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Friday 24 June 2022
Madison Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that James Gillaum, 33, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 3 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Gillaum pleaded guilty to this charge on March 24, 2022.
Gillaum is a felon having convictions for aggravated battery in 2008, burglary in 2011, and possession of heroin with the intent to deliver in 2013. The drug conviction resulted in a prison sentence.
On May 21, 2021, Gillaum pleaded guilty to an unrelated state charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was scheduled for sentencing on July 22, 2021 but failed to appear and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
On August 22, 2021, Madison police officers arrested Gillaum in the area of State Street. When contacted by officers, Gillaum briefly fled before being apprehended. Officers found a loaded 9mm handgun in his underwear.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson said that the court’s primary obligation was to protect the community. Judge Peterson remarked that Gillaum committed a persistent pattern of criminal offenses despite interventions of the criminal justice system and noted that it was particularly aggravating that he armed himself with a gun while pending sentencing on a gun conviction in state court. Judge Peterson ordered the federal sentence to run consecutive to that state gun case, as well as another case where Gillaum is charged with recklessly endangering safety and discharge of a firearm. Gillaum was also ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release after his release.
The charge against Gillaum was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Madison Felon Sentenced to 2 Years for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that James McGowan, Jr., 23, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James Peterson to 2 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. McGowan pleaded guilty to this charge on March 30, 2022.
On September 20, 2021, McGowan was a convicted felon and had been released on bail in four state cases with charges including felon in possession of a firearm, felony bail jumping, armed robbery, drug possession, and third-degree sexual assault. Madison police officers were looking for McGowan because he had multiple warrants for his arrest and located him in an apartment parking garage. McGowan attempted to flee from the officers, resisted arrest, and had a loaded 9mm handgun in his waistband.
At sentencing Judge Peterson said that keeping McGowan in the community has not been effective, and that protection of the public was the main sentencing goal. The court observed that by illegally carrying a gun, McGowan was contributing to the risk of petty disputes turning into shootings that can injure or kill those involved as well as bystanders. Judge Peterson said that the person described in the presentence report hurts people, and sentenced McGowan to 2 years in prison consecutive to the sentences in his state cases. After his prison term, McGowan was also ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release.
The charge against McGowan was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Lincoln Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Fentanyl Resulting in OverdosesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Brandon Terrell Davis, 39, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard to 25 years in federal prison for two counts of distribution of cocaine and fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury. Davis was sentenced to 300 months on both counts, and those sentences were ordered to be served concurrently (at the same time). Following his release from prison, Davis will serve five years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On August 13, 2021, Lincoln Police Department (LPD) officers were dispatched to the parking lot of a Lincoln bar on a report of two individuals suffering suspected drug overdoses. LPD officers performed cardio-pulmonary respiration (CPR) on both victims until Lincoln Fire & Rescue (LFR) arrived. One of the two victims revived after being given Narcan and said he had used cocaine with the other victim in the other victim’s truck in the parking lot. The second victim was intubated and placed on a heart and lung machine for a time at a Lincoln hospital. The second victim told investigators he purchased what he believed to be one gram of cocaine from Davis. Drug paraphernalia and residue found in the victim’s truck were tested and found to contain cocaine and fentanyl.
On August 16, 2021, LPD responded to a Lincoln residence on a report of multiple possible drug overdoses. When they arrived, officers found two individuals who were not breathing and required CPR. A third victim left the residence prior to officers arriving but was found unconscious on a bench in the area shortly thereafter. The fourth victim began to show signs of an overdose after officers arrived. Narcan was administered to the victims, and they were taken to Lincoln hospitals. During a search of the residence, officers found drug paraphernalia with residue which was later tested and found to contain cocaine and fentanyl. Two of the victims told investigators they had purchased what they believed to be one gram of cocaine from Davis prior to these overdoses.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Daniel William Zeiger, 47, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on June 22, 2022, to 10 years’ imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine after a prior conviction for a serious felony drug offense, by Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon. Following his release from prison, Zeiger will serve eight years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On October 25, 2020, Zeiger was stopped for driving with a suspended license in Lincoln. He told officers he had “dope and weed” in the car and on his person. Small amounts of methamphetamine and marijuana were found on Zeiger’s person. A search of the car resulted in the finding of 144 grams of methamphetamine mixture, a baggie containing marijuana and a scale. Zeiger admitted ownership of the drugs and the drug-related items. Text messages found in Zeiger’s phone indicated he was involved in the distribution of methamphetamine.
In 2007, Zeiger was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, a serious drug felony offense, in the District of Nebraska.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Lincoln County Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Brookhaven man pled guilty today to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Richard Butler, 42, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Jackson. According to court documents, on September 25, 2019, following an investigation into sources of methamphetamine, ATF special agents and Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics agents conducted a controlled purchase of 54 grams of methamphetamine from Butler in Brookhaven. Following this purchase, agents, using a cooperating person, purchased additional methamphetamine from Butler. Butler, a convicted felon, possessed a firearm when he was arrested.
Butler is scheduled to be sentenced on September 28, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway is prosecuting the case.
Laplace Man Indicted for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LENDELL WALLACE, age 38, a resident of Laplace, Louisiana, was charged June 23, 2022, in a two-count indictment by a federal grand jury with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute tramadol and possession with intent to distribute tramadol in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(E), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
The maximum punishment WALLACE faces for each offense is five (5) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, at least one (1) year of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, and United States Customs and Border Protection. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers.
Kiln Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for COVID-Related Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Kiln man was sentenced to 30 months in prison for Covid-related wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge David Denton.
According to court documents, on August 3, 2020, Trevon Evans, 25, was arrested by the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office in relation to two stolen vehicles. At the time of his arrest, Evans was in possession of multiple identification cards with different names. Further investigation found that Evans had taken advantage of elderly neighbors by convincing them to give him their personal identifying information so that he could help them to receive benefits related to the COVID pandemic. Evans then used that information to apply for unemployment insurance under the Economic Security (CARES) Act benefits in the victims’ names and had the benefits sent to him at his residence. These benefits totaled over $7,000 and were used by Evans at casinos along the Gulf Coast.
Evans pled guilty to wire fraud on February 16, 2022, in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization that expands states’ ability to provide unemployment insurance for many workers impacted by COVID-19, including for workers who are not ordinarily eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.
Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Firearm Offenses Following Discovery of Ghost Gun in Southeast Washington ApartmentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Michael Smallwood, 37, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty of firearms and related charges after police discovered a ghost gun and ammunition in an apartment where he was staying in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Smallwood was found guilty by a jury on June 22, 2022, of unlawful possession of a firearm and related charges following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Jason Park scheduled sentencing for Sept. 9, 2022.
According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours of Dec. 21, 2019, police responded to a domestic violence call at an apartment in Southeast Washington where Smallwood was residing. There, the police were notified that Smallwood kept a firearm in his dresser. In addition to the firearm, police discovered ammunition and two magazines, including an extended magazine with the capacity to hold 29 rounds of ammunition. The firearm was a ghost gun with an obliterated serial number. Smallwood was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had been convicted in 2009 in the District of Columbia of a firearm-related felony offense. Three young children also resided in the apartment.
Smallwood was arrested that day.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristian Hinson; Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Jones; Victim/Witness Advocates Tracey Hawkins and Maria Sanchez-Garcia; former Victim/Witness Advocate Elsa Maltese; Supervisory Witness Security Specialist Lesley Slade; Victim/Witness Service Coordinators LaJune Thames and Maenylie Watson, and Forensic Child Interview Specialists Tracy Owusu and Karen Giannakoulias.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Galloway and Ryan Sellinger, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Jury Convicts Seven MS-13 Members and Associates of Sex Trafficking a MinorRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A jury convicted seven MS-13 gang members and associates on charges of sex trafficking a minor under the age of 14 and other child sexual exploitation offenses.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in August 2018, the 13-year-old victim ran away from a youth home in northern Virginia. Shortly after running away, the victim was introduced to members of MS-13. Members of the gang told her they would be her family and protect her if she joined the gang. Gang members then beat the victim 26 times with a baseball bat as part of a gang initiation. Gang members then sex trafficked her in Virginia and Maryland using the currency of cash and drugs. In one instance while in Virginia, men lined up to have sex with the victim in a wooded area behind two of the defendants’ apartment complex. She was also harbored in various apartments in Northern Virginia where men paid her and her handlers cash for sex.
