovered approximately 230.8 grams of pure methamphetamine and $5,160 in cash that included marked bills from the previous day’s controlled buy.
Hudson further admitted to possessing a SWD Cobray, model M11/9, 9mm pistol in St. Albans on May 22, 2021. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Hudson admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of prior felony convictions, including for attempt to commit a felony in Jackson County Circuit Court on June 30, 2006.
The case is part of a long-term investigation of methamphetamine distribution that resulted in the conviction of 17 individuals for various drug and firearm offenses in three separate indictments. Hudson and 13 others pleaded guilty. The remaining three, Timothy Wayne Dodd, Douglas Jonathan Wesley and Leo Antoine Smith, were convicted at trial.
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 County Sheriff’s Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, 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 Attorney Joshua Hanks prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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-172.
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Justice Department Announces Conclusion of Landmark Agreement Addressing Segregated Work Settings for People with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
In an order issued on Aug. 12, the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon found that the State of Oregon has fulfilled the terms of a settlement agreement with the Justice Department and people with disabilities in a landmark case challenging the state’s provision of employment services for people with disabilities in segregated settings. The case, Lane v. Brown/United States v. Oregon, was dismissed as a result.
The settlement agreement, in effect since 2015, resolved the first lawsuit in the nation to challenge a state’s reliance on segregated employment settings for individuals with disabilities, including sheltered workshops, as a violation of the integration mandate of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Sheltered workshops are segregated facilities that exclusively or primarily serve individuals with disabilities, in which people with disabilities have little or no contact with non-disabled persons besides paid staff. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in sheltered workshops often earn wages well below minimum wage, sometimes pennies per hour. By contrast, supported employment services assist people with I/DD to prepare for, obtain and succeed in integrated workplaces at competitive wages.
“This ruling demonstrates once again that people with significant disabilities are fully capable of working in the community alongside their nondisabled peers with appropriate services and supports,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are pleased that Oregon has successfully implemented the reforms called for by our settlement agreement and remain committed to ensuring that people with disabilities across the country have every opportunity to access the job market. Simply put, people with disabilities must have the right to receive employment services in the community, pursue jobs consistent with their talents and preferences, earn fair wages, achieve social and economic independence and contribute to our nation’s economy.”
The lawsuit was filed as a class action in January 2012 by individuals with I/DD who were receiving services in Oregon sheltered workshops, but instead preferred to work in jobs in the community for a competitive wage. In March 2013, the Justice Department intervened in the lawsuit. The department claimed that Oregon was unnecessarily segregating adults with I/DD in sheltered workshops and placing Oregon youth with I/DD at serious risk of segregation in sheltered workshops in violation of Title II of the ADA.
In Olmstead v. L.C., the Supreme Court ruled that the ADA prohibits unnecessary segregation of people with disabilities, who have a right to live and receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate. The Lane case was the first lawsuit to address how the ADA’s integration mandate applied to state employment services.
The agreement required Oregon to provide supported employment services and related employment services so that 1,115 sheltered workshop workers would newly receive jobs in the community at competitive wages over the agreement’s term. The agreement also required at least 7,000 people — including more than 4,900 youth exiting school — to receive supported employment services aimed at enabling them to secure and maintain integrated, competitive employment opportunities. At least half of the youth served received individualized employment plans from Oregon’s vocational rehabilitation agency, identifying the services and supports necessary to achieve competitive employment. The Independent Reviewer who monitored Oregon’s compliance with the agreement found that, according to state data, Oregon met or exceeded these requirements.
The Civil Rights Division enforces the ADA, which authorizes the Attorney General to investigate whether a state is serving individuals in the most integrated settings appropriate to their needs. Please visit www.ada.gov/olmstead to learn more about the division’s ADA Olmstead enforcement efforts and www.justice.gov/crt to learn more about the other laws enforced by the Civil Rights Division.
Jefferson County man sentenced to 14 years for role in drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Shaquan Omar Richardson, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 168 months of incarceration for his role in a drug conspiracy that spanned several states, U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Richardson, also known as “Wave,” 26, pled guilty in November 2020 to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute One Kilogram or More of a Mixture and Substance Containing Phencyclidine (PCP)” and one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute 280 Grams or More of Cocaine Base.” Richardson admitted to working with others to distribute PCP from August 2019 to September 2019 in Jefferson County and elsewhere. He also admitted to distributing more than 280 grams or more of cocaine base or “crack” in September 2019 in Jefferson County.
This case is the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Lydia Lehman, also with the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Find the related case here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/25-charged-six-state-drug-conspiracy-involving-heroin-fentanyl-cocaine
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Selling MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Timothy Mills, II (38, Jacksonville) to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Mills was also ordered to forfeit the firearm. Mills had pleaded guilty on May 24, 2022.
According to facts presented in court, from July to September 2020, Mills conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine within the Middle District of Florida. Mills engaged in several drug transactions during which he sold more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. During one drug transaction in September, Mills, who is a multi-convicted felon, also sold a handgun to an undercover law enforcement officer.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig Gestring.
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.
Individuals Charged with Labor Racketeering in the Port of San JuanRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On August 11, 2022, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging 7 defendants with running a criminal enterprise dedicated to extorting and misleading shipping companies into paying fees for the loading and unloading of cargo at the Port of San Juan—Piers 9, 10, and 11—under the threat of strikes and blockades on the part of union members of the ILA-1740 of the International Longshoremen’s Association, AFL-CIO (“ILA”) and under false representations that companies had to pay a fee in order to be able to use “union-free labor” for the loading and unloading of cargo, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The indictment includes a forfeiture allegation related to the total value of the loss, approximately $1,184,524.26, and one residential property, a vehicle, and a boat.
Pursuant to the indictment, Pedro Pastrana-González and his ex-wife, Iara Clemente-Rivera, owners and managers of JCPY, Inc. (JCPY), aided by a public employee and Puerto Rico Port Authority worker, Jorge Batista-Maldonado and Carlos Sánchez-Ortiz, the president of the union ILA-1740, are charged with running the fraudulent and extortionate scheme against shipping companies using Piers 9, 10, and 11. Members of the enterprise took some of the money made from the scheme and concealed it in JCPY and as payments to ILA-1740’s employee benefit plan called Plan de Bienestar UTM-PRSSA (the “Plan”).
Pastrana-González, Clemente-Rivera, Victor F. Torres-Barroso, José A. Fernández-Cruz, and Carlos A. Hernández-Laguer are also charged in the indictment for their participation in an agreement to take funds and falsify records of the Plan. Pastrana-González and Clemente-Rivera agreed that Torres-Barroso, Fernández-Cruz, and Hernández-Laguer—members of ILA-1740 who worked in a company that provides stevedoring services (longshore work) — would do “chimbos” for Clemente-Rivera. “Chimbo” is slang for a person who uses the union card of another individual when working at the docks so that it appears that the union member is working. Because it appeared that the person on the union card (Clemente-Rivera) was working, the hours worked were fraudulently counted for Clemente-Rivera’s yearly-hour requirement to qualify for Plan benefits.
