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Tuesday 28 June 2022
Turner Falls Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Turners Falls man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield on child pornography charges.
Brian Cooper, 64, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release. On Feb. 24, 2022, Cooper pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution of child pornography, six counts of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
Between April 2018 and October 2019, Cooper distributed, received and possessed child pornography files depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He distributed and received the child pornography files from online associates via Instagram. A search of Cooper’s residence in October 2019 revealed thousands of child pornography files stored on a tablet and multiple thumb drives. At the time of the search, Cooper was arrested on state court charges and has been detained since.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; David E. Sullivan, Northwestern District Attorney; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine G. Curley of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office is prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Tuba City Man Sentenced to 240 Months for Sexual Abuse of ChildrenRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, Ralph Yellow, 78, of Tuba City, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 240 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Yellow previously pleaded guilty to one count of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child.
Yellow admitted that in 2012 or 2013, he knowingly engaged in sexual contact with a six-year-old child. The evidence also showed that Yellow engaged in sexual acts with other children for decades. The crimes took place on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation, where Yellow is an enrolled tribal member.
The FBI, Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations, and Gallup Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-08133-PCT-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-100_Yellow# # #
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.Three-time sex offender lands in prison for collecting sadistic virtual child pornography imagesRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 55-year-old Aransas County man has been ordered to federal prison for transporting obscene images, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Bryan Wesley Fulfer, Aransas Pass, pleaded guilty April 5.
Today, U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton sentenced Fulfer to 60 months in prison. At the hearing, the court heard evidence that Fulfer was previously convicted of indecency with a child, possession of child pornography and failure to register as a sex offender. The charges spanned from 1992 to 2014.
The court also saw several virtual images Fulfer possessed which depicted adult men sadistically abusing prepubescent boys.
Fulfer was further ordered to serve three years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet.
The investigation began July 28, 2021, when Fulfer’s relatives found his cellphone in a room at their grandmother’s house. He had been residing there. On the device, they saw computer-generated images of prepubescent children engaging in sex acts.
They notified authorities who, in turn, arrested Fulfer within days.
He ultimately admitted to viewing what he called “fake” child pornography online.
Fulfer has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance of the Aransas County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly K. Smith and Dennis E. Robinson prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Three Defendants Indicted in Software License Piracy SchemeRead the Press Release
Today, the Western District of Oklahoma unsealed an indictment charging three individuals with violating federal wire fraud and money laundering statutes in connection with an operation to sell over $88 million of stolen Avaya Direct International (ADI) software licenses, which were used to unlock features of a popular telephone system used by thousands of companies around the globe.
The grand jury charged the following defendants with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 13 counts of wire fraud: Raymond Bradley Pearce, aka Brad Pearce, 46, of Tuttle, Oklahoma; Dusti O. Pearce, 44, of Tuttle, Oklahoma; and Jason M. Hines, aka Joe Brown, aka Chad Johnson, aka Justin Albaum, 42, of Caldwell, New Jersey. In addition, the grand jury charged both Brad Pearce and Dusti Pearce with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering.
According to the indictment, Avaya Holdings Corporation, a multinational business communications company headquartered in California, sold a product called IP Office, a telephone system used by many midsize and small businesses in the United States and abroad. To enable additional functionality of IP Office such as voicemail or more telephones, customers had to purchase software licenses – which Avaya generated – from an authorized Avaya distributor or reseller. Avaya used software license keys to control access to Avaya’s copyright-protected software and to ensure that only customers who paid for the software could use it. In addition, Avaya required that each software license on an IP Office system be associated with the system’s Avaya Secure Digital (SD) card – a small flash memory card with a unique serial number that plugged into the IP Office manager computer – which the end user had to keep in its possession in order to use the licenses.
According to the indictment, Brad Pearce, a long-time customer service employee at Avaya, allegedly used his system administrator privileges to generate tens of millions of dollars of ADI software license keys that he sold to Hines and other customers, who in turn sold them to resellers and end users around the globe. The retail value of each Avaya software license ranged from under $100 to thousands of dollars.
As set forth in the indictment, Brad Pearce also allegedly employed his system administrator privileges to hijack the accounts of former Avaya employees to generate additional ADI software license keys. Furthermore, he allegedly used these privileges to alter information about the accounts to conceal the fact that he was generating ADI license keys, preventing Avaya from discovering the fraud scheme for many years. Brad Pearce’s wife, Dusti Pearce, is alleged to have handled accounting and helped run the financial side of the illegal business. Hines operated Direct Business Services International (DBSI), a de-authorized Avaya reseller, in New Jersey. He allegedly bought software licenses from the Pearces under his own name and also using an alias, Joe Brown. Hines was the Pearces’ largest customer and significantly influenced how the scheme operated. Hines also received help from Brad Pearce to resell the stolen software licenses. Hines was allegedly one of the biggest users of the ADI license system in the world.
According to the indictment, the Pearces and Hines’ operation not only prevented Avaya from making any money on its stolen intellectual property but also undercut the global market in Avaya ADI software licenses because the Pearces and Hines were selling licenses for significantly below the wholesale price. In fact, Brad Pearce allegedly told Hines that the Pearces’ customers could not obtain same-day ADI software licenses from anyone else for anything even close to the Pearces’ prices, and Hines suggested that he and Brad Pearce work together to “corner” the market in licenses. Altogether, the Pearces and Hines allegedly reaped millions of dollars from the fraud. Moreover, to hide the nature and source of the money, the Pearces allegedly funneled their illegal gains through a PayPal account created under a false name to multiple bank accounts, and then transferred the money to numerous other investment and bank accounts. They also allegedly purchased large quantities of gold bullion and other valuable items. The indictment lists numerous assets subject to forfeiture including cash, gold, silver, collectible coins, cryptocurrency, and real property.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI conducted the investigation.
Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia E. Barry and William Farrior for the Western District of Oklahoma are 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.
Three Defendants Indicted in Massive Software Piracy SchemeRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, a court in the Western District of Oklahoma unsealed an indictment charging three individuals with violating federal wire fraud and money laundering statutes in connection with an operation to sell over $88 million of stolen Avaya Direct International (ADI) software licenses, which were used to unlock features of a popular telephone system used by thousands of companies around the globe.
The grand jury charged the following defendants with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 13 counts of wire fraud: Raymond Bradley Pearce aka Brad Pearce, 46, of Tuttle, Oklahoma; Dusti O. Pearce, 44, of Tuttle, Oklahoma; and Jason M. Hines aka Joe Brown, aka Chad Johnson, aka Justin Albaum, 42, of Caldwell, New Jersey. In addition, the grand jury charged both Brad Pearce and Dusti Pearce with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering.
According to the indictment, Avaya Holdings Corporation, a multinational business communications company headquartered in California, sold a product called IP Office, a telephone system used by many midsize and small businesses in the United States and abroad. To enable additional functionality of IP Office such as voicemail or more telephones, customers had to purchase software licenses – which Avaya generated – from an authorized Avaya distributor or reseller. Avaya used software license keys to control access to Avaya’s copyright-protected software and to ensure that only customers who paid for the software could use it. In addition, Avaya required that each software license on an IP Office system be associated with the system’s Avaya Secure Digital (SD) card – a small flash memory card with a unique serial number that plugged into the IP Office manager computer – which the end user had to keep in its possession in order to use the licenses.
According to the indictment, Brad Pearce, a long-time customer service employee at Avaya, allegedly used his system administrator privileges to generate tens of millions of dollars of ADI software license keys that he sold to Hines and other customers, who in turn sold them to resellers and end users around the globe. The retail value of each Avaya software license ranged from under $100 to thousands of dollars.
As set forth in the indictment, Brad Pearce also allegedly employed his system administrator privileges to hijack the accounts of former Avaya employees to generate additional ADI software license keys. Furthermore, he allegedly used these privileges to alter information about the accounts to conceal the fact that he was generating ADI license keys, preventing Avaya from discovering the fraud scheme for many years. Brad Pearce’s wife, Dusti Pearce, is alleged to have handled accounting and helped run the financial side of the illegal business. Hines operated Direct Business Services International (DBSI), a de-authorized Avaya reseller, in New Jersey. He allegedly bought software licenses from the Pearces under his own name and also using an alias, Joe Brown. Hines was the Pearces’ largest customer and significantly influenced how the scheme operated. Hines also received help from Brad Pearce to resell the stolen software licenses. Hines was allegedly one of the biggest users of the ADI license system in the world.
According to the indictment, the Pearces and Hines’ operation not only prevented Avaya from making any money on its stolen intellectual property but also undercut the global market in Avaya ADI software licenses because the Pearces and Hines were selling licenses for significantly below the wholesale price. In fact, Brad Pearce allegedly told Hines that the Pearces’ customers could not obtain same-day ADI software licenses from anyone else for anything even close to the Pearces’ prices, and Hines suggested that he and Brad Pearce work together to “corner” the market in licenses. Altogether, the Pearces and Hines allegedly reaped millions of dollars from the fraud. Moreover, to hide the nature and source of the money, the Pearces allegedly funneled their illegal gains through a PayPal account created under a false name to multiple bank accounts, and then transferred the money to numerous other investment and bank accounts. They also allegedly purchased large quantities of gold bullion and other valuable items. The indictment lists numerous assets subject to forfeiture including cash, gold, silver, collectible coins, cryptocurrency, and real property.
U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester of the Western District of Oklahoma, Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office, and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia E. Barry and William Farrior of the Western District of Oklahoma and Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the case.
Third Former Coast Guard Employee Pleads Guilty in Test-Fixing Case, Several Co-Defendants SentencedRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that former United States Coast Guard employee ELDRIDGE JOHNSON pleaded guilty on June 23, 2022, to one count of bribery and to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Judge Barry W. Ashe took JOHNSON’S guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for September 29, 2022. The maximum terms of imprisonment are fifteen years for bribery and five years for conspiracy. Each offense is also punishable by a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
The bribery conviction relates to JOHNSON’S conduct as an examination administrator at a Mandeville, Louisiana Coast Guard exam center. JOHNSON administered examinations that merchant mariners were legally required to pass in order to obtain licenses to serve in various positions on vessels. The examinations tested mariners’ knowledge and training to safely operate under the authority of the licenses. Beginning no later than 2011 and continuing until about the time of his January 2018 retirement, JOHNSON engaged in a scheme to receive bribes from mariners who had applied for licenses. JOHNSON offered and sold various forms of improper assistance, including reporting false information to the Coast Guard and, more commonly, selling examination questions and answers to mariners before they took the tests.
