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Thursday 23 June 2022
Bay Village Man Pleads Guilty to Filing False Income Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
A Bay Village man pleaded guilty today to an Information charging him with filing a false income tax return.
According to court documents, in April 2018, Douglas Fischback, 58, of Bay Village, Ohio, falsely understated his income on his tax return for the year 2017 by approximately $86,427.
Fischback is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29, 2022.
This case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Seabury Gould.
Armed Foley Drug Dealer Sentenced to More Than Five Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Foley man was sentenced to 61 months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to court documents, Jimmie Lee Avera, 35, was arrested by Foley police on May 6, 2021, on an outstanding warrant for possessing drug paraphernalia. Police subsequently executed a search warrant at a house on Lake South Drive that Avera shared with his codefendant, Caitlan Reid Bentley. During that search, police seized more than six pounds of marijuana, three guns, numerous rounds of assorted ammunition, digital scales and plastic baggies, and $41,000 in banded-up cash.
Text messages and other electronic data recovered from Avera’s cell phone showed that from at least August 2019 through May 6, 2021, he had agreed with Bentley and others to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana from the house on Lake South Drive. Avera admitted to police that he had previously served time in Florida state prison for a robbery conviction involving what he described as a “drug deal gone wrong.” Avera further admitted that he knew he was not supposed to possess the guns found in his house because he is a convicted felon.
Senior United States District Judge William H. Steele ordered Avera to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Steele ordered Avera to pay $200 in special assessments and ordered that Avera’s guns and ammunition be forfeited to the United States.
In November 2021, Bentley pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute marijuana and methamphetamine. Judge Steele sentenced her to time served (one day in custody), with a three-year term of supervised release to follow.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Foley Police Department investigated the case.Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
ADA settlement with Atlanta YMCA ensures equal opportunities for children with diabetesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia has entered into a settlement agreement with The Villages at Carver Family YMCA located in Atlanta, Georgia, to resolve allegations that the YMCA violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to reasonably modify policies and procedures for a child with diabetes.
“After-school programming provides opportunities for children to socialize with other children, and these programs are necessary for parents and caregivers who work and need a safe place for the children to go after school,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Children with diabetes should have an equal opportunity to participate in these after-school programs, and we commend the YMCA for working cooperatively with my office to achieve this goal.”
This matter was initiated by a complaint filed with the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. The complainant alleged that the Atlanta YMCA violated the ADA by denying a child the opportunity to participate in the YMCA's after-school program because of her diabetes. The YMCA refused to provide daily insulin injections to the child, which left her unable to attend the after-school program.
Title III of the ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, and privileges of any place of public accommodation. The Atlanta YMCA is a private entity that operates childcare facilities that are places of "public accommodation" within the meaning of Title III of the ADA.
Based on the Agreement, the YMCA will adopt a non-discrimination policy to ensure ADA compliance. The YMCA will also provide mandatory training for all employees who work in the after-school program. Additionally, the YMCA will pay $5,000 in compensation to the complainant.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney, Aileen Bell Hughes, Special Counsel and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Soo Jo, Civil Rights Unit, U.S. Attorney’s Office.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
2 Cincinnati men sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for armed carjackingRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Two Cincinnati men were sentenced in U.S. District Court to more than 11 years in prison each for their roles in an armed carjacking.
Eric Lang, 32, was sentenced to 137 months in prison, and Garry Holmes, 38, was sentenced to 180 months in prison.
According to court documents, Lang and Holmes conspired to commit the carjacking after Lang saw their victim at a convenience store in the Northside neighborhood of Cincinnati. Lang and the victim knew each other from prison and talked about meeting up for a future drug transaction.
Lang and Holmes created a plan to steal the victim’s car at the drug meetup. On Jan. 10, 2020, the defendants, along with others, instructed the victim to drive to a parking lot away from main roadways. The co-conspirators pointed guns at the victim and had the victim lie face down on the ground while they stole the victim’s 2008 Mercedes Benz.
As the assailants drove away, individuals shot at the victim, striking him several times. The victim was shot in the head and legs, causing serious bodily injury, including permanent nerve damage in the legs and blindness in one eye.
Law enforcement officers recovered multiple shell casings at the scene and those casings were entered into the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN). Agents learned via NIBIN that two firearms were fired at the carjacking on January 10 and that one of the firearms had been used in multiple shootings in January 2020. Law enforcement officers recovered that firearm from Holmes on March 3, 2020, after NIBIN showed the firearm was used in a shots fired incident the night before in Avondale.
As a convicted felon, Holmes was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Cincinnati Interim Police Chief Teresa A. Theetge announced the sentences imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley N. Brucato and Special Assistant United States Attorneys Meagan W. Myers and John Zachary Kessler of the Cincinnati City Solicitor’s Office are representing the United States in this case.
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16 KC Metro Area Residents Indicted for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Sixteen residents of Kansas City, Mo., Kansas City, Kansas, and Independence, Mo., have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl.
Ublester Molina, 26, Kevin O. Alarcon, 25, Rocky Orozco, 30, Salvador Valdivia, 40, Stephen Manning, 33, Carlos Ramos, 21, Joel Vargas, 30, Danzell Walker, 31, Gerald Knight, 43, Tatiana Ray, 29, and Ana Morales, 27, all of Kansas City, Mo.; Robert Manley Jr., 30, Bernard Kelly, 35, and Miranda Sanchez, 40, all of Kansas City, Kan.; Christian Love-Barker, 26, and Tyreece Dickerson, 34, both of Independence, Mo.; were charged in a 19-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, June 21. That indictment was unsealed and made public today following the arrests of most of the defendants in a metro-wide law enforcement operation this morning.
The federal indictment alleges that 13 of the defendants (with the exceptions of Ray, Morales, and Sanchez) participated in a conspiracy to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine, as well as methamphetamine and fentanyl, from Jan. 1, 2019, to June 21, 2022. According to the indictment, Orozco, Manley, and Valdivia were leaders of the conspiracy.
Orozco, Manley, Valdivia, Ray, Morales, and Sanchez are also charged with participating in a money-laundering conspiracy from Oct. 1, 2015, to Sept. 9, 2020. They allegedly engaged in financial transactions that involved the proceeds of the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
In addition to the conspiracies, various defendants are charged in seven separate counts related to drug trafficking and nine separate counts related to using their cell phones to facilitate a drug-trafficking crime.
Walker is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He allegedly was in possession of a Springfield .40-caliber handgun on Aug. 16, 2021.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence
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This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Moeder, Patrick Edwards, and Mary Kate Butterfield. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
KC Metro Strike Force
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
Wednesday 22 June 2022
Waterbury Heroin Trafficker Sentenced to 84 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMES GRANT, also known as “Bobo,” “Bo,” and “Jimbo,” 58, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 84 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in May 2020, the DEA New Haven Task Force and Waterbury Police Department began an investigation into a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large amounts of heroin, cocaine and crack in the Waterbury area. The investigation included court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones used by members of the organization, physical surveillance, controlled purchases of narcotics, and motor vehicle stops that resulted in the seizure of drugs. The investigation revealed that Grant received heroin and cocaine from other members of the conspiracy, converted some of the cocaine into crack, and then sold the drugs to other distributors and users.
On March 1, 2021, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Grant and 16 others. On January 24, 2022, Grant pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine and cocaine base (“crack”).
Grant has been detained since January 21, 2021.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and the Waterbury Police Department. The DEA New Haven Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, East Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Derby, Middletown, Naugatuck and Waterbury Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick F. Caruso and Brendan Keefe 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.
U.S. Attorney Roberts Avery thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office and the Judicial District of Waterbury for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
Uniontown Man Pleads Guilty to Murder-for-Hire PlotRead the Press Release
A Uniontown man pleaded guilty on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, to attempting to coordinate a murder-for-hire plot. Scott Allen Renninger, 53, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire.
According to court documents, from October to November 2020, Renninger met with an individual, posing as a “hitman,” and discussed offering the individual money in exchange for the murder of a victim.
Court documents state that Renninger and the individual had frequent contact, and Renninger provided the individual with a photograph of the victim, license plate information and other materials that disclosed the victim’s house number and street address. On one occasion, Renninger stated to the individual that they needed to figure out a way to communicate, possibly using disposable phones and confirmed his desires to make the victim “disappear.”
During subsequent meetings, Renninger and the individual again discussed the plot and agreed upon a price of $20,000 for the murder.
On November 17, 2020, federal authorities announced the arrest of Renninger at his residence without incident. The victim was unharmed.
Renninger is scheduled to be sentenced on September 21, 2022.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian M. McDonough and Brad J. Beeson.
U.S. Attorney Young Taps Veteran Homicide and Fraud Prosecutor Jay Mccormack as First Assistant U.S. AttorneyRead the Press Release
CONCORD – U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young has announced that Jay McCormack has been appointed to serve the District of New Hampshire as the First Assistant United States Attorney, the office’s second-ranking position. As the First Assistant U.S. Attorney, McCormack will supervise the Criminal and Civil Divisions, and the overall operations of the office.
“Mr. McCormack is a seasoned and dedicated prosecutor, who has demonstrated great leadership throughout his career in public service,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “His vast array of experiences and national contacts will be a tremendous asset to the people of New Hampshire. I am confident that he will continue to lead by example.”
Mr. McCormack is a career prosecutor with over a dozen years of state and federal prosecutorial experience, and most recently prior to his appointment was a Trial Attorney in the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. In that position, Mr. McCormack specialized in white-collar and complex investigations involving health care fraud, opioid diversion, securities fraud, COVID-19 and Paycheck Protection Program loan fraud.
Previously, Mr. McCormack was an Assistant Attorney General in the Medicaid Fraud Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, where he specialized in criminal and civil health care fraud investigations. Prior to that, Mr. McCormack served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Bureau of the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office where he investigated and prosecuted homicide and public integrity matters statewide.
Mr. McCormack graduated from Suffolk University Law School in 2009. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with Concentrations in Finance and Economics from the University of Richmond in 2004.
