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10 August 2022
Foreign National Faces Federal Charges for Wire Fraud, Money Laundering and Aggravated Identity Theft Related to a Business Email Compromise SchemeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Njuh Valentine Fombe, a/k/a “Valentine”, age 36, formerly of Beltsville, Maryland, had an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt on August 8, 2022, after being a fugitive for almost three years until his arrest on August 6, 2022. A federal grand jury indicted Fombe on September 23, 2019, on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, aggravated identity theft. At his initial appearance, U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan ordered that Fombe remains detained pending trial.
The arrest and indictment were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Chief Russell E. Hamill III of the Laurel Police Department.
According to the three-count indictment, from at least September 2016 to August 2018, Fombe conspired with others to commit wire fraud by conducting business email compromise schemes (“BEC schemes”) in which the defendants gained unauthorized access to email accounts, personal identifying information, and bank accounts by sending false wiring instructions to the victims’ email accounts. Fombe and his co-conspirators then allegedly used the illegally obtained personal information to obtain counterfeit checks in the name and information of the victims’ bank accounts. Victims of the alleged BEC scheme span across five states including California, Tennessee, Michigan, Hawaii, and Illinois. Fombe and his co-conspirators also allegedly registered fraudulent shell entities to facilitate the scheme. The indictment further alleges that members of the conspiracy managed drop accounts held in fraudulent shell entities' names, as well as their names and aliases to direct and receive proceeds of the BEC and check schemes.
If convicted, Fombe faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering, and a mandatory two years in federal prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed for aggravated identity theft. 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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, the Baltimore County Police Department and the Laurel Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Hayes, and Christopher Sarma, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Felon Convicted of State Carjacking and Sexual Assault Offenses Indicted on Federal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Aasim Harps-Busbee, 22, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged by Indictment with one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, and one count of possession of ammunition by a felon. The charges stem from a series of documented posts on social media and an incident during which the defendant was found in possession of ammunition.
According to the Indictment and other court documents filed in this case, on May 25, 2022, the defendant was convicted of state charges of carjacking and statutory sexual assault, in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas. Both offenses are felonies and punishable by more than one year in jail, thus rendering the defendant ineligible to possess firearms or ammunition under federal law.
Between July 6 and July 11, 2022, Harps-Busbee allegedly posted pictures to social media accounts that included a firearm and an offer to sell a firearm to any willing buyer for a specified price. When PPD and ATF initially located the defendant on July 11, 2022, he was not in possession of a firearm; however, he was in possession of six rounds of ammunition. Harps-Busbee later admitted to investigators that he possessed the firearm that he posted pictures of on social media. The defendant was arrested on July 19, 2022, and was detained pending trial.
“Being a felon in possession of a firearm, ammunition, or both are all serious offenses, particularly in a city like Philadelphia where violent crime and gun violence are significant problems,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Our Office is determined to continue doing everything we can to reduce gun violence in our city by investigating and arresting criminals like Harps-Busbee so they remain off the streets for a long time.”
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 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 Attorney Robert E. Eckert.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Federal Jury Convicts Two New York Men for Rangeley Robbery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: Two New York men were convicted yesterday of Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery after a six-day jury trial in U.S. District Court in Bangor, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in July 2016, Andre Muller, 51, and Robert Holland, 42, both of New York, N.Y., along with three other men, developed a plan to steal controlled substances from a Rangeley residence. On July 26, 2016, Muller traveled from New York City with two co-conspirators, meeting up with Holland and another co-conspirator at a property just outside of Rangeley. Muller, Holland and the three other co-conspirators discussed how to carry out the robbery. On July 28, 2016, two co-conspirators entered the Rangeley residence armed with knives and a baseball bat with the intent to take the controlled substances.
Muller and Holland both face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. They will be sentenced after the completion of presentence investigation reports by the U.S. Probation Office.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Maine State Police; and the Rangeley Police Department investigated the case, with assistance provided by the Maine Office of the Attorney General.
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11/20/23: Muller and Holland had previously been convicted following a five-day jury trial that concluded August 10, 2022. Judge Torresen granted a motion for a new trial, however, based on evidence of juror prejudgment. The new trial concluded 11/20/23.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Four Jamestown Residents for Their Role in Narcotics ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Roberto Morales Sanchez, 53, Ryan A. Bloom, 36, Rachelle N. Allison, 36, and Katie E. Calimeri, 30, all of Jamestown, NY, with narcotics conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between 2019 and December 2021, the defendants conspired to sell heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl in the Jamestown area. The defendants are also accused of using residences on Fairview Avenue and Willis Street for drug trafficking purposes. Defendant Bloom is also charged distributing controlled substances, which caused serious bodily injury to an individual identified as A.R.
The defendants were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer. Defendants Sanchez, Bloom and Allison are being detained, defendant Calimeri was released.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Farmington man charged with federal firearms violationsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Allen Anthony Gonzales was charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Gonzales, 46, of Farmington, New Mexico, appeared in federal court for a detention hearing on Aug. 1 and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
As alleged in the complaint, on July 22, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) obtained and executed a search warrant for Gonzales’ residence on Auburn Avenue. During the search, law enforcement located and seized 26 firearms and a large amount of ammunition. Gonzales was previously convicted of multiple felonies in California, including voluntary manslaughter, armed robbery, fraudulent checks, domestic violence and possession of a controlled substance. As a convicted felon, Gonzales cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Gonzales faces up to 10 years in prison.
ATF and the Farmington Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Anderson Hatfield and Timothy D. Trembley are prosecuting the case.
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Easton Man Sentenced to 120 Months’ Imprisonment for Attempted Online Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Lorenz Quiambao, age 41, of Easton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on August 9, 2022, to 120 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 10-year term of supervised release, by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for using the internet to attempt to entice a 12-year-old minor female to engage in prohibited sex acts.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on September 25, 2020, during an on-line communication with a law enforcement officer posing as the mother of a minor female, Quiambao agreed to pay money to the mother in exchange for receiving oral sex from the minor and having other sexual contact with the minor and then traveled to a location in Tannersville, PA for the purpose of meeting the mother and minor and paying for sex. Quiambao was arrested on scene.
At sentencing, Judge Mariani also ordered Quiambao to comply with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Philadelphia Division and its state and local law enforcement partners in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St. John prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life 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.
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East Hartford Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Operating Manchester Drug MillRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LUIS CIURO, 37, of East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 180 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for trafficking narcotics.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 15, 2019, Manchester Police received a call reporting that a woman was yelling and displaying a gun outside of an apartment building on John Olds Drive in Manchester. Law enforcement had previously received information that an individual was operating a fentanyl mill in an apartment within the same building.
Responding officers conducted surveillance of the building and saw Ciuro exit the building and place a black bag into the trunk of a car. After Ciuro and another individual entered the car and it drove away, officers conducted a traffic stop. An officer opened the trunk of car and retrieved the bag that Ciuro had carried from the building. The bag contained one shoebox that contained approximately $70,000 in cash, and a second shoebox that contained two loaded handguns, both of which had been reported stolen. After Ciuro admitted to law enforcement that used an apartment on John Olds Drive to store and process narcotics, a search of the apartment revealed approximately 687 grams of fentanyl, .69 grams of PCP, four grams of psilocybin mushrooms, and various drug-packaging materials.
On November 20, 2020, Ciuro pleaded guilty today to one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
The penalties in this case were enhanced based on Ciuro’s criminal history, which includes a prior federal conviction for conspiring to distribute crack cocaine. On January 4, 2008, Ciuro was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 84 months of imprisonment for that offense.
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and the Manchester Police Department. The Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile.
Defendant Sentenced to 11 Years' Imprisonment for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS and Al Nusra FrontRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Dilshod Khusanov, a citizen of Uzbekistan and a resident of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Judge William F. Kuntz II to 11 years’ imprisonment for attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and Al-Nusra Front (ANF). Khusanov pleaded guilty to the charge in October 2021. When Khusanov completes his sentence, he will be deported to his native Uzbekistan.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Matthew G. Olsen, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Keechant Sewell, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“With today’s sentence, Khusanov has been punished for providing blood money to support violent jihad in Syria and Iraq,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The significant punishment will deter those who are considering aiding foreign fighters determined to join terrorist organizations like ISIS and Al-Nusra Front. Prosecuting those who assist terrorist organizations, here and abroad, will always be a priority of this Office.”
“Today’s sentencing further exemplifies the need to remain vigilant in our ongoing fight against international terrorism,” said NYPD Commissioner Sewell. “Our nation’s security begins with the dedicated local, state, and federal law-enforcement officers who are committed to keeping us safe, and we will hold anyone who funds violence against the American people fully accountable. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the Justice Department’s National Security Division, the FBI’s New York Field Office, and everyone else involved in this critical case for their outstanding work.”
According to court filings, in 2014 and 2015, Khusanov was a member of a financial support network that raised money for financing travel to Syria by individuals wishing to join and fight on behalf of ISIS and ANF. That network’s participants referred to it as “chayxona,” an Uzbek word which translates to the “tea house” or “tea party.”
Khusanov encouraged individuals to travel to Syria to wage violent jihad, or holy war. For example, on September 28, 2014, he urged co-conspirator Akmal Zakirov to engage in jihad: “I hope that the only [reason] that is preventing you from jihad is some mistakes and flaws that are occurring among the mujahedeen [freedom fighters] you witness or hear about.” Khusanov explained that it would be better to help those fighters, rather than criticize them.