The victim was later beaten again with a bat 26 times as a form of gang punishment. Shortly after the second bat beating, the victim was transported to Maryland, where she was sold to numerous gang members and other customers in exchange for cash and drugs, including cocaine. Law enforcement recovered photographs and videos of the victim being sexually exploited, along with numerous social media messages regarding the trafficking and sexual exploitation of her.
Below is a list of individuals convicted and their charges:
Name, Age
Hometown
Charges of Conviction
Moises Zeyala-Veliz, 26
Woodbridge, VA
Sex trafficking a minor under the age of 14; Conspiracy to sex traffic a minor under the age of 14; Conspiracy to transport a minor across state lines for purposes of illegal sexual activity
Jose Eliezar Molina-Veliz, 22
Woodbridge, VA
Sex trafficking a minor under the age of 14; Conspiracy to sex traffic a minor under the age of 14; Conspiracy to transport a minor across state lines for purposes of illegal sexual activity
Santos Ernesto Gutierrez Castro, 22
Woodbridge, VA
Sex trafficking a minor under the age of 14; Conspiracy to sex traffic a minor under the age of 14; Conspiracy to transport a minor across state lines for purposes of illegal sexual activity
Luis Alberto Gonzales, 33
Greenbelt, MD
Sex trafficking a minor under the age of 14 and via force, fraud, and coercion; Conspiracy to sex traffic a minor under the age of 14; Conspiracy to transport a minor across state lines for purposes of illegal sexual activity
Reina Elizabeth Hernandez, 50
Hyattsville, MD
Sex trafficking a minor under the age of 14
Gilberto Morales, 34
Hyattsville, MD
Sex trafficking a minor under the age of 14; Conspiracy to sex traffic a minor under the age of 14
Jonathan Rafael Zeyala-Veliz,
26
Hyattsville, MD
Sex trafficking a minor under the age of 14; Conspiracy to sex traffic a minor under the age of 14; Conspiracy to transport a minor across state lines for purposes of illegal sexual activity
Each defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ incarceration with a maximum penalty of life in prison. Their sentencing dates are currently set for November 10. 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.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police; and Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen Cain, Seth Schlessinger, and Zoe Bedell are prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. Significant assistance was provided by the FBI Baltimore Field Office.
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. 1:20-cr-196.
Jury Convicts Jefferson City Tax Preparer of Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City tax preparer has been convicted by a federal trial jury of filing false federal income tax returns for himself and others.
Josiah Mator Jr., 40, was found guilty on Thursday, June 23, of two counts of filing false federal income tax returns.
Mator, a citizen of the United States who moved to this country from Liberia in 2001, prepared and electronically filed tax returns for individuals in the Liberian community and other friends and acquaintances for tax years 2010 through 2015. Mator did not have a registered tax preparation business, but used Express 1040 software to prepare his clients’ tax returns from his home.
Mator was found guilty of filing a false federal income tax return for his own 2015 income. Mator claimed that his adjusted gross income in 2015 was $16,552, and his taxable income was $0, knowing that he did not include the business income from his tax preparation service.
Mator also was found guilty of filing a false federal income tax return for individuals identified as “I.A.” and L.A.” The fraudulent return reported $16,000 in unreimbursed employee business expenses in 2015, although Mator knew I.A. and L.A. did not have any expenses related to their employment. As a result, I.A. and L.A. received a refund they were not legally eligible to receive.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo., deliberated for approximately 30 minutes before returning guilty verdicts on both counts to U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark, ending a trial that began Tuesday, June 21.
Under federal statutes, Mator is subject to a sentence of up to six years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley S. Turner and Jim Lynn. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Iraqi National Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Defraud U.S. Refugee ProgramRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An Iraqi national, Aws Muwafaq Abduljabbar, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison on a charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States related to his role in a scheme to defraud U.S. refugee programs.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari, and U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Deputy Assistant Secretary and Assistant Director for Domestic Operations Mark A. Sullo.
Abduljabbar, 44, pleaded guilty in January 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Judge Rudolph Contreras.
Abduljabbar is one of three defendants who were charged in an indictment that was unsealed on January 22, 2021. The indictment charged Abduljabbar and two other foreign nationals, Haitham Isa Saado Sad, 44, and Olesya Leonidovna Krasilova, 44, in connection with a scheme to defraud the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and, in particular, the Iraq P-2 program, which allows certain Iraqis to apply directly for refugee resettlement in the United States. Sad previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced. Krasilova remains at large.
According to the indictment and statement of facts agreed to by Abduljabbar as part of his guilty plea, from approximately February 2016 until at least April 2019, the three defendants, led by Abduljabbar, conspired to steal U.S. government records related to hundreds of USRAP applications. Sad was employed in Amman, Jordan from 2007 to 2016 by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and Krasilova held a similar position at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia. As part of their duties, both defendants had access to the State Department’s Worldwide Refugee Admissions Processing System (WRAPS), a database containing sensitive, non-public information about refugee applicants and their family members.
Abduljabbar organized and led the conspiracy, and he relied on and paid Sad and Krasilova to steal WRAPS records and information so that Abduljabbar could assist applicants in gaining admission to the United States through fraudulent means. As outlined in the indictment and statement of facts, the theft of USRAP records creates a number of risks to public safety and national security while imposing significant costs on the U.S. government, its taxpayers, and otherwise legitimate refugee applicants negatively impacted by the scheme.
This case was investigated jointly by the DHS Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik M. Kenerson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke M. Jones of the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on June 23 was:
Trevor John Glumbik, 34, of Billings, on charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Glumbik faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release. Glumbik was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the crime. PACER case reference. 22-68.
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan on June 22 was:
Raymond Lee Toulouse, 37, of Great Falls, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Tuolouse faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Toulouse was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-71.
David Lawrence Bernach, 59, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute meth and distribution of meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bernach faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Bernach was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-66.
Michael Romie Cervantes, 48, of Fresno, California, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Cervantes faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Cervantes was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-02.
Appearing on June 21 was:
Mark Jay Albrecht, 65, of Gillette, Wyoming, on charges of false statement. If convicted of the most serious crime, Albrecht faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Albrecht was released pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-41.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on June 21 was:
Jorge Allejandro Orellana-Banegas, 23, and Jose Eugenio Banegas-Torres, 38, both of Honduras, on charges of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens and transportation of illegal aliens. If convicted of the most serious crime, the defendants face a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. The defendants were detained pending further proceedings. The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-47.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Illinois Man Convicted of Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Stickney, Illinois, man was convicted on Thursday, by a federal jury sitting in Lexington, of one count of money laundering.
After 3.5 hours of deliberations, following a two-day trial, the jury convicted 37-year old Rudy Guerrero of the charge.
The indictment alleged a promotional money laundering scheme, amongst eight defendants, and included criminal activities in Lexington and Chicago, during the conspiracy. According to testimony at trial, Guerrero delivered bulk cash drug proceeds on three separate occasions within a week. The proceeds totaled approximately $450,000 and were intended to further the drug trafficking activities of the larger criminal organization. The money laundering scheme involved the conversion of bulk cash to cryptocurrency, for transfer to other conspirators based in Mexico.
Guerrero was indicted in December 2021.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Bradbury.
Guerrero will appear for sentencing on October 3, 2022. He faces up to up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $500,000. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
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Hopewell, PA Felon Sentenced to Seven Years for Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA -- A Beaver County resident has pleaded guilty and been sentenced in federal court to seven years’ imprisonment to be followed by four years of supervised release on his convictions of violating federal narcotics and firearm laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Cameron Cannon, age 31, formerly of Hopewell, PA 15001.
According to information presented to the court, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence after purchasing controlled substances from him at the residence. From the defendant’s bedroom, law enforcement recovered about 110 net grams of methamphetamine. On the kitchen counter, officers recovered about 9.5 net grams of a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl from within a cereal box. The drawer directly beneath the cereal box contained a loaded handgun with an obliterated serial number. The defendant is prohibited from the possession of firearms and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
This case is 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.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Beaver County Anti-Drug Task Force and Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Cannon.