JOHNSON’S conspiracy conviction relates to his post-retirement conduct, in which he acted as an intermediary for exam center employee DOROTHY SMITH in a scheme in which SMITH entered false exam scores in exchange for money. SMITH and another former Coast Guard employee who acted as SMITH’S intermediary, BEVERLY MCCRARY, pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced on September 15, 2022.
JOHNSON, SMITH, and MCCRARY were charged in an indictment along with twenty-eight mariners, the last two of which were recently sentenced: on April 28, 2022, Judge Ashe sentenced SHUNMANIQUE WILLIS, who pleaded guilty to obtaining a license though false scores entered by SMITH, to six months imprisonment to be followed by one year of supervised release and 100 hours of community service; on June 23, 2022, Judge Ashe sentenced SHARRON ROBINSON, who pleaded guilty to being an intermediary in SMITH’S scheme, to 54 months imprisonment to be followed by one year of supervised release. ROBINSON conspired to obtain false scores for herself and for nine other mariners.
A separate indictment charged eight mariners with obtaining licenses though false scores entered by SMITH. In that case, between April and June 2022, Judge Eldon E. Fallon sentenced the following seven mariners to probation: RANSFORD ACKAH, NATHANIEL DOMINICK, ODELL GRIGGS, DEVIN HEBERT, RAYNEL LEWIS, ADRIAN MACK, and MAURICE PALMER. The eighth defendant in that case, DERRICK WARD, pleaded guilty on March 4, 2022, and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Fallon on August 4, 2022. The maximum penalty is five years’ imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This matter is being investigated by the Coast Guard Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon is in charge of the prosecution.
Thai National Sentenced for Trafficking Meth and Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Thai national who stored more than a thousand counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine and/or fentanyl in a child’s backpack inside the apartment he shared with his three young children has been sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Davith Hoy, 42, was arrested in March 2021, and pleaded guilty on March 16, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to information presented to the court, Hoy wholesaled methamphetamine and fentanyl pills to other distributors. His criminal activity came to light after, Ronald M. Kramer, 38 of Providence, allegedly a dealer whom Hoy was supplying, was arrested and imprisoned in an unrelated case. It is alleged that, in monitored telephone calls made from inside the ACI, Kramer contacted his girlfriend, Rebecca L. Beauchamp, 37, of North Providence, and arranged for her to meet with Hoy and receive a supply of meth pills.
According to court documents, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents surveilled Hoy as he allegedly met with Beauchamp and delivered the pills. On March 19, 2021, ATF agents searched a residence Hoy shared with his three young children and discovered a large quantity of fentanyl and methamphetamine pills that Hoy stored inside a child’s Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles backpack. Agents seized more than one thousand pills along with parts of a pill press and other items used to manufacture meth and fentanyl pills. The pills were manufactured to mimic the appearance of the prescription drug Adderall.
Hoy was sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to 87 months in federal prison to be followed by four years of federal supervised release.
Kramer and Beauchamp are currently awaiting trial in U.S. District Court on methamphetamine trafficking charges. Kramer also faces a federal charge of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. In all instances, a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William F. Ferland.
United States Attorney Cunha thanks investigators at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections for their assistance in the investigation of this case.
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Texas Man Sentenced to 4 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft and Other CrimesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Texas man was sentenced yesterday to 4 ½ years in prison for aggravated identity theft, unlawful possession of identity documents, possession of counterfeit and unauthorized credit and debit card information, and possession of equipment to make fraudulent credit and debit cards. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, Bronson Meador, 35, of Hurst, Texas, who lived for a brief time in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, engaged in a months-long scheme in 2021 to obtain and use counterfeit and unauthorized credit and debit cards and other personally identifying information and financial information of various real individuals for his own personal benefit. As part of his scheme, Meador would purchase and otherwise obtain counterfeit and unauthorized credit card, debit card, and other personally identifying information and financial information of various individuals, known and unknown to him, and then use that information to personally assume their identities and access the financial accounts of those individuals without their authorization. Meador would also use the information to manufacture unauthorized access devices, such as credit or debit cards, which he subsequently used or sold. When Meador was encountered and stopped by law enforcement in April 2021, while engaged in an act of aggravated identity theft, he was in possession of at least 16 identification documents, including driver’s licenses, social security cards and military identification documents, and at least 44 credit or debit card numbers, several of which he had recently used to make unauthorized purchases. In addition to the 4 ½-year prison sentence, Meador was also ordered to pay $66,592 in restitution.
“I appreciate the combined effort of the United States Secret Service, the Elizabethtown Police Department, and the Louisville Airport Police during the investigation and prosecution of this case,” said United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett. “The fallout for victims of identity theft is burdensome, costly, and often long lasting. I commend our law enforcement partners for their quick response in this case and their ongoing work to make the Western District safer for all citizens.”
“This case should serve as a strong deterrent for criminals considering taking part in identity theft and related fraud schemes,” said Robert Holman, Special Agent in Charge of the Secret Service Louisville Field Office. “The Secret Service along with our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate and arrest criminals who attempt to defraud and victimize our citizens.”
The United States Secret Service, the Elizabethtown Police Department, and the Louisville Airport Police investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Zimdahl prosecuted the case.
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Sussex County Woman Admits Concealing Terrorist Financing to Syrian Foreign Terrorist OrganizationsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Sussex County, New Jersey, woman today admitted that she concealed her attempts to provide material support to Syrian foreign terrorist organizations, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division, FBI-Newark Special Agent in Charge Jesse Levine, and FBI Assistant Director for Counterterrorism Timothy Langan announced.
Maria Bell, aka “Maria Sue Bell,” 54, of Hopatcong, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to an information charging her with one count of concealing attempts to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations.
According to documents previously filed in this case:
Bell admitted that from February 2018 to November 2018 she knowingly concealed and disguised the nature, location, source, ownership and control of the attempted provision of material support and resources to fighters based in Syria who were members Jabhat Fath al-sham, also known as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (JFS) and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Bell admitted that she knew JFS and HTS were designated foreign terrorist organizations, that JFS and HTS has engaged or engages in terrorist activities. She admitted the offense to which she pleaded guilty involved the concealment of the attempted provision of funds or other material support or resources with the intent, knowledge, or reason to believe they were to be used to commit or assist in the commission of a violent act.
The charge of concealment of terrorist financing to a designated foreign terrorist organization carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 21, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI and task force officers of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jesse Levine, and special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Joyce M. Malliet, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s National Security Unit and Trial Attorneys Brenda Sue Thornton and Kathleen Campbell of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.
Superseding Indictment Charges Former Executive Director of Maryland Environmental Service for Allegedly Falsifying Documents, Wire Fraud, and Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $276,731Read the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment adding an additional charge against Roy C. McGrath, age 52, of Naples, Florida, for falsification of records to the previous federal charges of wire fraud and theft in programs receiving federal funds.
The superseding indictment was announced by First Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, Phil Selden and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office. The United States Attorney has recused himself from this case.
“Honesty and integrity are essential elements of a public servant and those who operate in public trust,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Phil Selden. “Together with our federal and state partners, our office will continue to investigate and prosecute public officials who attempt to violate their trusted positions.”
McGrath was appointed by the Governor of Maryland to serve as Executive Director of Maryland Environmental Service (MES), a corporation owned by the State of Maryland to provide environmental services such as water and wastewater management, solid waste management, composting, recycling, dredged material management and other services to state and local government agencies, federal government entities, and private clients. MES, which was headquartered in Millersville, Maryland, generated its operating funds from fees charged to governmental and private clients for its services, as well as from federal grants and funding from federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and the U.S. Department of Transportation. MES functioned as an independent state corporation which did not pay its employees according to the state government pay scale but did require its employees to comply with state travel regulations, annual leave policies, and policies regarding compensatory leave, and time and attendance reporting. McGrath resigned from MES as of May 31, 2020, to become the Governor’s Chief of Staff effective as of June 1, 2020.
Count Eight of the superseding indictment alleges that after press accounts of his “severance” payment from MES of a year’s salary or $233,647.23 occurred in August 2020, McGrath knowingly falsified a document which falsely purported to be a memorandum to the Governor of Maryland, referenced a salary of $233,647.23, and a severance package from MES. The allegedly false memorandum contained a blue check mark, as characteristically used by the Governor of Maryland, in the “approved” box which created the illusion that the Governor had seen and approved the memorandum. The allegedly false memorandum was backdated to May 18, 2020, which the indictment alleges was the date McGrath interviewed for the Chief of Staff position with the Governor.
The previously filed indictment alleges that to conceal the payments and circumstances surrounding the payments from the Governor of Maryland and the MES Board of Directors, McGrath falsely told the MES Board that the Governor was aware of and consented to the severance payment. As detailed in the indictment, when the Governor learned about the severance package and questioned McGrath about it, McGrath falsely stated that the MES Board of Directors had offered him the severance payment in accordance with their usual practice. McGrath also attempted to delete or caused to be deleted from the public minutes of the MES Board of Directors meeting, any mention of compensation of McGrath or the Executive Director of MES, or the amount $233,647.23, or the description of the compensation as a “year’s salary.”
The indictment re-alleges the federal charges previously filed against McGrath filed in 2021- specifically that from March 2019 through December 2020, McGrath personally enriched himself by using his positions of trust as the Executive Director of MES and the chief of staff for the Governor of Maryland to cause MES to make payments to McGrath, or on his behalf, to which he was not entitled. One additional wire fraud charge has been added to the superseding indictment.