The defendants are charged with the following counts:
- Pedro Pastrana-González, Counts 1-7;
- Iara Clemente-Rivera, Counts 1-7;
- Carlos Sánchez-Ortiz, Counts 1-5;
- Jorge Batista-Maldonado, Counts 1-3;
- Victor F. Torres-Barroso, Counts 6 and 7;
- José A. Fernández-Cruz, Counts 6 and 7; and
- Carlos A. Hernández-Laguer, Counts 6 and 7.
- Count One of the indictment charges a RICO conspiracy in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d), which subjects the defendants to a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years;
- Count Two charges a Hobbs Act extortion conspiracy in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951, which subjects the defendants to a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years;
- Count Three charges a conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, which subjects the defendants to a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years;
- Count Four charges a conspiracy to violate the Taft-Hartley Act (labor management relations) in violation of 29 U.S.C. § 186, all in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, which subjects the defendants to a term of imprisonment of up to 5 years;
- Count Five charges a money laundering conspiracy in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h), which subjects the defendants to a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years;
- Count Six charges a conspiracy to willfully convert funds and falsify records of the Plan in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 664 and 18 U.S.C. § 1027, all in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, which subjects the defendants to a term of imprisonment of up to 5 years; and
- Count Seven charges health care fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1347, which subjects the defendants to a term of imprisonment of up to 10 years.
“These arrests are the result of a comprehensive investigation that now will put a stop to the illegal fees that the defendants were charging the shipping companies at Piers 9, 10 and 11,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “I want to congratulate the attorneys and agents from all of these agencies who worked diligently to uncover this years-long scheme.”
“Schemes such as the one uncovered and charged in this indictment, negatively impact local economy and stalls the economic progress the people of Puerto Rico deserve,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “This scheme was sustained by silence, and I hope the work we’ve done here with our partners, serves as a motivation for those with information, to speak up.
“An important part of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) mission is to protect the integrity of labor unions and affiliated benefit plans by investigating those who allegedly abuse their positions of trust for personal financial gain. The OIG would like to thank our partners for their assistance in this complex and large-scale investigation,” stated Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
“Today’s indictment includes allegations of corruption against a union president as well as several union members. OLMS will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to hold accountable union officials, who hold positions of trust, as well as others who may seek personal gain through illegal activities, taking advantage of the union and the hardworking rank and file workers who the union represents,” said Megan Underwood, Northeastern Regional Director of the Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS). “OLMS thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico and all of the partner agencies for their dedication to this case.”
“These fraudulent actions resulted in people improperly receiving benefits they were not eligible for, hurting thousands of Puerto Ricans who worked tirelessly to earn those benefits honestly and legally,” said Ali Khawar, Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA). “When anyone commits a crime involving an employee benefit plan, EBSA will make sure they are brought to justice.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations who seek to exploit legitimate business and individuals for financial gain. Today’s arrests will not only bring a sense of justice to the victims but will also help increase awareness on these type of fraudulent schemes,” said Juan A. Vargas, Acting Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspector, Miami Division.
The FBI is in charge of the investigation, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor—Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor—Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor—Office of Labor-Management Standards, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistance was also provided by the San Juan Municipal Police, the Carolina Municipal Police, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and the Puerto Rico Ports Authority.
The investigation was carried out in consultation with attorneys of the Organized Crime and Gang Section of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor O. Acevedo-Hernández is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Robert Lamont Congleton, 42, of Huntington, was sentenced today to six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Congleton admitted to possessing a loaded Taurus, Model PT111 G2, 9mm pistol, that law enforcement officers found in his residence on July 29, 2021.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Congleton knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his conviction for attempt to commit a felony – delivery of a controlled substance in Cabell County Circuit Court on February 26, 2015.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-109.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to More Than 18 Years in Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Joseph Ira Patterson III, 38, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 18 years and four months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and a fentanyl analogue.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Patterson admitted that he sold approximately 8 ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Huntington on March 29, 2021, and again on April 21, 2021. Patterson agreed to deliver more methamphetamine to the confidential informant in Charleston. On April 22, 2021, Patterson was driving in Charleston for that meeting when law enforcement officers stopped his vehicle. A search of Patterson’s vehicle yielded 907.2 grams of suspected methamphetamine.
Patterson admitted he had obtained methamphetamine from a Huntington storage unit prior to traveling to Charleston. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant for the unit and seized 282.97 grams of methamphetamine, 231.7 grams of a fentanyl analogue, and 15.70 grams of cocaine as well as nine firearms and drug paraphernalia. Officers also searched Patterson’s Jackson Avenue residence in Huntington and seized 58.345 grams of methamphetamine, 7.50 grams of a fentanyl analogue, 42.53 grams of marijuana and 18.51 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-218.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Donnie Earl Jefferson Jr., 34, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Jefferson admitted that he possessed a Remington, model RM380, .380-caliber pistol in his pants pocket when law enforcement officers arrested him in Huntington on September 28, 2021.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Jefferson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for first-degree robbery in Cabell County Circuit Court on December 17, 2012.
Jefferson is scheduled to be sentenced on November 21, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the United States Marshals Service.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor 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. 3:22-cr-48.
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Honduran National Indicted for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that LUIS ALFREDO LEZAMA-RAMIREZ, a/k/a “Luis Ramirez,” a/k/a “Luis Danny Lezame-Ramirez,” a/k/a “Luis Silva-Sanchez,” a/k/a “Luis Silva,” age 45, was charged in a one-count indictment on August 12, 2022 with illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the indictment, LUIS ALFREDO LEZAMA-RAMIREZ (“LEZAMA-RAMIREZ”) reentered the United States after he was previously deported on June 8, 2018. If convicted, LEZAMA-RAMIREZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of up to $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of up to one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U. S. Attorney Duane Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney Carter K. D. Guice, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.
Honduran National Indicted for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that on August 12, 2022 MARIO HERNANDEZ-MARIN, “a/k/a “Jose Hernandez-Marin,” a/k/a “David Hernandez-Marin,” a/k/a “Jose G. Hernandez,” a/k/a “Daniel Enrique-Polanco,” a/k/a “David Hernandez-Enrique,” age 49, was charged in a one-count indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the indictment, MARIO HERNANDEZ-MARIN (“HERNANDEZ-MARIN”) reentered the United States after he was previously deported on June 23, 2011. If convicted, HERNANDEZ-MARIN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of up to $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of up to one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. He faces sentencing enhancement of 20 years because of a prior felony conviction.