Hastings Woman Sentenced for Possessing Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Vallen Bateman, 36, of Hastings, Nebraska, was sentenced on June 24, 2022, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Bateman to 66 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, she will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On September 28, 2020, law enforcement was serving a federal arrest warrant for John Wizinsky at a residence in Grand Island, following his indictment for distributing methamphetamine. Wizinsky was arrested and Bateman was also present. Bateman had an active warrant out of Howard County and was arrested. She admitted to having marijuana in her nearby backpack. A search of her backpack revealed 80 grams of methamphetamine, a scale, and 13 grams of marijuana.
Wizinsky was sentenced on July 23, 2021, to 262 months’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Grand Island Police Department and the Central Nebraska Drug and Safe Streets Task Force.
Hartsville Man Indicted for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Florence returned a single-count indictment against Frederick De’Angello Bennett, Jr., 21, of Hartsville, for possessing a firearm which was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
The indictment alleges that on or about May 10, 2021, Bennett possessed a shotgun with an overall length of less than 26 inches and a barrel length of less than 16 inches, which was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
Bennett faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and is currently detained pending trial.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Corey F. Ellis stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Hartford Man Sentenced to 44 Months in Prison for Trafficking NarcoticsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HENRY DEJESUS-MORALES, also known as “Red,” 33, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 44 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking narcotics.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force identified a Hartford man as a distributor of heroin and cocaine in Connecticut, New York and elsewhere. The narcotics distributor was arrested on federal charges on January 13, 2021. A cellphone seized during the investigation revealed that DeJesus-Morales supplied narcotics to the Hartford man, and further investigation revealed that the narcotics trafficker, while detained in federal custody, was working with his wife and her son to distribute drugs. DeJesus-Morales was subsequently intercepted on a court-authorized wiretap coordinating the sale of narcotics and, on May 27, 2021, he was observed distributing approximately 20 grams of fentanyl to the son of the detained individual’s wife.
DeJesus has been detained since his arrest on June 28, 2021. On March 21, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of, and possession with intent to distribute, controlled substances.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ruff through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Four Defendants Sentenced to More Than 60 Years Collectively in Federal Prison for Crimes Related to Child Sex Trafficking and ExploitationRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Four Defendants have been sentenced to federal prison for conduct related to a multi-state child sex trafficking and exploitation scheme.
Specifically, the following Defendants have been sentenced:
- Hart William Grow, 26, of Surprise, Arizona, has been sentenced to 27 years in federal prison for child sex trafficking and the sexual exploitation of a separate minor.
- Theodore Woolings Bye, III, 37, of Myrtle Beach, has been sentenced to 24 years in federal prison for the sexual exploitation of a minor.
- Sanadin Mohamed Elrayes, 28, of Surfside Beach, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for transferring obscene material – video of him having sexual intercourse with a minor.
- Charles Joseph Spillane, 44, of Myrtle Beach, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for transferring obscene material – video of him having sexual intercourse with a minor.
“Using the internet, these Defendants engineered and executed crimes that involved sexual acts against a child. This was vile behavior, and the children of South Carolina are safer with these predators off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Corey F. Ellis. “I hope the victims can move forward with their lives, and this Office’s Victim Witness Coordinator remains available to aid in this healing. I commend the excellent work of our federal, state, and local partners. However, our work is one small part of what it takes to combat sexual exploitation of children. Parents and guardians need to be vigilant and monitor their children’s online activity. This case highlights that through technology, any child, anywhere, can become a victim.”
“This case underscores the importance of online safety; these predators used the internet to help them victimize innocent children. Thankfully, they are facing justice for their despicable actions,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Ronnie Martinez, who oversees HSI operations in North Carolina and South Carolina. “Protecting our most vulnerable populations from exploitation is one of HSI’s most important missions and we are fortunate to have great working relationships with our law enforcement partners that provide us invaluable assistance in these cases.”
“The success of this case was the result of many local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies working together,” said South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Capt. Connie Sonnefeld, “These law enforcement officers are dedicated to fighting human trafficking in South Carolina and throughout the country. SLED is proud to work with our law enforcement partners and prosecutors to support survivors and ensure criminals who prey on our most vulnerable are brought to justice.”
"We as a community have no greater responsibility than to protect our children and law enforcement will always stand up for those that need help,” said Myrtle Beach Police Chief Amy Prock. “This case was a partnership built on that mission and we couldn't be more proud of the team that brought those charged and those sentenced to justice."
Evidence presented to the Court showed that Grow, from his home in Arizona and through the internet, misrepresented to various minors across the country that he was also a minor and was interested in a relationship. A search of Grow’s electronic devices revealed images of, or sexual conversations with, at least 23 individuals confirmed to be minors, and hundreds of other images, videos, and contacts with individuals who appeared to be minors. Further, at least one of the social media accounts from which Grow engineered his sexual exploitation of children was registered in 2016 from an address associated with Grow, and the account has been active since that time.
In this case, Grow allegedly claimed to the first minor victim that he was a 17-year-old female named “Hannah” living in Columbia, South Carolina. After gaining her trust and collecting sexually explicit videos, Grow forced the minor victim into sex trafficking. In sexually trafficking the minor victim and aware of her, Grow initially posted images on message boards offering the minor victim up to adult males for sex in exchange for the adult males actively engaging in the production of videos of the sexual acts, and ensuring those videos were sent to Grow.
Among the first customers was Bye, who became infatuated with the minor victim and began acting as the middleman for Grow. Although Bye knew the minor victim’s age, he would make sexually explicit videos of the minor victim. He would also arrange for men to have sex with her in exchange for the men agreeing to engage in the production of sexually explicit videos to be sent to Grow. The minor victim lived with her parents in Myrtle Beach, and Grow and Bye would traffic her while her parents were away or were asleep down the hall.
Both Elrayes and Spillane responded to Bye’s internet postings and, after communicating with Bye via social media and text messages, engaged in sexually explicit conduct with the minor victim, which was filmed and sent to Grow.
Additionally, in early 2021, after Grow had trafficked the first minor victim, he began communicating with a second minor victim in the Midlands area of South Carolina. Again, Grow used a false persona to build a relationship with the second minor victim, and ultimately forced her to produce sexually explicit videos for him until shortly before his arrest in Arizona. At Grow’s direction, the videos of the second minor victim were often unknowingly and covertly filmed near her parents or other family members.
According to Court records, the Defendants used social media applications, including Snapchat, Wattpad, and Kik to communicate with the victims and with each other.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Grow to 327 months imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime of court-ordered supervision; Bye to 293 months imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime of court-ordered supervision; Elrayes to 60 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision; and Spillane to 60 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Grow and Bye will be required to register as sex offenders for life and were also ordered to pay restitution to the victims.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), SLED, the Horry County Sheriff’s Office, and the Myrtle Beach Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Derek A. Shoemake and Amy Bower prosecuted the case.
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Four Charged in Crime Spree that Stole Vehicles, U.S. Mail and Robbed Postal Service CarriersRead the Press Release
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler announced that a federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment charging Jaylen Harris, 19, of Beachwood, Ohio, Lavelle Jones, 18, of Warrenville Heights, Ohio, Devin Rice, 20, of Cleveland, Ohio, and Hakim Benjamin, 20, of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, with organizing and engaging in a conspiracy to steal and sell high-end vehicles, rob Postal Service carriers and steal from the U.S. mail.
Defendants Harris, Jones, Rice and Benjamin are each charged with conspiracy to commit sale or receipt of stolen vehicles and sale or receipt of stolen vehicles. Defendants Rice, Jones and Harris are charged with additional counts of possession of stolen mail. Defendant Rice is also charged with aiding and abetting the robbery of a postal carrier and stealing keys adopted by the Post Office. Defendant Harris is charged with an additional count of illegal possession of a machine gun.
According to court documents, from December 2021 to February 2022, the defendants are accused of stealing high-end vehicles from car dealerships in Michigan and transporting the vehicles to be sold in the Northern District of Ohio. The indictment states that the defendants targeted specific vehicles to steal and purchase, including the Dodge Durango, Dodge Ram TRX, Dodge Hellcat, Audi 8 and others.
In addition to the car theft conspiracy, Defendants Rice, Jones and Harris are charged with organizing and engaging in a conspiracy to rob Postal Service carriers, steal Postal Service mail keys and illegally obtain mail from Postal Service collection boxes.
Court documents state that the defendants sought to obtain Postal Service collection box keys from mail carriers in order to steal checks and other items of value from the U.S. mail. It is alleged that the defendants would often rob mail carriers of their collection box keys while on duty and then pull checks and other items of value from the mail.