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Two Tucson-Based Narcotics Distributors Sentenced to Lengthy Prison TermsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, Jamaar Charles Samuels, 39, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Scott H. Rash to 72 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Last summer, Judge Rash sentenced Samuels’ co-defendant, Patrick Michael La Fever, 60, also of Tucson, to 97 months in prison, followed by 60 months of supervised release. Both men previously pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and, in La Fever’s case, the conspiracy included the distribution of heroin.
On April 24, 2020, La Fever was arrested as he attempted to smuggle approximately 1.56 kilograms of heroin into the United States from Mexico through the vehicle lane at the port of entry in Nogales, Arizona. La Fever was released from custody pending further investigation of the incident. Over the following months, La Fever continued to distribute narcotics. In October and November 2020, he engaged in a series of transactions involving the sale of approximately two kilograms of methamphetamine, in total.
La Fever was again arrested on November 12, 2020, during an enforcement operation jointly conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS). At the time of this second arrest, La Fever was in possession of drugs, two firearms, 457 rounds of ammunition, a sword, brass knuckles, and approximately one pound of high explosives.
During the investigation into La Fever’s conduct, law enforcement officers identified Samuels as one of La Fever’s drug associates. Samuels was subsequently arrested and, at the time he was taken into custody, he was found in possession of drugs, over $3,000 in cash, and a stolen firearm.
Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, HSI, DEA, AZDPS, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives participated in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael R. Lizano, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00920-SHR(LCK) & CR-21-03031-SHR(LCK)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-098_Samuels# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Two Iowa City Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Two Iowa City men were sentenced in federal court for firearms charges.
Olajude Liron Krebs, age 22, was sentenced on Wednesday June 22, 2022 to 27 months in prison for Drug User in Possession of a Firearm, Making False Statements During a Firearm Purchase, and Conspiracy. Krebs must serve a 3-year term of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Dwayne Vadim Scott, age 28, was sentenced on Tuesday, June 21, 2022 to 18 months in prison for Conspiracy. Following his prison sentence, Scott must serve a 3-year term of supervised release.
For approximately one year, Krebs, Scott, and others conspired to illegally obtain firearms. Krebs and Scott used straw purchasers, including John Vest-Walker, to illegally purchase firearms on their behalf. In April 2022, Vest-Walker was sentenced to 37 months in prison. Law enforcement recovered one of the guns Krebs obtained from Vest-Walker at the residence of a convicted felon. Just one day after Vest-Walker purchased another gun, Scott sold that illegally purchased firearm to a third-party. Two of the guns Krebs and Scott obtained through a second straw purchaser were later recovered in Indiana and Illinois.
Krebs obtained a permit to purchase firearms and quickly purchased five firearms and made false statements in connection with those purchases. Law enforcement recovered one of those firearms from Krebs while he was under the influence of marijuana.
Scott trafficked the firearms he obtained to other people who were also prohibited from possessing them. At least one firearm was recovered by law enforcement following a shots-fired incident.United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa City Police Department investigated the case.
Two Individuals Indicted for Fatal Shooting in Connection with Marijuana Deal in BrooklynRead the Press Release
On June 15, 2022, a federal grand jury sitting in Brooklyn, New York returned a 14-count superseding indictment charging Marcus Ricketts, also known as “Blaise,” and Mark Goulbourne, also known as “Short Man,” with causing death through the use of firearms in connection with the December 3, 2021 murder of an individual in Brighton Beach, New York. The superseding indictment, which was unsealed last night, also charges Ricketts, Mark Goulbourne and four additional defendants—Jonathan Goulbourne, also known as “Bobcat,” Romeo Desmond Jonas, also known as “Tee,” Chevonne Williams, also known as “Chevy,” and Amari Webber, also known as “Smooth”—with Hobbs Act robbery, drug trafficking and firearms offenses, and one defendant, Juvanie Crossgill, also known as “Geo,” with serving as an accessory to the murder.
According to court filings, the defendants are members and associates of an armed robbery crew, operating since at least July 2020, targeting marijuana trafficking businesses in Brooklyn, Staten Island and the Bronx.
Ricketts, Jonathan Goulbourne and Jonas are in custody on the underlying indictment and will be arraigned at a later date. Crossgill was arrested on June 15, 2022, arraigned the following day and released on bail. Yesterday, Williams and Webber were arrested in Georgia and will be removed to the Eastern District of New York to make their initial appearances. Mark Goulbourne remains at large.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrests and charges.
“As alleged, the defendants’ robbery and drug trafficking activity exploded into violence with three persons shot, one of them fatally, demonstrating the lethal combination of guns and narcotics plaguing our communities,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office is working tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to hold these drivers of violent crime accountable and take away their means to wreak havoc.”
Mr. Peace thanked the Kings County District Attorney's Office for their assistance.
“The violence plaguing the streets of our city must be addressed by stopping the violent criminals who are killing each other over illegal drugs. Innocent people are being harmed by these rivalries, and fear now dictates how we go about our lives. It has to stop. When the FBI New York and our law enforcement partners arrest and prosecute these criminals, we get closer to a safer community,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.
“Today, New York City is safer because of the exceptional effort and steadfast dedication of everyone involved in this investigation and indictment,” said NYPD Commissioner Sewell. “The NYPD and our law enforcement partners remain focused on the small number of people who are responsible for the crime and disorder in our city, and we are working tirelessly to identify them and get them off our streets. As demonstrated by this case, the deadly combination of drug trafficking, illegal guns, and brutal violence is a grave threat to our communities – and will never be tolerated. I want to thank the US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, the New York Field Office of the FBI, and everyone else who contributed to this important investigation.”
On December 2, 2021 and into the early morning of December 3, 2021, the defendants convened at an Airbnb in Brighton Beach, which had been rented for one night by the victim and his nephew, with several of the defendants posing as buyers in a wholesale marijuana transaction. On December 3, shortly after midnight, the victim’s nephew and two male associates carried in four very large duffle bags of marijuana, approximately the size of hockey equipment bags. Two hours later, a shootout ensued, leaving the victim fatally wounded and his nephew with a gunshot wound to the leg. During the exchange of gunfire, Jonas was also shot in the abdomen.
Mark Goulbourne and Ricketts fled the scene with firearms in hand, and Ricketts with one of the duffle bags, which he transported on the handlebars of a stolen Citi Bike. Mark Goulbourne retreated to a neighboring intersection, where he called his brother Jonathan Goulbourne, moments before entering an approaching car. The car quickly reversed back up the street to the Airbnb. Mark Goulbourne ran to the door with a firearm still in hand and peered inside, before reentering the car, which sped away.
Inside the Airbnb, the NYPD found the victim’s body and recovered two firearms, 15 shell casings, a money counting machine, a vacuum sealing machine, a bag containing real and counterfeit U.S. currency, and a duffle bag, inside of which were smaller, vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana. In the vicinity, the NYPD recovered two additional firearms, as well as two duffle bags, inside of which were smaller, vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana. The approximate weight of the marijuana recovered is 140 pounds. The fourth duffle bag was not recovered.
If convicted, Ricketts, Mark Goulbourne, Jonathan Goulbourne and Jonas all face up to life imprisonment. Ricketts, Mark Goulbourne and Jonathan Goulbourne face mandatory minimum sentences of 17 years’ imprisonment, and Jonas faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment. Williams and Webber each face sentences of up to 20 years’ imprisonment, and Crossgill faces a sentence of up to 15 years’ imprisonment. The charges in the superseding indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charges are the result of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. As part of the program, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Tara McGrath and Chand Edwards-Balfour are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Gwyneth Hochhausler.
The Defendants:
MARCUS RICKETTS (also known as “Blaise”)
Age: 45
JamaicaMARK GOULBOURNE (also known as “Short Man”)
Age: 48
JamaicaJUVANIE CROSSGILL
Age: 27
JamaicaJONATHAN GOULBOURNE
Age: 43
Brooklyn, New YorkROMEO JONAS
Age: 34
Atlanta, GeorgiaAMARI WEBBER
Age: 31
Douglasville, GeorgiaCHEVONNE WILLIAMS
Age: 43
Dallas, GeorgiaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-106 (LDH)
Tulsa Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing a ChildRead the Press Release
A man who sexually abused a child for almost two years, starting when she was approximately six, was sentenced in federal court.
“Edward Parson repeatedly targeted, intimidated and sexually assaulted a vulnerable child,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “He’ll now spend the remainder of his life in a federal prison where he can no longer prey upon children."
U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Edward Joseph Parson, 31, of Tulsa, to life in prison on June 10, 2022. In December, Parson was convicted by a federal jury of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country. Beginning in approximately 2017 and continuing through most of 2018, Parson repeatedly sexually abused the child.
"Mr. Parson's abhorrent crimes against a child were facilitated by the cowardly silence of individuals who attempted to conceal his despicable acts," said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. "The FBI applauds the caregivers who disclosed these crimes to law enforcement. Alongside our police partners and federal prosecutors, the FBI will continue to protect our children from predators."
In a court documents prosecutors described the repeated sexual abuse inflicted on the child and explained how Parson kept the child quiet and afraid for some time. According to the child’s testimony, Parson would hit her on the face and arms, “grab her by the neck until her body became tired,” and harm her pet. Prosecutors further explained that when the child first disclosed the sexual abuse to an adult, Parson convinced the adult to remain quiet about the abuse. He continued his attempts to discredit the victim when she disclosed to others. Unfortunately, the first adults she spoke to tried to silence her.
Five months later, when she was safely placed with new caregivers, she disclosed a portion of the abuse again. Her new caregivers called authorities. The victim was later interviewed by child specialists at the Children’s Advocacy Center. During those interviews she disclosed multiple instances of physical abuse and extensive sexual abuse. According to a child sexual abuse expert who testified at trial, children often do not disclose sexual abuse immediately. When children do disclose, they frequently do so in pieces over time as they become more comfortable and as they are met with acceptance and support.
Prosecutors further discussed in court documents the long-term effects of childhood trauma. They stated that the impact of the abuse the victim suffered would likely ripple across her life.