The previously filed federal indictment alleges that McGrath caused MES funds to be paid to a museum where he was a member of the Board of Directors instead of using his personal funds to pay his pledge to the museum; that McGrath caused the MES Board of Directors to approve paying McGrath a $233,647.23 severance payment—equal to one year’s salary—upon his departure from MES by falsely telling them that the Governor was aware of and approved the payment; that McGrath caused MES to pay tuition benefits for McGrath after he left MES by personally approving reimbursements for payments made by Subordinate Employee #1 on McGrath's behalf; and that McGrath falsified his time sheets, reporting that he was at work while on two separate vacations in 2019.
McGrath also faces pending state criminal charges relating to an alleged illegally recorded private conversations involving senior state officials without their permission during his employment at MES and as the Governor’s Chief of Staff. In the state case, McGrath faces a maximum penalty of any sentence that is not cruel or unusual for Misconduct by a Public Official, and a maximum of five years in prison for felony theft, felony theft scheme, misappropriation, and for each violation of the Maryland Wiretap Statute.
If convicted of the federal charges, McGrath faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each of the five counts of wire fraud; a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for each of two counts of embezzling funds from an organization receiving more than $10,000 in federal benefits; and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for the charge of falsifying a document. 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.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
First Assistant United States Attorney Phil Selden commended the FBI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Selden thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joyce K. McDonald, Aaron S.J. Zelinsky, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. David, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Statement from U.S. Attorney Rachael. S. Rollins Regarding the Dismissal of Charges Against Yanzhi ChenRead the Press Release
“Along with her husband, Haoyang Yu, Yanzhi Chen was charged by indictment in September 2020 with participating in a scheme to defraud Mr. Yu’s former employer, a Massachusetts company called Analog Devices Incorporated (ADI). Last month, a jury convicted Mr. Yu of one count of possessing a stolen ADI trade secret. However, the jury found Mr. Yu not guilty of the remaining 18 counts charged in the indictment, including counts alleging that Mr. Yu defrauded ADI and violated immigration laws.
Today’s dismissal of the fraud charges against Mr. Yu’s wife, Ms. Chen, is in the interests of justice. As prosecutors, we have a constant obligation to assess the merits of every prosecution that we pursue. Today’s dismissal is the result of my office’s continuing assessment of the evidence against Ms. Chen in light of the jury’s verdict against Mr. Yu. We understand that our charging decisions deeply impact people’s lives. I will continue to require our prosecutors to rigorously assess cases at every stage of our proceedings to see if we should continue pursuing and prosecuting those suspected of engaging in criminal conduct.”
Statement by United States Attorney Ashley C. Hoff Regarding Migrant Deaths in Tractor Trailer Incident Yesterday EveningRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – “San Antonio first responders and law enforcement discovered a tragic and disturbing scene yesterday evening on the southwest side of San Antonio. Dozens of immigrants were found dead or incapacitated in and around a tractor trailer with over a dozen others hospitalized in critical condition. All were the apparent victims of human smugglers indifferent to the well-being of human life. The South Texas heat is brutal this time of year, especially given the recent record-high temperatures. We will continue to work with the Homeland Security Investigations and the local responders to identify and bring those who were responsible for this tragedy to justice.”
Ashley C. Hoff, United States Attorney, Western District of Texas
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St. Peters man who filmed sex with teen sentenced to 6 years in prisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a man from St. Peters, Missouri who filmed a sex act with a 14-year-old girl to six years in prison.
Donovan P. Walker, 27, will be on supervised release for 10 years and was also ordered to undergo sex offender, drug and mental health treatment, as appropriate.
Walker met the girl via the Tinder app in April of 2020. She originally told him she was 18, and then said she was 15 before eventually admitting her true age. The two exchanged nude photos via Snapchat, and met on four occasions, during which Walker gave the girl marijuana and then engaged in sex acts with her, he admitted in his guilty plea.
On May 26, 2020, Walker filmed the two engaged in sex in his car. In the recording, he asks the victim’s age and she answers, “14.” He then discusses her age multiple times. Franklin County Sheriff’s deputies interrupted Walker and arrested him.
Walker pleaded guilty in January to a charge of possession of child pornography.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
St. Louis man sentenced to 11 years in prison for selling methamphetamineRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White on Tuesday sentenced a St. Louis man to 11 years for selling methamphetamine to drug investigators.
Judge White also found that Shaun Glenwood Mack, 44, was a career offender due to prior drug convictions.
In August 2020, investigators for the Drug Enforcement Administration learned that Mack was selling methamphetamine from his St. Louis apartment in ounce quantities. A DEA confidential source arranged to buy two ounces of crystal methamphetamine from Mack on Aug. 7, 2020 for $1,800.
After Mack was indicted for that sale and arrested on June 29, 2021, investigators found 7 grams of methamphetamine, 211 capsules containing a total of 12.5 grams of fentanyl and clear plastic bags containing approximately 13.7 grams of fentanyl, 5.8 grams of cocaine and 5.2 grams of cocaine base.
Mack pleaded guilty on March 30 to a charge of intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Internal Revenue Service and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
St. Louis County man sentenced to seven years in prison for threatening postal worker with a gunRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Tuesday sentenced a St. Louis County man to seven years in prison for threatening a mail carrier with a gun in 2021.
The postal worker was preparing to deliver a package to the home of DeJuan Wilson in the 1400 block of Columbus Drive on Jan. 11, 2021 when Wilson emerged from his home. Wilson was upset and claimed that a package delivered four days earlier was missing some of its contents.
Wilson became increasingly aggressive, pulled a semiautomatic firearm from his right front pocket and then told the mail carrier that he had two hours to produce the missing contents or Wilson would “settle this."
The worker, fearing for his safety, got into his vehicle and began to drive away. As he did so, Wilson fired his weapon several times. Neither the worker or his vehicle was hit.
Wilson, 27, pleaded guilty March 22 to assaulting a postal employee with a deadly weapon.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware prosecuted the case.
Springfield, Illinois, Man Convicted of Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict on June 23, 2022, against Stacey Furlow, 61, of the 3000 block of North Peoria Road in Springfield, Illinois, for attempted enticement of a minor, use of interstate facilities to attempt to transmit information about a minor, and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Sentencing for Furlow is scheduled for October 21, 2022, at the U.S. Courthouse in Springfield.
During the trial, the government presented evidence that established that between August 27 and August 29, 2020, Furlow met an individual online and believed he was communicating with a fifteen-year-old child. Despite learning the individual’s age, Furlow discussed engaging in sexual activity with the minor, asked for the minor’s address on numerous occasions, and sent inappropriate pictures of himself to the child. On August 29, 2020, after confirming that the minor was alone, he asked for the child’s address and drove to the residence expecting to engage in sexual conduct; he was then arrested.
Furlow remains in the custody of U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing. At sentencing, he faces statutory penalties of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison for attempted enticement of a minor; not more than five years in prison for use of interstate facilities to attempt to transmit information about a minor; and not more than 10 years in prison for attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor.
The prosecution was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Office, with assistance from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; the Springfield Police Department; and the Illinois State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tanner K. Jacobs and Sierra Senor-Moore represented the government at trial.
The case against Furlow was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Smuggled individual charged with having pornographic images on phoneRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 24-year-old Mexican national been charged with possession and transportation of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
A federal grand jury returned the two-count indictment today against Cristian Dolores Munoz-De La Rosa. He is expected to appear for his arraignment in the near future.
On June 6, law enforcement was conducting a human smuggling investigation near Carrizo Springs, according to the charges. Upon inspection, they seized a phone allegedly belonging to one of the individuals.
The charges allege they found child pornography images on that device. A preliminary review of the phone showed approximately 20 images of child pornography, according to the allegations.
If convicted, Munoz-De La Rosa faces up to 20 years in federal prison as well as a $250,000 maximum fine.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney April Ayers-Perez is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Sisseton Man Sentenced to Nine Months in Federal Prison for Assault of a Federal EmployeeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Sisseton, South Dakota, man convicted of assault of a federal employee was sentenced on June 21, 2022, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno.
Richard Reuben Simon, age 28, was sentenced to nine months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay $25 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Simon was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 14, 2021. He pled guilty on April 4, 2022.
On August 16, 2021, Simon forcibly assaulted, impeded, intimidated, and interfered with the victim, while the victim was employed as a federal health care professional with the Indian Health Service (IHS), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, assigned to perform health care functions, while she was engaged in the performance of her official duties.
The victim was working in an official capacity as a nurse practitioner for an IHS facility. During an exam of the Defendant, he made inappropriate comments to and committed a simple assault against the victim, specifically including unlawful physical contact amounting to simple assault.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Simon was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Serial rapist sentenced to 35 years in prison for sexually assaulting 7-year-oldRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to a total of 420 months in prison for transporting a young child in the bunk of his semi-truck across multiple states for the purpose of sexually assaulting the victim.
Joseph C. Gaines, 42, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to transporting a minor interstate with the intention of sexually abusing the victim, and committing a new offense against a minor as a registered sex offender.
According to court documents, during July and August of 2019, Gaines transported a minor who was approximately 7 years old from Ohio to numerous other states. While in those other states, Gaines sexually assaulted the child repeatedly and in a variety of ways.
Gaines was on parole when he committed the sexual assaults. He was convicted in Stark County Common Pleas Court in 2005 of raping a 13-year-old in 1998.
In 2000, Gaines was convicted in Florida of kidnapping and attempted aggravated assault after approaching a woman on the beach, placing a knife to her throat, and saying, “you’re coming with me.”
Gaines’ DNA also linked him to two other rapes. Around the time of the 1998 rape, the defendant approached a 15-year-old on the street in Canton, Ohio, and threatened her with a box cutter before taking her into the woods and raping her. Gaines’ DNA was found in the victim’s underwear. In 2002, a married couple was walking on the beach in Florida when the defendant approached them with a weapon covered by a towel and forced them to an abandoned building. Gaines raped the wife and forced the husband to watch.
“A multi-decade sentence is warranted for this defendant, whose ongoing actions reveal him to be a true predator,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Gaines spent much of the past 20 plus years – other than the times he was incarcerated – perpetrating dangerous sexual assaults. Now, he’ll spend the next 35 years in federal prison. This is the type of incorrigible conduct that prison walls are made for.”