On January 31, 2022, Defendant Rice was arrested by law enforcement authorities after committing robbery and assault of a Postal Service carrier. During the arrest, it is alleged that Rice was found to be in possession of various pieces of stolen mail.
On February 10, 2022, a search warrant was executed at a hotel where Defendants Harris and Jones were residing. During the search, authorities obtained multiple pieces of stolen mail and a firearm belonging to Harris that was modified to fire as a machinegun.
Court records state that as a result of the various schemes, the defendants caused an estimated potential loss of $2,700,000.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentence will be determined by the court after a review of factors unique to this case, including prior criminal record, if any, role in the offenses, and the characteristics of the violation.
In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated by the FBI, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Cuyahoga County Criminal Investigators, Beachwood Police Department and Shaker Heights Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn G. Andrachik and Jason W. White.
Fort Stockton Man Found Guilty of Child EndangermentRead the Press Release
PECOS – A federal jury convicted a Fort Stockton man this week of one count of endangerment of a child.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on February 5, 2022, Big Bend National Park Rangers found an abandoned vehicle belonging to Hector Flores Jr., 48, located in a very remote part of Big Bend National Park about 20 miles from the Mexican border. Birth certificates for Flores and a nine-year-old child were found in the vehicle. Evidence in the area suggested the nine-year-old was with Flores. Park Rangers and U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel initiated a search.
Further investigation revealed Flores withdrew the child from school on January 4 and did not enroll the child in a new school. Around January 28, 2022, a camera recorded Flores’ vehicle entering Big Bend National Park. Flores’ vehicle was found in an area that offers no food, water or shelter. On February 14, 2022, Mexican authorities located Flores and the child in Mexico and detained Flores but returned the child to the U.S. The child reported to authorities that they ran out of food and had not eaten for four days. In addition, the weather from January 28 to February 13 included subfreezing temperatures and heavy rains.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Downey, El Paso Field Office, made the announcement.
The FBI and the Big Bend National Park Service, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott V. Greenbaum and William Calve are prosecuting the case.
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Fort Pierre Man Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Fort Pierre, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Exploitation of a Child was sentenced on June 21, 2022, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
James Cadwell, age 40, was sentenced to 28 years in federal prison, followed by seven years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Cadwell was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 10, 2020. He pled guilty on March 3, 2022.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on October 26, 2020, in Pierre, South Dakota, when the minor victim was in Cadwell’s care. Cadwell knowingly persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced his minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of recording such conduct, and said recordings were produced by mobile phone and shared by computer.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Pierre Police Department, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher prosecuted the case.
Cadwell was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Former Paramedic Charged with Fentanyl TamperingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Massachusetts emergency medical technician (EMT) paramedic has been charged in connection with tampering with liquid fentanyl vials at the ambulance company at which she worked.
Candice Mangan, 41, of Medford, was charged with tampering with a consumer product. She will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging document, from approximately March 2020 to early October 2020, Mangan – a licensed EMT paramedic in Massachusetts – worked part-time as an EMT for an ambulance service company in Massachusetts. It is alleged that on or about Sept. 30, 2020, while working in Needham, Mangan tampered with three fentanyl citrate vials by removing fentanyl citrate and replacing it with saline. The liquid remaining in the three vials contained only approximately 4.4%, 6.8%, and 24.2% of the declared concentration of fentanyl citrate.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences in a criminal case are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Bradley E. Greenburg, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; and Margret R. Cooke, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard Locker of Rollins’ Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Owner of Illicit Massage Parlor Sentenced for Submitting Fraudulent COVID-Relief Loan ApplicationsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former owner of a massage parlor pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with filing fraudulent applications for pandemic-related loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act in which she failed to disclose that her employees engaged in commercial sex acts with customers.
Aticha Jittaphol, 33, of Brighton, pleaded guilty to two counts of making false statements in federal loan applications. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf sentenced Jittaphol to time served (approximately two months). Jittaphol was charged in September 2021.
Jittaphol is the former owner of Mantra Dhevi Spa in Brighton. In March and April of 2020, Jittaphol submitted fraudulent applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans in which she falsely stated that the applicant was not engaged in any illegal activity. However, her employees at Mantra Dhevi Spa engaged in prostitution from which she collected a portion of fees paid by each customer. Jittaphol also actively promoted the prostitution by recruiting employees and attracting new customers. In total, Jittaphol obtained $7,066 in fraudulent payments from the EIDL and PPP loan programs.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Ketty Larco Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Cambridge, Boston, Franklin and Lexington Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Lawrence, David Derusha and Elysa Wan of Rollins’ Criminal Division and Suffolk County Assistant District Attorneys Alyssa Tochka and Luke Goldworm, who were appointed as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys, prosecuted 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.
Former Owner of Illicit Massage Parlor Sentenced for Nearly $30,000 COVID-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former owner of a massage parlor was sentenced yesterday in connection with filing for and obtaining fraudulent pandemic-related loans for her illicit business where workers engaged in commercial sex acts with customers.
Chynna Savath, 57, of Woonsocket, R.I., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to three years of probation. Savath was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $34,391. On Jan. 20, 2022, Savath pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud.
Savath is the former owner of Thai Body Work, a massage parlor in Franklin, Mass. In June 2020, Savath submitted fraudulent applications to the Small Business Administration for COVID-19 relief through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. In the applications, Savath falsely certified that the applicant was not engaged in any illegal activity, despite knowing that her employees at Thai Body Work engaged in prostitution with customers and that she collected a portion of fees paid by each customer. In total, Savath obtained $34,391 in fraudulent payments from the EIDL and PPP loan programs.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Ketty Larco Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Cambridge, Boston, Franklin and Lexington Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elysa Wan of Rollins’ Criminal Division and Suffolk County Assistant District Attorneys Alyssa Tochka and Luke Goldworm, who were appointed as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys prosecuted 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.
Former CEO of Drug Manufacturing Company Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Defraud the FDA and Distributing Adulterated DrugsRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Raidel Figueroa, the former CEO and co-owner of Pharmatech, LLC, a drug and dietary supplement manufacturer that operated in Broward County, Florida, pled guilty to conspiring to defraud the FDA, falsifying records in an FDA investigation, obstructing proceedings before the FDA, and distributing adulterated drugs in Fort Lauderdale federal court yesterday.
Court documents show that from at least 2016 through at least March 2017, Pharmatech manufactured and distributed Diocto Liquid, a drug used to treat constipation. In July 2016, FDA initiated an inspection at Pharmatech as part of an investigation into an outbreak of Burkholderia cepacia (“B. cepacia”) infections. B. cepacia is the name for a group or “complex” of bacteria typically found in soil and water. These bacteria pose little medical risk to healthy people, but people who have certain health problems like weak immune systems or chronic lung diseases may be more susceptible to B. cepacia infections. The effects of B. cepacia can include serious respiratory infections and other types of infections. Contaminated medicines can transmit B. cepacia, and the bacteria are often resistant to common antibiotics. At the close of the FDA’s inspection in August of 2016, the FDA notified Figueroa that a water sample it had taken from Pharmatech’s water system had tested positive for the presence of B. cepacia. In response, Figueroa advised the FDA that Pharmatech was re-engineering its purified water system to prevent future contaminations.
In March 2017, the FDA started another inspection at Pharmatech. FDA investigators asked Figueroa to disclose all products that Pharmatech had manufactured after it resumed manufacturing. Figueroa lied to the FDA investigators by, among other things, knowingly excluding Diocto Liquid from its products list (even though Pharmatech shipped over 7,000 units of the drug earlier that month) and by falsely stating to the FDA that Pharmatech’s new water system had met “acceptance criteria,” which was not true.
In July 2017, the CDC notified the FDA of multiple cases of B. cepacia infections in pediatric patients at Stanford Children’s Health Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto, California and Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore, Maryland. FDA investigated and collected bottles of Diocto Liquid from these medical centers. The collected bottles were from the same lot that Pharmatech distributed in March 2017 – the same lot that Pharmatech failed to disclose to the FDA. Several of the bottles contained total aerobic microbial counts and total yeast and mold counts in excess of acceptable limits and some of the bottles also tested positive for the presence of B. cepacia.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Justin C. Fielder, Special Agent in Charge, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
The FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deric Zacca is prosecuting this case, with assistance from Laura Akowuah, from FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-60033.
