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3 August 2022
Former Postal Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing Items from the Mail He Was Entrusted to Deliver as a Letter CarrierRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that PATRICK EZELL, age 51, of Bogalusa, Louisiana pleaded guilty on August 2, 2022 before the Honorable Wendy B. Vitter, U.S. District Judge, Eastern District of Louisiana, to stealing items from the mail he was entrusted to deliver as a postal employee. Sentencing is set for November 1, 2022.
According to documents filed in federal court, PATRICK EZELL was employed by the United States Postal Service as a letter carrier in Bogalusa when he was apprehended stealing items from the mail he was entrusted to deliver for the U.S. Postal Service.
The maximum penalty for the offense is up to five years imprisonment and/or up to a fine of $250,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to the victim followed by up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of one hundred dollars.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens, II is in charge of the prosecution.
Former DCF Employee and Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Consultant Plead Guilty in Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Today, a State of Florida employee who agreed to accept bribe money in exchange for expediting the license application process of certain substance abuse treatment facilities, as well as a facilities consultant involved in the bribery scheme, pled guilty in South Florida federal court to extortion conspiracy.
According to court documents and the information to which 31-year-old Alexandra Alia Cadet of West Palm Beach, Florida and 34-year-old Shannel Simone Escoffery of Coral Springs, Florida pled guilty, Cadet was a licensing specialist for the State of Florida, Department of Children and Families (DCF), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Program Office. As a licensing specialist, Cadet had responsibility and authority to review and recommend the approval of applications submitted by substance abuse treatment facilities for licenses authorizing the provision of substance abuse treatment services in Florida. Once Cadet recommended approval of an application, a supervisor had authority to issue a final approval and the corresponding license.
Escoffery was a consultant for substance abuse treatment facilities. Escoffery assisted facilities with preparing their licensing applications, submitting them to DCF, and obtaining licenses.
The bribery scheme would operate as follows: Escoffery would solicit and obtain payments from the substance abuse treatment facilities. Then, Escoffery would deliver all or some of the money, usually cash, to Cadet in exchange for official action; that is, Cadet’s expedited review and recommendation of approval of licenses authorizing the facilities to provide substance abuse treatment services in Florida. The quicker the issuance of a license, the quicker the facility could open and start generating revenue.
As part of the bribery scheme, in October 2017, Cadet and Escoffery accepted a bribe payment from a substance abuse treatment facility in Broward County, Florida. In exchange for the bribe payment, Cadet reviewed and recommended approval of the facility’s application, expediting the issuance of a license to the facility.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Robert M. DeWitt, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
Sentencing is set for October 18 before U.S. District Judge Raag Singhal.
FBI Miami investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Daya Nathan is prosecuting it. Assistant United States Attorney Peter Laserna is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-60158.
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Former Athens City Schools Administrator Sentenced in North Alabama Virtual Education SchemeRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Today, former Athens City Schools administrator, William Richard (“Rick”) Carter, Jr., 46, was sentenced to 66 months in prison for his role in a scheme to defraud the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE), announced the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama. Carter was convicted by a jury in March of this year on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
Carter, along with his co-conspirators, William L. (“Trey”) Holladay, III, Gregory (“Greg”) Earl Corkren, David Webb Tutt, and Thomas Michael Sisk, participated in a scheme to fraudulently enroll students in public virtual schools and then falsely report those students to ALSDE. As a result of the scheme, districts received payments from Alabama’s Education Trust Fund as if the students actually attended public schools. The various defendants then received, for their own personal use, portions of the state money. The defendants skimmed the state money through direct cash payments and payments to third-party contractors owned by the various co-conspirators. Carter’s co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced last month.
Following his prison sentence, Carter will be on supervised release for three years. There is no parole in the federal system. The judge also ordered Carter to pay restitution in the amount of $1,303,514.28.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the United States Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan S. Ross, Alice S. LaCour, and Brett J. Talley prosecuted the case.
Federal fentanyl, cocaine indictments returnedRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A federal grand jury returned indictments on Tuesday against alleged large-scale dealers of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine operating in Ohio County, according to United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld.
Yesterday, Solomon Watters, age 26 of Cleveland, Ohio was indicted for conspiring to distribute over 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl in Ohio County and elsewhere. Investigators seized $212,000 in cash from Watters and his co-conspirator, Chelsea Banks, 26, of Wheeling, along with three guns.