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost; Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant and members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Senior Litigation Counsel Heather A. Hill and Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case.
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Rosebud Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rosebud, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Damon Clyde Has Horns, age 41, was indicted on March 8, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on June 24, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between October 6, 2021, and March 8, 2022, in the District of South Dakota, Has Horns, a person required to register as a sex offender by reason of conviction under federal law, knowingly failed to register and update his registration.
The charge is merely an accusation and Has Horns is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler is prosecuting the case.
Has Horns was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Rapid City Woman Sentenced to 10 Years Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on June 23, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Rayne Jackson, age 28, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and $60 restitution for drug testing costs.
Jackson was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on July 23, 2020. She pleaded guilty on January 14, 2022. During her involvement in the conspiracy, methamphetamine was brought to South Dakota from out-of-state by the defendant, or by others through arrangements with her. She then dispersed methamphetamine in South Dakota to others for use and distribution.
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota National Guard, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case. Two co-defendants, Nathan Bellew and Eric Yockey, were previously sentenced.
Jackson was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Putnam County Man Sentenced to Prison for Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Keegan Shane Stanley, 31, of Poca, was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, for transportation of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Stanley admitted to uploading videos of child pornography to Dropbox, an online file sharing website, with his computer on May 9, 2021. After receiving a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding the Dropbox activity, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant of Stanley's residence on August 5, 2021. Officers seized the computer and other electronic devices during the search. A forensic analysis revealed over 1,600 images of child pornography on Stanley's computer. Stanley admitted to knowingly possessing the images, and further admitted than many depicted prepubescent minors while some depicted minors engaged in sadistic or masochistic conduct.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie White prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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-208.
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Philadelphia Man Charged in Two Carjackings of Food Delivery DriversRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that John Nusslein, 18, of Philadelphia, PA, was arrested and charged by Indictment with carjacking resulting in death, carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, conspiracy to commit carjacking, and carrying and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, all in connection with two carjacking incidents that occurred in December 2021 in Northeast Philadelphia. The defendant made his initial appearance in federal court on these charges today and was detained pending trial.
The Indictment alleges that on December 2, 2021, the defendant, in concert with others, placed a food delivery order to an address on the 3000 block of Teesdale Street as a ruse to lure their intended victim to that location. That evening, when the food delivery driver arrived on that block with the order, the defendant and his coconspirators approached the driver and struck him repeatedly, stole his vehicle and fled the area. As a result of the injuries sustained in this attack, the victim delivery driver succumbed to his injuries and died.
Then, on December 16, 2021, the defendant, in concert with others, followed the same plan and placed another food delivery order to an address on the 9000 block of Hilspach Street to lure another victim. When the food delivery driver arrived to deliver his cargo, the defendant and others approached the driver, pointed a firearm at him, demanded his money and struck him, stole his vehicle and then fled.
“Through our Office’s Carjacking Task Force, we are continuing to investigate, arrest and prosecute those responsible for the spate of carjackings we have seen in Philadelphia in recent months,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “As alleged, this defendant violently attacked two hard-working people, one of whom died as a result of his injuries. Carjacking is not game or a fun pastime, it is a serious federal crime with severe consequences.”
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.
The total maximum sentence for the defendant is the death penalty, or alternatively, a period of imprisonment up to life, with a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence of imprisonment, and a $1,000,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren E. Stram and Robert E. Eckert.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pharmacist Admits Filling Counterfeit Prescriptions Selling Oxycodone and Codeine in Exchange for CashRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A pharmacist and pharmacy owner pleaded guilty today to violating the Controlled Substances Act by filling fraudulent and counterfeit prescriptions in exchange for cash, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Anthony Duncan, 61, of Hillside, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone and codeine.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Duncan was a licensed pharmacist who owned and operated Parkway Central Pharmacy in East Orange, New Jersey. Duncan’s conspirators obtained bogus prescriptions for controlled substances, including oxycodone and codeine. They brought those bogus prescriptions to Duncan at Parkway Central, who filled the prescriptions knowing that they were false or counterfeit and that he was prohibited from dispensing controlled substances without a valid prescription.
Duncan accepted cash payments from his conspirators in exchange for filling the fraudulent and counterfeit prescriptions and dispensing controlled substances. He was generally paid $4 for every oxycodone 30mg pill; $2 for every oxycodone and acetaminophen combination product; and $10 for every eight ounces of cough syrup containing codeine. From November 2014 through November 2018, Duncan filled more than 1,100 false or counterfeit prescriptions for controlled substances. He illegally sold to one conspirator at least 47,000 tablets of Oxycodone 30 mg; 46,000 tablets of oxycodone and acetaminophen combination product; and 56,000 milliliters of cough syrup containing codeine.
The count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone and codeine is punishable by a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million, or twice the gross profit to the defendant, whichever is greater. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 8, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hayden M. Brockett of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
New Jersey Man Convicted of Several Child Pornography Charges after Throwing Electronic Devices into BayRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was convicted of several counts involving images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Charles F. Browne, 52, of South River, New Jersey, was found guilty on June 27, 2022, following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court of receiving child pornography, soliciting child pornography, possessing prepubescent child pornography, and concealing objects to impede the FBI’s investigation.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
In September 2017, a cloud-based file service noticed that apparent child sex abuse material had been uploaded to, and maintained in, an account with the screen name “Charles Browne” and an email address containing the term “cbrowne.” The FBI obtained the files that were uploaded to the online account, which included prepubescent child pornography and two copies of Browne’s resume.
On April 8, 2019, law enforcement officers stopped Browne’s vehicle as he left his residence. Brown was given a Miranda warning and interviewed by law enforcement officers about the FBI’s ongoing child exploitation investigation. Browne initially denied having an iPad and then, in response to the agent’s question at the conclusion of the interview asking where his iPad was, responded that it was at home, which was approximately one mile away. Law enforcement officers told Browne that an online file account contained two images of prepubescent child sexual abuse created by an Apple iPhone Model 5C camera. Browne denied knowledge of the child pornography. At the conclusion of the interview, Browne was dropped off at his vehicle, which was locked.
At trial, Browne confessed that he broke into his vehicle after the FBI interview, removed an iPad and his iPhone, and then walked to a local private beach club. Browne was observed by a neighbor as he walked to the end of the dock and threw his iPad and iPhone into the bay.
After Browne returned to his residence without his electronic devices, the FBI conducted a canvass of the area and located the neighbor who had observed Browne throwing his iPad into the bay. The FBI sent in a dive team, which recovered Browne’s iPad and iPhone – an Apple Model 5C – from the bay.
The devices were repaired; review of the data recovered from the devices revealed videos and images of child sexual abuse. Web history from the iPad reflected that Browne had sought out images of child sexual abuse on the iPad the day before law enforcement officers interviewed Browne. Evidence from Browne’s iPad and iPhone reflected that Browne sent emails to others seeking child pornography “vids.”
The counts of receipt of child pornography and solicitation of child pornography each carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and fine of $250,000. The count of possession of prepubescent child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The count of concealing objects to impede a federal investigation count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 9, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jesse Levine of the Newark Division, Assistant Director Michael Driscoll of the New York Division, and Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr., of the Birmingham Division; the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Lori Linskey; the Monmouth County Sherriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Shaun Golden; the Ocean County Sherriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy; the Tom’s River Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief Mitchell A. Little; the South River Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief Mark Tinitigan; and the Manalapan Township Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief Edward Niesz, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty verdict.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamie L. Hoxie and Jonathan Fayer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Newark.
New Haven Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Role in Lottery and Romance Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RALPH PIERRE, 32, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in lottery and romance scams that defrauded primarily elderly victims across the country of millions of dollars.
According to the evidence presented during a trial in this matter, in a lottery scam, scammers notify victims by telephone, through online communications, or by mail, that they have won the lottery. The victims are then told that in order to collect the prize they must pay fees for things like taxes, shipping and processing. Often, once a victim sends a small amount of money, a scammer will ask for larger sums of money with a promise of more winnings. The victims never receive winnings. In a romance scam, scammers take advantage of people looking for companionship by pretending to be prospective companions. Scammers typically create fake online profiles on dating websites that include false personal details such as the death of a spouse, or military service, to lure victims to trust them. Once they have gained the trust of victims, scammers will ask victims for money, falsely claiming to need money for medical or business emergencies, for travel to see the victim, or other purposes.
Between approximately August 2015 and March 2020, Farouq Fasasi, Rodney Thomas, Jr. and others used lottery scams, romance scams and other fraudulent means to induce elderly victims to provide them with money, gifts and personal details. Victims sent cash, money orders or checks through the mail to various addresses in Connecticut, and also wired or deposited money into bank accounts in Connecticut controlled by conspiracy members and their associates.
Fasasi, Thomas, Pierre and other co-conspirators lived together for a time at a residence on Sherman Avenue in New Haven, where many packages containing cash, checks and money orders from victims were delivered. To help launder the money obtained from fraud victims, Pierre formed a fake charity, called “Global Protection Foundation,” and opened four bank accounts in the fake charity’s name. Between July and November 2018, more than $200,000 was deposited into and withdrawn from these bank accounts and Pierre’s personal bank accounts.
The investigation revealed that these scams defrauded more than 200 victims across the U.S. of more than $5 million. Many of the victims were elderly and vulnerable, and some victims lost their life savings. One Connecticut victim lost more than $1 million.
On February 15, 2022, Fasasi, Thomas and Pierre were found guilty of multiple charges stemming from this scheme. Specifically, Pierre was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of money laundering. Three other individuals have been charged and convicted of offenses stemming from their participation in this scheme.
Pierre, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on August 31.