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Florida Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. - A former Florida resident, who moved to Mississippi, was sentenced to 30 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for failure to register as a sex offender, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and U.S. Marshal Mark B. Shepherd.
Jason Marvin Kent, 43, was sentenced after pleading guilty on February 16, 2022, to failure to register as a sex offender, which is a federal felony under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), commonly known as the Adam Walsh Act.
On July 22, 2021, Kent was arrested by the Jackson County Sheriff's Department in Moss Point on a failure to register arrest warrant issued out of Walton County, Florida. Investigation revealed that Kent relocated from Florida to Mississippi in early 2021 to avoid being arrested on the Florida warrant. Kent and his girlfriend had been working and living at a local motel. Kent was convicted in 2002 of lewd or lascivious conduct in Walton County and was sentenced to three years’ probation and classified as a sex offender. Florida is a lifetime registration state and, in 2015, Kent was convicted of failure to register in Florida, for which he was sentenced to three years’ probation.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Walton County Florida Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris was the prosecutor for the case.
Florence Man Indicted for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — A federal grand jury in Florence returned a single-count indictment against Victor Bernard Johnson, Jr., 31, of Florence, for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a prohibited felon.
The indictment alleges that on or about December 25, 2021, Johnson possessed a firearm and ammunition knowing that he had a prior conviction for a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year.
Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and is currently detained pending trial.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Florence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Corey F. Ellis stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Ohio Man for Illegally Shipping Firearms to New York StateRead 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 Allen DeCola, 65, of Perry, Ohio, with shipping and transporting firearms with intent to commit an offense. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between April and May 17, 2018, DeCola, a former federal firearms licensee, illegally shipped and transported firearms from the State of Ohio to the State of New York.
DeCola was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and released on conditions.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, 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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Federal Grand Jury B Indictments Announced- June 2022Read the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the June 2022 Federal Grand Jury B.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Jacob William Paul Coombes. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Coombes, 27, of Cushing, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Glock .45 caliber pistol and seven rounds of ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Quapaw Nation Marshal Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Rubens is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-189
Christopher Daniel Gilliam. Assault of a Spouse or Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country (Counts 1, 3); Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding (Misdemeanor) (Counts 2,4). Gilliam is charged with strangling and beating an intimate/dating partner on Dec. 2, 2021. Gilliam is further charged with strangling and beating a second intimate partner on June 6, 2022. The FBI, Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department, and Creek County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Briden is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-183
Jordan James Hodges. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Receipt of Stolen Property in Indian Country in Excess of $1,000. Hodges, 32, of Moore, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Remington .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle with a Bushnell scope and 35 rounds of ammunition on May 19, 2020. He is further charged with stealing an All-Terrain Vehicle, which was valued in excess of $1,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, and Oklahoma Department of Agriculture are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-184
Steven Alberto Juarez. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country. Juarez, 19, of Tulsa, is alleged to have intentionally run over Orlando Lorenz Lays Bad with his vehicle on May 20, 2022. The victim died at the scene. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon A. Skates is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-185
Millard Ray Laskey. Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Maiming in Indian Country. Laskey, 51, of Bristow, allegedly assaulted the victim with a Bluetooth speaker and machete on May 21, 2022. He is further charged with maiming the defendant during the assault. The FBI, Bristow Police Department, and Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-186
Justin Eli Muncy. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Commission of Felony Sex Offense Involving a Minor by a Registered Sex Offender. Muncy, 45, of Lawton, allegedly attempted to coerce an individual he believed to be a minor into engaging in sexual activity from Jan. 27, 2022 to April 14, 2022. Instead, he was messaging an undercover agent. Muncy committed the alleged crime while he was a registered sex offender. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Paisner is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-187
Jordan Tyler Nunn. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition (Counts 1-3). Nunn, 32, of Tulsa, allegedly was a felon in possession of a Ruger 9mm Luger caliber semi-automatic pistol and 12 rounds of ammunition on July 29, 2021. He is also charged with possession of a Taurus Armas 9mm Luger caliber semi-automatic pistol 12 rounds of ammunition on March 8, 2022. Finally, he is charged with possession of a Samsun Domestic Defense and Industry Corporation (Canik) 9x19 caliber semi-automatic pistol and 15 rounds of ammunition on June 1, 2022. The investigative agencies are the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Tulsa Police Department and Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Valeria Luster is prosecuting the case.
Joshua Lee Ortiz-Hernandez. Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor (Counts 1); Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country (Counts 2-4); Production of Child Pornography (Count 5); Possession of Child Pornography (Counts 6). Ortiz-Hernandez, 36, allegedly sexually abused a minor between the ages of 12 and 16 on June 5, 2022. He is also charged with producing and possessing visual depictions of the alleged abuse. The investigative agencies are the FBI and Pryor Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Valeria Luster is prosecuting the case.
Joshua Cain Roets. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Roets, 34, transient, is charged with assaulting the victim with a knife on May 29, 2022. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Briden is prosecuting the case.
Richard Alan Sisney. Receipt and Distribution of a Visual Depiction of a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct; Possession of a Visual Depiction of a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct; Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Distribution of Child Pornography. Sisney, 68, of Tulsa, allegedly received, possessed, and distributed child pornography from May 29, 2021 to May 20, 2022. The investigative agency is the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle McWaters is prosecuting the case.
Brandon Michael Smart. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. Smart, 33, of Tulsa, allegedly strangled an intimate/dating partner on June 8, 2022. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Briden is prosecuting the case. 22-cr-196
Fort Washakie Man Sentenced for Assault by Strangulation and SuffocationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that XAVIER BRANDON GUINA, 25, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming was sentenced on June 16, 2022, for assault by strangulation and suffocation. He appeared before United States District Court Chief Judge Scott W. Skavdahl and was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
On October 18, 2021, Guina strangled and suffocated a victim meeting the statutory definition of intimate and dating partner. The assault occurred on the Wind River Indian Reservation.
“This was a just sentence,” said United States Attorney Bob Murray. “It’s cases like these that make me feel good about the work we do. Victims of violence who speak up deserve to be recognized for their courage and should be commended for stopping the abuse.”
“Victims of domestic violence deserve justice,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider. “The FBI works closely with our tribal partners to investigate these violent crimes in order to hold these perpetrators accountable for such horrific acts.”
This crime was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson is prosecuting the case.
Case No. 21-cr-00129-SWS
Fort Washakie Man Sentenced for Assault by StrangulationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that JARED MATTHEW NOSEEP, 24, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming was sentenced for assault by strangulation on June 16, 2022, before United States District Court Chief Judge Scott W. Skavdahl. Noseep was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $250 fine and a $200 special assessment.
Noseep pled guilty to two separate incidents in which he strangled and/or attempted to strangle a victim meeting the statutory definition of intimate and dating partner. The two assaults involved the same victim and occurred on January 6, 2020, and September 7, 2020, on the Wind River Indian Reservation.
“We must remain steadfast in our efforts to investigate and prosecute violent crime on the reservation,” said United States Attorney Bob Murray. “We could not accomplish this without the courage of victims who stand up to their abusers and report these incidents. ”
“Thanks to the courage of the victim in this case, the FBI was able to investigate this assault by strangulation and bring the perpetrator to justice,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider. “It is a credit to the victim that the defendant has been held accountable for his actions.”
This crime was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson is prosecuting the case.
Case No. 22-cr-00014-SWS
Enterprise Man Sentenced to 74 Months in Prison Following Federal Gun and Drug ConvictionsRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On Wednesday, June 22, 2022, Willie Frank Harvis, a 62-year-old from Enterprise, Alabama, was sentenced to 74 months in prison for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of multiple firearms, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart. Following his prison sentence, Harvis will be on supervised release for three years. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to his plea agreement and other court documents, in late January 2019, the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office began to suspect that Harvis was selling drugs from his Enterprise home. After obtaining a search warrant, on February 1, 2019, law enforcement searched Harvis’s residence and found crack cocaine along with eleven firearms. Harvis has multiple felony convictions and is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.
This case was investigated by ATF, the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Enterprise Police Department, with assistance from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and DEA. Assistant United States Attorney Russell T. Duraski prosecuted the case.