When a child suffers numerous adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), it may eventually lead to altered brain chemistry and architecture, depression, anxiety, chronic diseases, drug and alcohol abuse, unhealthy future sexual experiences, or other struggles in adolescence and throughout adulthood. The trauma can also lead to decreased life expectancy. ACE’s include verbal, sexual, and physical abuse; neglect; domestic violence; household substance abuse; household mental illness; incarcerated household members; the death of a loved one; parental separation or divorce; community violence and more.
According to the CDC, enhanced primary care, victim-centered services, treatment to address ACEs, and other early supports can help lessen the long-term effects of ACEs.
Learn more about ACEs and strategies to prevent or lessen their effects here.
The defendant and victim are citizens of the Cherokee Nation and the crimes occurred within the nation’s reservation. The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle D. Dial and Vani Singhal prosecuted the case.
Tifton Man Who Led Police on High-Speed Chase Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Heroin to South Central GeorgiaRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – A Tifton, Georgia, resident was sentenced to twelve and a half years in prison resulting from his role actively trafficking large quantities of heroin into South Central Georgia from sources in metro Atlanta.
Joshua Gannon Deanda, 24, was sentenced to serve 150 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson on June 21 after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Repeat felons caught distributing deadly opioids will be held accountable for their criminal actions, which gravely harm people and the overall well-being of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Federal, state and local agencies successfully stopped the flow of narcotics into South Central Georgia from this active illegal drug pipeline. Their continued good work is making a difference.”
“This poly-drug trafficker brazenly continued his drug trafficking activities despite having a prior felony conviction,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Hopefully this arrest will send a clear message to him and others who may choose to follow this same perilous path: DEA and its law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue and ultimately prosecute drug traffickers.”
According to court documents, DEA agents worked with a Cooperating Source (CS) in October 2020 that named Deanda as a courier and distributor of a large shipment of drugs from Atlanta to Tifton containing one or two kilograms of heroin and approximately two kilograms of methamphetamine. Under investigation, Deanda was monitored on Nov. 5, 2020, traveling from his home in Tifton to Atlanta, where he stopped for a short period of time. On his return trip to Tifton, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies attempted to pull Deanda over for a traffic violation at a weigh station on I-75. Deanda briefly stopped his vehicle, but he did not exit the vehicle when commanded. Instead, he drove away; during the pursuit, Deanda reached speeds in excess of 100 mph. Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted a maneuver to stop Deanda’s vehicle, which collided with several objects and stopped. Deanda and a passenger fled the scene but were later apprehended.
Agents and investigators found two semiautomatic guns inside Deanda’s wrecked vehicle, both stolen at different times out of Tift County, Georgia. A search of the nearby area where Deanda fled resulted in agents finding a bag containing 267.4 grams of pure methamphetamine, a digital scale, packaging materials, a black tray and an extended capacity magazine. The top bullet in the extended magazine matched the ammunition that was seized from the Glock pistol inside of Deanda’s vehicle. Agents also found various cell phone photos and text messages corroborating the found contraband and illegal drug trafficking activities.
Agents subsequently executed a search warrant at Deanda’s residence, finding a block of 350.97 grams of heroin. Additional quantities of heroin and methamphetamine were found, along with a handgun, a sawed-off shotgun and an SKS-type semi-automatic rifle with an obliterated serial number.
Deanda has a prior felony conviction and had an active warrant for his arrest at the time of the incident.
The case was investigated by the DEA and the Mid-South Narcotics Task Force (MSNTF), with assistance from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Kalim prosecuted the case.
Three Members of Sonoma Motorcycle Gang Convicted of Racketeering Conspiracy and Related CrimesRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Earlier today, a federal jury found Jonathan Nelson, a/k/a Jon Jon; Brian Wayne Wendt; and Russell Taylor Ott, a/k/a Rusty, guilty of murder in aid of racketeering as part of their participation in a criminal enterprise involving their membership in the Sonoma County charter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HASC), announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan. The verdicts follow a nine-week trial before the Honorable Edward M. Chen, United States District Judge.
“The jurors found that these members of a violent motorcycle gang killed one of their own and engaged in a conspiracy to commit many other serious criminal acts,” said U.S. Attorney Hinds. “This office is laser-focused on removing from our neighborhoods those elements who use violence to achieve illegal goals. Today’s verdicts are the result of an intense multi-year investigation and should serve as notice to all such criminal enterprises that this office will devote the resources necessary to bring them to justice.”
“Today’s verdict marks a milestone in an investigation that spanned nearly eight years and involved multiple agency partners, including the Santa Rosa Police Department and the California Highway Patrol. Each agency involved in this investigation provided crucial expertise and resources, making a guilty verdict possible,” said Special Agent in Charge Ragan. “Criminal acts perpetrated by the convicted members of the Sonoma County and Fresno County Hells Angels adversely affected our communities, and their presence infested our citizens with worry. Today’s verdict is a step toward removing their violent and criminal ideals from our community.”
On October 10, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted eleven members and associates of the HASC, charging the defendants with being part of a conspiracy whose members furthered the aims of the enterprise by engaging in a broad swath of criminal activity including murder, narcotics distribution, assault, robbery, extortion, illegal firearms possession, and obstruction of justice. As set out in the indictment, the Hells Angels is a transnational violent outlaw motorcycle gang and the HASC is a subset of the gang whose members primarily operate in Sonoma County, Calif. while working cooperatively with other Hells Angels chapters to engage in criminal activity. The trial that led to today’s verdict focused on the activities of Nelson, 46, of Santa Rosa; Wendt, 45, of Tulare; and Ott, 69, of Santa Rosa. In finding all three defendants guilty, the jury concluded that each conspired to further the aims of the criminal conspiracy and each played a role in carrying out the July 15, 2014, murder of former HASC member Joel Silva.
The focus of the trial was the murder of Joel Silva; at trial, the government submitted evidence describing the role of each defendant in the murder. At the relevant time, Nelson was the president of the HASC, Wendt was the president of the Hell’s Angels Fresno chapter, and Ott was a former president and well-respected member of the HASC whom Silva trusted. According to the trial evidence, Nelson, Wendt, and Ott each concluded for varied reasons that Silva had been creating problems for HASC and that he had to be killed. Nelson arranged with Ott, a long-tenured member who lived near Silva and was close with his family, to have Silva killed in Fresno. Nelson arranged for Ott to take Silva to Fresno. Silva understood that he probably would have to fight with Wendt to resolve his problems with the club and agreed to travel with Ott to Fresno. However, after the two arrived at the Fresno Hells Angels clubhouse, Wendt shot Silva in the head. On the morning of July 16, 2014, Silva’s body was delivered to a local crematory and was incinerated.
In addition to the Silva murder, the evidence at trial included proof that HASC engaged in witness intimidation, extortion, drug trafficking, and robbery. For example, witnesses testified that HASC created a reputation for threatening anyone who goes to the police about HASC activity. In addition, testimony was introduced demonstrating that the defendants threatened the lives of witnesses and their families to make clear harm will come to anyone who cooperates with law enforcement.
In sum, the jury convicted all three defendants of participating in a racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d); murder in aid of racketeering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(3); and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5). In addition, Nelson also was convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(2), and use or possession of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A).
The defendants face a mandatory life sentence in prison. Further, additional fines, forfeitures, and restitution may be ordered; however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The defendants were remanded to federal custody pending sentencing. Judge Chen scheduled the defendants’ sentencing hearings for October 13, 2022.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lina Peng, Ajay K. Krishnamurthy, and Kevin Barry are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kevin Costello. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, the Santa Rosa Police Department, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department, and the California Highway Patrol.
Tampa Bay Area Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft Related to COVID Unemployment Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Melinda Sue Hernandez (33, Ruskin) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Hernandez faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison for the conspiracy count, as well as a consecutive two years in federal prison for the aggravated identity theft count.
According to the plea agreement, from approximately June 2020, through April 2021, Hernandez and her co-defendant, Aloysius Moodie, Jr. (33, Tampa), obtained personal identifying information of others and used that information to submit, or caused to be submitted, false and fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims to various state workforce agencies to obtain UI benefits. These UI benefits were then transferred to bank accounts or loaded onto debit cards issued in the names of other persons. Hernandez and her co-defendant then used, and attempted to use, the fraudulently obtained debit cards to withdraw money from ATMs. Law enforcement calculated the total intended loss caused by the fraudulent UI claims at more than $1.5 million, but less than $3.5 million.
Moodie was indicted on March 29, 2022.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory D. Pizzo.
In March 2020, the President signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, which expanded states’ ability to provide UI for many workers impacted by COVID-19, including for workers who were not ordinarily eligible for benefits.
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
Stoughton Man Pleads Guilty to $400,000 COVID-Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Stoughton man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with filing a fraudulent loan application in order to obtain over $400,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds.
Adley Bernadin, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani who scheduled sentencing for Sept. 28, 2022. Bernadin was arrested and charged on March 17, 2022.
In May 2020, Bernadin submitted a fraudulent application on behalf of a purported home health care company for a PPP loan of over $400,000. In the application, which he submitted through a Small Business Administration approved lender, Bernadin misrepresented information about the purported home health care company’s employees and payroll expenses and falsified a tax form in an effort to qualify the business for the PPP loan. For example, Bernadin reported that the purported home health care business had a monthly payroll of $175,200, which was false.
After receiving the PPP funds, Bernadin did not use money for the purported home health care company’s business. Instead, he made mortgage payments on his home and wrote checks to individuals with whom he had a personal relationship.
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 was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain approved expenses, through the PPP.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the scheme, 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 William A. Kalb, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Northeast Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin A. Saltzman of Rollins’ Criminal Division and Raquelle Kaye of Rollins’ Asset Recovery Unit are prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, 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.
Stacey Edward Williams, Jr. Sentenced to Life in Prison for the Distribution of Drugs Resulting in an Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On June 22, 2022, Stacey Edward Williams, Jr., 42, currently of Sevierville, Tennessee and formerly of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced to life in prison by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.