Later in 2014, two Brooklyn residents, Abdurasul Juraboev and Akhror Saidakhmetov, began planning to travel to Syria to fight for ISIS. A group of individuals in a domestic network based in New York and elsewhere, including Khusanov, worked together to raise and contribute money to help fund that trip to Syria. In February 2015, Abror Habibov, Zakirov, Azizjon Rakhmatov, and Dilkhayot Kasimov discussed providing money to support Saidakhmetov’s travel and expenses in Syria. Rakhmatov and Zakirov also agreed to solicit money from others to fund Saidakhmetov’s travel. Zakirov contacted the defendant, then-based in Illinois, and asked him to contribute money for Saidakhmetov’s travel and to ask another individual to contribute money as well. Khusanov agreed and arranged for money to be deposited in Zakirov’s bank account before Saidakhmetov’s scheduled departure. Saidakhmetov was arrested in February 2015 at John F. Kennedy International Airport, as he boarded a plane bound for Istanbul, Turkey, a common transit point for foreign fighters bound for Syria.
Khusanov is the sixth of seven defendants convicted and sentenced in two prosecutions related to the plot. Juraboev, Saidakhmetov, and Kasimov each were sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment; Rakhmatov was sentenced to 12 1/2 years’ imprisonment; and Zakirov was sentenced to time served after approximately seven-and-a-half years’ imprisonment. Habibov is awaiting sentencing.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security & Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas M. Pravda, Alexander A. Solomon, J. Matthew Haggans, and Jonathan E. Algor are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Steven Ward of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The Defendant:
DILSHOD KHUSANOV
Age: 36
Chicago, IllinoisE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-475 (WFK)
Related Cases
U.S. v. ABDURASUL JURABOEV, et al.
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 15-CR-95 (WFK)Correctional officer indicted for Paycheck Protection Program fraudRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Harrescia Hopkins, a correctional officer employed at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, has been arraigned on federal charges of wire fraud for fraudulently obtaining two Paycheck Protection Program ("PPP") loans. Hopkins was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 9, 2022.
“Hopkins was employed in a position of trust to help safeguard our community,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “But during a time of extreme economic need in our nation due to the COVID-19 pandemic she chose to defraud taxpayers and improperly take funds intended to help struggling businesses survive.”
“Hopkins allegedly tried to take advantage of the system by fraudulently obtaining PPP funds earmarked for those who were legitimately struggling to make ends meet during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said James F. Boyersmith, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Miami Field Office.
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in or about March 2020 that was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief that the CARES Act provided was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for payroll, mortgage interest, rent/lease, and utilities through a program referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). Congress has since authorized additional PPP funding.
The PPP allowed qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive PPP loans. Businesses must use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP allowed the interest and principal on a PPP loan to be entirely forgiven if the business spent the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time and used a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds for payroll expenses.
Hopkins, while a Federal Bureau of Prisons correctional officer, allegedly applied for two PPP loans for $19,100 each in August 2020 and January 2021. The PPP loan applications were purportedly to help a business named Hopkins Towing and Storage, which she claimed had a gross income of $100,525 in 2019. In reality, Hopkins Towing and Storage was not a real and functioning business, and Hopkins caused the loan proceeds to be deposited into her personal checking account.
Harrescia Hopkins, 33, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher C. Bly. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford, Deputy Chief of the Public Integrity and Special Matters Section, is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Chittenden County Men Charged with Possession of a Stolen Firearm and Making a False StatementRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Aaron Dang, 19, of Burlington, Vermont, was indicted on Thursday, August 4, 2022 by a federal grand jury for unlawful possession of a stolen firearm. In the same indictment, Badal Khadka, 19, of Essex Junction, Vermont, was charged with making a false statement to an agent of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Dang and Khadka were arraigned in United States District Court on August 8, 2022, and both men were released on conditions pending trial.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Dang and Khadka remain presumed innocent until and unless they are convicted of a crime. If convicted, Dang faces up to 10 years of imprisonment on the stolen firearm possession charge. Khadka faces up to 5 years of imprisonment on the false statement charge. Any actual sentences would be determined by the Court with reference to the advisory Federal Sentencing Guidelines and the United States Code.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the ATF and the Burlington Police Department.
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant United States Attorney Wendy L. Fuller. Dang is represented by Mark Kaplan, Esq. Khadka is represented by Richard Goldsborough, Esq.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn
Chesapeake Man Sentenced for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to 17.5 years in prison for transportation of child pornography.
According to court documents, in November 2020, Anthony Kandalepas, 20, drove to Florida to pick up a 14-year-old girl and bring her to Chesapeake. The victim was the subject of a Marchman Order in Florida for drug and alcohol abuse. They stayed with the defendant's grandparents in their attic. While there, the defendant and the 14-year-old engaged in sex and the defendant recorded it. He then assisted the victim in selling the images online using various social media platforms. The pair then drove to upstate New York, where the Otswego County Sheriff’s Office found Kandalepas and the victim. Homeland Security Investigation’s (HSI) Albany and Norfolk Offices then joined the investigation.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. HSI Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.
Significant assistance was provided by the Otswego County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi prosecuted the case.
In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at [email protected].
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-136.
Calloway County Woman Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Illegal Transportation of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A federal grand jury in Paducah returned an indictment yesterday charging a Calloway County woman with illegally transporting a firearm.
According to court documents, Denise Collins, 35, of Murray, Kentucky was indicted for illegally transporting into Kentucky, a firearm that was stolen outside of the state.
Collins is charged with illegal transportation or receipt in state of residency of a firearm purchased or acquired outside of state of residency. The defendant will be scheduled to make her initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
The ATF, the McCracken County Sherriff’s Department, and the Paris Tennessee Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Porter is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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California Resident Sentenced to 3 Years of Probation and Ordered to Pay Restitution After Pleading Guilty for Role in SIM Swap Scam Targeting at Least 40 People, Including New Orleans ResidentRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that RICHARD YUAN LI, age 21, a resident of Hercules, California, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry to three years of probation and 100 hours of community service for his role in a SIM Swap scam that targeted at least forty people, including a New Orleans-area physician (Victim A). Additionally, Judge Guidry sentenced LI to pay restitution in the amount of $61,117,50 and pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to court documents, a SIM Swap scam is a cellular phone account takeover fraud that results in the routing of a victim’s incoming calls and text messages to a different phone. Once a perpetrator is able to swap the SIM card, it is likely he is able to obtain access to a victim’s various personal accounts, including email accounts, bank accounts, and cryptocurrency accounts, as well as any other accounts that use two-factor authentication.
LI participated in a scheme that involved multiple parts. First, in January 2018, they defrauded Apple, Inc. into providing a second Apple iPhone without paying for it by convincing an Apple customer service representative that they had not received an Apple iPhone 8 they ordered (hereinafter “the Apple iPhone 8”). LI took possession of the Apple iPhone 8. LI and his co-conspirators then arranged for victims’ telephone numbers to be swapped to SIM cards contained in cellular phones in their possession, including the Apple iPhone 8. Between July 2018 and December 2018, LI participated in unauthorized SIM Swaps with his co-conspirators that targeted at least forty phone numbers.
On November 10, 2018, Victim A’s telephone number was swapped to the Apple iPhone 8, which LI kept in his dorm room at a university in California. The SIM swap caused the transmission of a series of writings, signs, signals, and sounds that traveled in interstate commerce, including between the States of Florida, Louisiana, and California. Thereafter, LI and his co-conspirators gained access to Victim A’s email accounts and cryptocurrency accounts. Thereafter, one or more members of the conspiracy called Victim A and threatened to release contents of his email account unless Victim A paid a 100 Bitcoin ransom. Ultimately, they were able to steal approximately $57,117.50 worth of cryptocurrency before Victim A was able to regain control of his accounts. LI’s participation in a SIM Swap of another individual on December 4, 2018, caused that victim to lose approximately $4,000. In total, between July 19, 2018, and December 6, 2018, LI participated in unauthorized SIM Swaps with his co-conspirators that targeted at least forty victims. In about March 2019, LI sold his Apple iPhone 8 to a friend, E.W; law enforcement authorities executed a search warrant on LI’s dorm room in the San Diego, California area on about June 14, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, supervisor of the Public Corruption Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
CEO of Security Company Pleads Guilty to International Boiler Room Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ROGER RALSTON, the CEO of DirectView Holdings, Inc. (“DirectView”), a Florida-based video surveillance and security company, pled guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for defrauding elderly victims in connection with the fraudulent sale of stock and fake carbon credits as part of an international telemarketing scheme that caused nearly $16 million in losses. RALSTON pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff. Co-defendants Christopher Wright and Steven Hooper previously pled guilty and were sentenced to 52 months in prison and 42 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in the fraud.
According to the allegations in the Indictment, court filings, and statements made in Court:
From in or about 2009 up to and including in or about 2015, RALSTON and other co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to defraud victims in the United Kingdom of nearly $16 million through the sale of false, fraudulent, and materially misleading investments, and to launder the proceeds of the fraud through bank accounts in the United States and foreign countries. RALSTON and his co-conspirators used the services of telemarketing call centers to identify and cold-call potential victims, who were primarily elderly or retired individuals residing in the United Kingdom. Over a series of telephone calls, the telemarketers persuaded victims to invest money under various false and misleading pretenses, including the promise of short-term, high-yield, no-risk returns, when in fact the investments were high-risk, illiquid, and in some instances, entirely fictitious. Many victims were persuaded to make additional investments under the false pretense that they would not be permitted to sell their holdings until they purchased more. In reliance on the false representations and promises, the victims wired funds to various bank accounts in the United States, including in the Southern District of New York, in the names of corporate entities controlled by RALSTON. RALSTON then mailed and emailed documents related to the fraudulent investments, including purchase contracts and investment certificates, to the victims. Victims who tried to sell their investments found they were unable to do so. The victims never received a refund on their principal or any return on their investments.