El Paso Man Pleads Guilty to over $600K Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
EL PASO – An El Paso man pleaded guilty yesterday to multiple counts of an indictment for his involvement in a tax fraud scheme.
According to court documents, Elein Rodela Jr., 41, was a tax preparer in the El Paso area. From August 2016 to August 2018, Rodela perpetrated a scheme to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by filing false tax returns and then receiving the ill-gotten refunds. The scheme involved using legitimate W2 forms to file fraudulent tax returns and obtain federal tax refund checks in the name of non-citizens working in the U.S. To further his scheme, Rodela opened P.O. boxes in El Paso, Texas and New Mexico, and used these addresses to receive the fraudulently obtained tax refund checks. He subsequently cashed the refund checks and laundered the money through a bank account belonging to a children’s sports team. Rodela’s scheme resulted in a total loss to the IRS of approximately $670,217.
Rodela pleaded guilty to three counts of mail fraud; one count of wire fraud; four counts of aggravated identity theft; five counts of money laundering; and one count of theft of government funds. A sentencing date has not been set. Rodela faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the mail fraud, wire fraud, identity theft, and money laundering counts. He faces up to 10 years in prison on the theft of government funds count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence and restitution after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and IRS Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington, Houston Field Office, made the announcement.
The IRS is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ellen Denum and Shane Wagman Romero are prosecuting the case.
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Eagle Butte Man Found Not Guilty of Sexual Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man was acquitted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor as a result of a federal jury trial in Pierre, South Dakota, beginning on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, and concluding on Friday, June 17, 2022.
Luis Torres, a/k/a “Bubba”, age 22, was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 10, 2021.
The charges related to the sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl in rural Eagle Butte.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
Dothan Man Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Prison for Attempting to Send Pornographic Images to a MinorRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On Wednesday, June 22, 2022, Kevin Wayne Willett, a 31-year-old from Dothan, Alabama, was sentenced to 210 months in prison for the attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor and attempted distribution of child pornography to a minor, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart. Following his 17.5-year prison sentence, Willett will be on supervised release for five years and will be required to register as a sex offender. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to his plea agreement and other court documents, on May 3, 2018, Willett, using an online dating site, communicated with who he thought was a 14-year-old girl. In reality, Willett was communicating with an undercover FBI agent posing as a minor. At some point during the exchange, Willett sent the agent an obscene image of an adult. Over the following days, Willet exchanged text messages with the undercover agent. In those messages, Willet indicated his intent to share lewd and sexual images. Willett then sent the agent an image containing child pornography. On March 7, 2022, Willett pleaded guilty to the charges.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant United States Attorney J. Patrick Lamb prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Shooting at Family in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Anthony Bedney, 27, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for shooting a woman and her five-year-old child after an argument over a scooter he abandoned in a bike lane in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Bedney pleaded guilty in April 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of assault with intent to kill with a dangerous weapon and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a sentence of 15 to 20 years in prison. The Honorable Milton C. Lee, Jr. accepted the plea and sentenced the defendant accordingly. Following his prison term, Bedney will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, the attack took place at about 6:50 p.m. on May 18, 2021. Bedney left a rented scooter in a bike lane on 10th Street NW. A woman who was outside with her family told Bedney that he could not leave his scooter there. The woman then moved the scooter. Bedney then came back and kicked the scooter over. The woman said something to the effect of: “My kids are playing here.” Bedney replied with an expletive. The woman’s husband then approached him as the mother and two young children retreated. He and Bedney engaged in a verbal altercation, and the father threw the scooter back towards him. Bedney moved away and was not hit. The father, meanwhile, moved to be near his family.
As the family was going back inside their residence, Bedney placed a black ski-type mask over his head and face. He then retrieved a firearm from his bag and fired approximately seven shots in the direction of the family. One bullet struck the woman in the chest/neck area, and one struck one of the children, who was five years old, in the back. The mother was hospitalized for six weeks. The bullet still remains lodged in the child’s back. The father and the other child, then two years old, were not hit by the gunfire.
Bedney fled the scene. He was arrested on May 27, 2021, after police linked him to the scooter through the rental company’s records. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Allison Daniels and Debra McPherson and Victim/Witness Program Specialist Karina Hernandez. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole G. H. Conte, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
Convicted Gang Member Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Gun Possession in Project Safe Neighborhoods CaseRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – A Valdosta resident and member of a criminal street gang organization was sentenced to serve more than eight years in prison for illegally possessing a gun.
Deontrey Demorria Crumpton, 25, was sentenced to a total of 105 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release to run concurrently with any term of imprisonment imposed in a Miami-Dade County, Florida, state case and consecutively to any term of imprisonment imposed in a pending Lowndes County, Georgia, state case for probation violation. Crumpton previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson handed down the sentence on June 21. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Convicted felons will face the possibility of federal prosecution in the Middle District of Georgia when they are caught in illegal possession of a firearm,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Working alongside our community and law enforcement partners through Project Safe Neighborhoods, enforcement efforts remain focused on holding the most egregious repeat offenders accountable in an effort to make our communities safer.”
“This sentence makes it very clear that criminals who repeatedly break the law and continue to possess illegal firearms will be held accountable with lengthy prison terms,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Our commitment to Project Safe Neighborhoods, and strong partnerships with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies made the arrest of Deontrey Crumpton possible. Rest assured, the FBI will always work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Crumpton was a known member of the 1735 In Route Bloods criminal street gang and had a prior burglary conviction in Lowndes County Superior Court. An investigation into illegal drug trafficking involving Crumpton and others in the Valdosta community resulted in officers executing a search warrant at Crumpton’s residence on Oct. 28, 2020. Crumpton was found inside his bedroom, which was secured by a push button keypad. Crumpton was found in possession of a Glock semi-automatic handgun and $13,860. It is illegal for a convicted felon to be in possession of a firearm.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by FBI and the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Federal Prison for Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung today sentenced Ronald O’Neal White (26, Tampa) to 37 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered White to forfeit the Taurus PT11 G2 GN firearm and ammunition. White had pleaded guilty on March 24, 2022.
According to court documents, on February 21, 2021, law enforcement officers responded to the scene where it had been reported that an individual had pointed a firearm at another individual. While on scene, an officer observed a van drive by slowly. Witnesses identified White as a passenger in the van and informed the officers that White was the individual who had pointed the firearm at the other person.
Officers conducted a traffic stop of the van and a subsequent searched of the vehicle revealed a loaded firearm under the seat where White was sitting. The gun had previously been reported stolen. White later admitted to possessing the firearm. White is a previously convicted felon and therefore is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charlie D. Connally.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Colorado Man Found Guilty of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Attempts to Interfere with Administration of Internal Revenue LawsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Randy L. Garriss, age 68, of Lamar, Colorado, was found guilty of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Attempts to Interfere with Administration of Internal Revenue Laws as a result of a federal jury trial in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and up to a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Garriss was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 6, 2017.
The convictions stemmed from incidents beginning in April of 2004 when Theodore Nelson and his son, Steven Nelson, created over 25 sham trusts to hide their income and assets from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), thus evading the assessment and payment of federal income taxes. The trusts were designed to make it difficult for the IRS to determine the Nelsons’ federal income tax liability. The Nelsons appointed John Sheridan and Loren Brown as trustees and successor trustees for the trusts until Sheridan’s death in 2011. In this manner, the Nelsons were able to put many layers between themselves and their assets and income. In 2011, Garriss joined the conspiracy as a trustee for the Nelsons’ trusts. Garriss’ actions as trustee helped the Nelsons hide their income and assets from the IRS. Among other acts, Garriss also corruptly endeavored to obstruct and impede the due administration of the internal revenue laws by mailing anti-tax documents to the IRS on behalf of the Nelsons. Garriss signed on his own behalf and that of Brown as trustees for Steve Nelson and the Nelsons’ trusts.
“One of IRS Criminal Investigation’s highest priorities is to combat abusive tax avoidance schemes and the individuals who promote them,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation. "The guilty verdict of Randy Garriss for his agreement to conspire against and impede the IRS with Ted Nelson, Steve Nelson, and Loren Brown shows how IRS Criminal Investigation will work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring tax cheats to justice."
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for September 12, 2022. The defendant was released on bond until sentencing.