In November 2021, following a four-day trial, a federal jury convicted Williams of eight separate counts, including a conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and acetyl fentanyl, multiple counts of possession and distribution of heroin, fentanyl, and acetyl fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C), the distribution of fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl resulting in death, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), and the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g). Williams was also ordered to serve six years on supervised release, in the event he is released from prison notwithstanding his life sentence. Additionally, he was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $5,890.10 to the family of the victim for funeral and related expenses.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Williams sold heroin, fentanyl, and acetyl fentanyl to confidential informants on several occasions in 2018. The evidence further showed that Williams distributed drugs to a Kodak, Tennessee resident, which resulted in his death on Thanksgiving morning, November 22, 2018. Finally, the evidence showed that on March 27, 2019, agents seized quantities of heroin, fentanyl, and acetyl fentanyl, a firearm and ammunition, and over $10,000 in cash from Williams.
United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Jerry C. Templet Jr. made the announcement.
Law enforcement agencies participating in the joint investigation which led to the indictment and subsequent conviction of Williams include the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office (“SCSO”) and Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) with the participation and assistance of the Sevier County Street Crimes Unit, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Marshal’s Service.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brent N. Jones and Anne-Marie Svolto represented the United States at trial.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), a Department of Justice program that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas and to identify wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers.
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St. Paul Felon Pleads Guilty, During Criminal Trial, to Shipping Drugs into Minnesota Correctional FacilitiesRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has pleaded guilty, during his criminal trial, to attempted distribution of a drug analogue, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and illegally possessing firearms as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in March 2021, the Minnesota Department of Corrections (“DOC”) initiated an internal investigation into the introduction of narcotics into multiple DOC facilities, including Stillwater, Oak Park Heights, Faribault, and Rush City prisons. Investigators identified Walter Davis, a/k/a “Disney,” 40, as the source. On April 12, 2021, Davis attempted to mail six letters to DOC inmates that contained news articles printed on high-quality Strathmore cotton paper soaked in MDMB-4en-PINACA, a synthetic cannabinoid substance which produces hallucinogenic effects when consumed. Investigators intercepted and seized the letters. Investigators obtained search warrants for two residential locations Davis frequented. Following a search of the first location, Davis’s primary residence in Eagan, investigators recovered two baggies of fentanyl, $3,000 in cash, digital scales, and a loaded Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver. A search of the second location, an apartment in Maplewood, yielded over 400 grams of fentanyl, digital scales, a spray bottle containing MDMB-4en-PINACA, a package of Strathmore cotton paper, and a loaded Rossi .357 caliber Magnum revolver.
On June 15, 2022, Davis went to trial before U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright. On June 17, 2022, three days into the trial, Davis pleaded guilty to all counts, including one count of attempted distribution of a controlled substance analogue, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and two counts of possessing a firearm as a felon. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison K. Ethen, Lauren O. Roso, and Ruth S. Shnider are prosecuting the case.
South Bend Man Sentenced to 144 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Arsenio Harrison, 30 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. on his plea of guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Harrison was sentenced to 144 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in June of 2021, Harrison robbed a cell phone store in South Bend and attempted to rob a convenience store in Mishawaka. During the South Bend robbery, the store clerk was restrained with zip ties, and Harrison stole cell phones and cash. During the Mishawaka attempted robbery, one of the clerks sustained serious injuries. Harrison brandished a firearm at the clerks during each incident.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department and the Mishawaka Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
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.
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Sixth Venezuelan Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine on Board a Vessel Subject to U.s. JurisdictionRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Alexis Fuentes, 33, one of eleven Venezuelan nationals apprehended at sea off the coast of St. Croix, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Emile A. Henderson, III to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine while on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. The sentencing date for Fuentes is scheduled for October 19, 2022. For his conviction, Fuentes faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, on the evening of September 25, 2019, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Donald Horsley intercepted a suspicious 55-foot vessel named La Gran Tormenta displaying Venezuelan nationality indicia approximately 38 nautical miles south of St. Croix. Occupants of the La Gran Tormenta failed to respond to USCG’s efforts to engage in questioning of the crew, and upon detection, the La Gran Tormenta changed course and began jettisoning packages. Thereafter, the USCG requested and received permission to stop the vessel from Venezuela, the flag state of the vessel. The USCG personnel then attempted a right-of-visit boarding which was ineffective because crew of the La Gran Tormenta disregarded the USCG’s instructions. Eventually, USCG personnel disabled the La Gran Tormenta and a counter-drug boarding team later encountered 11 persons, including Fuentes. The USCG Cutter Donald Horsley boarding crew subsequently retrieved two bales from the water. The two jettisoned bales contained brick-shaped objects which tested positive for cocaine and weighed approximately 49 kilograms.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Rhode Island Man Convicted of Bank Fraud Conspiracy that Operated in South Jersey, Southeastern Pennsylvania, and Rhode IslandRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Rhode Island man was convicted for his role in a bank fraud conspiracy that targeted financial institutions in southern New Jersey, southeastern Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Olayinka Peter Olaseinde, 42, of Providence, Rhode Island, was convicted on June 21, 2022, of one count of bank fraud conspiracy and three counts of bank fraud following a five-day bench trial before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Olaseinde was part of a Nigerian-based, multi-layered criminal organization that engaged in a bank fraud conspiracy in several states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Rhode Island, from June 2016 to March 2020. Members of the group acquired business checks that were stolen from the United States mail, altered the payee on the checks to a fraudulent name and deposited the checks into bank accounts that had been opened with counterfeit foreign passport documents and counterfeit U.S. visas that matched the names on the altered checks. Members of the group also opened credit card and bank accounts using stolen personal information of real victims, took cash advances on these fraudulent credit card accounts, and deposited fraudulent checks into these identity theft bank accounts. After the banks credited all or a portion of the funds to the accounts, the defendants withdrew the funds from ATMs or purchased money orders, using debit cards associated with the fraudulent accounts.
Olaseinde’s role in the conspiracy included making deposits of stolen and altered, or otherwise fraudulent, checks into several of these accounts and making purchases and withdrawing funds from the accounts.
Each of the four counts on which he was convicted carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 27, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bellmawr Office, Philadelphia Division Office, and Washington, D.C., Division Office, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, Philadelphia Division, and Inspector in Charge Charles B. Wickersham, Washington Division Office; special agents of the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Cherry Hill Office, and Newark Division Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina; HSI Philadelphia Division Office, under the Direction of Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker; HSI Maryland Division Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso, Baltimore, Maryland; HSI Rhode Island Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Millhollin, Boston Division Office; and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), under the direction of R. Mike Escott, Resident Agent in Charge, Philadelphia Resident Office, with the investigation leading to the conviction.
Five other conspirators have pleaded guilty; one of them has been sentenced by Judge Hillman and the others are awaiting sentencing. Charges against six other defendants remain pending.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Askin and Daniel A. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
The charges and allegations contained in the pending complaints and indictments against the conspirators are merely accusations, and the defendants in those cases are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Repeat Felon Sentenced to Almost Five Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Leonard Williamson Jr., 34, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison after a jury found him guilty of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, on February 7, 2021, Williamson fled from Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers after they attempted to arrest him for several outstanding warrants. While fleeing from police, Williamson threw a bag containing crack cocaine on the ground. Officers recovered the cocaine, and Williamson was in possession of $4,942 in cash at the time of his arrest. Williamson has several prior felony convictions, including dealing and possession of cocaine and possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon. The jury in this case also returned verdicts of not guilty to firearms charges.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Chief Randal Taylor, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division made the announcement.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James Patrick Hanlon. As part of the sentence, Judge Hanlon ordered that the defendant be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Pamela S. Domash and Peter A. Blackett who prosecuted this case.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Randolph County man charged with having large amount of methRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – William Thomas DeSantis, of Montrose, West Virginia, was indicted today on a meth charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
DeSantis, 31, was indicted on one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute More than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine.” DeSantis is accused of working with others to sell more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, also known as “crystal meth” and “ice,” from December 2020 through June 2021 in Randolph County.
DeSantis is facing at least five years and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug Task Force investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Raleigh County Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Destruction of Energy FacilityRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Raleigh County man was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the destruction of an energy facility, a known mine located across Boone and Lincoln counties.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Charles Stanley, 51, of Shady Spring, admitted to working with others to steal multiple pieces of specialized mining equipment from the known mine in 2019. These thefts forced the mine to shut down for a period of two weeks as the mine was unable to function without the stolen pieces of equipment. The thefts also resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to the mine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and the West Virginia State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-4.
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Pine Ridge Man Indicted for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Sexual Abuse of a Minor.
McKinley Two Bulls-Hunter, age 24, was indicted on May 19, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann on June 15, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 15 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, at least five years, up to life, of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between April 2021 and July 2021, in Pine Ridge, Two Bulls-Hunter knowingly engaged in, and attempted to engage in, a sexual act with a minor female. The charge is merely an accusation and Two Bulls-Hunter is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Blair is prosecuting the case.
Two Bulls-Hunter was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has been set of August 23, 2022. ###
Owners of Grand Rapids Trucking Company Plead Guilty to Bank Fraud Conspiracy, Pay $1,000,000 in Related Civil Case, in Connection with Covid-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
DMR Transportation Falsified Financial Records To Receive A Second-Draw Loan Under The Paycheck Protection Program
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — Semsi Salja and Anes Suhonjic, the owners of Grand Rapids-based trucking company DMR Transportation (“DMR”), pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiring to commit bank fraud in connection with a $290,855.00 loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). In a related civil case, DMR, Salja, and Suhonjic agreed to pay a total of $1,000,000.00, including a substantial civil monetary penalty under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act (“FIRREA”).
In 2020, Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) to provide emergency federal assistance to the millions of Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the PPP, the CARES Act authorized forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. In December 2020, Congress enacted the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses Act, which reopened the PPP to first-time borrowers and, subject to stricter limitations and conditions, authorized second-draw PPP loans to borrowers that previously received a PPP loan. Borrowers were eligible for second-draw PPP loans if, among other things, they experienced a revenue reduction of 25% or greater in 2020 relative to 2019.