U. S. Attorney Duane Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney Carter K. D. Guice, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.
Hartford Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Carjacking OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ARNO SMITH, 60, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 84 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for committing a carjacking in 2018.
According to court documents and statements made in court, at approximately 11:00 p.m. on July 26, 2018, Smith approached a woman who was sitting in her 2006 Honda in a Hartford parking lot and pressed what the woman believed to be a gun against her neck. Smith then grabbed the victim’s purse and the victim got out of the car. Smith pointed the weapon at the victim, told her to walk away, and then drove away in the car. The cremated remains of the victim’s son were in the vehicle.
After the robbery, Smith attempted to use the victim’s credit card at two locations in Bristol.
Smith was arrested on state charges on September 20, 2018. At the time of his arrest he was sitting in the victim’s car. The remains of the victim’s son where not in the car and have not been recovered.
The investigation also revealed that between July 27 and September 19, 2018, Smith committed robberies at businesses located in Bristol, Southington, Hartford, Bloomfield, South Windsor and Windsor Locks.
Smith has been detained since his arrest. On October 6, 2020, he pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crimes Task Force and the Hartford, Bristol, Southington, Bloomfield, South Windsor, Windsor Locks, Farmington and West Hartford Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Keefe.
This prosecution 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. In May 2021, the Justice 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.
Grand Haven Electroplating Company, President, and Vice President Plead Guilty to Clean Water Act OffensesRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced today that ASP Plating Company, of Grand Haven, Gary Stephen Rowe, 70, of Grand Haven, and Stephen Frederick Rowe, 38, formerly of Grand Haven and currently of Oklahoma, pled guilty to criminal violations of the Clean Water Act before the Honorable Sally J. Berens, United States Magistrate Judge. The company and Gary Rowe, its president, pled guilty to a felony violation of the Clean Water Act, and Stephen Rowe, its vice president, pled guilty to a misdemeanor. The Court will set one or more dates for sentencing hearings.
According to public records, the individual defendants operated the corporate defendant, an electroplating company that held an industrial pretreatment permit issued by the Grand Haven-Spring Lake Sewer Authority. At least between 2015 and 2021, the company routinely violated the permit by dumping zinc in excess of the daily and monthly limitations, by releasing zinc in batches without notice, and by bypassing the mandatory pretreatment system entirely. The Sewer Authority periodically monitored the company’s discharges, but Gary and Stephen Rowe instructed employees to make sure the monitor was absent before discharging wastewater containing excessive amounts of zinc.
“No resource is more precious in Michigan than our waters, which define the very boundaries of our state,” said U.S. Attorney Totten. “These defendants blatantly and repeatedly thwarted their obligation to properly treat and dispose of wastewater. As U.S. Attorney, I will do everything I can to protect our water. Individuals and businesses that commit environmental crimes will be held accountable.”
The Clean Water Act is the primary law governing pollution of the Nation’s surface waters. Congress first passed the law in 1948, totally revised it in 1972, and subsequently amended the law several times thereafter. In passing the law, Congress declared that its purpose was “to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters.” 33 U.S.C. § 1251(a). Among other provisions, the Act regulates industrial and municipal discharges. To achieve its goal of preserving clean water, parts of the Act are based on the concept that all discharges into the Nation’s waters by industrial and municipal users are illegal unless specifically authorized by a permit. The law has civil, criminal, and administrative enforcement provisions.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin M. Presant is prosecuting the matter.
The Plea Agreement for Defendant Gary Rowe is available here. The Plea Agreement for Defendant Stephen Rowe is available here. The Plea Agreement for Defendant ASP Plating Company is available here. For each agreement, a recitation of the relevant facts begins on page 3. The document charging the case, called the Information, is available here.
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Gang Member Sentenced to 10 Years for Firearm and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking and firearm violations.
According to court documents, on March 26, 2020, law enforcement officers observed Kenton Maurice Haynes, 27, and Kevin Johnson, Jr., 29, both of San Antonio, driving a car in circles in an empty parking lot, parking, and then repositioning several times. Another car pulled up, and the driver exited his vehicle and got into the backseat of Johnson’s car. Officers then arrested all three individuals for a drug transaction that was in progress. At the time of the arrest, Johnson had a loaded handgun and nearly $10,000 in cash. Haynes had a loaded handgun equipped with a high-capacity magazine and approximately $2,700 in cash. Officers also recovered approximately two and a half pounds of marijuana, ecstasy and cocaine during the arrest.
When he was arrested, Haynes was a documented member of the Bloods and Neighborhood Piru street gangs and under felony indictment for state offenses. Haynes was also wanted for multiple felony warrants for narcotics and firearms offenses.
On March 25, 2022, after a four-day jury trial, Haynes was found guilty of one count of receipt of firearm while under indictment; one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
“Today’s sentence reflects the devoted work of our law enforcement partners in making our community safer from gang-related drug and firearms trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “Haynes was a documented member of the violent Blood-Piru street gang and had a lengthy criminal history. His sentence should serve as a strong message to the community that the U.S. Attorney’s Office, through the initiative of Project Safe Neighborhoods, is dedicated to reducing and deterring violence in our communities.”
“It is more important now than ever before that we hold criminals accountable for their actions,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Fred J. Milanowski, Houston Division. “As with this joint effort, we will continue to combat violent crime by holding violent offenders who possess firearms and narcotics, liable.”
On March 16, 2022, Haynes’ co-defendant, Kevin Johnson, Jr., pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Johnson is scheduled for sentencing on October 17, 2022. He faces a maximum of five years in prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime to be served consecutively with any other sentence imposed.
The ATF, along with members of San Antonio Texas Anti-Gang Center (TAG), investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey and William F. Calve prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Anonymous tips involving gang crime and wanted fugitives can be submitted at www.stopsanantoniogangs.org.
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Former Federal Correctional Officer Sentenced to Prison for Lying About Engaging in Unlawful Sexual Activity with Jail InmateRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former correctional officer at the federal jail in downtown Los Angeles was sentenced to a prison term today for lying to investigators about his sexual activity with an inmate who was under his care and supervision.
Abel Concho, 54, of East Los Angeles, was sentenced by United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner to a total of six months – three months in federal prison and an additional three-month term of home confinement. Judge Klausner also ordered Concho to pay the victim $9,500 in restitution.
Concho pleaded guilty in November 2021 to one count of making false statements.
Concho was employed by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) as a correctional officer at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Los Angeles. The victim in this case was an MDC inmate under Concho’s supervision from June 2010 to February 2011.
On July 28, 2021, Concho made a series of false statements during an administrative interview with federal investigators, including that he “never” had sexual contact with one MDC inmate, when in fact Concho engaged in sexual contact with the victim on approximately 35 different occasions. Concho, on multiple occasions, also lied that he “never had sexual contact” with any MDC inmates, according to court documents.