The Justice Department has established a National Elder Fraud Hotline to provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud. The Hotline is staffed by experienced case managers who can provide personalized support to callers. Case managers assist callers with reporting the suspected fraud to relevant agencies and by providing resources and referrals to other appropriate services as needed. When applicable, case managers will complete a complaint form with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for Internet-facilitated crimes and submit a consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission on behalf of the caller. The Hotline’s toll free number is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311). For more information, please visit. https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/stop-elder-fraud/providing-help-restoring-hope.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Army-CID, and New Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather L. Cherry and Stephanie T. Levick
Michigan Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Defrauding Business Opportunity Buyers of More Than $5 MillionRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Michigan man was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for defrauding victims of more than $5 million in connection with the sale of medical-related business opportunities, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Vijay Reddy, 46, of Milan, Michigan, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From December 2015 through November 2020, Reddy and his conspirators, David Weinstein and Kevin Brown, advertised business opportunities for sale on various websites. They purported to sell “blocks” of contracts with medical providers who allegedly wanted to outsource their medical billing, collections, appeals, answering, credentialing, or transcription functions. The buyers would then provide the contracted services to the medical providers and earn a profit. The conspirators promised to deliver a specified number of providers and pledged that their proprietary marketing efforts would provide a guaranteed client base to the buyers.
To induce buyers to purchase the business opportunities, the conspirators created fake references purporting to be buyers who vouched for their prior business purchases from the conspirators. In fact, the references were Reddy, Weinstein, and their friends and family members, and they used aliases and disguised phone numbers to speak with potential buyers.
After agreeing to purchase the blocks of medical providers, victims entered contracts with companies represented by Weinstein or Reddy and wired down payments ranging from $15,000 to $240,000 to accounts controlled by Weinstein or Brown. The remainder of each purchase price was payable when the conspirators fulfilled the contract by delivering the agreed-upon number of providers.
After receiving the down payments, Weinstein and Reddy typically delivered to each victim only a small number of medical providers. Despite not fulfilling the contracts of any of the buyers identified by law enforcement, the conspirators continued to sell blocks of medical providers to new buyers and refused to provide refunds for their failures to satisfy the terms of the contracts. The conspirators also periodically sold batches of previously signed contracts and disclaimed further responsibility for those contracts to insulate themselves from complaints or legal action from disgruntled buyers.
Brown acted as the business broker for most of the transactions and received a commission for the sales he brokered. Reddy or Weinstein acted as the seller and signed the contracts with the victims. At least 77 victims sent more than $5 million to accounts controlled by the conspirators. The conspirators spent the victims’ money on personal expenses and business investments.
Weinstein was sentenced in December 2021 to 12 years in prison; Brown pleaded guilty in February 2022 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 8, 2022.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced Reddy to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $5.93 million.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire in Philadelphia; special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark; and postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Damon Wood in Philadelphia, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel A. Friedman and Diana V. Carrig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
Mexican National Is Sentenced to More Than 12 Years for Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering, and Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jose Velasquez, 38, of Mexico, was sentenced yesterday to 151 months in prison and five years of supervised release for drug trafficking, money laundering, and illegal reentry, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and court proceedings, from at least 2018 to 2020, Velasquez was a member of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing bulk quantities of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine in the greater Charlotte area and throughout Western North Carolina. On January 24, 2020, law enforcement arrested Velasquez on criminal illegal reentry charges. On the same date, law enforcement also executed search warrants at Velasquez’s residence and vehicle, seizing more than two kilograms of heroin, half a kilogram of cocaine, and approximately half a kilogram of fentanyl and methamphetamine. As described in court documents, in addition to trafficking narcotics, Velasquez laundered drug proceeds to the DTO leaders in Mexico via money wires. Velasquez also used his boutique shop, Envios & Botique Rosita, located at 4801 S. Tryon Street, in Charlotte, to conduct his drug trafficking activities and to launder drug proceeds for the DTO.
Velasquez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine, money laundering conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute heroin, and illegal reentry of a deported alien subsequent to the conviction for an aggravated felony, that being Fraud in 2004 and Larceny from the Person in 2009.
Velasquez is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. Velasquez will also be subject to deportation proceedings upon the completion of his federal sentence.
The DEA and HSI led the investigation, which is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations 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. Attorneys Regina Pack and Kenneth Smith of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Mexican Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Return by an Alien Removed After Conviction for a FelonyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Mexican national pled guilty to the federal crime of unlawful return of an alien deported or removed after conviction for a felony.
U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi, and Mellissa B. Harper, Acting Field Office Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in New Orleans, made the announcement
According to court documents, Ernesto Coronado-Rodriguez, 36, of Mexico, was arrested on April 12, 2022, after ICE ERO officers conducted a field fugitive operation to locate Coronado-Rodriguez near Wiggins in Stone County, Mississippi. Homeland Security fingerprint databases conclusively identified Coronado-Rodriguez as a previously removed alien who has been removed from the United States on multiple occasions and has been twice convicted of felony unlawful return after removal.
Prior to his formal removals, Coronado-Rodriguez was allowed three voluntary departures in lieu of removal, which occurred in or about 2003, 2006 and 2009. Subsequently, he unlawfully returned to the United States, and was formally ordered removed in 2012 by a U.S. Immigration Judge in Dallas, Texas. Based on this lawful removal order, Coronado-Rodriguez was physically removed from the U.S. to his home nation of Mexico on October 19, 2012. In 2013, he was arrested again by ICE Agents in Lubbock, Texas, and was prosecuted and convicted of unlawful return by an alien after removal. After completion of a 16-month prison sentence, he was physically removed again from the United States in 2014, through Brownsville, Texas. In 2018, Coronado-Rodriguez again was arrested by Border Patrol Agents near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, and prosecuted again for unlawful return by an alien after removal. He was again convicted and, following his prison sentence, removed again to Mexico in 2019, through Del Rio, Texas.
Coronado-Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced on October 7, 2022 at 10:00 a.m., and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. After completing any sentence of incarceration, he also is subject to proceedings to remove him from the U.S. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in connection with receiving child pornography, including images of an infant.
Paul Weddington, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 12 years in prison and five years of supervised release. On March 9, 2022, Weddington pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography.
According to court records, in November 2020, Nichole Cyr was arrested for child exploitation offenses after child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including images and videos, were located on her cell phones. Further analysis of Cyr’s phones found conversations with Weddington in which Weddington received CSAM from Cyr that depicted two children who were two and seven years old and known to Cyr. Following the investigation, Weddington’s phone was seized during a search of his residence in February 2021. The phone contained screenshots of an apparent video chat with Cyr in which CSAM of the two-year-old child was displayed.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Fall River Police Chief Paul Gauvin made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Chief of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maryland Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Maryland man was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and violating his supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 7, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Washington Avenue residence in Huntington. Edward Sample, also known as “Caine,” 37, of Baltimore, was located in the house along with other individuals. Officers seized a loaded Taurus G3C 9mm pistol, capsules which contained heroin and fentanyl, $1,620 in cash, digital scales and a cutting agent during the search. Sample admitted to possessing the firearm to protect his money and drugs. Sample further admitted to using the same firearm two days earlier to shoot at a house in the Cross Lanes area in order to collect a $50 drug debt. The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department investigated that incident.
Samples was previously convicted of aiding and abetting an armed robbery and possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence in United States District Court for the District of Maryland on January 21, 2011. Today’s nine-year prison sentence includes two additional years for committing crimes while on supervised release.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crimes and Drug Task Force, the Huntington Police Department and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Greg McVey 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-58.
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Maryland Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Killing Construction Worker in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – George Miller, 28, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for killing a construction worker in November 2020 in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Miller pleaded guilty in March 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of second-degree murder while armed. He was sentenced by the Honorable Robert Okun. Following his prison term, he is to be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 1:40 p.m. on Nov. 18, 2020, Miller rode a bicycle toward a house that was under construction in the 1600 block of Olive Street NE. He entered the building and pointed a gun at Elias Flores, who was working at the site. He held Mr. Flores at gunpoint and took some of his property. Miller then shot Mr. Flores once in the head before fleeing the scene. When first responders arrived, Mr. Flores was not conscious but was breathing and suffering from a single gunshot wound to the head. Mr. Flores, 48, was taken to a hospital, where he died on Nov. 23, 2020.
Miller was arrested on Dec 9, 2020. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris and Victim/Witness Advocate Karina Hernandez. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel L. Dean, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 180 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that yesterday Damian Julmal Navarro, age 27, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute heroin/fentanyl, as well as for possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Navarro pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin/fentanyl, and to a second charge of unlawfully possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Navarro was one of eleven defendants indicted in May 2020. With the exception of Tysheen Gott, a/k/a “LB,” all other co-conspirators pleaded guilty. Gott was convicted after trial in August 2021, and is awaiting sentencing.
This case was the result of a year-long investigation, in part driven by multiple federal wiretaps conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, the Scranton Police Department, the Pittston City Police Department, the Plymouth Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, the Wyoming County District Attorney’s Office and the Office of Pennsylvania Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Olshefski and Robert O’Hara prosecuted the case.
This case was part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Luzerne County Man Indicted for Mailing ThreatsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that James Charles Meininger, Jr., age 37, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, was indicted today by a federal grand jury for mailing threatening communications.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that, in October of 2021, Meininger mailed letters to General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen H. Hicks, threatening to kidnap and injure both of those officials along with Senator Nancy Pelosi. The indictment also alleges Meininger sent a threatening letter to a news journalist in Wilkes-Barre.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni is prosecuting the case.
The total maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 25 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Louisiana Man Sentenced for Attempted Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Kaplan, Louisiana, man convicted of Attempted Possession of Child Pornography was sentenced on June 22, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Robert Lee Goodwill, Jr., age 21, was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Goodwill will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Goodwill was arrested and federally indicted as a result of an undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2020 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting internet predators. Goodwill initiated sexual chats and sought images of child pornography from a person he believed to be a 15-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover agent. Goodwill then negotiated a time and place he would meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts. When Goodwill went to the pre-determined location to meet the minor, he was met by law enforcement and placed under arrest.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
Goodwill was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Local felon heads to prison for smuggling nearly 100 in trailerRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 49-year-old Desoto man has been sent to prison following his conviction of alien smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Dedrick Lindell Coleman pleaded guilty April 14.
Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo ordered Coleman to serve 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony that described Coleman’s efforts to smuggle over 90 people inside a tractor trailer. In handing down the sentence, Judge Marmolejo considered that number of individuals and his prior criminal history.
At the time of his plea, Coleman admitted that on Jan. 14, he approached the Interstate Highway 35 Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint located on mile marker 29 while driving a tractor trailer. A K-9 unit alerted authorities to the presence of concealed humans and referred him to secondary inspection.
There, authorities found a total of 95 non-U.S. citizens hidden in the trailer. All were determined to be in the United States illegally. At the time of his arrest, authorities also discovered a pistol in Coleman’s possession.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Isaac prosecuted the case.
Local couple faces life in prison on charges relating to forced laborRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – Two Edinburg residents have been indicted on multiple charges to include hostage taking, labor trafficking and financially benefitting from the labor of three victims, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Today, a federal grand jury returned a seven-count superseding indictment against Eduardo Javier Gomez, 31, and Margarita Alvarez, 40. They are expected to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott Hacker for their arraignment in the near future.
Both had been previously indicted for hostage taking and labor trafficking. The superseding indictment returned today adds the charge of financially benefitting from the forced labor.
According to the complaint originally filed in the case, authorities learned that three individuals had allegedly been taken at gun point and forced to work in McAllen for approximately two weeks.
The investigation revealed the victims were allegedly being harbored separately and forced to work without pay. The two male victims were forced to sell drugs outside of a club, while a female was required to act as a nanny and housekeeper at the house Gomez and Alvarez shared, according to the charges. All three victims were also allegedly made to work at a local fireworks stand Gomez managed.
If convicted, the couple faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliza Carmen Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Livingston man admits meth trafficking, firearm crimesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Livingston man today admitted allegations that he trafficked methamphetamine in the community and carried loaded firearms in furtherance of his drug distribution, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Ryan King Steady, 40, pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging him with possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Steady faces a mandatory minimum five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release on the drug crime and a mandatory minimum five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm crime.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Steady was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on Jan. 3, 2021, law enforcement conducted a welfare check on a person identified as Jane Doe 1 at Steady’s residence. Steady was home and invited officers in to speak with Doe 1. While walking through the house, an officer saw a 9mm semi-automatic handgun in Steady’s bedroom. The gun contained a loaded magazine with 18 rounds and was next to a holster and an additional loaded magazine. Officers seized the firearm and ammunition.
Officers learned that a few days earlier, Steady had travelled with another individual to Arizona and obtained a pound of meth, which he then sold to several people. Steady also regularly provided Doe 1 with meth. In addition, officers learned that Steady twice went to Belgrade to buy meth, that he had several people moving the drug for him and got the firearm for protection. In an April 17, 2021, traffic stop of Steady in Gallatin County near Belgrade, officers found a 12-gauge shotgun with two shells in the feed tube near a backpack, which contained a digital scale and unused plastic baggies. He described specific items in the backpack but denied knowledge of the scale and baggies. Officers searched the backpack and found gram quantities of meth.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Park County Sheriff’s Office, Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Probation and Parole.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Lino Lakes Felon Charged Federally with Methamphetamine Trafficking, Firearms Violations in Connection to Kidnapping, Torture CaseRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Jose Angel Chapa-Aguilera has been charged in a federal indictment with drug trafficking and firearms violations in connection to the December 2021 kidnapping and torture of a man, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to state and federal court documents, Chapa-Aguilera, 24, of Lino Lakes, was in possession of quantities of methamphetamine and unlawfully possessed 9mm semi-automatic handguns on two different occasions.
In April 2021 Chapa-Aguilera used a false name during a traffic stop in Nobles County which later resulted in the seizure of methamphetamine and a firearm from the vehicle he was driving near Worthington, Minnesota.
On December 20, 2021, at a Brooklyn Park residence, Chapa-Aguilera allegedly confronted a man about a drug debt. During the confrontation, Chapa-Aguilera pulled out a handgun and pointed it at a victim’s head. Chapa-Aguilera then ordered the victim to the ground and tied his hands behind his back and proceeded to beat and torture the victim for hours before barricading the victim in a crawlspace under the house. The victim was eventually able to escape once Chapa-Aguilera left the house. The victim suffered extensive injuries, including numerous burns, broken ribs, a large laceration above his eye, and required a blood transfusion. Law enforcement seized methamphetamine from Chapa-Aguilera’s residence during a search warrant executed shortly thereafter. Law enforcement eventually captured Chapa-Aguilera on January 7, 2022, and found him in possession of a firearm.
Chapa-Aguilera has also been charged in Hennepin County District Court with first-degree assault and kidnapping in connection with the December 2021 incident.
The federal indictment against Chapa-Aguilera charges him with two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of brandishing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and two counts of illegally possessing firearms as a felon. Because Chapa-Aguilera has a prior felony conviction in Anoka County for second degree assault he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Chapa-Aguilera made his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Becky R. Thorson. He will remain in federal custody pending further court proceedings.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force (VOTF), and the Brooklyn Park Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Making False Statements to Firearms DealerRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Lincoln man was sentenced today in federal court for providing false information to a firearms dealer while purchasing firearms, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Dwight Gary, 51, of Lincoln to time served and two years of supervised release. Gary pleaded guilty in November 2021.
According to court records, in February 2021, Gary knowingly made two false and fictitious written statements to Maine Military Supply in Holden, a licensed firearms dealer. When asked on an ATF form, “Are you the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm(s) listed on this form and any continuation sheets,” he checked the box for “yes.” However, at the time of the purchases, Gary knew that he was not the actual buyer of the firearms, but rather was buying them for and at the direction of another person. It is against federal law to provide false information to federal firearm licensees when purchasing firearms. His false statements were discovered after the Orono Police Department seized a Sig Sauer P365 9mm pistol on February 14, 2021.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orono Police Department investigated the case as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative.
Project Safe Neighborhoods: Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, community leaders and other stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. Project Safe Neighborhoods is coordinated by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the 94 federal judicial districts throughout the 50 states and U.S. territories, and the program is customized to account for local violent crime problems and resources. Across all districts, Project Safe Neighborhoods follows four key design elements of successful violent crime reduction initiatives: community engagement, prevention and intervention, focused and strategic enforcement, and accountability. To learn more information about Project Safe Neighborhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
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KC Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
Nineteen firearms were seized by federal agents from Rusty Snow's residence.KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who was arrested with 19 firearms and quantities of illegal drugs in his home was sentenced in federal court today for trafficking methamphetamine and illegally possessing firearms.
Rusty W. Snow, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 15 years and one month in federal prison without parole.
On Jan. 6, 2022, Snow pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes.
Investigators were conducting surveillance on co-defendant Dylan Lee Larson, 29, of Overland Park, Kansas, who engaged in a series of controlled drug transactions with a confidential source in October 2020. Officers followed Larson to Snow’s residence, where they executed a search warrant on Nov. 5, 2020. Snow and co-defendant Robin A. Graham, 38, who shared the residence with Snow, were at home during the search and were arrested.
Officers found a loaded Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol on the couch, along with a lunchbox that contained approximately 572 grams of crystal methamphetamine. Officers also found approximately 400.8 grams of marijuana in a shoebox on the floor, and multiple items of drug paraphernalia nearby.
Officers found 18 more firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition littered throughout the residence. Six of those firearms – a shotgun, a rifle, and four semi-automatic pistols – had been reported stolen.
Additionally, as they continued the search, officers found another approximately 527.44 grams of marijuana, another approximately 33.39 grams of crystal methamphetamine, approximately 33.39 grams of psychedelic mushrooms, approximately 48.9 grams of THC concentrate/THC wax, and 38 full and 11 half pills of various controlled pharmaceuticals.
Officers also found four stolen motorcycles on the property, two police tasers, police identification and other police items stolen from Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan. officers.
Graham pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Jan. 21, 2022, to nine years in federal prison without parole. Larson pleaded guilty and was sentenced on April 15, 2022, to five years in federal prison without parole.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Jury Convicts State Lawmaker of COVID-19 Fraud Scheme at Springfield Health Care CharityRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Missouri state representative was convicted by a federal trial jury today for a nearly $900,000 COVID-19 fraud scheme, as well as a separate $200,000 fraud scheme in which she made false claims about a fake stem cell treatment marketed through her clinics in southern Missouri, and for illegally providing prescription drugs to clients of those clinics.
“This is an elected official who stole money from the public, a purported humanitarian who cheated and lied to her patients, and a medical professional who illegally distributed drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “She violated her position of trust to selfishly enrich herself at the expense of others. But a jury of her peers, in a unanimous verdict, saw through her smokescreen of excuses and ridiculous claims, and now she will be held accountable for her criminal behavior.”
Patricia “Tricia” Ashton Derges, 64, of Nixa, Mo., was found guilty of 10 counts of wire fraud, 10 counts of distributing drugs over the internet without a valid prescription, and two counts of making false statements to a federal law enforcement agent.
Derges was elected in November 2020 as a Missouri state representative in District 140 (Christian County). Derges, who is not a physician but is licensed as an assistant physician, operates three for-profit Ozark Valley Medical Clinic locations in Springfield, Ozark, and Branson, Mo. Derges also operates the non-profit corporation Lift Up Someone Today, Inc., with a medical and dental clinic in Springfield.
“Derges betrayed the confidence entrusted in her as both an elected lawmaker and an assistant physician,” said Charles Dayoub, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Kansas City. “She took advantage of a global pandemic to benefit herself financially with complete disregard, not only to her constituents, but to the oath she took as a health care professional to do no harm. Today’s verdict, decided by a jury of her peers, is a direct message to those who wish to profit on the backs of others: the FBI will vigorously pursue any individual who abuses their position of power and the trust of Missourians for their own gain.”
“By putting personal profit before the health and welfare of her constituents, this official egregiously violated the duties of her position as an elected public servant,” said Curt L. Muller, Special Agent in Charge with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will not tolerate any attempts to defraud federal health care programs, particularly those that steal from essential taxpayer funds and endanger public health.”