Coachella Valley Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Role in Scheme in Which Doctors Took Bribes for Spinal Surgery ReferralsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An accountant who enabled the owner of a corrupt Long Beach hospital to pay more than $40 million in illegal kickbacks to doctors in exchange for them referring thousands of spinal surgery patients was sentenced today to 15 months in federal prison for a tax offense related to the scheme.
George William Hammer, 69, of Palm Desert, was sentenced by United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton, who also ordered Hammer to pay an $8,000 fine and forfeit $500,000 in proceeds from the scheme.
Hammer pleaded guilty in August 2018 to one count of filing a false tax return.
Hammer was the financial officer for various companies controlled by Michael D. Drobot, who owned Pacific Hospital in Long Beach. Drobot conspired with doctors, chiropractors, and marketers to pay kickbacks in return for the referral of thousands of patients to Pacific Hospital for spinal surgeries and other medical services paid for primarily through the California workers’ compensation system.
During its final five years, the scheme resulted in the submission of more than $500 million in bills for kickback tainted surgeries. To date, 22 defendants have been convicted for participating in the kickback scheme.
Beginning in 1997, Hammer supported the kickback scheme by facilitating payments to individuals receiving bribes and kickbacks pursuant to sham contracts that were used to conceal the illicit payments. Hammer falsified tax returns by characterizing the bribes as legitimate business expenses.
“Through his role at the Drobot-controlled entities, [Hammer] ensured that doctors were paid more than $40 million…in kickbacks,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “The scheme was too complex for Drobot to do alone. It could not have been accomplished without complicit executives like [Hammer] who furthered the scheme.”
Hammer was a salaried employee and did not directly profit from the kickbacks and bribes.
In January 2018, Drobot was sentenced to five years in federal prison for his crimes in this matter and awaits a March 2023 sentencing hearing after pleading guilty to three criminal charges for violating a court forfeiture order in the Pacific Hospital case by illegally selling his luxury cars.
The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, the California Department of Insurance, and the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph T. McNally and Billy Joe McLain of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Assistant United States Attorney Victor Rodgers of the Asset Forfeiture Section prosecuted this case.
Citizen of Dominican Republic Indicted for Cocaine Trafficking and Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Jose Campusano, age 38, a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Utica, New York, was indicted yesterday for trafficking cocaine and illegal reentry into the United States.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; and Tom Brophy, Buffalo Field Office Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
Campusano has been in custody since May, when he was arrested on a federal criminal complaint. The charges in the indictment and complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charges filed against Campusano carry a maximum term of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the DEA and ICE-ERO, with assistance from the New York State Police, Oneida County Sheriff’s Department, Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, Syracuse Police Department, and Utica Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Carbone.
Chinese National Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking, Identity TheftRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Chinese national has pleaded guilty to identity theft and cyberstalking involving a Minnesota college student, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between January 2020 and November 2021, Ki Cheung Yau, 27, created multiple online accounts on various websites, including social media platforms, dating websites, and pornography websites, using the name, photos, and personally identifying information of the victim. Yau used these accounts to communicate with strangers on the internet while posing as the victim. Yau falsely portrayed the victim on social media, dating, and sexually-focused websites as a young woman soliciting submissive or violent sexual relationships, including a desire to engage in racially-oriented submissive sexual conduct.
Yau then communicated with strangers online and tried to help them locate the victim and follow through on his invitations for dominating and violent sexual encounters. According to court documents, on two separate occasions in January 2021, a man went to the victim’s residence and asked for the victim by name, presumably because he believed he was meeting the victim for a sexual encounter. Also, Yau’s cyberstalking resulted in strangers directly messaging the victim in response to explicit accounts and posts made by Yau posing as the victim. Further, the victim’s family and friends’ names, photos, and contact information were also included in Yau’s stalking scheme. The victim was forced to move to a new residence and change her phone number.
Yau pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright to one count of cyberstalking and one count of identity theft. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the St. Paul Police Department.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor is prosecuting the case.
Cabarrus County Man Sentenced to 135 Months in Prison for Illegally Selling over One Hundred Machine Gun Conversion Kits for AR-15 Type Rifles and Other CrimesRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A North Carolina man was sentenced on June 24, 2022, to 135 months in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for two counts of felon in possession of a firearm, one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm, and one count of distribution of cocaine hydrochloride.
According to court documents, Herbert Brooks Humphries, III, 21, was identified by the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) as the operator of an account on Snapchat advertising the sale of illegal narcotics, assault rifle parts and machine gun conversion kits, also known as Drop In Auto Sear (DIAS) devices, designed for use in AR-15 type rifles. A DIAS device is a specially designed piece of metal that can be inserted into specific semiautomatic firearms to allow them to function as fully automatic firearms.
An undercover officer (UC) with the CCSO engaged Humphries on Snapchat and expressed interest in purchasing a DIAS device. Beginning July 2020, the UC and Humphries arranged three sales of illegal drugs, a Remington rifle, and over one hundred DIAS devices in Cabarrus County. During the first meeting on July 28, 2020, Humphries sold the UC two DIAS devices. At the second meeting on July 30, 2020, Humphries sold the UC the Remington rifle, five DIAS devices, and four bags of THC marihuana edible gummies. At the final meeting, on August 3, 2020, Humphries sold the UC ninety-five DIAS devices, a small quantity of cocaine, and a quarter pound of marijuana. During this transaction, Humphries possessed and displayed a .38 caliber Ruger handgun, which was later determined to have been reported stolen from Monroe, North Carolina.
“A firearm in the hands of a prohibited individual is a serious threat to public safety,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “This individual’s criminal history with firearms and narcotics, including his attempts to distribute devices that create fully automatic weapons, is a blatant disregard of our laws and our safety. We are grateful that he will no longer be a danger to the community.”
At the time of his arrest, Humphries was a convicted felon and was therefore unable to possess a firearm. Humphries had previous convictions for multiple felonies including a drug distribution offense in the Superior Court of Union County, North Carolina.
The Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations, and the ATF Firearms Technology Criminal Branch assisted with the investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig M. Principe.
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Burlington Man Sentenced for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on June 24, 2022, Chief United States District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford sentenced Amrou Mohamed, 26, of Burlington, to a 15-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, following his guilty plea to a charge of aiding and abetting a false statement in connection with the purchase of a firearm in June of 2021.
According to court records, Mohamed planned for an unnamed buyer to purchase a firearm for him. Mohamed coached the buyer on the steps the buyer would need to take to purchase the firearm for him and informed the buyer that the buyer would need to lie when answering a question on a form asking if the buyer was the actual purchaser of the firearm. On June 2, 2021, Mohamed provided the buyer with funds for the purchase of the firearm, then drove the buyer to a licensed firearms dealer. The buyer selected a Glock 17 9mm pistol and submitted ATF Form 4473 indicating that the buyer was in fact the actual purchaser of the firearm. On June 26, 2021, the Burlington Police Department seized the firearm from Mohamed, finding that it was loaded with ten rounds of 9mm ammunition.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Crawford found that Mohamed’s offense involved between three and seven firearms based on his unlawful possession of various firearms on other occasions.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their work on this investigation, as well as the Burlington Police Department and the South Burlington Police Department. U.S. Attorney Kerest stated: “Lying to firearms dealers in order to illegally obtain guns is a serious offense that undermines the safety of our community. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute violations of federal firearms laws.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nate Burris. Mohamed was represented by Attorney Mary Nerino of the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn for more information.
Birmingham Man Sentenced on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham man was sentenced this week for drug and gun charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Towanda Thorne-James.
United States District Judge Abdul K. Kallon sentenced LaMarcus Antonio Sills, Sr., 39, to 72 months in prison. Sills pleaded guilty in March to charges that he possessed heroin with the intent to distribute, was a felon in possession of a firearm, and carried a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking crime.
According to the plea agreement, on July 16, 2020, Birmingham Police Officers had established a police checkpoint at the intersection of 29th Avenue North and 29th Street North, when a white Mercedes Benz came to a stop at the checkpoint. The driver, and sole occupant of the vehicle, was Sills. While speaking to Sills, officers detected the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, and Sills admitted to officers that he had smoked marijuana earlier that day just outside the vehicle. During a search, officers discovered a 9mm Sig Sauer pistol in Sills’s waistband. Officers searched the vehicle and found a clear plastic sandwich bag containing marijuana, a plastic bag containing 30.79 grams of heroin, a small digital scale, and more empty sandwich bags.