“Having abused his power in supervising the halls of a federal institution to commit sexual abuse and then lying up to cover up those gross abuses, justice demands that defendant should now spend time on the other side of the bars,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum filed with the court.
After initially denying he had any sexual contact with the victim, Concho then falsely stated that he had sexual intercourse with the victim just “once (or) twice” that he could recall. Concho also falsely stated on multiple occasions that he did not provide a cellphone to the victim to take nude photographs for him. In fact, he illegally smuggled a cellphone into MDC and gave the cellphone to the victim to take nude photographs for him, which the victim then did.
Concho admitted in his plea agreement that he knew it was a federal crime and an offense that could lead to termination for a BOP employee to knowingly engage in any sexual act with a person in official detention and under his authority in a federal facility and to smuggle contraband, including cellphones, into MDC for inmates’ use.
Concho admitted he knew that, under the law and pursuant to the BOP employee code of conduct, sexual activity between staff and inmates could not be considered consensual and was not permitted. In addition to the harm it caused inmates, staff sexual acts with inmates threatened the safety and security of the prison and betrayed the trust and confidence placed in the BOP by the public, Concho admitted.
As part of his plea agreement, Concho also agreed not to seek employment in any law enforcement capacity or a position that requires carrying a firearm.
The United States Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General and the FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Mack E. Jenkins, Chief of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, prosecuted this case.
Former Belmont County attorney pleads guilty to stealing more than $800,000 from elderly victim with dementiaRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Belmont County attorney pleaded guilty to a crime related to stealing more than $882,000 from an elderly woman with dementia while purporting to act in her best interests under a Power of Attorney.
Mark Alan Thomas, 62, of St. Clairsville, Ohio, pleaded guilty to mail fraud, a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
“My office is dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable among us, particularly those targeted through elder fraud,” U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker said. “The victim in this case was 85 years old, exhibiting symptoms of dementia, and living in a senior-care facility, making the defendant’s conduct even more depraved.”
According to court documents, from 2012 through August 2019, Thomas defrauded a client while acting as her agent under a Power of Attorney. Thomas took the victim’s money without her knowledge or permission to use for his own benefit.
Thomas improperly used the victim’s Power of Attorney and his status as a lawyer – even after his law license was revoked in 2015 – to convince various entities, including banks and life insurance companies, to transfer the victim’s money for his use.
In May 2012, a family member of the victim obtained a separate Power of Attorney for the victim, and Thomas drafted a revocation of the family member’s Power of Attorney for the victim to sign. Thomas acted as the notary to verify the victim’s signature on the revocation.
Furthermore, Thomas falsely told a banker he needed $200,000 from the victim’s investment account to set up an educational fund that the victim wanted to establish. Once he received the money from the bank, Thomas transferred the money to himself instead.
In January 2014, Thomas cashed more than $290,000 of the victim’s U.S. Treasury Bonds, then subsequently transferred $200,000 into his law firm’s bank account, and eventually into his own personal bank account.
According to court documents, in 2016, Thomas wrote letters to three life insurance companies purporting to be the victim asking to cash out the victim’s policies and direct all correspondence to Thomas.
Thomas was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2021.
“Older Americans can be especially vulnerable to fraudsters who take advantage of the elderly and steal their hard-earned savings,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers. “It is deeply concerning when an individual exploits their position of trust in an effort to steal from a senior victim.”
“A power of attorney is a special kind of trust—and the abuse of that trust is a special kind of crime. It deserves an especially long sentence,” said Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.
Kenneth L. Parker, U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced the guilty plea entered before Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. The Ohio Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Unit and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Twombly and S. Courter Shimeall are representing the United States in this case.
To report elder fraud, please visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center or contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833–FRAUD–11 or 833–372–8311 Monday – Friday, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm EST.
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Florida Couple Charged with Sending Threatening Communications to Law Enforcement and Others in Northern OhioRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler announced that a Florida couple was charged in a five-count indictment with sending threatening communications to federal law enforcement agents and other individuals in the Northern District of Ohio.
Akil Larry Joseph, 31, and Alexa Marie Logan, 30, both of Homestead, Florida, were charged with four counts of cyberstalking and one count of interstate communications with intent to extort.
According to court documents, from November 2021 to July 2022, it is alleged that Joseph and Logan sent numerous threatening communications, via email and telephone, to federal law enforcement agents and other individuals in the Northern District of Ohio with the intent to obtain money from the victims.
Court documents state that over the course of an approximately two-year period, multiple communications sent by the couple, primarily via email, came to contain increasingly harassing and aggressive language rhetoric and tone.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, a sentence will be determined by the court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offenses and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum; in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated by the FBI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Joyce and Peter E. Daly.
Federal Jury Finds Two San Francisco Residents Guilty for Respective Roles in Shootout Resulting in MurderRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury handed down guilty verdicts in the cases against Robert Manning and Jamare Coats for their respective roles in the March 23, 2019, shootout at the Fillmore Heritage Center, announced United States Attorney Stephanie Hinds and Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Sean Regan. The verdicts follow a three- week trial before the Hon. William H. Alsup, United States District Judge.
At trial, the government submitted evidence that Manning, 28, and Coats, 26, both of San Francisco, were members of a street gang called Mac Block, prosecuted in this case as a racketeering enterprise under the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering Activity (“VICAR”) statute. The gang operated in San Francisco’s Western Addition and its members engaged in racketeering activity, including murder, attempted murder, and robbery. The central issue at trial was the March 23, 2019, murder of a man in front of the Fillmore Heritage Center. The government demonstrated that on that day, Manning and Coats, each a felon at the time, possessed a firearm and ammunition that had traveled in interstate commerce. The government also demonstrated that Coats fired his pistol and committed murder in aid of racketeering activity, and that Manning aided and abetted the murder for an illegal gang-related purpose— i.e., maintaining and increasing their position in the Mac Block street gang. Coats and Manning provoked a deadly shootout which ultimately led to the firing of at least 24 shots on a crowed sidewalk in front of the Fillmore Heritage Center. Four innocent bystanders were struck by bullets, in addition to the shootout participant who died. One of the bystanders remains paralyzed from the bullet wound he received in the shootout.
On August 10, 2021, a federal grand jury handed down a second superseding indictment charging Manning and Coats with murder in aid of racketeering in aid in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(1) and being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). Pursuant to the jury’s verdicts today, each defendant has been found guilty of both crimes.
Both defendants are in custody. Judge Alsup has scheduled a sentencing hearing for October 11, 2022. The defendants face a mandatory sentence of life in prison for the VICAR murder charge. For the felon in possession charge, the defendants each face a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
This case was prosecuted by the Organized Crime Strike Force section of the United States Attorney’s Office and was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the San Francisco Police Department.