Christopher Park, age 50 of Wheeling, was indicted for possession with the intent to deliver after agents seized over two kilograms of powder cocaine and several ounces of crack cocaine from him. A large portion of the cocaine recovered was shipped from Phoenix, Arizona to Mr. Park in Wheeling. Agents also recovered $4,800 in cash and a loaded handgun.
David Lee McCracken, age 38 of Moundsville, has been indicted for possessing a large quantity of methamphetamine in his hotel room at The Highlands earlier this year. Investigators also recovered $3,200 in cash.
Michael Shawndale Davis, age 38, was indicted for possession of ammunition by a prohibited person after he allegedly fired shots outside of the Formosa Apartments on Eoff Street in Wheeling. Davis has several prior felony convictions, including one for drug trafficking. On June 25, 2022, surveillance footage captured Davis shooting a gun at an acquaintance.
“Our state and federal agents are to be commended for intercepting such significant amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and cash,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “These drug seizures saved lives and disrupted the flow of drugs from the Southwest border to the streets of Wheeling, West Virginia.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn M. Adkins, Clayton J. Reid, and David J. Perri are prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Wheeling Police Department; the Ohio County Sheriff’s Department; the Belmont County (OH) Sheriff’s Department; and the Pennsylvania State Police assisted with one or more of the investigations.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
View the filed indictments below:
Watters et al Indictment
Park Indictment
McCracken Indictment
Davis Indictment
Federal Jury Finds Logan County Man Guilty of Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A federal jury convicted a Logan County man yesterday of accessing with the intent to view prepubescent child pornography.
According to testimony at trial, Raymond Dugan, 55, was found guilty by a jury of his peers of accessing with the intent to view prepubescent child pornography using the TOR browser and the dark web. A forensic analysis of Dugan’s computer revealed 1,237 images of child pornography.
Dugan is scheduled to be sentenced on October 27, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Dugan must also register as a sex offender.
“Bringing child predators to justice is one of the highest priorities of my office,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend our law enforcement partners and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie White and Nowles Heinrich for their outstanding work to secure this guilty verdict.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Virginia State Police Forensic Sciences Laboratory conducted the investigation.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the jury trial.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-127.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Two Louisville Men and Two Elizabethtown Men in Separate Louisville CarjackingsRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned indictments on July 20, 2022, charging two Louisville men with carjackings and two Elizabethtown, Kentucky, men with carjacking and a business robbery.
According to court documents, on May 27, 2022, Mauricio Diaz, 19, and Fahad Alisawi, 18, both of Louisville, carjacked a vehicle in Louisville while brandishing a firearm; on May 28, 2022, they carjacked a vehicle in Louisville while brandishing a firearm; on May 30, 2022, Diaz attempted to carjack a vehicle in Louisville; on May 30, 2022, they carjacked a vehicle in Louisville while brandishing a firearm; and on June 2, 2022, they carjacked a vehicle in Louisville while brandishing a firearm.
A separate indictment charges Jalyn Redd, 23, and Dayveon Willock, 18, both of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, for carjacking and robbing a Domino’s delivery driver on December 22, 2021, in Louisville, Kentucky.
The charges were announced by Michael A. Bennett, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky, Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Erika Shields, and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Jerry C. Templet, Jr.
Diaz and Alisawi are currently detained on state charges and will be arraigned in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky once they are transferred to federal custody. Diaz and Alisawi were indicted on four counts of carjacking and four counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Diaz was also indicted on one count of attempted carjacking. If convicted of carjacking or attempted carjacking, they face a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison per count. If convicted of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, they face a mandatory minimum penalty of 7 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison, per count, to run consecutive to all other penalties.
Redd is currently detained on state charges and will be arraigned in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky once he is transferred to federal custody. Willock’s arraignment and detention hearing will be held before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on August 5, 2022. Redd and Willock were both charged with one count of carjacking and one count of interference with commerce by robbery. If convicted of carjacking, they face a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. If convicted of interference with commerce by robbery, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
The Louisville Metropolitan Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the cases. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Greater Hardin County Drug Task Force, and the Elizabethtown Police Department assisted in the investigations.
The charges resulted from an ongoing joint federal and local law enforcement initiative targeting carjackings which includes the United States Attorney’s Office, the Office of the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney, the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Emily Lantz is prosecuting the Diaz and Alisawi case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Marie Blaylock is prosecuting the Redd and Willock case. SAUSA Lantz is an Assistant Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney sworn in as a SAUSA to prosecute firearms cases in federal court. She works closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to combat violent crime. Funding for SAUSA Lantz’s position comes from a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, a component of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs, to the office of Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Tom Wine.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Employee admits stealing $854,000 from St. Louis companyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Festus on Wednesday admitted embezzling $854,544 from his employer via a series of schemes since 2017.