COVID-19 Fraud Scheme
Derges was convicted of three counts of wire fraud related to her attempt to fraudulently receive nearly $900,000 in CARES Act funds. Derges actually was awarded $296,574 in CARES Act funds for Lift Up, although Lift Up did not provide any COVID-19 testing services to its patients. In fact, Lift Up’s medical clinic closed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and remained closed from March to June 2020.
Derges sought CARES Act funding for COVID-19 testing that had been provided, and already paid for, at her for-profit Ozark Valley Medical Clinic. Derges requested reimbursement for $379,294 in COVID-19 testing and related expenses, and future funding in the amount of $503,350. In total, Derges applied for $882,644 from the CARES Act Relief Fund on Lift Up’s behalf.
Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March 2020, which provided $150 billion to states, tribal governments, and units of local government. Missouri was allocated approximately $2.3 billion. Missouri allocated approximately $34 million in CARES Act funds to Greene County. To administer the CARES Act funds it received, the Greene County Commission created the CARES Act Relief Fund to “promote recovery by funding programs and services that support the needs of those impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency.” An advisory council of 30 citizen volunteers was appointed to review funding requests and make funding recommendations to the Greene County Commission.
Derges claimed in her application to the Greene County CARES Act Relief Fund that Lift Up provided COVID-19 testing and she sought reimbursement for “COVID-19 eligible expenses” that Lift Up had incurred. To support her claim, Derges provided invoices totaling $296,574 from Dynamic DNA for more than 3,000 COVID-19 laboratory tests. Derges submitted the Dynamic DNA invoices as Lift Up expenditures, although they were actually for testing done at Derges’s for-profit Ozark Valley Medical Clinic.
Lift Up, a non-profit charity, and Ozark Valley Medical Clinic, a for-profit corporation, are separate legal entities. Ozark Valley Medical Center had already received payment from its clients of approximately $517,000 for these COVID-19 tests. Ozark Valley Medical Center charged clients, patients, or their patients’ employers approximately $167 per sample for its COVID-19 testing services. Derges concealed from Greene County that these COVID-19 tests had already been paid for by other payors.
In December 2020, the Greene County Commission awarded Lift Up $296,574 in CARES Act funding based upon Lift Up’s fraudulent application and the Dynamic DNA invoices Derges had submitted. Derges deposited the check into Lift Up’s bank account, then transferred the funds into Ozark Valley Medical Center’s bank account.
Derges provided several more invoices from Dynamic DNA to Greene County later in December 2020 to further support her application for Lift Up, although the invoices were actually for testing done for clients at Ozark Valley Medical Center, raising the total to $589,143 for 6,177 COVID-19 tests. Derges concealed from Greene County that Ozark Valley Medical Center already had been paid approximately $1 million by clients, patients, or their patients’ employers, for these COVID-19 tests.
Stem Cell Fraud Scheme
Derges also was convicted of seven counts of wire fraud related to a nearly $200,000 fraud scheme, which lasted from December 2018 to May 2020. Derges marketed a stem cell treatment that actually utilized amniotic fluid that did not contain any stem cells. The federal indictment charged her with defrauding four specific victims, each of whom testified during the trial.
Derges exclusively obtained amniotic fluid, which she marketed under the name Regenerative Biologics, from the University of Utah. Derges advertised Ozark Valley Medical Clinic as a “Leader in … Regenerative Medicine,” including stem cells, and marketed her “stem cell” practice through seminars, media interviews, and social media. Derges made similar claims in personal consultations.
In fact, however, the amniotic fluid Derges administered to her patients did not contain mesenchymal stem cells, or any other stem cells. The amniotic fluid she obtained from the University of Utah was a sterile filtered amniotic fluid allograft (a tissue graft comprised of human amniotic membrane and amniotic fluid components derived from placental tissue). The amniotic fluid allograft was “acellular,” meaning it did not contain any cells, including stem cells.
Despite being told that the University of Utah’s amniotic fluid allograft was “acellular” and did not contain mesenchymal stem cells, Derges continued to tell her patients and the public that the amniotic fluid allograft contained stem cells.
Derges administered amniotic fluid, which she falsely claimed contained stem cells, to patients who suffered from, among other things, tissue damage, kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Lyme disease, and urinary incontinence. In an April 11, 2020, Facebook post Derges wrote of amniotic fluid allograft: “This amazing treatment stands to provide a potential cure for COVID-19 patients that is safe and natural.”
The University of Utah sold its amniotic fluid allograft to Derges for approximately $244 per milliliter and $438 for two milliliters. Derges charged her patients $950 to $1,450 per milliliter. In total, Derges’s patients paid her approximately $191,815 for amniotic fluid that did not contain stem cells.
Controlled Substances Act
Derges also was convicted of 10 counts of distributing Oxycodone and Adderall over the internet without valid prescriptions. The indictment alleges that Derges, without conducting in-person medical evaluations of the patients, wrote electronic prescriptions for Oxycodone and Adderall for patients and transmitted them to pharmacies over the internet.
Because none of the assistant physicians whom Derges employed at Ozark Valley Medical Clinic could prescribe Schedule II controlled substances, it was the standard practice of the assistant physicians to see a patient and later communicate to Derges the controlled substances they wanted her to prescribe to their patients. Derges, without conducting an in-person medical evaluation of the patients as required by federal law, wrote electronic prescriptions for the patients and transmitted the prescriptions over the internet to pharmacies.
False Statements
Derges also was convicted of two counts of making false statements to federal agents investigating this case in May 2020.
Derges told agents that the amniotic fluid allograft that she used in her practice contained mesenchymal stem cells, which she knew was false. Derges also told federal agents that she had not treated a patient for urinary incontinence with amniotic fluid allograft, which she knew was false.
Assistant Physician
Derges is not a physician but is licensed as an assistant physician. An assistant physician is a mid-level medical professional in the state of Missouri. Under Missouri law, medical school graduates who have not been accepted into a residency program but have passed Step 1 and Step 2 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination may apply to become an assistant physician. State law mandates that assistant physicians practice pursuant to a collaborative practice arrangement with a licensed physician.
Derges obtained her medical degree from the Caribbean Medical University of Curacao in May 2014 but was not accepted into a post-graduate residency program. Derges was licensed as an assistant physician by the state of Missouri on Sept. 8, 2017.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo., deliberated for about six hours over two days before returning guilty verdicts on all counts to U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes, ending a trial that began Monday, June 13.
Under federal statutes, Derges is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole on each of the 10 wire fraud counts and on each of the 10 drug distribution counts, and a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole on each of the two false statements counts. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Kempf and Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the FBI, Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the DEA and the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Inland Empire Man Arrested on Indictment Alleging Conspiracy to Distribute Bulk Quantities of Methamphetamine and Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Riverside County man was arrested today on federal charges alleging he manufactured and distributed significant quantities of methamphetamine at his home laboratory – where two young children lived – and illegally possessed firearms and ammunition.
Alvaro Hector Martinez, 32, of Perris, is charged in the indictment with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, three counts of possession of methamphetamine, one count of knowingly possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Martinez is expected to be arraigned this afternoon at United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to the indictment returned on June 17, a co-conspirator arranged for wholesale drug purchasers to buy large quantities of narcotics, including methamphetamine, from Martinez. Martinez and others allegedly then manufactured methamphetamine using a homemade laboratory, and used firearms to protect the drugs, the laboratory and their drug proceeds.
Martinez allegedly distributed large amounts of methamphetamine, including a March 2021 drug deal in which he transported 34 pounds (15.4 kilograms) of the drug to a buyer.
After his arrest during a March 2021 traffic stop, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Martinez’s home and found more than 17.6 pounds (8 kilograms) of methamphetamine, 12.6 pounds (5.7 kilograms) of marijuana, five gallons of methamphetamine solution, two rifles, two handguns, eight firearm magazines, 41 rounds of ammunition, tactical vests and a methamphetamine conversion laboratory, according to an affidavit filed with a criminal complaint in this case.
Along with the narcotics, drug paraphernalia and firearms, law enforcement discovered two young boys – 2 and 3 years old, the affidavit states. Child Protective Services subsequently were called to the residence.
Martinez’s criminal history includes felony convictions in Los Angeles Superior Court for grand theft and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the indictment.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory D. Bernstein of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.
Indictment Charges 16 Individuals with Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Hartford Police Chief Jason Thody today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a 27-count indictment charging the following 16 individuals with various narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses stemming from the gang-related distribution of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and crack:
LUIS FELICIANO, a.k.a. “Louminaty,” 38, of East Hartford
JOSE TIRADO, a.k.a. “Joselito” and “Leet,” 41, of Hartford
CARL JONES, a.k.a. “M.O.B.,” 41, of Hartford
LUIS ROBLES, a.k.a. “Lou,” 25, of Hartford
ROBERTO DIAZ, a.k.a. “Dragon Eyes,” 52, of West Hartford
MILTON ROSARIO, a.k.a. “Little,” 39, of Hartford
ANGEL DELGADO, 58, of Hartford
MARTIN MALDONADO, 33, of Hartford
JEREMY OZUNA, 27, of New Jersey
ROBERT VALLE, 58, of Schenectady, New York
MARSHA WATSON, 33, of Bangor, Maine
DEVIN TEXIRA, a.k.a. “LV,” 25, of Hartford
JOSHUA RODRIGUEZ, 31, of Hartford
JOEL DELEON, JR., a.k.a. “Psycho,” 41, of Hartford
HERIBERTO MENDEZ, a.k.a. “Big Ed,” 43, of Hartford
CHRISTOPHER GILLIARD, a.k.a. “CJ” and “Gilly,” 34, of HartfordThe indictment, which was returned on June 8, alleges that Feliciano and several co-defendants distributed fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and crack to customers and other distributors in the Hartford area, and also to Watson in Bangor, Maine, and Ozuna and Valle in Schenectady, New York. The indictment also alleges that several defendants unlawfully possessed firearms.
Feliciano was arrested on April 13, 2022, after searches of his East Hartford residence and a Hartford apartment he used to store drugs revealed more than three kilograms of heroin, approximately 700 grams of fentanyl, quantities of crack and powder cocaine, and 40 rounds of ammunition. The other defendants have been detained in state custody, or were arrested by members of the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force after the indictment was returned.