In order to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds of the fraudulent scheme, RALSTON regularly transferred a substantial portion of the fraud proceeds from bank accounts in the United States, including in the Southern District of New York, to overseas bank accounts, including accounts in Cyprus, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, in the names of various shell companies controlled by RALSTON’s co-conspirators.
The nature of the particular fraudulent investment vehicles being marketed to the victims changed over time. From in or about 2009 until in or about 2011, RALSTON and his co-conspirators sold DirectView stock to the victims based on telemarketers’ false representations and promises that the shares were a no-risk, short-term investment in a debt-free company, and that the shares were likely to increase over 100 percent in value in a short period of time. In contrast to what RALSTON represented to victims, DirectView’s annual report filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission for the year ending December 31, 2010, contained dire warnings about the poor fiscal health of DirectView and the risk attendant in purchasing stock, including that the company “may be forced to cease operations” due to losses and cash flow problems, and purchasers “may find it extremely difficult or impossible to resell our shares.”
From in or about 2011 until in or about 2015, RALSTON and his co-conspirators engaged in the sale of fraudulent “carbon credits.” The boiler room callers appealed to victims by claiming that the investments would be environmentally friendly and help address the climate crisis. “Carbon credits,” which are issued as part of governmental and voluntary regulatory regimes, are permits representing the right to emit a certain number of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. “Carbon offsets,” which are tied to particular carbon-dioxide emissions reducing projects, represent a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, and can be purchased by individuals and companies to “offset” their or third parties’ “carbon-footprints.” The victims were falsely promised that the carbon-related investments they purchased could be easily sold, carried no risk, and would yield a significant, short-term return. In fact, the carbon credits and offsets that were sold to the victims were fake, and did not represent any actual carbon credits or offsets. Ralston caused fraudulent carbon certificates to be created and sent to the victims.
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RALSTON, 53, of Florida, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. As part of his guilty plea, RALSTON also agreed to forfeit $15,713,621.20 and to pay restitution in the same amount to victims of the scheme. RALSTON is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Rakoff on December 13, 2022, at 4 p.m.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as RALSTON’s sentence will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of IRS Criminal Investigation in this case.
This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises and Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Units. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Feinstein, Olga I. Zverovich, and David Felton are in charge of the prosecution.
Burlington Man Charged with Possession of a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Fahad Hilowle, 28, of Burlington, Vermont, was indicted on Thursday, August 4, 2022 by a federal grand jury for unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon. Hilowle was arraigned in United States District Court on August 9, 2022 and was detained pending trial following a hearing on August 10, 2022.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Hilowle remains presumed innocent until and unless he is convicted of a crime. If convicted, Hilowle faces up to 10 years of imprisonment. Any actual sentence would be determined by the Court with reference to the advisory Federal Sentencing Guidelines and the United States Code.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Burlington Police Department.
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant United States Attorney Wendy L. Fuller. Hilowle is represented by Mark D. Oettinger, Esq.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn
Bristol Woman Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Purchasing Firearms for FelonsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LEAH BOUCHER, 30, of Bristol, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 12 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally purchasing firearms for individuals she knew were felons.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 9, 2021, law enforcement conducted a court-authorized search of Tyrone Brown’s residence on Stevens Street in New Haven and seized a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol. Brown, who was a convicted felon and was prohibited by federal law from purchasing or possessing a firearm or ammunition, was arrested at that time. The investigation revealed that the firearm was registered to a family member of Boucher, and that Boucher had purchased 10 other firearms at various gun stores in Connecticut between 2018 and 2021. When investigators interviewed Boucher on August 26, 2021, she admitted that she had purchased firearms for other individuals, and that she was no longer in possession of any of the 10 firearms that were registered to her.
A search of Boucher’s iPhone revealed photos, taken in July 2021, of Brown and Alexander Patterson, also a convicted felon. In some of the photos, Patterson is seen handling the handgun that was recovered from Brown’s residence on August 9, 2021, and another handgun that investigators determined was registered to Boucher’s family member.
In September 2021, law enforcement recovered one of the 10 firearms that Boucher purchased from another felon. The other nine firearms have not been found.
Boucher was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on October 15, 2021, and has been detained since February 23, 2022, when her bond was revoked. On April 29, she pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a firearms dealer.
Brown pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and, on August 3, 2022, he was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment.
On May 24, 2022, Patterson, of Bristol, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of firearms by a felon. He is detained while awaiting sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the New Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Brighton Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A drug distributor within a Boston-area drug trafficking organization (DTO) has pleaded guilty to a drug trafficking conspiracy involving cocaine and cocaine base.
Phillip Williams, 38, of Brighton, pleaded guilty on Aug. 8, 2022 to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Nov. 17, 2022.
Williams was charged with 23 others in June 2020 as part of Operation Snowfall, which ultimately resulted in the prosecution of two different drug trafficking conspiracies during the overall period of November 2018 through June 2020.
According to the charging documents, beginning in November 2018, law enforcement investigated a DTO in which Williams was a distributor. The DTO was comprised of Boston-based street gang members and associates in the Commonwealth Development in Brighton, formerly known as Fidelis Way, a multi-apartment public housing development. It is alleged that the DTO assumed control over multiple apartments, which they used to store, cook, package, and sell drugs – most of which consisted of cocaine or cocaine base, which the DTO supplied to customers, wholesalers, and distributors. The DTO’s conduct reduced the quality of life of the other residents of Commonwealth Development. As the investigation continued, law enforcement ultimately identified another DTO operating within the Boston area and targeted its large-scale drug suppliers and their associates.
Williams is estimated to have distributed between approximately 100 and 200 grams of cocaine base during the course of his participation in the Fidelis Way DTO. Williams is the fifth defendant to plead guilty in the Fidelis-Way related drug conspiracy. The remaining defendants have pleaded not guilty and are pending trial.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Douglas Bartlett, Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement. Assistance with the investigation was provided by the Braintree, Cambridge, Canton, Randolph and Weymouth Police Departments; the Suffolk, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorneys’ Offices; and the Suffolk, Plymouth and Norfolk County Sheriffs’ Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin R. O’Donnell and Timothy E. Moran of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Boston Man Sentenced to Nearly Three Years in Jail for Online Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in online fraud schemes.
Macpherson Osemwegie, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 32 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Osemwegie was also ordered to pay restitution of $686,264. On Sept. 1, 2021, Osemwegie pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud.
Osemwegie agreed with others to participate in a series of romance and other online scams designed to trick victims into sending money to accounts that Osemwegie and others controlled. Romance scams occur when a criminal adopts a fake online identity to gain a victim’s affection and trust. The scammer then uses the illusion of a romantic or close relationship to manipulate and/or steal from the victim.
To carry out the schemes, Osemwegie and his co-conspirators used fake foreign passports in others’ names to open bank accounts, and in turn directed the victims to send money to those accounts. Osemwegie’s role was to open bank accounts into which victim funds were transferred and quickly withdraw the funds. In less than three years, Osemwegie opened at least 16 bank accounts at seven banks using four different fraudulent passports. From June 2017 through February 2020, Osemwegie and his co-conspirators stole almost $690,000 from nearly 100 victims, many of whom were elderly and, in some instances, were deprived of their life savings.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Jonathan Davidson, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Kearney of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Birmingham Man Sentenced on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham man was sentenced yesterday on the charge of Felon in Possession of a Firearm announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives, and Firearms Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
Deontra Lamar Austin, 21, was sentenced on the charge of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Austin was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Annemarie Carney Axon to 42 months of imprisonment followed by 36 months of supervised release.
On February 11, 2022, detectives of the Birmingham Crime Reduction Team (CRT) conducted surveillance on Austin due to his being wanted for Burglary First Degree and a parole violation. Detectives observed Austin entering the passenger side of a vehicle, and they followed the vehicle until it stopped at the Chevron Gas Station located at the intersection of Sunhill Road and Carson Road. As Austin exited the gas station, officers arrested him and retrieved a 9mm Smith and Wesson handgun from Austin’s waistband. Austin was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he was a convicted felon.
Austin is linked to the Hard 2 Kill gang. Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives, and Firearms (ATF) investigated the Hard 2 Kill gang, better known as H2K. This gang operates in the Birmingham, Alabama area and is known to be involved in acts of violence, illegal drug distribution, and illegal firearm possession.
The case is a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.
“Street gangs are responsible for much of the violent crime in Birmingham,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “To reduce the senseless deaths and injuries from gun violence, our law enforcement partners seek to identify the most violent offenders and use every available means to take them off the street. Prosecution of felons with guns is a very effective way to reduce the violence that plagues our communities.”
“The ATF prides itself in working with our state, local, and federal partners to take firearms out of the hands of individuals who knowingly and illegally possess them. In most cases, firearms are obtained illegally by gang members and passed around until they are recovered in some type of unfortunate criminal incident. The hard work and collaborative efforts that the ATF and our law enforcement partners demonstrate on a daily basis allows us to successfully combat crime in and around the Birmingham area,” said ATF SAC Mickey French.