In its second-draw PPP loan application, DMR knowingly and falsely certified that it realized the required 25% reduction in gross receipts between the second financial quarter of 2019 and the second financial quarter of 2020. DMR also submitted falsified quarterly balance sheets and other false financial records that were signed by Salja and Suhonjic alongside the application. In September 2021, DMR sought forgiveness of its second-draw PPP loan by falsely certifying that its second-draw PPP loan proceeds were used to pay eligible business expenses when, in fact, DMR held that money in reserve.
“The PPP involved a limited pool of funds to help small businesses wracked by the disruption of a global pandemic,” United States Attorney Mark Totten said. “By fraudulently obtaining a second PPP loan, DMR took, for itself, hundreds of thousands of dollars that could have been used to help deserving companies. My office will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute these cases.”
“By illegally taking additional money from the Paycheck Protection Program, these defendants harmed the owners and employees of small businesses struggling through the pandemic,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable anyone taking advantage of a global pandemic to line their own pockets.”
“Today’s guilty plea and FIRREA civil penalties hold the defendants responsible for their roles in fraudulently obtaining a second loan under a federal relief program created to assist small businesses who were struggling as a result of the pandemic,” said Special Agent in Charge Kathy A. Enstrom of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG). “The FDIC-OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold those accountable who seek to abuse such programs and undermine the integrity of our Nation’s banks.”
Salja and Suhonjic face a maximum of five years in prison. United States District Judge Jane M. Beckering will determine their sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those statutory provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the settlement or judgment proceeds. The whistleblower case is captioned, United States ex rel DePouw v. DMR Transportation, et al., No. 1:21-cv-548 (W.D. Mich.).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Davin M. Reust and Adam B. Townshend represented the United States. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Office of Inspector General and the FBI investigated the case.
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Owner of Lighthouse Properties Sentenced to Prison Time for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The former owner of Lighthouse Properties of Virginia was sentenced today to 42 months in federal prison in connection with an embezzlement scheme in which he stole more than $550,000.
Timothy Darrell Penick, 39, of Forest, Virginia, pleaded guilty in May 2021 to one count of wire fraud.
“This defendant violated the trust of his clients through his fraudulent behavior,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “I am grateful for the work of the local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies that brought him to justice and will provide the victims in this case with restitution for the crimes committed against them.”
“Mr. Penick implemented exceptional measures to prevent the unraveling of his scheme. Through this joint investigation by the FBI, the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office’s in the Western District of Virginia, he is no longer able to defraud clients of their hard-earned money and will be held responsible for his criminal activity,” said Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division. “ We encourage those who believe they’ve been victimized by a similar scheme to contact law enforcement via https://tips.fbi.gov/.”
According to court documents, Penick owned and operated Lighthouse Properties since 2011 and provided real estate management services to clients, including homeowners’ associations and individual property owners. Beginning in June 2018, Penick devised a scam to defraud multiple clients by gaining direct access to their bank accounts and then transferring their funds into accounts controlled solely by Penick. He used these funds for his personal benefit and enjoyment and completely without authorization by his clients.
To conceal the misuse of client funds, Penick created fraudulent bank account statements that omitted transactions from the client accounts into his accounts and then presented these fake bank statements to clients and their representatives.
The Campbell County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Baudinet is prosecuting the case.
Oshkosh Man who Described Himself as the “Next Mass Shooter” Indicted on Federal Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on June 22, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Whittier P. Ives (age: 53) of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for unlawfully possessing a firearm in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 922(g)(4), and 924(a)(2).
According to the indictment, Ives is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a court-ordered mental health commitment issued by a Winnebago County judge in April of 2022 and due to prior felony convictions in the State of California. According to court documents, on June 4, 2022, an individual contacted the Omro Police Department and reported that Ives was loading ammunition, magazines, and a long gun into his vehicle. Ives showed the individual a picture of a person on his phone and stated that he was “going to kill him, along with another person and a bunch of other people.” Ives stated he knew these individuals were, at that time, in a “club in Appleton.” Ives further stated that he “had nothing to live for” and “will be the next mass shooter.”
After receiving the tip, Omro law enforcement officers observed a vehicle matching the description of Ives’ vehicle. A traffic stop was initiated, and a search of the vehicle uncovered boxes of ammunition and numerous magazines. In addition, officers recovered a Shield Arms multicaliber SA-15 semi-automatic rifle.
If convicted of possessing the firearm, Ives faces up to ten years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Omro Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Green Bay Resident Agency. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Oahu Schoolteacher Detained on Charge of Sexually Exploiting Minor StudentRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Magistrate Judge Kenneth J. Mansfield yesterday ordered Alden Bunag, 33, of Honolulu, detained in custody pending trial or other disposition of a charge filed in a criminal complaint that he distributed child pornography. The ruling in United States District Court in Honolulu followed Bunag’s arrest last week at an Oahu high school where he was working as a summer schoolteacher.
Bunag is charged with distributing child pornography between November 2019 and October 2021. According to the criminal complaint and affidavit, law enforcement agents reviewed at least two video recordings of Bunag's sexual conduct with a then-13-year-old former student, at least one of which he sent to another person in Pennsylvania. Agents further reviewed numerous images and videos identified as child pornography that were sent to others.
“The sexual abuse of children – a reprehensible crime – is especially exploitative when committed by a teacher against a minor student victim,” said Clare E. Connors, United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii. “Recording such crimes and distributing the images to others compounds and perpetuates the victimization.”
"The FBI will vigorously hunt predators such as Alden Bunag who prey on our keiki.” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill. “Bunag has been detained in what is an especially egregious and serious case as he was a teacher within Hawaii's Department of Education whose young victims may be unaware of what happened to them. Individuals with information, or those who believe they are a victim, are urged to immediately contact the Honolulu FBI at (808) 673-2705 or [email protected]. These tip lines were specifically set up for this investigation as we believe there may be more victims out there who may assist in our investigation."
If indicted and convicted on this charge, Bunag a faces minimum term of imprisonment of five years and up to 20 years. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Perlmutter is handling the prosecution.
Northborough Man Pleads Guilty to Embezzling over $360,000 from Non-ProfitRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Northborough man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to wire fraud and money laundering charges after embezzling approximately $366,477 from a non-profit organization in Sturbridge.
Kyriakos Kapiris, a/k/a Rick Kapiris, 36, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Oct. 14, 2022. Kapiris was indicted in October 2021.
From April 2015 to May 2020, Kapiris worked as the Information Technology Manager at a non-profit organization. As part of his responsibilities, the organization provided Kapiris access to two company credit cards to purchase equipment and services as needed. Beginning in 2016, Kapiris used the two company credit cards to purportedly purchase equipment from two vendor accounts on the web app Square and one account on Amazon. In reality, Kapiris created the three vendor accounts to embezzle the funds and fabricated sales invoices for purportedly purchased equipment to conceal the scheme. Kapiris used the names of legitimate Massachusetts companies for the two Square accounts and created the Amazon account in the name of a company that he controlled, “NetworkingPlus.”
Kapiris linked the three vendor accounts to several of his own personal accounts at Bank of America into which he transferred the fraudulent proceeds. Kapiris then used the stolen funds for personal expenses including a $19,250 payment to a home contractor.
The charges of wire fraud provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistance was provided by the Sturbridge and Northborough Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucy Sun and Kristen Noto of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office and Nicole Dapcic of Rollins’ Asset Recovery Unit are prosecuting the case.
North Versailles Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Role in Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA -- A former resident of North Versailles, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 12 years imprisonment and eight years supervised release on his conviction of federal narcotics laws United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Jason Malos, age 38.
According to information presented to the court, Malos participated in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Malos’s communications implicating him in the conspiracy were obtained through court-authorized interceptions of his communications. A search warrant of his residence revealed further evidence of his participation in the conspiracy, including several firearms.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Monroeville Police Department, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and the Allegheny County Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Malos.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
North Fort Myers Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Images and VideosRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Timothy Crawley (66, North Fort Myers) to seven years in federal prison for possessing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Crawley was also sentenced to a 20-year term of supervised release and ordered to register as a sex offender. Crawley had pleaded guilty on March 15, 2022.
According to court documents, from March 8, 2014, through September 22, 2021, Crawley knowingly possessed child sex abuse images and videos that he searched for and downloaded from the internet. Crawley collected and stored these visual depictions involving prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct on his laptop and various hard drives.
Between August 2021, through September 2021, the FBI connected to Crawley’s computer and viewed a list of files that Crawley had available for sharing using a peer-to-peer file-sharing program and downloaded files depicting children engaging in sexually explicit conduct from Crawley’s computer. On September 22, 2021, the FBI executed the search warrant for Crawley’s residence in North Fort Myers, Florida, and among the property seized were Crawley’s laptop and hard drives. During an interview with agents, Crawley admitted to downloading child sex abuse materials for approximately one year and provided some of the various search terms that he had used to search for child sex abuse materials over the internet and save it to his computer and external hard drive. A subsequent forensic analysis of the hard drives revealed in excess of 30,000 images and over 900 videos depicting the sexual exploitation and abuse of children.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
North Carolina Man Sentenced to Life Without Parole in Federal Prison for the Kidnapping and Murder of Travelers Rest WomanRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Daniel Glen Printz, 59, of Bostic, North Carolina, was sentenced to life without parole in federal prison after pleading guilty to killing a South Carolina woman after kidnapping her and crossing state lines.
“Printz is a monster who has a long history of targeting, kidnapping, and killing women - causing unimaginable loss to his victims and their families,” said U.S. Attorney Corey F. Ellis for the District of South Carolina. “He has earned every day of his life sentence, and our communities are safer with him in a prison cell. We are grateful that the Court delivered justice today and we hope it provides some measure of comfort for the victims’ families.”
“Printz’s day of reckoning arrived in a federal courtroom,” said Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, whose office participated in the prosecution of this case. “This man is responsible for the deaths of multiple women and has caused inconceivable pain to their loved ones. A life behind bars is a just outcome.”