FBI Announces Results of Nationwide Sex Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
The FBI, working with its state and local partners during two weeks in August, identified and located 84 minor victims of child sex trafficking and child sexual exploitation offenses and located 37 actively missing children during a nationwide enforcement campaign, dubbed “Operation Cross Country.”
“The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to combat the insidious crimes of human trafficking that devastate survivors and their families,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am grateful to the dedicated professionals of the FBI and our law enforcement partners across the country for their tireless work to rescue trafficking survivors, including exploited children, to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of trafficking crimes, and to provide the services and support that survivors need and deserve.”
The FBI-led nationwide initiative focused on identifying and locating victims of sex trafficking and investigating and arresting individuals and criminal enterprises involved in both child sex and human trafficking.
"Human trafficking is among the most heinous crimes the FBI encounters,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Unfortunately, such crimes—against both adults and children—are far more common than most people realize. As we did in this operation, the FBI and our partners will continue to find and arrest traffickers, identify and help victims, and raise awareness of the exploitation our most vulnerable populations.”
In addition to the identification and location of adolescent victims, the FBI and its partners located 141 adult victims of human trafficking. Agents and investigators also identified or arrested 85 suspects of child sexual exploitation and human trafficking offenses. Those suspects identified will be subject to additional investigation for potential chargers. The average age of victims located in similar operations is approximately 15.5 years old, while the youngest victim discovered during this operation was 11 years old.
As part of Operation Cross Country XII, FBI special agents, intelligence analysts, victim specialists, and child adolescent forensic Interviewers working in conjunction with 200 state, local, and federal partners and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) conducted 391 operations over the two-week period.
“The success of Operation Cross County reinforces what NCMEC sees every day. Children are being bought and sold for sex in communities across the country by traffickers, gangs and even family members,” said Michelle DeLaune, President and CEO National Center for Missing & Exploited Children “We’re proud to support the FBI’s efforts to prioritize the safety of children. This national operation highlights the need for all child serving professionals to continue to focus on the wellbeing of children and youth to prevent them being targeted in the first place.”
Victim specialists provide a “bridge” for victims who are wary of the system, help the victim establish positive relationships with law enforcement, and ensure the human trafficking victim population receives any appropriate resources available to them. Victim specialists also provide services based on the individual needs of human trafficking victims, to include crisis intervention, emergency food and clothing, transportation to receive emergency services, and locating shelter or housing. The task forces in the recent operation included federal, state, local and tribal partners, with efforts in every state and even a few U.S. territories.
Resources:
- Victim Services Division
- Crimes Against Children
- Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section
- Operation Cross Country 2022
Evansville Man Sentenced to 16 Months in Prison for Using his Accounting Position to Embezzle More than $87,000 from his Gibson County EmployerRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE – Patrick Garrett, 33, of Evansville, Indiana, was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges of wire fraud, bank fraud and money laundering.
According to court documents, Garrett was employed as a Sales Specialist for a business located in Gibson County, Indiana. Garrett was responsible for handling accounts payable and accounts receivable. From April 9, 2021, to July 16, 2021, Garrett devised and executed a direct bill and fake invoice scheme to steal $87,192.26 from his employer.
Garrett purchased approximately 62 items for himself from Amazon and other retailers by charging the purchases to his employer without authorization. Garrett’s fraudulent purchases included a car, five gas motorcycles, three electric scooters, an Apple iPad Pro, an Apple iMac Pro desktop computer, an Apple MacBook Pro laptop computer, and two drones. Garrett entered false or altered information about these purchases into his employer’s accounting system to conceal the fraud.
Garrett also submitted false invoices into his employer’s accounting system for services he claimed were provided by Garrett Ventures. Garrett created the company in 2018 and served as its Chief Financial Officer. No services were ever provided by Garrett Ventures to Garrett’s employer.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana; Jeffrey Adams, acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service; Rodney Hopkins, Inspector of Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Sheriff Timothy Bottoms of the Gibson County Sherriff’s Office made the announcement.
The U.S. Secret Service investigated the case. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Gibson County Sheriff’s Office provided valuable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. As part of the sentence, Judge Young ordered that Garrett pay restitution of $87,192.84, forfeit any illicitly purchased items, and be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for two years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Miller who prosecuted this case.
Conway Drug Supplier Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Kimo Takarra Felton, 42, of Conway, was sentenced this week to more than 11 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a member of a 35-member conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
Evidence presented at the sentencing hearing reflects that between 2017 and 2020, Felton supplied other drug dealers in the Myrtle Beach area with various quantities of cocaine totaling more than 50 kilograms. Felton’s participation in this conspiracy came to light when he was intercepted during a wiretap investigation conducted during the summer of 2020. In August 2020, agents subsequently intercepted a shipment of half a kilogram of cocaine that Felton had just sent to another drug dealer by way of a courier. When Felton was arrested by federal authorities on December 1, 2020, he answered the door with a Draco 7.62 caliber assault rifle and several other firearms were found inside his residence, a location where he had met others during the course of the conspiracy. Despite his lack of any prior felony convictions, Felton received a lengthy sentence based on the significant quantity of drugs he distributed and his possession of firearms during the offense.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Felton to 135 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Felton has been in custody since his December 2020 arrest. There is no parole in the federal system.
This operation 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Florence Resident Office quarterbacked this large-scale, long-term investigation with significant participation from the following agencies: Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), United States Marshal Service, Myrtle Beach Police Department, Horry County Police Department, North Myrtle Beach Police Department, Florence County Sheriff’s Office, Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office, 15th Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit, Conway Police Department, and Horry County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett McMillian, Lead Attorney for the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), prosecuted the case with support from the 15thth Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today for illegal possession of a semiautomatic pistol and ammunition.
Shaquille Lee, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On March 2, 2022, Lee pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
“Prohibited individuals who possess firearms and ammunition pose a great danger to our communities. As a convicted felon, Mr. Lee was strictly forbidden from possessing any firearms, yet was found with a gun and ammunition. Adding insult to injury, he was on state pretrial release for a violent crime and subject to an active arrest warrant for a shooting. This has to stop. People need to be on notice that if you engage in violent serious crimes, particularly those involving guns, you are forfeiting your right to freedom pending your trial,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “My office will continue to work with law enforcement to ensure that violent and dangerous individuals like Mr. Lee do not continue to freely roam our communities without repercussions.”
“ATF remains committed in our efforts to keep firearms out of the hands of convicted felons,” said James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division. “ATF will continue to work with our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners and use all available resources to combat violent gun crimes that occur within our communities.”