“Jefferson County is experiencing near all-time highs in both homicides and drug overdose deaths, with drug fatalities increasing 70% over the last two years,” said United States Attorney Prim. F. Escalona. “The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to do all that we can to protect our community from illicit drug trafficking and to prevent firearms from coming into the possession of prohibited people,” added Escalona.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Birmingham Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darius Greene prosecuted the case.
Bergen County Man Charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and HeroinRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey, man made his initial court appearance today on charges of possession of fentanyl and heroin with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Dawan A. Brown, aka “DB,” 36, of Cliffside Park, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and at least 400 grams or more of fentanyl. He appeared by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward Kiel and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Law enforcement officers learned that Brown packages and distributes large amounts of heroin from an apartment in a building located in Harrison, New Jersey. On June 14, 2022, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at this apartment and at Brown’s residence. From the apartment in Harrison, officers recovered approximately two kilograms of narcotics, suspected to contain amounts of heroin and fentanyl; drug paraphernalia, including a ledger, a safe, scales, a coffee and spice grinder, ink pads, stamps, Ziplock bags, vacuum bags and a vacuum bag sealer machine, razor blades, glassine envelopes and strainers; and approximately $44,000 that was contained within the safe, along with some of the suspected heroin and fentanyl. From the residence in Cliffside Park, officers recovered approximately $169,000, five cell phones, safety deposit keys, and various jewelry including diamond necklaces, gold watches, and a gold ring.
The narcotics offense carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a fine of $10 million.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jesse Levine in Newark; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II; Harrison Police Department, under the direction of Chief Ronald Cuney; and Cliffside Park Police Department, under the direction of Chief Marc Marano, with the investigation leading to the charge.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dong Joo Lee of the Narcotics/Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Frazer of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit, in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Belchertown Man Arrested for Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Belchertown man was arrested yesterday in connection with fraudulently receiving Social Security disability benefits.
Kenneth Pontz, 58, was charged with one count of theft of public funds. Pontz was released on conditions following an initial appearance yesterday in federal court in Springfield before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Katherine A. Robertson.
According to the indictment, over a period of more than six years, Pontz stole approximately $63,871 in Social Security disability benefits.
The charge of theft of public funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Sharon MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Burzycki of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Baltimore Drug Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl and Cocaine in Relation to a Fatal OverdoseRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Aaron Arthur Fields, a/k/a “Handz”, age 33, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for distribution of controlled substances, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of crack cocaine and cocaine.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler; Harford County Drug Task Force, a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, comprised of members of the Harford County Sheriff's Office, the Aberdeen Police Department, the Bel Air Police Department, and the Havre de Grace Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, on November 4, 2018, Harford County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a Joppa, Maryland residence for a fatal overdose. Emergency medical services personnel and deputies arrived and located two victims (Victim 1 and Victim 2) on the bedroom floor. Victim 1 was found deceased while Victim 2 was revived and transported to the hospital for treatment.
In another bedroom, officers located a line of white powder on a book with a piece of a red straw. The white powder was tested and determined to be a fentanyl and cocaine mixture. The medical examiner concluded that Victim 1’s death was due to acute intoxication by fentanyl and cocaine.
As part of the investigation into Victim 1’s death, Victim 1’s cellphone was seized and searched. A search of the cellphone contents revealed that Victim 1 contacted an individual (Individual 1) the night that Victim 1 and Victim 2 overdosed. The communications with Individual 1 and Victim 1 indicated that Individual 1 arranged for Victim 1 to meet with Fields to purchase drugs on the night of November 4, 2018. Fields admits that he distributed controlled substances to Victim 1 and that the death of Victim 1 resulted.
Additionally, during a traffic stop on April 10, 2019, investigators recovered three grams of heroin from an individual (Individual 2) investigators believed to have purchased drugs from Fields. Individual 2 admitted that they purchased drugs from Fields and confirmed Field’s identity after officers showed Individual 2 a picture of Fields.
As stated in his plea agreement, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Field’s Baltimore residence where investigators recovered 126 grams of cocaine. Investigators also recovered 28 grams of crack cocaine, 48 grams of cocaine, and $1,911 in cash from Fields’ person during his arrest in Rosedale, Maryland. Fields admits that he possessed the crack cocaine and cocaine with intent to distribute it. Fields also admits that he conspired with Individual 1 and others to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and the Harford County Task Force for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked the Baltimore County Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Y. Oldham and who prosecuted the case, and Paralegal Kristy Penny for her assistance.
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 and visit the “Save a Life – Opioid Abuse” section.
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Bakersfield Resident Sentenced to over 7 Years in Prison for Unlawfully Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Sabino Ramos, 46, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to seven years and eight months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on July 8, 2021, as Ramos was driving in Bakersfield, law enforcement officers attempted to stop him in order to serve an arrest warrant for probation violations. Ramos led officers on a high-speed chase, reaching speeds up to 90 mph, before losing control of his vehicle while exiting Highway 99 at Ming Avenue. Ramos then ran from pursuing officers but was eventually subdued. Ramos was found to be in possession of two handguns and approximately 30 rounds of ammunition. Ramos may not lawfully possess firearms or ammunition because of his prior felony convictions, including convictions for assault with firearm on a person and for possessing controlled substances for sale.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on Supreme Court Ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health OrganizationRead the Press Release
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today released the following statement following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs, State Health Officer of the Mississippi Department of Health, et al. v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization et al.:
“Today, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey and held that the right to abortion is no longer protected by the Constitution.
“The Supreme Court has eliminated an established right that has been an essential component of women’s liberty for half a century – a right that has safeguarded women’s ability to participate fully and equally in society. And in renouncing this fundamental right, which it had repeatedly recognized and reaffirmed, the Court has upended the doctrine of stare decisis, a key pillar of the rule of law.
“The Justice Department strongly disagrees with the Court’s decision. This decision deals a devastating blow to reproductive freedom in the United States. It will have an immediate and irreversible impact on the lives of people across the country. And it will be greatly disproportionate in its effect – with the greatest burdens felt by people of color and those of limited financial means.
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“But today’s decision does not eliminate the ability of states to keep abortion legal within their borders. And the Constitution continues to restrict states’ authority to ban reproductive services provided outside their borders.
“We recognize that traveling to obtain reproductive care may not be feasible in many circumstances. But under bedrock constitutional principles, women who reside in states that have banned access to comprehensive reproductive care must remain free to seek that care in states where it is legal. Moreover, under fundamental First Amendment principles, individuals must remain free to inform and counsel each other about the reproductive care that is available in other states.
“Advocates with different views on this issue have the right to, and will, voice their opinions. Peacefully expressing a view is protected by the First Amendment. But we must be clear that violence and threats of violence are not. The Justice Department will not tolerate such acts.
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“The Justice Department will work tirelessly to protect and advance reproductive freedom.
“Under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, the Department will continue to protect healthcare providers and individuals seeking reproductive health services in states where those services remain legal. This law prohibits anyone from obstructing access to reproductive health services through violence, threats of violence, or property damage.
“The Department strongly supports efforts by Congress to codify Americans’ reproductive rights, which it retains the authority to do. We also support other legislative efforts to ensure access to comprehensive reproductive services.
“And we stand ready to work with other arms of the federal government that seek to use their lawful authorities to protect and preserve access to reproductive care. In particular, the FDA has approved the use of the medication Mifepristone. States may not ban Mifepristone based on disagreement with the FDA’s expert judgment about its safety and efficacy.
“Furthermore, federal agencies may continue to provide reproductive health services to the extent authorized by federal law. And federal employees who carry out their duties by providing such services must be allowed to do so free from the threat of liability. It is the Department’s longstanding position that States generally may not impose criminal or civil liability on federal employees who perform their duties in a manner authorized by federal law. Additionally, the Department’s Office of Legal Counsel has determined that federal employees engaging in such conduct would not violate the Assimilative Crimes Act and could not be prosecuted by the federal government under that law. The Justice Department is prepared to assist agencies in resolving any questions about the scope of their authority to provide reproductive care.
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“The ability to decide one’s own future is a fundamental American value, and few decisions are more significant and personal than the choice of whether and when to have children.
“Few rights are more central to individual freedom than the right to control one’s own body.
“The Justice Department will use every tool at our disposal to protect reproductive freedom. And we will not waver from this Department’s founding responsibility to protect the civil rights of all Americans.”