“Printz’s violence against women is reprehensible, and he earned the Court’s severe penalty for his crimes,” said Susan Ferensic, the FBI Columbia field office’s Special Agent in Charge. “The sentence will never bring back the victims, but it’s our hope that the victims’ friends and families find peace in the memories of their loved ones.”
“This case is the model for how local, state and federal agencies should continuously work together for the purpose of bringing forth justice,” said Greenville County South Carolina Sheriff Hobart Lewis. “I firmly believe that if it weren’t for the collaborative efforts that this narcissistic man would have continued targeting and preying on innocent woman before taking them from their loved ones. I am so thankful for the men and women who worked tirelessly to get Mr. Printz out of society and behind bars for the rest of his life.”
“We are glad to see justice served today for these horrible crimes,” said Rutherford County North Carolina Sheriff Chris Francis, whose office also investigated this matter. “We are honored to have worked jointly with the FBI, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office during this investigation. I am proud of the work my Investigators did in seeking justice for the families of the victims. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families.”
Evidence presented in Court showed that on the morning of August 27, 2021, Printz traveled from his North Carolina home to Travelers Rest, South Carolina, where he met 80-year Travelers Rest resident Edna Suttles. Printz met Suttles at the Food Lion grocery store located off of US-25, where Printz purchased a four-pack of yogurt before the two traveled back to Suttles’s residence.
Later that afternoon, Printz and Suttles returned to the Food Lion parking lot, where Printz was captured on surveillance video moving a visibly sedated Suttles from her vehicle and into his. Printz then drove her vehicle a short distance to a nearby hotel parking lot, where he was seen on surveillance video wiping down the inside and outside of the vehicle. Printz then drove Suttles across state lines back to his residence in Bostic, North Carolina.
After Suttles did not show up to work the following day, concerned coworkers called the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and reported her missing.
During a search of Printz’s residence, investigators found several personal items belonging to Suttles, including her keys, bank card, jewelry, and pocketbook, most of which were concealed in a box used for raising bees on a remote part of Printz’s property. Investigators also found a yogurt cup—opened—and a forensic lab analysis determined the interior of the cup contained Lorazepam, Tramadol, and Cyclobenzaprine.
After being charged in federal court in the District of South Carolina, Printz cooperated with law enforcement. On May 16, 2022, he took authorities to Suttles’s body, which he had buried on a nearby property in Rutherford County, North Carolina.
During the investigation, agents also recovered evidence connecting Printz to the disappearance or death of three other women – Nancy Rego, Delores Sellers, and Leigh Goodman. Printz admitted in Court that he had some responsibility for, or role in, their deaths or disappearances.
Printz’s criminal history includes a 1997 conviction from Michigan for kidnapping another woman, and he was sentenced to 13 to 30 years in state prison for that crime. He was released in 2009 and his parole was terminated in 2011. He also has prior convictions for firearm possession and assault and battery.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins Jr. sentenced Printz to life imprisonment after accepting his guilty plea the same day. There is no parole in the federal system. Through his plea agreement, Printz waived any right to challenge his conviction or his sentence.
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.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Greenville County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office, the Rutherford County, North Carolina Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of North Carolina and the District of South Carolina. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin W. Holloway and Elliott B Daniels of the District of South Carolina prosecuted the case, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Gast of the Western District of North Carolina.
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printz_-_complaint_and_complaint_affidavit.pdf printz_-_information.pdf printz_-_plea_agreement.pdfNixa Woman Sentenced for Meth Trafficking After High-Speed ChaseRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Nixa woman who led law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase at night with no headlights was sentenced in federal court today for trafficking methamphetamine.
Gina N. Nunez, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 12 years in federal prison without parole.
On Jan. 13, 2022, Nunez pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Nunez admitted that she was in possession of methamphetamine found in her vehicle after she led officers on a high-speed chase over two stop strips before crashing her vehicle and being arrested.
A sergeant with the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department attempted to stop Nunez, who was driving a gray Honda on U.S. Highway 65, a few minutes before midnight on June 27, 2021. She was driving approximately 17 to 32 miles per hour on the highway and crossing over the center line. Nunez waved at the officer as he followed her with his emergency lights and siren on for approximately three minutes. Nunez then accelerated to speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour northbound on U.S. Highway 65 to the Finley River bridge, where Ozark, Mo., police officers had positioned spike strips. Nunez continued travelling at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour, without headlights, into Greene County.
The Greene County Sheriff’s Department deployed a spike strip near U.S. Highway 65 and Chestnut Expressway. Nunez continued northbound on U.S. Highway 65 at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. At approximately 12:16 a.m., Nunez exited the highway onto Interstate 44 and crashed into the guardrail. Her vehicle was disabled, and she was arrested.
Law enforcement officers searched Nunez’s vehicle and found six plastic bags in the front passenger floorboard that contained a total of 134 grams of pure methamphetamine, as well as multiple baggies of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Officers also found a purse that contained numerous knives.
Nunez has multiple convictions for possession of a controlled substance, multiple convictions for possession of a controlled substance for distribution, and a conviction for accessory to murder in which the victim was beaten with a baseball bat and stabbed repeatedly.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Beaver. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Nixa, Mo., Police Department, and the Ozark, Mo., Police Department.
New Castle Woman Sentenced to Prison for Storing Illegally Drugs and Guns in Her HouseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA -- A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 46 months imprisonment with a three-year term of supervised release on her conviction of violating federal drug trafficking laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Deia Eggleston, age 46, of Bleakley Ave., New Castle, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, Eggleston allowed her relatives, who were engaging in drug trafficking to use her home to manufacture crack cocaine and to store drugs and guns. Eggleston also aided and abetted an attempted delivery of a kilogram of cocaine by mail which federal agents intercepted prior to delivery. During a search warrant of her home, numerous types of drugs and firearms were found.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the New Castle Police Department, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Eggleston.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Motocross Coach Indicted for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
A motocross instructor who traveled the country building motocross tracks and mentoring children was indicted yesterday for multiple child exploitation offenses.
According to court documents, Ryan Meyung, 30, engaged six different minor victims in sexually explicit conduct to produce images of child sexual abuse, and transported and possessed visual images of child sexual abuse. The alleged crimes occurred between 2019 and 2021. He was arrested on state charges in December 2021 and has remained in custody.
Meyung was known to frequent states including Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.
If you suspect that you have information that could further law enforcement’s investigation, you are encouraged to call the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tipline at (866) 347-2423 or https://www.ice.gov/tipline.
Meyung is charged with six counts of producing child pornography, one count of transporting child pornography, and one count of possessing child pornography. If convicted, Meyung faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 210 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan of the Northern District of Georgia, and Resident Agent in Charge Arturo Napolitano of HSI Chattanooga made the announcement.
HSI Chattanooga is investigating this case jointly with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office (Tennessee), the Chattanooga Police Department, and HSI field offices throughout the country.
Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin N. Spritzer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Minot, ND Man and Velva, ND Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Minor ChildrenRead the Press Release
BISMARCK – Interim United States Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl announced that on June 22, 2022, U.S. District Court Judge Daniel L. Hovland sentenced Katie Heidinger, age 33 of Velva, ND and Derrick Walker, age 46 of Minot, ND, for the charges of Six Counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, and Walker for an additional count of Receipt of Images Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.
Katie Heidinger plead guilty to the charged offenses and was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment followed by a life term of supervised release. Derrick Walker was found guilty following a federal jury on January 26, 2022 and was sentenced to 45 years’ imprisonment followed by a life term of supervised release to follow.
During the trial of Derrick Walker, Katie Heidinger testified that she engaged in an affair with Walker during which time Walker disclosed to her that he was sexually interested in young boys. At Walker’s request, Heidinger produced sexually explicit images and videos involving three boys, ages one, two and five years. Thereafter, she sent this material to Walker to view. Heidinger, again per Walker’s request, created images and videos that depicted her sexually abusing some of these same boys. In addition, Walker requested Heidinger to engage in similar conduct with three other children.
The matter came to law enforcement attention when Heidinger’s then husband discovered some of the images and videos on Heidinger’s cellphone and immediately reported the discovery to the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gary Delorme and investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Minot Police Department, and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the nation, Project Safe Childhood, in conjunction with Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), help federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies enhance their investigative responses to offenders who use the Internet, online communications systems, or computer technology to sexually exploit children. The ICAC Program is a national network of 61 coordinated task forces engaging in proactive investigations, forensic investigations, and criminal prosecutions. Project Safe Childhood also helps to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Minneapolis Felon Pleads Guilty to Making Threats Against Hennepin County Government Officials, Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has pleaded guilty to making threats against Hennepin County employees and illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on June 24, 2021, the Hennepin County District Court issued an arrest warrant for Peter Robert Berry, 60, after he failed to appear in court for a hearing. Berry called an employee of Hennepin County Community Corrections to ask questions about his court appearance. During the call Berry became angry and began yelling and threatened to “shoot up the place.” That same day, Berry left a voice message for a Hennepin County Probation Officer in which Berry demanded a call back before he starts “killing everybody.” On June 25, 2021, Berry called a Hennepin County Service Center employee who informed him of the active warrant for his arrest due to his failure to appear in court. Upon learning about the warrant, Berry stated that he was going to “come down and kill everybody, all the judges, clerks, and deputies.” On June 29, 2021, Berry left a voice message for a Hennepin County Public Defender in which Berry expressed his dissatisfaction with the representation he received in his criminal case and threatened that people were going to die and stated that he knew where the public defender lived.
According to court documents, on July 10, 2020, and on April 7, 2021, Berry unlawfully possessed three firearms, including a Beretta .25 caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Smith and Wesson 9 mm pistol, and a Diamondback DB15 rifle. Because Berry has prior felony convictions in Hennepin, Dakota, and Ramsey Counties, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Berry pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud to one count of possessing a firearm as a felon and one count of interstate transmission of a threat. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison K. Ethen is prosecuting the case.