ATF investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department and the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Parole. Assistant United States Attorneys Darius Greene and Kristy Peoples prosecuted the case.
Belgrade construction company co-owner sentenced to prison for failing to pay $2.8 million in payroll taxesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — The co-owner of H & H Earthworks, Inc., was sentenced today to 30 months in prison after she admitted to failing to pay the IRS more than $2.8 million in employee and employer taxes, and instead, spent some of the money on personal expenses, including home renovations and recreational vehicles, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Melissa Lynne Horner, 43, of Bozeman, pleaded guilty in April to failure to truthfully account for and pay over withholding and F.I.C.A. taxes, a felony, and to failure to file employer’s quarterly return and pay tax, a misdemeanor.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. Judge Christensen also ordered Horner to serve three years of supervised release following incarceration and to pay $2,878,522 restitution. Horner was allowed to self-report to the Bureau of Prisons.
“Those who evade our federal and state tax laws by cheating taxpaying Americans out of their hard-earned dollars, especially those who are entitled to their Medicare and Social Security payments, will be held accountable for their criminal conduct. Horner’s sentence shows that those who fraudulently refuse to pay taxes that every employer is required to pay will face criminal prosecution by our office. The people of our state and nation deserve nothing less,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
“Business owners have an obligation to their employees and the IRS to pay over payroll and employment taxes,” said Andy Tsui, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office. “By withholding these taxes for her personal gain Ms. Horner not only defrauded the federal government, but also all honest taxpayers, and today’s sentencing is a direct reflection of the seriousness of her crime.”
In court documents filed in the case, the government alleged that H & H Earthworks, Inc., is a Belgrade-based, family owned, commercial site-development business, and that Horner managed the company’s finances. The company employed between 20 and 60 persons from 2014 through 2019.
For approximately five years, beginning in March 2014 through 2019, Horner had Earthworks pay hundreds of thousands of dollars of expenditures for her personal benefit instead of paying over to the IRS payroll tax required to be withheld from Earthworks’ employees’ paychecks. Horner used the money for personal expenses, including, more than $100,000 on motorsport vehicles, $90,000 to a real estate title company in Bozeman, at least $50,000 on home renovations and $20,000 for a motorhome.
The government further alleged that Horner withdrew Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA) taxes from the wages paid to Earthworks employees and failed to pay over the trust fund taxes to the IRS. Horner also failed to pay over Earthworks’ portion of the FICA taxes (Federal Income, Social Security and Medicare taxes). In addition, Horner failed to file quarterly Forms 941, Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Returns, prior to being notified of the criminal investigation. Horner knew she was required to pay over the employment taxes and file the quarterly Forms 941 and willfully chose to violate this obligation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation.
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Aryan Circle Member Convicted of Racketeering Attempted MurderRead the Press Release
A federal jury in the Eastern District of Kentucky convicted a Louisiana man today for his attempted murder of a man at the direction of the violent prison gang, Aryan Circle.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Mitchell Farkas, aka Lifter, 52, of Baton Rouge, along with Johnathan Gober, stabbed another inmate, who the Aryan Circle believed had violated gang rules, while all were housed at federal prison U.S. Penitentiary (USP) Big Sandy in Martin County, Kentucky.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the Aryan Circle is a violent, white-supremacist, prison gang with hundreds of members operating throughout the country, both inside and outside of prisons. The Aryan Circle enforces its rules and promotes discipline among its members, prospects, and associates through threats, intimidation, assaults, and murder.
The jury convicted Farkas of Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (VICAR) attempted murder, VICAR assault with intent to do serious bodily harm, and attempted murder and assault with intent to do serious bodily harm. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 5 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Gober was sentenced on Dec. 21, 2021, to 10 years in prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated this case, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Houston Police Department – Gang Division, and the Montgomery County (TX) Precinct One Constable’s Office.
Trial Attorney Rebecca Dunnan of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Rosenberg of the Eastern District of Kentucky are prosecuting the case.
Albany Man Arraigned on Pandemic-Related Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Ibrahim K. Boyd, age 32, of Albany, appeared today on an indictment alleging he engaged in fraudulent schemes to obtain government benefits and other funds intended to help out-of-work New Yorkers and struggling small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang; Matthew Scarpino, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge, New York Region, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG).
The indictment alleges that Boyd submitted a false unemployment insurance application using the personal information of another person to the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) and obtained more than $16,000 in benefits for his personal gain. Additionally, Boyd allegedly made up two fake businesses to obtain a Paycheck Protection Program loan and U.S. Small Business Administration disaster-related funding, totaling in excess of $28,000. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Boyd was arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart and ordered released pending trial.
The indictment, returned by a grand jury on July 28, 2022, alleges mail fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft offenses. The mail fraud and wire fraud charges each carry maximum terms of 20 years in prison, fines of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory term of 2 years in prison, to be imposed consecutive to any other term of imprisonment. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The case is being investigated by the New York State Inspector General’s Office, HSI, USPIS, and USDOL-OIG, with assistance from the NYSDOL Office of Special Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Chisholm
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.
9 August 2022
William Roger Woodie Sentenced to 25 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On August 8, 2022, William Roger Woodie, 33, of Calhoun, Georgia, was sentenced to 300 months in prison by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Woodie agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute 4.5 kilograms or more of methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(A). After his term of incarceration, Woodie will be on supervised release for five years.
According to the plea agreement and other documents filed with the court, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) and the Johnson City Police Department (“JCPD”) began an investigation into the trafficking of methamphetamine into the Eastern District of Tennessee in 2018. The investigation revealed that Woodie, who was incarcerated within the Georgia Department of Corrections, was responsible for arranging the trafficking of hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine into the region. In text messages recovered during the investigation, Woodie described himself as a “full time drug dealer.” During the investigation, 52 kilograms of methamphetamine and over 20 firearms were seized by law enforcement. Additionally, over 30 individuals from Woodie’s network have been convicted as a result of the investigation. This organization obtained methamphetamine primarily from the Atlanta, Georgia area and distributed it within eastern Tennessee and southwest Virginia.
This case was the result of an investigation by DEA, JCPD, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department, the Bristol, Tennessee Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas McCauley and Emily Swecker represented the United States.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Wausau Woman Charged with False Statement During Purchase of FirearmsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Wausau, Wisconsin woman is charged with making a false statement during the purchase of firearms in an indictment returned on May 11, 2022, by a federal grand jury sitting in Madison. The charges are announced by Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
The indictment charges Ashley Zastrow, 31, with making a false statement on a Firearms Transaction Record form required by federal law during the purchase of two firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer on January 13, 2022. The indictment alleges that she indicated on the form she was the actual buyer of the firearms, but in fact she was not the actual buyer. Making such a false statement during the purchase of a firearm is commonly known as a “straw purchase.”
The indictment was unsealed following Zastrow’s arrest on Friday, August 5, in Marshfield, Wisconsin, by the Marshfield Police Department. She was arraigned in U.S. District Court in Madison yesterday and remains in federal custody. The trial in this matter has been set for December 5, 2022, before U.S. District Judge William M. Conley.
If convicted, Zastrow faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. The charge against her is the result of an investigation by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Merrill Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance the Marshfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Kraus is handling the prosecution.
You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Virginia Man Sentenced to Prison for Sex Offense Against A MinorRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Virginia man was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for traveling in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual activity with a minor. Austin James Quesenberry, 28, of Dublin, Virginia, must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 21, 2021, Quesenberry traveled from Virginia to St. Albans, West Virginia, in order to meet a minor he believed to be a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity, including sexual intercourse. He also sent the purported minor videos of himself masturbating.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald 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. 2:22-cr-11.
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Vessel Operator and Chief Engineer Convicted for Oily Bilge Water Discharge OffenseRead the Press Release
New Trade Ship Management S.A. (New Trade), a vessel operating company, and vessel Chief Engineer Dennis Plasabas pleaded guilty today in San Diego, California, for maintaining false and incomplete records relating to the discharge of oily bilge water from the bulk carrier vessel Longshore.
New Trade and Plasabas admitted that oily bilge water was illegally dumped from the Longshore directly into the ocean without being properly processed through required pollution prevention equipment. Oily bilge water typically contains oil contamination from the operation and cleaning of machinery on the vessel. The defendants also admitted that these illegal discharges were not recorded in the vessel’s oil record book as required by law. Specifically, on two separate occasions between October and December 2021, Chief Engineer Plasabas, who was employed by New Trade, ordered lower-ranking crew members to use a portable pneumatic pump and hose to bypass pollution prevention equipment by transferring oily bilge water from the vessel’s bilge holding tank to the vessel’s sewage tank, from where it was discharged directly into the ocean. Plasabas then failed to record these improper transfers and overboard discharges in the vessel’s oil record book. Additionally, in order to create a false and misleading electronic record as if the pollution prevention equipment had been properly used, Plasabas directed lower-ranking crew members to pump clean sea water into the vessel’s bilge holding tank in the same quantity as the amount of oily bilge water that he had ordered transferred to the sewage tank. Plasabas then processed the clean sea water through the vessel’s pollution prevention equipment as if it was oily bilge water in order to make it appear that the pollution prevention equipment was being properly used when in fact it was not. The electronic records indicate that approximately 9,600 gallons of clean sea water were run through the pollution prevention equipment.