The indictment charges Feliciano, Tirado, Jones, Robles, Diaz, Rosario, Delgado, Maldonado, Ozuna, Valle and Watson with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances. Feliciano, Jones, Tirado, Rodriguez, Delgado, Deleon, Robles and Gilliard are charged in one or more counts with various narcotics distribution offenses.
The indictment also charges Jones, Tirado, Texira, Deleon and Mendez with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon; Feliciano with unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon; and Robles with possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The Task Force includes members of the FBI, Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Leaming and Robert S. Ruff.
Indianapolis Man Sentenced to 188 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Daniel Witt, 26 years old, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to production of material depicting a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Witt was sentenced to 188 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on or about June 5, 2020, Daniel Witt did employ, use, persuade, induce, entice, or coerce a minor to produce sexually explicit images, knowing and having reason to know that such visual depiction would be transported using any means and facility of interstate commerce.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Allen County Sherriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
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Houston truck driver admits to transporting 145 in trailerRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 73-year-old Houston man entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to transport an undocumented alien, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Anthony Alfred Boring arrived at the Border Patrol checkpoint April 15 on IH-35 approximately 29 miles north of Laredo. He was driving a tractor that was pulling a locked utility trailer.
Upon questioning about what he was hauling, Boring appeared shocked. His face also turned pale, his eyes became glassy, and he sunk into his seat. He then shrugged his shoulders and mumbled “I don’t know.”
Law enforcement unlocked the trailer and discovered 145 individuals in the trailer. A total of 86 were from Mexico, 49 from Guatemala and five, three and two from Honduras, El Salvador and Ecuador, respectfully.
One of the people described how hot it was in the trailer and that it was excessively packed with bodies. Further, there was no drinking water in the trailer.
At the time of his sentencing, Boring faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez is prosecuting the case.
Honduran sent to prison after claims cartel forced him to transport drugsRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 28-year-old non-U.S. citizen has been sentenced to federal prison following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute nearly two kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
The jury deliberated for less than five hours following a two-day trial before convicting Edwin Lopez-Chavez March 25 on one count of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered Lopez to serve 60 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his sentence. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony that detailed how Lopez had received money in his jail commissary account from a person related to alien smuggling. Lopez claimed he was unfortunate to get involved with the wrong people as he was attempting to illegally enter the United States.
At trial, the jury heard that Lopez was a passenger in a vehicle that entered the primary inspection area at the Border Patrol checkpoint near Sarita on Aug. 22, 2021. A K-9 alerted to the vehicle which was then sent to the secondary inspection area for further investigation.
There, authorities discovered three non-U.S. citizens inside the trunk of the vehicle. Lopez, admitted he was a citizen and national of Honduras who was illegally present in the United States.
Law enforcement ultimately found four bundles of cocaine taped to his ankles and inside his waist band. Lopez admitted the bundles contained narcotics.
However, during trial, he attempted to convince the jury that he transported the cocaine because some cartel members had threatened him. These people were allegedly involved in moving Lopez and other illegal aliens north.
The jury heard that Lopez could have used his cell phone to contact law enforcement at any time or at the checkpoint explain he had been forced to transport narcotics. Additional evidence showed that he had lied to authorities during an interview by saying that his phone had no service in the United States. A forensic report of his phone revealed otherwise.
The jury ultimately did not believe his claims and found Lopez guilty as charged.
Lopez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda L. Gould and Liesel Roscher prosecuted the case.
Ghislaine Maxwell Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Conspiring with Jeffrey Epstein to Sexually Abuse MinorsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that GHISLANE MAXWELL was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court by United States Circuit Judge Alison J. Nathan to 240 months in prison for her role in a scheme to sexual exploit and abuse multiple minor girls with Jeffrey Epstein over the course of a decade. MAXWELL was previously found guilty on December 29, 2021, following a one-month jury trial, of conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, conspiracy to transport minors to participate in illegal sex acts, transporting a minor to participate in illegal sex acts, sex trafficking conspiracy, and sex trafficking of a minor.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Today’s sentence holds Ghislaine Maxwell accountable for perpetrating heinous crimes against children. This sentence sends a strong message that no one is above the law and it is never too late for justice. We again express our gratitude to Epstein and Maxwell’s victims for their courage in coming forward, in testifying at trial, and in sharing their stories as part of today’s sentencing.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment, court documents, and evidence presented at trial:
From at least 1994, up to and including in or about 2004, GHISLAINE MAXWELL assisted, facilitated, and participated in Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse of minor girls by, among other things, helping Epstein to recruit, groom, and ultimately abuse victims known to MAXWELL and Epstein to be under the age of 18. The victims were as young as 14 years old when they were groomed and abused by MAXWELL and Epstein, both of whom knew that their victims were in fact minors. As a part and in furtherance of their scheme to abuse minor victims, MAXWELL and Epstein enticed and caused minor victims to travel to Epstein’s residences in different states, which MAXWELL knew and intended would result in their grooming for and subjection to sexual abuse.
MAXWELL enticed and groomed minor girls to be abused in multiple ways. For example, MAXWELL attempted to befriend certain victims by asking them about their lives, their schools, and their families, and taking them to the movies or on shopping trips. MAXWELL also acclimated victims to Epstein’s conduct simply by being present for victim interactions with Epstein, which put victims at ease by providing the assurance and comfort of an adult woman who seemingly approved of Epstein’s behavior. Additionally, Epstein offered to help some victims by paying for travel and/or educational opportunities, and MAXWELL encouraged certain victims to accept Epstein’s assistance. As a result, victims were made to feel indebted and believed that MAXWELL and Epstein were trying to help them. MAXWELL also normalized and facilitated sexual abuse for a victim by discussing sexual topics, undressing in front of the victim, being present when the victim was undressed, and encouraging the victim to massage Epstein.
As MAXWELL and Epstein intended, these grooming behaviors left minor victims vulnerable and susceptible to sexual abuse by Epstein. MAXWELL was then present for certain sexual encounters between minor victims and Epstein, such as interactions where a minor victim was undressed, and ultimately was present for sex acts perpetrated by Epstein on minor victims. That abuse included sexualized massages during which a minor victim was fully or partially nude, as well as group sexualized massages of Epstein involving a minor victim where MAXWELL was present. In some instances, MAXWELL participated in the sexual abuse of minor victims.
Ultimately minor victims were subjected to sexual abuse that included, among other things, the touching of a victim’s breasts or genitals, placing a sex toy such as a vibrator on a victim’s genitals, directing a victim to touch Epstein while he masturbated, and directing a victim to touch Epstein’s genitals. MAXWELL and Epstein’s victims were groomed or abused at Epstein’s residences in New York, Florida, and New Mexico, as well as MAXWELL’s residence in London, England.
In the earlier phase of the conspiracy, from at least approximately 1994 through approximately 2001, MAXWELL and Epstein identified vulnerable girls, typically from single-mother households and difficult financial circumstances. This earlier phase required the defendant and Epstein to identify one girl at a time to target for grooming and abuse. In the later phase, from approximately 2001 until at least approximately 2004, MAXWELL and Epstein enticed and recruited, and caused to be enticed and recruited, minor girls to visit Epstein’s Palm Beach Residence to engage in sex acts with Epstein, after which Epstein, MAXWELL, or another employee of Epstein’s would give the victims hundreds of dollars in cash. MAXWELL and Epstein encouraged one or more of those victims to travel with Epstein with the intention that the victim engage in sex acts with Epstein. Moreover, and in order to maintain and increase his supply of victims, MAXWELL and Epstein also paid certain victims to recruit additional girls to be similarly abused by Epstein. In this way, MAXWELL and Epstein created a network of underage victims for Epstein to sexually exploit.
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In addition to the prison sentence, MAXWELL, 60, was sentenced to five years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $750,00 fine.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maurene Comey, Alison Moe, Lara Pomerantz, and Andrew Rohrbach are in charge of the prosecution.
Four Plead Guilty to Obtaining Nearly $5 Million in Fraudulent PPP LoansRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- Lori Hammond, 53 of Summerville, Catherine (“Cassie”) Needham, 36, of Manning, Jontrell Wright, 35, of Holly Hill, and Christopher Conrad, 39, of Holly Hill, have all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and wire fraud, in connection with their roles in fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars in PPP loans.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that from in or around June 2020 through around January 2021, Lori Hammond caused multiple materially fraudulent PPP loan applications to be submitted to federally insured financial institutions on behalf of herself and her co-conspirators. In these loan applications, Hammond used the identity of a deceased individual, misrepresented the number of employees and payroll expenses of the entities seeking the loans, attached fraudulent tax documents, and made numerous other false and misleading statements. As part of the conspiracy, Hammond assisted Needham, Conrad, and Wright by filling out the loan application documents with materially false and fraudulent information and then submitting them to an individual in California. The individual in California would in turn submit the fraudulent loan applications to financial institutions in exchange for a fee. Based on the false representations and submissions in the applications, the approved PPP lenders funded the PPP loans. After the funds were deposited into the respective accounts, Hammond, Wright, Needham, and Conrad used the funds for non-qualifying, non-business-related purposes, including homes, property, cars, and other personal purchases.
In total, the members of the conspiracy fraudulently obtained $4,721,638.50 in PPP loan funds.
The defendants all face a maximum penalty of twenty years in federal prison. They also face a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and 3 years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge David C. Norton accepted the guilty plea and will sentence the defendants after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Limehouse is prosecuting the case.
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Fort Thompson Man Indicted for Sexual Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison Ramsdell announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor by Force.
Jeffery Pickner, age 45, was indicted on June 14, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on June 24, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, up to life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between July 1994 and June 1997, Pickner sexually abused two victims, both of whom were under the age of twelve. The Indictment further alleges that between November 2015 and September 2016, Pickner sexually abused a third victim by force, who had not attained the age of sixteen.
The charges are merely accusations and Pickner is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.
Pickner was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.