Man Who Acted as Russian Agent Sentenced to Federal Prison TermRead the Press Release
Hector Alejandro Cabrera Fuentes, 36, a Mexican citizen who had resided in Singapore and spent significant time in Russia, was sentenced yesterday in the Southern District of Florida to four years and one day in prison for acting within the United States on behalf of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General.
According to court documents, since 2019, Fuentes acted under the direction and control of someone he believed to be a Russian government official. Instructed by this Russian official, Fuentes arranged for an intermediary to lease a unit in a residential building in Miami-Dade County where a U.S. person, who had previously provided information about the Russian government to the U.S. government, resided.
Furthermore, at the direction of the same Russian official, Fuentes traveled to Miami in February 2020 to obtain the license plate number and parking location of the U.S. person’s car to provide to the Russian official upon his next trip to Russia.
Fuentes’s travel companion, at his request, took a photo of the U.S. person’s car. A WhatsApp message from Fuentes’s travel companion to Fuentes contained a close-up photograph of the specified U.S. person’s car. The manner in which Fuentes communicated with the Russian government official and his undertakings in this case are consistent with the tactics of the Russian intelligence services for spotting, assessing, recruiting and handling intelligence assets and sources.
Fuentes had not notified the U.S. Attorney General, as required by law, that he was acting in the United States as an agent of the Russian government.
Fuentes pleaded guilty in February 2022. U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks for the Southern District of Florida imposed the sentence, which included an order that the defendant be removed from the United States to Mexico promptly upon his release from confinement.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, and Director of Field Operations Vernon T. Foret of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Miami Field Office made the announcement.
FBI and CBP investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Thakur of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Matthew J. McKenzie of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.
Man Who Acted as Russian Agent Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Hector Alejandro Cabrera Fuentes, 36, a Mexican citizen who had resided in Singapore, was sentenced yesterday in the Southern District of Florida to four years and one day in prison for acting within the United States on behalf of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General.
Fuentes is a Mexican citizen who has spent significant time in Russia. According to court documents, since 2019, Fuentes acted under the direction and control of someone he believed to be a Russian government official. Instructed by this Russian official, Fuentes arranged for an intermediary to lease a unit in a residential building in Miami-Dade County where a U.S. person, who had previously provided information about the Russian government to the United States Government, resided.
Furthermore, at the direction of the same Russian official, Fuentes traveled to Miami in February 2020 to obtain the license plate number and parking location of the U.S. person’s car to provide this information to the Russian official upon his next trip to Russia.
Fuentes’s travel companion, at his request, took a photo of the U.S. person’s car. WhatsApp message from Fuentes’s travel companion to Fuentes contained a close-up photograph of the specified U.S. person’s car. The manner in which Fuentes communicated with the Russian government official and his undertakings in this case are consistent with the tactics of the Russian intelligence services for spotting, assessing, recruiting, and handling intelligence assets and sources.
Fuentes had not notified the United States Attorney General, as required by law, that he was acting in the United States as an agent of the Russian government.
Fuentes pled guilty to the charge in February. U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks imposed the sentence, which included an order that the defendant be removed from the United States to Mexico promptly upon his release from confinement.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Miami Field Office; and Vernon T. Foret, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI and CBP investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Thakur of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Matt McKenzie of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.
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 20-cr-20129.
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Luzerne County Man Indicted on Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
SCRANTON -The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Antonio Menzell Clark, age 36, of Ashley, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on a firearm charge.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on January 12, 2022, Clark possessed a handgun when he was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives, the United States Marshal Service and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Lorain Man Sentenced to More Than 14 and a Half Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Fentanyl Analogues, Heroin and CocaineRead the Press Release
Brandon J. Sharp, 34, of Lorain, Ohio, was sentenced to more than 14 and a half years in prison on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent after he was convicted at trial of four counts of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on June 29, 2020, law enforcement officers with the Lorain Police Department received an anonymous tip regarding the location of various amounts of narcotics stored under the bumper of a vehicle. Police responded to the site and confirmed the presence of the drugs.
While police were investigating, a woman arrived at the scene and explained to officers that the vehicle was used by her boyfriend, Defendant Brandon Sharp, for work. Sharp later spoke to police via phone and confirmed that the vehicle belonged to his employer.
Law enforcement investigators then obtained and executed a search warrant for the vehicle. During the search, investigators seized various amounts of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, heroin, cocaine and over $2,000 in U.S. currency. Investigators also discovered a cell phone linked to Sharp and various documents and pieces of mail bearing Sharp’s name, phone number and address in the vehicle.
Sharp was later arrested on December 28, 2020.
This case was investigated by the Lorain Police Department and the FBI. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. Kolansky and Vanessa V. Healy.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.)., an initiative that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids and to identify wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers in Lorain County.
Level 3 Registered Sex Offender who Extorted 11-Year-Old for Explicit Photos via Snapchat Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to receiving child pornography he extorted from a minor over Snapchat.
Chayanne Nieves, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Sept. 21, 2022. Nieves was arrested and charged in August 2021, and has remained in custody since.
“Mr. Nieves committed a heinous crime that victimized a young, innocent child. For that, he now faces federal prison,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “The dangers of internet and social media anonymity remain prevalent, but my office is determination to protect the safety, innocence and wellbeing of our children. In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, my office will stop at nothing to identify and hold predators like this defendant accountable – regardless of where they try to hide. That is a promise.”
“Nieves, already a registered sex offender, harassed and threatened a child online, using fear to extort her—a scenario becoming all too common,” said Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston. “Cases like this are every parent’s nightmare, but with this plea, Nieves is off the streets. HSI continues to work tirelessly to uncover internet predators like Nieves and, with the help of our partners, keep our kids safe online.”
“This case serves as a reminder that predators continue to target and exploit our children online. It's important for parents to be active participants in their young children's online lives, to speak with children about the potential dangers present on the internet, and to alert the authorities to any potential suspicious or criminal conduct. The Vermont State Police commends the members of law enforcement who investigated and prosecuted this case. We are grateful for these partnerships across state lines and among local, state and federal agencies that help keep our communities and our corners of cyberspace that much safer for everyone, especially our children,” said Major Dan Trudeau, Commander of the Vermont State Police’s Criminal Division.
From around Nov. 30, 2020 until Dec. 3, 2020, Nieves communicated on Snapchat with an 11-year-old child in Vermont. During those communications, Nieves threatened and extorted the victim to send him nude photographs of themself. During a search of Nieves’s residence in Lowell, Nieves confirmed that the Snapchat account used to communicate with the child was his. Nieves is a Level 3 registered sex offender.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.
Based on Nieves’s criminal history, the charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least 15 years and up to 40 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, HSI SAC Millhollin and Major Trudeau made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lowell Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Dell’Anno of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Laredo residents sent to prison for extortion schemeRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two individuals have been ordered to federal prison for aiding and abetting in the transmission of messages threatening to extort money from another, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Hector Jose Lopez, 31, pleaded guilty Sept. 29, 2021, while Nancy Yvette Garcia, 33, admitted to the charges Oct. 14, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo imposed a 96-month term of imprisonment for Lopez, while Garcia received 188 months. Garcia, also currently on supervised release for a 2018 conviction for conspiracy to transport aliens, received an additional four months which will be served concurrently to the current offense. Both must also serve three years of supervised release following their sentences. In handing down the prison terms, Judge Marmolejo noted that Lopez should make better choices if he wanted to live in the free world, further stating that he had no respect for the law or humanity.
On Jan. 26, 2021, a marijuana deal involving a 16-year-old male had gone awry. Shortly thereafter, Garcia and another individual took him to Lopez’s apartment. Garcia claimed they needed to keep him hostage in order to get their marijuana or money back. Lopez held him there in exchange for $500.
At the time of his plea, Lopez admitted he asked the victim for some of his login information stored on his phone which he then sent to Garcia via WhatsApp.
In the early morning hours of Jan. 27, 2021, someone posted photographs to the victim’s Facebook account showing visible injuries and referencing what happens to people who steal. The mother of the victim then received a message on Facebook Messenger accusing her son of stealing marijuana.
Shortly thereafter, she received a phone call from a Mexican phone number demanding $30,000 for the release of her son. Throughout the course of the day, the mother received text messages or phone calls asking about the status of the ransom and was told her son would be killed if the demand wasn’t met.
On Jan. 28, 2021, the victim managed to escape and contacted law enforcement.
Lopez and Garcia will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from the Laredo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Bajew prosecuted the case.
Kenyon Bookkeeper Sentenced to More Than 9 Years Prison for $881,000 Employer Embezzlement and Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Kenyon woman was sentenced to 111 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $1,058,777.18 in restitution for embezzling more than $881,000 from the owners of several Denny’s restaurant franchises around the Twin Cities and from a family-owned construction company in Rochester, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in 2014, Kimberly Sue Peterson-Janovec, 59, became the Director of Operations for MI5, Inc., a Denny’s franchisee that owned and operated eight Denny’s franchises in Minnesota and Wisconsin. In this role, Peterson-Janovec had extensive managerial oversight for all eight restaurants, including payroll, cash deposits, vendor and contractor billing, marketing, and coordinating reimbursements from Denny’s Corporate.
According to court documents, from April 2014 through July 2019, Peterson-Janovec used her position to embezzle funds from MI5 and Denny’s Corporate by generating and submitting false requests for vendor payments and then diverting those payments for her own use and benefit. Peterson-Janovec also manipulated the company’s payroll system to issue herself unauthorized compensation using the names of employees who no longer worked for the company. As part of the scheme, Peterson-Janovec falsified records, created fake email accounts, and generated fake email traffic in which she impersonated employees of various purported vendors. In total, Peterson-Janovec received approximately $336,000 in bogus vendor payments and approximately $20,000 in fraudulently issued payroll submissions using the identities of other people. In addition, at sentencing, the Court held Peterson-Janovec responsible for stealing an additional $181,000 in cash deposits from MI5.