“This case demonstrates our commitment to investigating and prosecuting environmental crimes occurring at sea, no matter how wrongdoers may try to cover them up,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to work with our partner agencies to ensure polluters are held fully accountable.”
“We are committed to protecting our environment from people who cause immeasurable harm with short cuts,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman for the Southern District of California. “This was a very calculated plan to violate the rules, and today the offenders are being held to account.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and the U.S. Coast Guard for their excellent work on this case.
“This prosecution highlights the U.S Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Coast Guard’s dedication in safeguarding our oceans against those that seek to deliberately harm our natural resources,” said Captain James W. Spitler, Sector Commander of the Coast Guard Sector San Diego. “Illegal dumping of oil and falsification of oil record books are egregious violations. Today’s guilty plea should serve as a reminder that the Coast Guard and our partners at the Department of Justice will work tirelessly to hold accountable those that seek to deliberately discharge oil and falsify ship records.”
New Trade and Plasabas each pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships for failing to accurately maintain the Longshore’s oil record book. Under the terms of the plea agreement and subject to court approval, New Trade will pay a total fine of $1,100,000 and serve a four-year term of probation, during which any vessels operated by the company and calling on U.S. ports will be required to implement a robust Environmental Compliance Plan. Sentencing for the defendants is currently set for Nov. 18.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Diego and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie K. Pierson for the Southern District of California and Senior Trial Attorney Stephen Da Ponte of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, Environmental Crimes Section.
Vessel Operator and Chief Engineer Convicted for Oily Bilge Water Discharge OffenseRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Melanie Pierson (619) 546-7976
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 9, 2022
SAN DIEGO – New Trade Ship Management S.A. (New Trade), a vessel operating company, and vessel Chief Engineer Dennis Plasabas, pleaded guilty in federal court today to maintaining false and incomplete records relating to the discharge of oily bilge water from the bulk carrier vessel Longshore.
New Trade and Plasabas admitted that oily bilge water was illegally dumped from the Longshore directly into the ocean without being properly processed through required pollution prevention equipment. Oily bilge water typically contains oil contamination from the operation and cleaning of machinery on the vessel. The defendants also admitted that these illegal discharges were not recorded in the vessel’s Oil Record Book as required by law.
Specifically, on two separate occasions between October and December 2021, Chief Engineer Plasabas, who was employed by New Trade, ordered lower-ranking crew members to use a portable pneumatic pump and hose to bypass pollution prevention equipment by transferring oily bilge water from the vessel’s Bilge Holding Tank to the vessel’s Sewage Tank, from where it was discharged directly into the ocean.
Plasabas then caused the ship’s Master to fail to record these improper transfers and overboard discharges in the vessel’s Oil Record Book. Additionally, to create a false and misleading electronic record as if the pollution prevention equipment had been properly used, Plasabas directed lower-ranking crew members to pump clean sea water into the vessel’s Bilge Holding Tank in the same quantity as the amount of oily bilge water that he had ordered transferred to the Sewage Tank. Plasabas then processed the clean sea water through the vessel’s pollution prevention equipment as if it was oily bilge water to make it appear that the pollution prevention equipment was being properly used when in fact it was not. The electronic records indicate that approximately 9,600 gallons of clean sea water were run through the pollution prevention equipment.
“We are committed to protecting our environment from people who cause immeasurable harm with short cuts,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “This was a very calculated plan to violate the rules, and today the offenders are being held to account.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and the U.S. Coast Guard for their excellent work on this case.
“This case demonstrates our commitment to investigating and prosecuting environmental crimes occurring at sea, no matter how wrongdoers may try to cover them up,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to work with our partner agencies to ensure polluters are held fully accountable.”
“This prosecution highlights the U.S Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Coast Guard’s dedication in safeguarding our oceans against those that seek to deliberately harm our natural resources. Illegal dumping of oil and falsification of oil record books are egregious violations,” said Captain James W. Spitler, Sector Commander, Coast Guard Sector San Diego. “Today’s guilty plea should serve as a reminder that the Coast Guard and our partners at the Department of Justice will work tirelessly to hold accountable those that seek to deliberately discharge oil and falsify ship records.”
New Trade and Plasabas each pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, for failing to accurately maintain the Longshore’s Oil Record Book. Under the terms of the plea agreement and subject to court approval, New Trade will pay a total fine of $1,100,000 and serve a four-year term of probation, during which any vessels operated by the company and calling on United States’ ports will be required to implement a robust Environmental Compliance Plan. Sentencing for the defendants is currently set for November 18, 2022, at 9:00 am.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Diego and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie K. Pierson for the Southern District of California and Senior Trial Attorney Stephen Da Ponte of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 22cr1802-JO
New Trade Ship Management S.A.
Chief Engineer Dennis Plasabas Age: 48 Philippines
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships – Title 33, U.S.C., Section 1908(a)
Maximum penalty: not more than Six years in prison and $250,000 fine (individual); not more than Five years of probation and a fine which is the greater of $500,000 or twice the amount of gross gain or loss (organization).
AGENCY
U.S. Coast Guard
Two Defendants Convicted in Federal Investigation That Dismantled Mexico-to-Chicago Drug PipelineRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A jury has convicted two suburban Chicago men on drug conspiracy charges as part of a federal investigation that disrupted a Mexico-to-Chicago drug pipeline.
SHELDON MORALES and EDUARDO SANTANA conspired with a supplier in Mexico and two inmates in a prison in Texas to traffic methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine from Mexico to Evanston, Ill., and Morton Grove, Ill., in 2019. The drugs were sent in packages from California and Arizona and later sold on the streets in the Chicago area.
Law enforcement uncovered the drug trafficking activities through the use of wiretapped cellular phones and extensive surveillance. The case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers and other criminal offenders that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
After a week-long trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago, the jury on Aug. 5, 2022, convicted Morales, 40, of Morton Grove, Ill., and Santana, 45, of Skokie, Ill., on a drug conspiracy charge. Morales was also convicted of an individual drug charge related to his possession of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Morales faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of life, while Santana faces a mandatory minimum of ten years and a maximum of life.
U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland has not yet scheduled sentencings.
The convictions were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Robert J. Bell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; and Justin Campbell, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. Substantial assistance was provided by the Evanston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles W. Mulaney, Kirsten Moran, and Jeannice Appenteng represent the government.
Three Charged with COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Three people were arrested today on criminal charges in three separate indictments filed in the District of Idaho. These charges relate to the defendants’ alleged roles in fraudulently obtaining and misusing Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.
According to court documents, Khadijah Chapman, 58, of Atlanta; Daniel Labrum, 41, of South Jordan, Utah; and Eric O’Neil, 57, of Bethel, Connecticut, are charged with fraudulently obtaining PPP loans for fictitious businesses in 2021. The defendants, along with others, allegedly falsified information and submitted fraudulent documents to collectively obtain over $2.4 million in relief funding guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Relief, Aid, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for small businesses struggling with the economic impact of COVID-19.
Chapman and O’Neil are each charged with one count of bank fraud, and Labrum is charged with five counts of bank fraud and one count of engaging in monetary transactions with criminally derived proceeds for their roles in the scheme. If convicted, Chapman, Labrum, and O’Neil each face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for each count of bank fraud. Labrum additionally faces a maximum of 10 years in prison for engaging in monetary transactions with criminally derived proceeds. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Joshua D. Hurwit for the District of Idaho; Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigation Division; Special Agent in Charge Stephen Belongia of the FBI’s Buffalo Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) made the announcement.
The FBI, IRS-CI, and USPIS are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Jennifer Bilinkas and Tamara Livshiz of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Mazorol for the District of Idaho are prosecuting the case.
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 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Stamford Men Sentenced for Trafficking Counterfeit Oxycodone Pills Containing FentanylRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that two Stamford residents who manufactured and distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl analogues were sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport. ARBER ISAKU, 32, was sentenced to 51 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release, and VINCENT DECARO, 32, was sentenced to 48 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Isaku and Decaro purchased fentanyl analogues from suppliers in China and, working out of Decaro’s residence at 77 West Hill Circle in Stamford, pressed the drug into counterfeit oxycodone pills, which they sold to customers on dark web markets. David Reichard, who lived for a short time at Decaro’s residence, helped Isaku and Decaro press pills and mail the pills to customers.
On April 3, 2018, a court-authorized search of Decaro’s residence revealed numerous pills containing approximately 330 grams of fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl, approximately 40 grams of fentanyl analogues in powder form, three pill presses, instructions on how to prepare the fentanyl analogue Carfentanil, a hazardous material suit, a gas/respirator-type mask, and numerous U.S. Postal mail envelopes.
At the time of the search of Decaro’s home in April 2018, Isaku and Decaro were in Europe. On September 21, 2018, Isaku and Decaro were arrested by Albanian State Police as they were attempting to cross the border from Albania into Kosovo. A search of an apartment in Tirana where they had been staying revealed alprazolam, fentanyl and other controlled substances; tools and dies for pressing pills, and instructions for synthesizing fentanyl.
On June 15, 2021, Decaro pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl analogues and, on August 6, 2021, Isaku pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, fentanyl analogues. Isaku and Decaro, who are both released on bonds, are required to report to prison on September 21 and November 2, respectively.