In April 2021, Lee was on state pretrial release for assault and battery charges and also subject to an active arrest warrant as a suspect in a February 2021 shooting in Canton. Those cases are currently pending in Malden District Court and Plymouth Superior Court, respectively. On April 23, 2021, law enforcement conducted a search of Lee’s apartment and recovered a Glock, Model 23, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol, loaded with 13 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition on the nightstand table in his bedroom. Lee was also found in possession of an additional 18 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition in an extended firearm magazine. Lee is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a 2018 state conviction of distribution, and possession with intent to distribute, a Class B substance.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, ATF SAC Ferguson and Canton Police Chief Kenneth Berkowitz; and Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley, Jr. of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Connecticut man sentenced for role in firearms conspiracyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – William Joseph Milot, of Waterbury, Connecticut, was sentenced today to 100 months of incarceration for his role in a firearms trafficking conspiracy, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Milot, 32, pleaded guilty in April 2022 to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the False Statement in Connection with the Acquisition of Firearms.” Milot admitted to working with another to illegally purchase two 9mm pistols from a firearms dealer in December 2020 in Marion County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
California Firm and Owner Sentenced for COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A California man was sentenced Friday to eight months in custody for the importation, shipping and sale of illegally imported pesticides that were falsely advertised as products that could protect the user “from airborne infectious diseases.”
Samir Haj, 47, of San Diego, pleaded guilty in the Southern District of California on May 25, 2021, to charges relating to the unlawful importation, sale and mailing of an unregistered pesticide product from Japan marketed as a killer of airborne viruses such as COVID-19. Both he and his firm, Eco Shield LLC, were ordered to forfeit $427,689 in proceeds and pay restitution of $86,754. Eco Shield was ordered to pay an additional fine of $42,000.
According to court documents, the defendants sold the product EcoAirDoctor, a small gas-emitting badge that defendants claimed would kill viruses within a certain distance. Products making these types of public health claims are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which requires extensive testing to substantiate the claims of efficacy and safety prior to approving them for registration and sale in the United States. EcoAirDoctor was not registered with the EPA, and testing performed on behalf of the defendants revealed that the badge was not measurably effective “at killing off a useful number of microbes within the air.”
“This prosecution sends a strong message that circumventing federal environmental and public safety laws in order to profit from the public’s fears during a pandemic will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “I thank our partners at the Environmental Protection Agency, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Postal Service for the investigation that led to the convictions and sentencings in this case.”
“This product not only didn’t work, but it was even potentially harmful,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman for the Southern District of California. “The defendant and his company will be held to account for cashing in on Covid-19 fears during a global pandemic.”
“The defendants knowingly persisted in their false assertions that their product provided protection against COVID-19,” said Special Agent in Charge Scot Adair of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Program in California. “EPA and its law enforcement partners are committed to holding responsible parties accountable for putting people’s health at risk.”
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), along with our government partners, are committed to protecting the American public against criminal networks attempting to illegally import and sell products that could endanger lives of U.S. consumers for financial gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz of HSI San Diego. “We remain vigilant and will use our broad legal authorities to disrupt and dismantle criminal networks seeking to exploit and benefit from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“Postal Inspectors remain vigilant in protecting the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and the communities we serve," said Inspector in Charge Carroll N. Harris of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). "Preventing the dangerous misuse of the nation’s mail system remains one of our top priorities.”
The EcoAirDoctor badge consisted of sodium chlorite and natural zeolite. When the product is opened, the zeolite contacts the sodium chlorite, releasing chlorine dioxide gas. The EPA has established a reference concentration for long-term continuous exposure to chlorine dioxide of 0.00007 parts per million (ppm). Risks from the inhalation of chlorine dioxide are a concern if the air concentrations exceed the reference concentration. The documentation provided by Eco Shield LLC states that chlorine dioxide levels below 0.0001 do not kill viruses and claims that the concentration for viral inactivation should be between 0.0001 and 0.1 ppm, in excess of the levels deemed safe by the EPA.
Moreover, both sodium chlorite and chlorine dioxide (nonhydrate) fall into Hazard Class 5.1 under the USPS rules and regulations, for which mailing is prohibited. Transportation of these materials via USPS is strictly prohibited, due to the danger of fire and explosion. Chlorine dioxide does not require air to combust and can cause coughing, wheezing, and respiratory distress. At very high exposure levels, it can be fatal. Records from Eco Shield LLC indicate that 1,744 Air Doctor Portables were shipped via the USPS to purchasers across the United States between March 1, 2020 and April 18, 2020. At least 300 of those shipments occurred after the defendants received notice that shipping by mail was unlawful.
The defendants imported the EcoAirDoctor badge from Japan, falsely describing it as air purifiers rather than pesticides, which would have subjected the entry to inspection by the EPA. In addition to falsely describing the nature of the goods, the entry documents undervalued the shipment by over $500,000, allowing the defendants to evade $33,919 in Customs duties. The sentence imposed required the defendants to pay restitution of $86,754 to U.S. Customs to cover the loss of duty and the cost of disposing of seized EcoAirDoctor badges.
The defendants profited handsomely from the sale of the illegally-imported pesticides. At the outset of the pandemic, the badges, purchased for $6.25 each, were then sold to the public in the United States for $20.95 each, plus shipping. During the first six months of 2020, the defendants pocketed $1,132,950 from the sale of the badges, including sales occurring outside the United States. The Federal Trade Commission issued a warning letter on April 27, 2020, advising the company not to make unsubstantiated claims for Coronavirus protection, and on July 24, 2020, the EPA issued a Stop, Sale, Use or Removal Order. The sentence requires the defendants to forfeit $427,689 in proceeds from the sale of the badges within the United States.
The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division, HSI, and the USPS investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Stephen Da Ponte of the Environment and Natural Resources Division's Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie K. Pierson for the Southern District of California prosecuted the case.
Billings woman admits trafficking fentanyl on Rocky Boy’s Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Billings woman suspected of trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Chantel Marie Azure, 33, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Azure faces a mandatory minimum five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Chief Judge Morris set sentencing for Dec. 1. The court will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Azure was detained pending further proceedings.
In court documents, the government alleged that from about December 2020 through January 2021, at Havre and on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation, Azure conspired with others to distribute meth and fentanyl. In January 2021, an informant working with law enforcement made a controlled purchase of 10 suspected fentanyl pills for $800 from Azure. The transaction involved Azure driving, with two male passengers, to a location and doing the drug deal in the informant’s car. Law enforcement continued surveillance of Azure and watched her engage in what appeared to be another transaction with a known local drug user. Law enforcement then stopped Azure’s vehicle, and identified the two other passengers, who ultimately were arrested. Cash from the controlled buy was found on the passengers. One of the passengers had meth and fentanyl pills the other passenger had a smaller bag of meth. A search warrant for Azure’s Facebook accounts recovered evidence of Azure trafficking both meth and pills.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan R. Plaut is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Tri Agency Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration and Havre Police Department.