According to court documents, in July 2019, MI5, Inc., discovered aspects of Peterson-Janovec’s fraud and terminated her employment. After her termination, in early 2020, Peterson-Janovec lied about her work experience to get another bookkeeping job with a family-owned construction company in Rochester, identified as Company 3. Peterson-Janovec started as its bookkeeper, earned Company 3’s trust, and eventually was promoted to its general manager. Peterson-Janovec used her position to devise and execute a similar fraud scheme on Company 3. She used her access to Company 3’s QuickBooks to issue herself numerous payments, and she did so in a manner that made the payments appear as if they were going to Company 3 vendors. This netted Peterson-Janovec another $350,000 in as little at 18 months.
In total, Peterson-Janovec stole more than $881,000 from her employers, which she used to finance her lifestyle and hobbies, including a substantial down payment on her personal residence. Peterson-Janovec also committed tax crimes during every year of her fraud scheme, which led to over $160,000 in unpaid taxes.
Peterson-Janovec was sentenced today in U.S. District Court before Chief Judge John R. Tunheim. In handing down the sentence, Judge Tunheim described Peterson-Janovec’s conduct as “brazen” and motivated by “greed,” and highlighted the need to protect the public from further criminal activity carried out by the defendant.
On February 22, 2022, Peterson-Janovec was convicted by a federal jury on 24 counts of fraud, aggravated identity theft, and tax crimes. Notably, Peterson-Janovec has a prior federal fraud conviction from 1998, when she embezzled more than $950,000 from another former employer.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Burnsville Police Department, and the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan L. Sing and Kimberly A. Svendsen prosecuted the case.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Alaska Under National Voter Registration ActRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured an agreement with the State of Alaska and state officials to resolve claims that driver license transactions did not consistently provide certain voter registration opportunities required by Section 5 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA).
Section 5 of the NVRA, also known as the “motor voter” provision, requires covered states to provide voter registration opportunities for federal elections when people apply for or renew driver’s licenses or other identification documents through state motor vehicle offices. The NVRA also requires that changes of address submitted for driver’s license or identification document purposes update voter registration information unless the applicant opts out of the update.
The Justice Department’s investigation found that applications and renewals for Alaska’s driver’s licenses and identification documents did not consistently serve as voter registration applications for federal office as required by the NVRA. Likewise, the procedures by which citizens notify the state’s motor vehicle office that their address had changed did not serve as a notification of change of address for voter registration purposes.
Under the terms of the settlement, Alaska will fully integrate a voter registration opportunity into all applications for driver’s licenses and other identification documents. Alaska will also ensure that all change of address information submitted for driver’s licenses or state-issued identification purposes will be used to update voters’ address information unless a voter declines to update their voter registration. Alaska has also agreed to appoint a Division of Motor Vehicles NVRA coordinator and NVRA site coordinators for each Division of Motor Vehicles office.
“The ability to register to vote and to update voter registration information easily and conveniently is essential in a robust, inclusive democracy,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This agreement is part of our commitment to ensuring that eligible voters across Alaska have access to voter registration opportunities required by federal law. We will continue working to ensure that states and counties across the country are complying with the mandates of the National Voter Registration Act and other federal voting rights laws. We thank state officials for agreeing to undertake actions we deem necessary to achieve compliance with the mandates of the NVRA.”
“I commend our many state officials for their hard work and dedication in reaching this agreement,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “It is vital for every citizen in our democracy to have a full and fair opportunity to participate in the electoral process. This includes the ability of every citizen to register to vote and to update their registration information with the ease of access that the law requires.”
More information about the NVRA and other federal voting laws is available on the Department of Justice website at www.justice.gov/crt/about/vot/. Complaints under the federal voting rights laws may be reported to the Civil Rights Division at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
Justice Department Finds Maine in Violation of ADA for Over-Institutionalization of Children with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
On the 23rd anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. L.C., the Department of Justice announced today that it has concluded that Maine unnecessarily segregates children with mental health and/or developmental disabilities, in psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment facilities, and a state-operated juvenile detention facility. The Olmstead decision held that people with disabilities have a right to live and receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs — typically in their homes and communities instead of in institutions.
Disability Rights Maine, the protection and advocacy agency for people with disabilities in Maine, filed a complaint with the department on behalf of a group of children with disabilities, alleging that these children cannot access needed community-based services, resulting in their institutionalization or risk of institutionalization in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead. The department’s findings, detailed in a letter to Maine Governor Janet Mills and Attorney General Aaron Frey, follow a thorough investigation into the complaint and the State’s system of care for children with behavioral health needs.
Many children with disabilities in Maine, especially those in rural areas or with more intensive needs, are unable to live at home with their families due to a lack of community-based behavioral health services. These services can include assistance with daily activities, behavior management, and individual or family counseling. Community-based behavioral health services also include crisis services that can prevent a child from being institutionalized during a mental health crisis. Absent these services, Maine children with disabilities enter emergency rooms, come into contact with law enforcement, and remain in institutions when many of them could be at home if Maine put in place sufficient community-based services.
“Children with disabilities deserve the opportunity to live at home with the services they need and grow up in the community alongside their nondisabled peers,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “With the increase in children’s mental health needs during the pandemic, it is more important than ever to provide support to children and families. We look forward to bringing Maine into compliance with federal law and achieving a resolution that will benefit children with disabilities across the state.”
“Access to local community-based services for children with mental health and/or developmental disabilities is a critical need for families across Maine,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee for the District of Maine. “I hope that the violations identified by the Justice Department can be remedied so that these children and their families are able to obtain quality services in their own communities.”
The department’s investigation found a number of barriers to accessing children’s behavioral health services in the community, including lengthy waitlists, an insufficient provider network, inadequate crisis services, and a lack of support for foster care parents who provide specialized care to children with behavioral health needs. As a result, Maine children must enter in- and out-of-state facilities, or even the state-operated juvenile detention facility, Long Creek Youth Development Center, to receive behavioral health services.
This investigation was conducted by the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division Disability Rights Section with the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine. The full findings letter can be found at https://www.justice.gov/crt/disability-rights-cases.
The Justice Department’s statement commemorating the Olmstead anniversary can be found here. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s Olmstead enforcement is available on its website at https://www.ada.gov/olmstead/.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Ian Wyatt Justice, 20, of Huntington, was sentenced to six years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 16, 2021, law enforcement officers were conducting a drug investigation and observed Justice enter a Charleston Avenue residence in Huntington. The officers executed a search warrant at the residence on that date and Justice, who was present just prior to the search, was arrested. During the search, officers seized a number of items, including fentanyl, three firearms, and items used to prepare fentanyl for distribution. Justice admitted that he intended to distribute the fentanyl and that he had been selling fentanyl in Huntington in the months leading up to the search.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-9.
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Grant County man facing drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Austin Curtis Harman, of Petersburg, West Virginia, was indicted today on drug and firearms charges, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Harman, 22, was indicted on one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Harman is accused of having methamphetamine in January 2022 in Grant County. Harman, a person prohibited from having a firearm because of a felony conviction, is also accused of having a 9mm pistol.
Harman faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for the drug charge and faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearms charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former Washington State Employment Security employee pleads guilty to stealing pandemic unemployment benefits for kickbacksRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A former employee of Washington State’s Employment Security Department pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to three federal felonies for his scheme to exploit his employment for personal enrichment and to fraudulently distribute at least $360,000 in pandemic-related unemployment benefits, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Reyes De La Cruz, III, 48, of Moses Lake, Washington, personally enriched himself by at least $130,000 with his scheme. De La Cruz was arrested September 24, 2021, in Moses Lake and has been in federal custody since his arrest.
“We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to prosecute those who used the cover of the pandemic to unlawfully enrich themselves,” said U.S. Attorney Brown. “In this case, De La Cruz’s betrayal of public trust during a time of national crisis is particularly egregious.”
According to records filed in the case, De La Cruz was hired as an intake agent in April 2020 to help the Employment Security Department (ESD) deal with the crush of filings for pandemic unemployment benefits. De La Cruz had previously worked for ESD, from 1996 to 2003.
Between July 3, 2020, and March 15, 2021, De La Cruz used his access to the ESD claims database to defraud the benefits system in multiple ways. In at least ten instances, De La Cruz accepted bribes in exchange for engineering benefit payments for his friends, family, or acquaintances by making false entries in the claims database. In many cases, the person did not qualify for benefits, but De La Cruz manipulated the claims database so that the claimants received lumpsum retroactive payments that sometimes amounted to tens of thousands of dollars. The claimants would then pay De La Cruz a portion of the lumpsum. The bribes ranged from $500-$6,500. In total, De La Cruz enriched himself nearly $21,000 through kickback payments.
In some instances, when claimants refused or resisted paying De La Cruz, he threatened to terminate the claim if they did not pay him.
De La Cruz filed at least four claims using other people’s personal information without authorization and then had the benefits paid to debit cards that were mailed to Moses Lake, Washington, addresses where De La Cruz could retrieve them. Even after his employment with ESD terminated on October 1, 2020, De La Cruz attempted to restart claims payments to these debit cards to take advantage of additional federal pandemic benefits. De La Cruz went so far as to impersonate a claimant in recorded phone calls with ESD and a bank. He impersonated another claimant in handwritten correspondence that he then faxed to ESD. In this way he defrauded ESD of more than $113,000.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors will ask for no more than 75 months in prison when De La Cruz is sentenced on September 16, 2022.
“Reyes De La Cruz was hired by the Washington Employment Security Department to help process an unprecedented increase in pandemic-related unemployment insurance claims. Instead, he illegally enriched himself by diverting vital taxpayer resources away from those in need of unemployment benefits. Protecting the integrity of the unemployment insurance program remains one of our highest priorities, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to safeguard the unemployment benefits for those who need it, especially during this critical time,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Los Angeles Region.
The Employment Security Department uncovered evidence of fraud, terminated De La Cruz, and referred the case to the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. The FBI joined the investigation.
Wire fraud that relates to a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency is punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Bribery of an agent receiving federal funds is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Aggravated identity theft is punishable by a two-year sentence consecutive to any other sentence imposed in the case.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Cindy Chang and Seth Wilkinson.
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.