Reichard has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Connecticut State Police and Stamford Police Department, with the assistance of the Albanian State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick J. Doherty and Margaret M. Donovan, with the assistance of Law Student Intern Mikayla Pieksza.
U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs for coordinating the extradition proceedings in this matter.
St. Louis woman sentenced to 27 months in prison for arson attempts during protestsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Tuesday sentenced a woman who tried to set fires at a St. Louis 7-Eleven during a 2020 protest to 27 months in prison.
On June 1, 2020, Nautica Turner took lighter fluid and began to pour it on the 7-Eleven located at 201 N. 17th Street in St. Louis as the store was being looted by numerous individuals, Turner admitted in a plea agreement in February.
After a man showed Turner a better technique for pouring the lighter fluid, she took the container back and continued trying to set the building on fire.
The man, Justin Cannamore, later set a fire in an aisle of the store, which was soon extinguished when a firework exploded in the same location. Turner took a thin cardboard box and unsuccessfully tried to restart the fire, before trying and failing to light a fire in a concrete trashcan outside the store, her plea agreement says.
A fire started by someone else later burned the store to the ground.
The looting came amid protests over the May 25, 2020 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Turner, now 27, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of conspiracy to commit arson.
Cannamore, of St. Louis County, was sentenced to three years in prison in September.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware prosecuted the case.
Serious Violent Felon on GPS Monitoring Sentenced to 51 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Davion Andrews, 28, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on January 22, 2021, Andrews crashed a borrowed car into a guardrail on I-70. An Indiana State Trooper arrived at the scene and began investigating the crash. During the investigation, the trooper saw a firearm magazine in Andrews’ jacket pocket and later discovered a firearm in the car. Further investigation revealed that, in 2020, Andrews was convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon in Marion County. Andrews was ordered to serve his sentence through Marion County Community Corrections. At the time of the crash, Andrews had covered his GPS monitoring band with foil, which is often done by individuals trying to hide their location from Community Corrections personnel.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. The Indiana State Police provided valuable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. As part of the sentence, Judge Pratt ordered that Andrews be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle P. Brady who prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
South Carolina Man Arraigned on Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo announced today that CHRISTOPHER RAY EDWARDS, age 37, of Rock Hill, South Carolina, was charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition and possessing a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Edwards appeared for an arraignment hearing on August 3, 2022, before Federal District Court Magistrate Judge Kelly H. Rankin and pleaded not guilty to the charges. A trial has been set for October 3, 2022.
Edwards faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, up to a $500,000 fine, and a $200 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wyoming Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Forwood is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 22-CR-00054-ABJRhode Island Woman Admits to Falsifying Military Service; False Use of Military Medals; Identity Theft; and Fraudulently Collecting More Than $250,000 in Veteran Benefits and Charitable ContributionsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Rhode Island woman today admitted to a federal judge that she falsely claimed to be a cancer-stricken U.S. Marine decorated with the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, and that she used those claims, the stolen identities of actual veterans, and fraudulent documents that she created to obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars in charitable benefits and services intended for injured veterans, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Sarah Jane Cavanaugh, 31, admitted that she falsely portrayed herself as a wounded veteran who had served overseas and been awarded both the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star, replicas of which she purchased and publicly displayed on a U.S. Marine uniform she wore at public events.
A search of Defense Department records indicates Cavanaugh never served in any branch of the U.S. military.
Additionally, Cavanaugh admitted that, while employed by the Department of Veteran Affairs at the Rhode Island Veterans Affairs Medical Center, she used her position as a licensed social worker, to gain access to documents, personal information, and medical records belonging to a Marine and a Navy veteran who was battling cancer. Cavanaugh admitted that she used this information to create fraudulent documents and medical records in her own name, indicating that she was an honorably discharged Marine stricken with cancer. In addition, Cavanaugh admitted that she created and used fraudulent documents in various schemes to obtain more than $250,000 in cash, charitable donations, and services reserved for injured veterans.
“Every day, thousands of American men and women honorably serve this country in uniform,” said U.S. Attorney Cunha. “They sacrifice for our safety, putting themselves in harm’s way, often without praise or public recognition, and they deserve our thanks and our respect. This Defendant sought to trade on that respect -- respect she did not earn, evoked by a uniform to which she had no claim -- by pretending that she was a United States Marine battling stage IV cancer, in order to trick generous members of the public into lining her pockets. Her conduct is disgraceful, and it richly warrants her conviction today as a federal felon.”
“What Sarah Cavanaugh did is despicable and an insult to the brave men and women who have selflessly risked their lives, and made real sacrifices in service to this country,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Now this fraudster is a convicted felon for claiming valor where there is none, and for swindling more than a quarter of a million dollars in benefits and charitable donations from unsuspecting citizens who wanted nothing more than to help deserving veterans.”
Under the terms of a plea agreement reached on July 1, 2022, Cavanaugh has agreed that the final amount of restitution owed to her victims will be determined by the Court at the time of sentencing; she has also agreed, however, that $82,489.73, which represents her proceeds from her recent sale of real estate, will be applied towards her restitution obligations. At the time of sentencing, Cavanaugh faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years imprisonment, which will be served consecutively to any other sentence of imprisonment that the Court may impose. Cavanaugh’s final sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Cavanaugh is scheduled to be sentenced on November10, 2022.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron. The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police Service; and the FBI, with the assistance of the U.S. Defense Criminal Investigative Service; U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations.
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Rhode Island Man Pleads Guilty to Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Woonsocket, R.I. man pleaded guilty today to trafficking multiple victims to engage in prostitution across seven states.
Ronald Hall, 48, pleaded guilty to four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and one count of transportation of an individual with intent to engage in prostitution. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Nov. 3, 2022. Hall was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020.
“The trauma inflicted upon victims of sex trafficking is beyond measure. For nearly a decade, Mr. Hall used violence and threats to target and exploit five separate victims across seven different states. This man targeted vulnerable women with substance use disorders and essentially enslaved them. The behavior he engaged in was unconscionable. Although nothing will ever erase the profound, long-lasting hurt and pain these women have suffered at the hands of Mr. Hall, today’s conviction hopefully brings some long-awaited justice and accountability,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Identifying and prosecuting sex traffickers is one of my administration’s highest priorities. Last week, I formally announced the creation of the Civil Rights and Human Trafficking Unit in my office, which is dedicated to fighting civil rights violations including human trafficking, hate crimes, and the excessive use of force by law enforcement. Now fully staffed and operational, this Unit will focus on bringing an end to civil rights violations, including human trafficking activity, in Massachusetts and bringing justice and accountability to victims, their families and impacted communities.”
“Hall used fear and intimidation to control the women he trafficked, using drugs to coerce them and make it difficult to leave. HSI is not only committed to bringing human traffickers like Hall to justice, but also to ensuring the safety and stability of the survivors of such appalling crimes. With this plea HSI New England hopes the survivors of his abuse feel a measure of security knowing that he is no longer at large and is facing considerable time in prison as they begin their journey to heal and recover,” said Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge for the Homeland Security Investigations in New England.
“This investigation and prosecution serve as an example of the Massachusetts State Police commitment to fight human trafficking and hold accountable those that prey on the vulnerable. The MSP is proud to continue to partner with our local, state and federal partners in this effort,” said Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police.
From at least late 2010 through late 2019, Hall used force, threats and coercion to traffic five victims between Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Florida, and Nevada, to engage in prostitution. Hall targeted and recruited several of the victims, who suffered from substance use disorder, and used their drug addictions to coerce them into engaging in commercial sex in exchange for drugs. Hall regularly scheduled the victims to engage in prostitution – sometimes as frequent as multiple times per day, every day of the week – and took almost all of the proceeds for himself. Hall punished victims who did not meet the quotas he set for them by withholding drugs or through violence. To maintain control, Hall subjected his victims to starvation, regular threats of injury, physical abuse, forced intercourse, violent assaults with weapons including knives, belts and bats and made some of the victims brand themselves with a tattoo of his nickname.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.
The charge of sex trafficking provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to a lifetime in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of transportation for purposes of prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, HSI SAC Millhollin and Colonel Mason made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Evan Gotlob of Rollins’ Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
Prolific Drug Dealer Sentenced to 10 years for Distributing Fentanyl and MethRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Lyndzie M. Carter (619) 546-8780
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 9, 2022
SAN DIEGO – Christopher Craig Jones, a prolific drug dealer in San Diego County, was sentenced in federal court to 120 months in prison.
“This is a just sentence for the defendant and reflects the need to protect our community from fentanyl and methamphetamine dealers,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “We will continue to work closely with our federal and local law enforcement partners to ensure that prosecutions involving these deadly drugs remains a top enforcement priority.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and law enforcement agencies for their hard work on this case.
On December 16, 2020, San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop and arrested Jones for possession of methamphetamine and fentanyl with intent to distribute. Then again, on September 8, 2021, Carlsbad Police Department (CAPD) arrested Jones during a traffic stop with possession of fentanyl and heroin with intent to distribute.
Subsequently, Jones was booked into county jail and immediately posted bail. However, less than 24 hours later and wasting no time in returning to criminal drug activity, on September 9, 2021, CAPD conducted a third traffic enforcement stop on Jones, which resulted in the seizure of additional methamphetamine. The follow up investigation, pursuant to a search warrant at the Best Western Hotel in Carlsbad, where Jones had been staying, resulted in the seizure of additional quantities of heroin, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Jones, a career offender, with arrests and multiple convictions for drug dealing, entered a guilty plea on May 16, 2022.