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.
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Alien Smuggling Coordinator Pleads Guilty to Bribing Former Border Patrol AgentRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Luis Alfredo Quintero-Gonzalez, 36, of Mexico, pleaded guilty on August 11, 2022, for Conspiracy to Commit Bribery and Alien Smuggling. Sentencing is scheduled for October 25, 2022, before United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps.
Evidence gathered during the investigation established that Quintero-Gonzalez paid former United States Border Patrol (USBP) agent Carlos Passapera thousands of dollars in cash bribes for smuggling undocumented noncitizens into the United States between August and December 2019.
Quintero-Gonzalez admitted that he conspired to coordinate and coordinated the illegal entry of undocumented noncitizens by acting as the middleman between Passapera and the individuals seeking illegal passage into the United States. While working as a USBP agent, Passapera would receive communication from Quintero-Gonzalez and then pick up the undocumented noncitizens along the U.S.-Mexico border near Lukeville, Arizona. Passapera would then smuggle the individuals through Border Patrol checkpoints and deliver them to locations within the Phoenix area. Throughout the conspiracy, Quintero-Gonzalez and Passapera smuggled at least eight undocumented noncitizens into the United States. In exchange for his role in the conspiracy, Passapera received approximately $64,000 in bribery payments from Quintero-Gonzalez.
A conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Bribery and Alien Smuggling carries a maximum penalty of five years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
Passapera was charged separately for his involvement in the conspiracy in case CR-20-01706-TUC-JGZ-MSA and has pleaded not guilty. His jury trial is scheduled to begin on April 3, 2023, before United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Southern Arizona Corruption Task Force, and the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General. The Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Section of the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-01529-TUC-JGZ-MSA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-135_QUINTERO-GONZALEZ# # #
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.
Alabama Company Charged in Worker Death CaseRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama announced criminal charges today in a case involving willful violations of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards that led to a worker’s death. The charges involve an Aug. 16, 2017, incident at the Helena, Alabama, plant owned by ABC Polymer Industries LLC, in which a worker was pulled into a cluster of unguarded moving rollers and killed.
ABC Polymer manufactures flat plastic sheets using plastic extrusion assembly lines that pull the plastic sheeting through multiple clusters of large spinning rollers. As alleged in the charging document, the machine at issue was manufactured with a metal barrier that would protect the operator from the pinch points of the moving rollers, as well as an “interlock” mechanism that would stop the rollers’ spinning if the guard were lifted out of the way. OSHA standards require moving machinery, such as the one at issue here, to be guarded while the machine is energized.
However, ABC Polymer had a standard practice of operating that machine with the guard in the “up” or unprotected position when the rollers were moving. The automatic mechanism that would have stopped the line and rollers’ spinning when the guard was in the up position was not used, allowing operators to reach between or near the roller drums to cut tangles in the plastic sheet without stopping the line.
Despite knowing of numerous prior worker injuries from using that machine without the safety guard engaged, ABC Polymer assigned the victim to cut tangles out of plastic sheeting from among the machine’s unguarded spinning rollers with a hand tool. The worker became entangled in the spinning rollers and was killed.
Federal law makes it a class B misdemeanor to willfully fail to follow an OSHA safety standard where the failure causes the death of an employee. The class B misdemeanor is the only federal criminal charge covering such workplace safety violations.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor investigated this case. Trial Attorneys William Shapiro and Ethan Eddy of Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division, Environmental Crimes Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Posey and Ryan Rummage are prosecuting the case.
The defendant is presumed innocent until convicted. If convicted, the defendant faces a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the financial gain to the defendant or twice the financial loss to another, whichever is greater, and is also liable for restitution to the victim. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the relevant statutory factors.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
13 August 2022
Federal Jury Finds Man Guilty in Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – After three days of trial, a federal jury convicted Abdul Inusah, 31, of Ghana, for his role in a Huntington-based scheme that defrauded individuals in multiple states through the use of false online personas.
Evidence at trial revealed that Inusah was part of a conspiracy that targeted victims using false personas via email, text messaging, and online dating and social media websites. From at least January 2018 through at least December 2019, the scheme sought to induce victims into believing they were in a romantic relationship, friendship, or business relationship with the various false personas. The victims were persuaded to send money for a variety of false and fraudulent reasons for the benefit of the false personas.
One false persona, “Miarama,” was used to induce an Alabama resident into providing $106,000 via wire transfers and cashier’s checks. The amount included $48,000 to pay overdue taxes on a nonexistent gold inheritance in Ghana and $21,000 wired to Bitsav Supply LLC, a shell company set up by Inusah. Another false persona, “Grace,” persuaded a Washington resident to wire funds so “Grace” could maintain her South African cocoa plantation and move to the United States to marry the victim. Other victims of the false personas included residents of Ohio and Florida.
The jury found Inusah guilty of receipt of stolen money, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and two counts of wire fraud. The wire fraud counts involve a pair of $2,000 Zelle wire transfers to Inusah from the money obtained using the “Miarama” false persona in January 2019.
“It is truly heartbreaking how this conspiracy exploited individuals who were particularly vulnerable, such as following the death of a longtime spouse,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Some of the victims did not recognize themselves as victims, and continued to believe these false personas were real and that they were in actual relationships. I commend the investigative work of the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), the West Virginia State Police and the South Charleston Police Department. I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Kathleen Robeson and R. Gregory McVey and our trial team for trying this complex fraud case before the jury.”
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the jury trial. Inusah is scheduled to be sentenced on November 21, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison.
The public is encouraged to report potential online fraud activity or scams at https://www.ic3.gov/.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 10am-6pm Eastern Time, Monday-Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-70.
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12 August 2022
West Chester Man Indicted for Fraud and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware announced today that Robert L. Higgins, age 67, of West Chester, PA, was indicted in a Second Superseding Indictment on eight counts of fraud and five counts of tax evasion.
The Indictment charges that Higgins owned and operated businesses in Wilmington, including First State Depository Company, Certified Assets Management, Inc., and Argent Asset Group, LLC, which were involved in the purchase, storage, and sale of precious metals.
More specifically, the Indictment charges that:
- In 2012, Higgins accepted money from an investor for the purchase of silver but had no intent to deliver on that promise and instead fraudulently used the money to operate his businesses, which were on the verge of financial collapse, and which did collapse by approximately the end of 2012;
- Higgins refused the investor’s repeated demands for the full return of his approximately $828,000 investment and;
- Higgins ultimately met with the victim investor and lied to him about the true history of his investment;
- Higgins evaded personal income taxes for the years 2015 through 2019 by diverting Argent Asset Group business funds to pay personal expenses, and by filing false returns with the IRS.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Financial challenges do not excuse obligations to file and properly report to the IRS. Nor can financial difficulties ever justify fraud. Financial transactions demand accurate disclosures to investors and regulators, and no one can simply ignore the requirements of law.”