“Because of the great police work of our local counterparts, the immeasurable harms that would have been caused by the distribution of drugs in our community were prevented by the arrest and prosecution of Christopher Jones,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Shelly S. Howe. “The DEA ensures our local counterparts receive support on investigations that merit federal prosecution. This case is a prime example of the great working relationship between local and federal agencies in San Diego.”
“At the Carlsbad Police Department, we methodically investigate illegal narcotic possession and illegal narcotic sales with the mission of protecting the community we serve. We take pride in collaborating with our local partners at the DEA, the San Diego Sheriff's Dept and the U.S Attorney’s Office with the common goal of reducing the negative impact brought on by these offenders,” said Assistant Chief Christie Calderwood. “This case is a great success for the agencies involved and the community," she concluded.
“Keeping our communities safe from illegal narcotics and their associated crimes is a continuous mission for the San Diego County Sheriff's Department,” said Anthony C. Ray, Sheriff. “I am grateful to our deputies and detectives who assisted on this case, as well as our robust collaboration with our local, state, and federal partners. This allows us to share critical information that is necessary to hold drug traffickers accountable, as was exemplified in this case.”
DEFENDANT Case Number 22cr00682-BAS
Christopher Craig Jones Age: 48 Oceanside, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute – 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C)
Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute – 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $1 million fine
AGENCY
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, Major Narcotics, North County
Drug Enforcement Administration, San Diego Field Division
Carlsbad Police Department, Special Investigations Division
San Diego Sheriff’s Department
Pottawattamie County Man Sentenced for a Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Geno Lee Campos, age 50, was sentenced on Friday, August 5, 2022, to 84 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
On July 4, 2021, Campos was the front seat passenger of a car stopped by the Iowa State Patrol for speeding on Interstate 80 in Council Bluffs. In Campos’ backpack, law enforcement found approximately 17 grams of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Campos was also in possession of a loaded revolver that he placed underneath the passenger’s seat. Campos was prohibited from possessing firearms.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa State Patrol, Council Bluffs Police Department, Pottawattamie County Sheriff Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Postal Employee Pleads Guilty to Theft of MailRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, announced that UMBERTO PIGNATARO, 46, of Bridgeport, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to theft of mail by a postal employee.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between December 2020 and May 2021, Pignataro, while employed as a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in Norwalk, stole hundreds of pieces of mail, including packages and greeting cards that contained cash, gift cards and other items of value. During the investigation, video surveillance captured Pignataro rifling through, destroying and pocketing pieces of mail while servicing his mail route. When confronted by investigators in May 2021, Pignataro admitted stealing mail, and also admitted that he possessed a firearm and used cocaine at work. He was then placed on unpaid leave.
At sentencing, which is scheduled for November 17, Pignataro faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
Pignataro is released pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine E. Boyles and Michael S. McGarry.
U.S. Attorney Avery encouraged individuals who believe they are a victim of theft related to this case to file a complaint by calling 888-USPS-OIG, or by visiting www.uspsoig.gov/form/file-online-complaint.
Philadelphia Felon Sentenced to over 4 ½ Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm During June 2020 Civil UnrestRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Steven Pennycooke, 36, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine by United States District Court Judge John M. Gallagher for being a previously convicted felon illegally in possession of a firearm in connection with looting during a period of civil unrest and mandatory curfew in the City of Philadelphia in Spring 2020.
In April 2022, the defendant was convicted after trial of a single count of possession of a firearm by a felon. In June 2020, Philadelphia Police officers responded to a 911 call reporting that two men were seen pushing a looted ATM down a street in West Philadelphia. When the officers approached the block indicated in the call, they observed two men standing in the street less than a half a block away from a looted ATM loaded onto a cart. When the officers got closer to the suspects, they observed the defendant throw something into a vehicle; and one of the officers looked through the vehicle’s window and observed a firearm in the backseat. According to court documents, after both suspects were taken into custody, the defendant’s companion told police that they were both carrying firearms because, “they purging out here,” and because the defendant had recently been shot while at a gas station. As a previously convicted felon in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2011, Pennycooke was prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm.
“The crime of being a felon in possession of a firearm is a serious offense, particularly in Philadelphia where gun violence has been and continues to be our city’s most pressing threat to public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Repeat offenders like this defendant, who knowingly illegally carry handguns, are actively contributing to the dangerous circumstances on our streets, and our Office is doing all we can to combat and deter that criminal activity.”
“Gun violence has claimed and affected far too many lives in this city, so every illegal weapon taken off the street is a step in the right direction,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Philadelphia police discovered an armed Steven Pennycooke out and about amidst looting and unrest. This was someone who’d done time for a violent assault with a firearm. He wasn’t permitted to have a gun, he knew it, and he tried to hide it, so back behind bars he goes — in federal prison. The FBI and PPD will continue to work together to lock up criminals who refuse to respect the law. We’ve got to make Philadelphia safer all around.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alexandra Lastowski and Derek Hines.
Operation “Titan Fall” Charges Thirteen in Central Florida Large-Scale Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of two indictments charging 13 individuals in 2 drug conspiracies in the Orlando area. According to the redacted indictments, the below individuals are in custody and charged with conspiring with each other, and others, to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute the following amounts, or more, of fentanyl and cocaine. Several of these individuals face enhanced penalties due to their previous criminal convictions.
Defendant
Drug Quantity Alleged
Potential Penalties
Alexander Acosta-Zapata
5 kilograms of cocaine
400 grams of fentanyl
15 years to life incarceration,
up to $20 million fine, and
10 years to life supervised release
Frank Cadiz
5 kilograms of cocaine
15 years to life incarceration,
up to $20 million fine, and
10 years to life supervised release
Jonathan Andres Marte-Rodriguez
5 kilograms of cocaine
10 years to life incarceration,
up to $10 million fine, and
5 years to life supervised release
Juan Felipe Sanchez
40 grams of fentanyl
10 years to life incarceration,
up to $8 million fine, and
8 years to life supervised release
Nimesh Rashmikant Patel
500 grams of cocaine
10 years to life incarceration,
up to $8 million fine, and
8 years to life supervised release
Joseph Juan Torres-Torres
500 grams of cocaine
5 to 40 years’ incarceration,
up to $5 million fine, and
4 years to life supervised release
Carlos Alberto Roman
40 grams of fentanyl and cocaine
5 to 40 years’ incarceration,
up to $5 million fine, and
4 years to life supervised release
Kenneth Angel Vera
cocaine
up to 20 years’ incarceration,
up to $1 million fine, and
3 years to life supervised release
According to court documents, the conspirators were involved in multiple drug trafficking operations to distribute kilogram-quantities of cocaine and fentanyl. During course of this investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) estimates that 91 kilograms of cocaine has been seized through the mail and traffic stops initiated during this investigation. Many of the intercepted communications specifically related to the “brand” or “logo” of the cocaine – anchor or Ferrari – that was visible on the exterior of the packaging of the cocaine that was seized.
In the course of executing arrest warrants and search warrants at numerous locations in the Orlando area today, DEA seized an additional two and half kilograms of suspected cocaine, an unquantified amount of suspected fentanyl, more than twenty firearms, six suppressors, two flash grenades, and nine vehicles that were used in the commission of these offenses or were proceeds of the offenses.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Winter Garden Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Kissimmee Police Department, the Winter Park Police Department, the Clermont Police Department, the Orlando Police Department, the Apopka Police Department, the Ocoee Police Department, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
Operation Titan Fall is a multi-agency Organize Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCEDTF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Oglala Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal Prison for Manslaughter and Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that an Oglala, South Dakota, man convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter and Discharge of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence was sentenced on July 27, 2022, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
On the charge of Voluntary Manslaughter, Dirk Garnier, age 37, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. As to the charge of Discharge of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence, Garnier was sentenced to 10 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. The prison sentences are to be served consecutively and the time of supervised release is to be served concurrently.
Garnier was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2021. He pleaded guilty on February 18, 2022. The conviction stems from Garnier killing another male with a 20-guage Mossberg shotgun on July 16, 2021, at Oglala.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Garnier was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Nespelem Man Sentenced to Twenty-Two Years in Federal Prison for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Arson, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Discharging a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, and for Violating His Federal Supervised Release.Read the Press Release
Spokane – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that John Edward McGinnis, age 35, of Nespelem, Washington, was sentenced in federal court in Spokane for Assault with Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country, Arson in Indian Country, Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, and Discharging and Using a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. McGinnis had entered a guilty plea on May 21, 2021.
At today’s sentencing, United States Senior District Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson ordered McGinnis to serve a total of 264 months in federal prison to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release. In this regard, McGinnis was sentenced to 240 months on the charges set forth above and to an additional 24 months for violating his federal supervised release. These sentences were ordered to run consecutively for a total of 264 months. McGinnis also was ordered to pay $9,919.03 in restitution. In announcing the sentence, Judge Peterson stated, “My heart goes out to the victims” in this case. She also emphasized that “the offense was really terrible” for everyone involved.
According to court documents, McGinnis kidnapped four people at gunpoint in early June 2020. During the ordeal, which lasted several hours beginning on the evening of June 1 and continuing into the morning hours of June 2, 2020, McGinnis held his victims at gunpoint and even fired several gunshots in the immediate area of these victims. At the time of these offenses, three of the victims were minor children – ages 9, 13, and 17. After holding three of his victims at gunpoint inside their home on the Colville Indian Reservation, Defendant forced these victims into a truck, which McGinnis later stole. McGinnis then forced the victims to drive to McGinnis’s trailer, which McGinnis lit on fire, causing the trailer to burn to the ground.
At one point during the ordeal, three of the victims were able escape. McGinnis, however, was not finished. He found another victim in the Grand Coulee area – robbing her at gunpoint and forcing her into the stolen truck. After he kidnapped this victim, McGinnis sexually assaulted her and threatened to kill her if she tried to escape. Ultimately, this fourth victim did manage to escape at a gas station in Spokane, Washington by causing McGinnis to believe she was going inside to pay for gas. Instead, the victim told the gas station attendant to call 911 and then locked herself inside the bathroom in fear McGinnis would come after her.
Shortly after this fourth victim escaped, Spokane Police saw the stolen truck near Second Avenue in Spokane, Washington. When officers tried to stop the truck, McGinnis led police on a high-speed chase that ended near Liberty Park, where McGinnis attempted to drive the truck off-road, and the truck became high centered. McGinnis was then taken into custody. Inside the stolen truck, police recovered a .22 caliber revolver, which McGinnis was not able to lawfully possess because of his prior convictions for second-degree burglary and assault with a dangerous weapon. Notably, McGinnis was on federal supervised release at the time of these offenses.
The case involved multiple federal, state, and local agencies, each of whom played significant roles in prosecuting the case, which began on the Colville Indian Reservation, continued into Grand Coulee Washington, and ended on the South Hill in Spokane.
“The facts of this case are shocking: Mr. McGinnis assaulted several minor victims, kidnapped them at gunpoint, sexually assaulted one of the minor victims, set fire to a trailer, and led police on a car chase that endangered even more lives,” U.S. Attorney Waldref stated. “The emotional trauma to each of these victims is real and will continue far longer than the twenty-two year sentence imposed today.” U.S. Attorney Waldref continued, “Today’s significant sentence is necessary to prevent Mr. McGinnis from harming others, including young children, but that is not all. By prosecuting cases such as this one, our office reaffirms its commitment to prioritizing and vigorously pursuing those who commit violent crimes on the Colville Indian Reservation, especially when the victims include some of the most vulnerable and innocent members of our community.”
“We feel for the victims,” said Michael Heiler, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office, “and are thankful the subject was apprehended before he was able to do more harm. I would like to thank all of our law enforcement partners for working together to bring this horrible situation to some level of closure.”
Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney Larry Haskell added, “The convictions in this case showcase the success of multiple agencies collaborating and communicating with one another to make our communities safe. But more importantly, this sentence directly addresses the egregious conduct carried out by this individual and is a testament to the courage of the brave crime victims who survived their encounter with McGinnis.”
“The Spokane Police Department appreciates our partnerships with area law enforcement agencies, especially given that criminals frequently commit crimes that cross jurisdictional lines,” Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl stated. “In this incident, the suspect had already victimized multiple people in two other jurisdictions and traveled to Spokane, where he put the public and our officers in danger with a high-speed chase through the city. We commend our criminal justice partners at the federal, state, and local levels for their strong work in developing this case and providing some measure of justice for the victims.”
“It takes a great deal of courage for victims to come forward and confront the person who hurt them,” stated Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Barker, who led the federal prosecution of McGinnis. “I’m grateful for the victims’ courage in this case, and I commend the individual agents and officers, who put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe.”
This case was investigated by the Spokane Resident Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tribal Law Enforcement Department of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Police, the Grand Coulee Police Department, and the Spokane Police Department. Richard R. Barker, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, prosecuted this case. Spokane County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Preston McCollam led a parallel prosecution of Mr. McGinnis, which is being resolved as part of the federal prosecution.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Possession of a Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for possessing a stolen firearm, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on June 23, 2021, Minneapolis Police officers responded to a shots fired call. Upon arrival, officers witnessed a man, Brandon Xavier Coyour, 31, fleeing the scene. As he fled, Coyour pulled a gun from his waistband and hid it in the wheel well of a parked car. Officers saw Coyour stash the gun and recovered it from the wheel well. Officers apprehended Coyour a couple blocks away from the scene. The gun, a Springfield XD-9 9mm semiautomatic handgun, had been reported stolen one month prior by its owner in Menominee, Wisconsin. Coyour is also a convicted felon and is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
On April 12, 2022, Coyour pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a stolen firearm. Coyour was sentenced today in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Paul A. Magnuson. In handing down the sentence, Judge Magnuson emphasized that convicted felons “will pay a very steep penalty” for possessing firearms.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson prosecuted the case.
Mexican resident indicted for trafficking firearms under new lawRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A federal grand jury sitting in Laredo has charged a U.S. citizen who resides in Mexico under the Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act for trafficking handguns into Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
The Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act is part of the broader Safer Communities Act, passed June 25. Said Isaac Hernandez, age 25, is the first person believed to be indicted under the new law.
The charges allege that on July 11, authorities apprehended Hernandez as he was traveling south on U.S. Interstate 35 towards the port of entry in Laredo. At the time of his arrest, they allegedly discovered 17 firearms hidden in his car.
Hernandez had been the subject of an investigation related to the purchasing of a large number of firearms then transporting them to Mexico, according to the charges. Between Jan. 21, 2020, and July 11, 2022, Hernandez allegedly purchased a total of 231 handguns in calibers of 9mm, .380 and .22.
If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Makens 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.Mexican National Arrested in West Haven Admits Illegally Reentering the U.S.Read the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that GERMAN EDUARDO MARTINEZ FRANCO, 41, a citizen of Mexico last residing in West Haven, pleaded guilty yesterday in Hartford federal court to one count of illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on seven occasions between 1998 and 2015, Martinez was encountered in Arizona was subsequently removed to Mexico. In the District of Arizona, in 2010, Martinez was convicted of illegal entry and sentenced to 90 days of imprisonment. In 2011, he was convicted of illegal reentry and sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment; In 2014, he was convicted of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and was sentenced to 33 months of imprisonment. Martinez was last removed to Mexico in December 2015.
On July 1, 2021, Martinez, who was using another identity, was arrested in West Haven and charged with possession with intent to sell greater than one ounce of heroin or methamphetamine, possession with intent to sell a narcotic substance, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, criminal impersonation, and forgery in the first degree. He has been detained since his state arrest.
Martinez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall on October 31, 2022, at which time his faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Martinez has pleaded guilty in state court to a narcotics possession offense and awaits sentencing for that offense.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with the assistance of the West Haven Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.
Maryland man admits to cocaine chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Shadeed Redd, of Hagerstown, Maryland, has admitted to a cocaine charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Redd, 42, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine Base and Cocaine Hydrochloride.” Redd admitted to working with others to sell cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and cocaine hydrochloride, also known as “coke,” from November 2020 to March 2021 in Berkeley County.
Redd faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the West Virginia Air National Guard; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Washington County Narcotics Task Force.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Maryland man admits to cocaine chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Otis Tillman, of Hagerstown, Maryland, has admitted to a cocaine charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Tillman, 50, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine Base and Cocaine Hydrochloride.” Tillman admitted to working with others to sell cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and cocaine hydrochloride, also known as “coke,” from November 2020 to March 2021 in Berkeley County.
Tillman faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the West Virginia Air National Guard; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Washington County Narcotics Task Force.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Man Sentenced in International Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Mexican national was sentenced to 100 months in prison in connection to an international drug ring that distributed large quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana from Mexico in the Kansas City area.
According to court documents, in January 2021, Aron Rodriguez- Posada, 48, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
In October 2019, the Kansas Highway Patrol stopped a car hauler in Meade, Kansas, to conduct a vehicle inspection. With consent to search, a trooper located approximately 35 pounds of methamphetamine in the gas tank of one of the vehicles utilizing a scope. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) then conducted a controlled delivery of the methamphetamine. Federal agents arrested Rodriguez-Posada as well as Jovany Medina, 24, of Kansas City after the men took possession of the vehicle.In July 2022, Medina was sentenced to 144 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Rodriquez-Posada also pled guilty to one count of unlawful reentry subsequent to removal after admitting to returning to United States after being removed for illegal entry in 2014.
U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard commends the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the DEA for their collaborative investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Catania who prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The Kansas City Metro Strike Force’s mission also includes targeting violent street gangs and cartel members operating in and around the metropolitan area that are engaged in violent offenses and firearms offenses.
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Magnolia Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
EL DORADO – A Magnolia man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing methamphetamine in Columbia County. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in El Dorado.
According to court documents, in June 2019, agents and investigators with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and 13th Judicial Drug Task Force (DTF) initiated an investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine in Colombia County by Eddie Dean McBride Jr., age 50.
On June 20, 2019, investigators conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine form McBride in Columbia County.
The suspected methamphetamine was sent to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Crime Lab, were it tested positive for methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and 13th Judicial Drug Task Force (DTF) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Jones prosecuted the case.
Little Eagle Man Sentenced for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Little Eagle, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on August 8, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann.
Corey Lynn Flying Bye, Jr., age 33, was indicted on February 8, 2022. He pled guilty May 17, 2022.
Flying Bye was sentenced to 125 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Between 2020 and 2021, Flying Bye knowingly and intentionally conspired with others to distribute between 50 and 200 grams of methamphetamine on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Mobridge Police Department, the Corson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.
Flying Bye was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.