An Indictment is merely an accusation. A person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edmund Falgowski is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 22-44 MN.
Waterbury Resident Pleads Guilty to False Statement Charge Involving COVID-19 Vaccine RecordsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced that ZAYA POWELL, 25, of Waterbury, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to a false statement offense stemming from her creation of false COVID-19 vaccine records for several individuals.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Powell worked as a Data Entry Specialist for Griffin Health Services Corporation (“Griffin Health”) and, in that role, she traveled to various COVID-19 vaccination sites in Connecticut operated by Griffin Health. Although Powell did not administer the vaccines, she had access to the Griffin Health electronic health record system and to stacks of blank COVID-19 vaccination cards. She also had access to the Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS), a database developed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that tracked COVID-19 vaccine administration.
Between August and October 2021, Powell created fraudulent vaccination records in VAMS for 14 different individuals. The records indicated that each of the 14 individuals had received a single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccination at a Griffin Health location when, in fact, none had received any COVID-19 vaccination from Griffin Health or any other health care provider. In order to create the fraudulent vaccination record, Powell entered each individual’s name and date of birth into VAMS. She also created fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards for each of the 14, and distributed the fraudulent cards to the individuals or to their family members or co-workers. The fraudulent cards included lot numbers of genuine vaccines that were administered to other Griffin Health patients.
The investigation revealed that four of the 14 individuals who received fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards created by Powell were state employees who worked at the Southbury Training School, a Connecticut Department of Developmental Services facility located in Southbury. The four Southbury Training School employees were “state employees” or “state hospital employees” within the scope of Executive Order 13G issued by Governor Lamont, and were therefore required to meet the vaccination requirements of the Executive Order by September 27, 2021. The four employees sought and used the fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards created by Powell and the false entries in VAMS created by Powell to falsely document that they had received a COVID-19 vaccination.
Powell pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement relating to a health care matter, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for November 4, 2022.
Powell is released on a $25,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG).
U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the Connecticut Department of Public Health, the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services, and Griffin Health for their assistance in the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Sheldon.
Waterbury Gang Member Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RALPH ERNEST, 19, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 66 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for drug and firearm offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an ongoing investigation into gangs, drug trafficking and the illegal possession of firearms in Waterbury. On January 18, 2021, Ernest, a member of the Paybacc Crypts gang, stole a car belonging to an off-duty Connecticut State Police trooper. The car contained three shotguns and FBI credentials. Ernest was arrested the next day after officers located him in the stolen car and recovered a 9mm handgun with an extended magazine loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition, as well as quantities of heroin, cocaine and marijuana. Two of the stolen shotguns were recovered soon after Ernest’s arrest from one of his gang associates. The third stolen shotgun and the FBI credentials have not been located.
Ernest has been detained since his arrest on January 19, 2021. On April 7, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Connecticut State Police; the Waterbury Police Department; the Wolcott Police Department, and the Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth and John T. Pierpont, Jr.
U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Waterbury for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
The prosecution 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. In May 2021, the Justice 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.
Washington, D.C. Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking a 15-Year-Old Homeless Girl for His Prostitution BusinessRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Sirron Little, age 31, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty yesterday to sex trafficking of a minor female to engage in commercial sex acts. Little recruited the victim, who was homeless and 15 years old at the time, to work for him as a prostitute.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, Little recruited Victim 1 to work for him as a sex worker in April 2018, when she was 15 years old and homeless. Victim 1 worked for Little, engaging in sex acts for money, until December 4, 2018. Little used his cell phone to communicate with Victim 1 regarding the prostitution business, to post scantily clad photos of Victim 1 on online dating services to solicit commercial sex clients and to advertise Victim 1 as a prostitute, and to arrange “dates” with commercial sex clients, in Washington D.C. and in Maryland. Little initially had Victim 1 meet clients for “car dates” or had someone drive Victim 1 to a client’s residence. Eventually, Little moved the sex trafficking operation to motels in Prince George’s County, Maryland. In addition to meeting clients for car dates and at hotels, Little directed Victim 1 to walk along Allentown Road in Maryland and solicit clients directly on the street.
As detailed in the plea agreement, Victim 1 would typically see multiple clients per day, generating as much as $1,500 in a day. Little set the prices for the sex acts, set certain monetary goals for Victim 1, and required Victim 1 to give all the proceeds from the sex trafficking operation to Little. Little threatened to stop providing the victim with food, transportation, and shelter if she did not meet the monetary goals. Little admitted that he physically assaulted Victim 1 on multiple occasions, threatened Victim 1 with a firearm on at least one occasion, and engaged in sex acts with Victim 1.
On December 4, 2018, Victim 1 called emergency services and reported that Little had threatened her with a firearm and had an open warrant. When law enforcement responded to the hotel where Victim 1 and Little were staying, Victim 1 advised that she was having a fight with Little and that he was armed. Little was arrested and a loaded .40-caliber handgun was seized from the room, along with a 20-round box of ammunition and two cellular phones.
As part of his plea agreement, Little must register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
Little and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Little will be sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte has scheduled sentencing for December 6, 2022 at 11:30 a.m.
The case was investigated by the FBI-led Maryland Child Exploitation Task Force, created in 2010 to combat child prostitution, with members from10 state and federal law enforcement agencies. The Task Force coordinates with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Maryland State Police Child Recovery Unit to identify missing children being advertised online for prostitution.
MCETF partners with the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members include federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members. For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit http://www.mdhumantrafficking.org/.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Baldwin, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/human-trafficking and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Virginia Beach Man Sentenced for Possessing a Machine Gun Used in a Norfolk ShootoutRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 7 years in prison for possessing a machine gun used in a shootout in Norfolk.
According to court documents, Shy’Quan Dodson, 25, possessed a machine gun on July 18, 2021. That day, Norfolk police officers were in the vicinity of the 900 block of Tunstall Avenue in Norfolk, where they observed multiple individuals shooting at each other. The individuals fled in three separate vehicles, and during the ensuing pursuit a firearm was tossed from the rear of the vehicle. After a 15-minute pursuit that ended in a crash in Portsmouth, the defendant was detained while attempting to flee on foot from the vehicle. The firearm tossed from the vehicle was a Glock with an attached component that converted the handgun into a fully automatic machine gun.
A search of Dodson’s cell phone showed photos of him holding the weapon, and a primer residue test revealed that Dodson had primer particles on his hands from the discharge of a firearm. Dodson’s phone also contained communications with another individual related to the buying and selling of machine gun conversion kits. According to court filings Dodson is a member of the Norfolk-based Kai Gang, a criminal street gang.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney; and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William B. Jackson and Joseph DePadilla and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham M. Stolle are prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-1