Ryan S. Kent, 44, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge John A. Ross to a felony wire fraud charge. He admitted that while a maintenance supervisor at a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in St. Louis, he falsely sought and received reimbursement for fictitious purchases and travel in a variety of ways.
Kent was responsible for repairing broken equipment or buying new equipment. Beginning in July 2017, Kent bought supplies and equipment with his personal debit or credit card, and then doctored the receipts to inflate the amount of purchase before submitting them to his company, he admitted in his plea. He would also submit completely fictitious invoices and sought reimbursement for costs that he never incurred to travel to pick up parts or equipment.
He also bought supplies at Home Depot, returned them and then sought reimbursement from the company, his plea says.
Kent used the money for personal bills, to redo his backyard and to buy a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado, a 2021 Cadillac Escalade and travel to Las Vegas to gamble, the plea says.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Kent will also be ordered to repay the money at his sentencing hearing, scheduled for Nov. 9.
The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
El Salvador Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for 30 Years for Sexually Assaulting a ChildRead the Press Release
An El Salvador man residing in Sioux City who sexually assaulted a child was sentenced July 28, 2022, to 30 years in federal prison.
Juan Pablo Hernandez, age 44, originally from El Salvador but living in Sioux City, received the prison term after a March 10, 2022, guilty plea to aggravated sexual abuse of a child.
At the plea hearing, Hernandez admitted to driving from South Sioux City, Nebraska to Sioux City with a minor under the age of 12 to sexually assault the minor. Hernandez took sexually explicit photographs of the minor.
Hernandez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Hernandez was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Hernandez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-4093.
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EOIR Warns of Scammers Spoofing Agency Phone NumberRead the Press Release
FALLS CHURCH, VA – The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) today announced it has recently been notified of phone calls that spoof the Arlington Immigration Court as part of a misinformation campaign. The callers will often “spoof,” or fake, the immigration court’s main line, 703-305-1300, so the calls appear to be coming from EOIR on the recipient’s caller ID.
In this scam, fraudulent callers posing as EOIR employees or officers advise individuals that their social security number has been compromised and request money from the victims. These calls are fraudulent; EOIR personnel do not call individuals regarding social security numbers or to request money. To protect yourself, be wary of answering phone calls from numbers you do not recognize. Never give out your personal information over the phone to individuals you do not know.
If you have a question about your immigration court case, please call the Automated Case Information Hotline at 1-800-898-7180, or visit the Automated Case Information System or the Immigration Court Online Resource.
Doña Ana man sentenced to 21 years in prison for producing of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Juan Miguel Alvarez was sentenced on July 2 to 21 years and 10 months in prison. Alvarez, 47, of Doña Ana, New Mexico, pleaded guilty on Oct. 21, 2020, to production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
In his plea agreement, Alvarez admitted to using the application “Talkatone” to communicate and begin a relationship with a 13-year-old victim. On Feb. 26, 2020, Alvarez persuaded the victim to send nude photos of herself to him.
Upon his release from prison, Alvarez will be subject to five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this case with assistance from the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office and the Las Cruces Police Department as part of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa A. Ong and Aaron O. Jordan prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. The ICAC Task Force Program is a nation-wide network of task forces including over 90 federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies in New Mexico dedicated to investigating, prosecuting and developing effective responses to Internet crimes against children.
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Covington Resident Pleads Guilty to Supplying Methamphetamine to Monroe County DealerRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Covington, Georgia, resident was sentenced to federal prison today after he admitted to supplying a large quantity of methamphetamine to a Monroe County, Georgia, drug dealer.
Frank Settambrino, 63, of Covington, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 90 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell after he previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Frank Settambrino was supplying methamphetamine to those who were pushing this deadly substance into the Monroe County community, fueling addiction and crime,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Law enforcement agencies are working to identify and shut down these networks trafficking the deadliest controlled substances in the region.”
“The by-products of ‘meth’ after its manufacture leave behind a dangerous and toxic trail of waste,” said the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division Robert J. Murphy. “DEA and its law enforcement partners are committed to protecting citizens from these dangers by disrupting, dismantling and destroying those who traffic these toxic chemicals. Now that this defendant has been removed from the streets, the Middle Georgia community is a safer place.”
“Working together with other local, state and federal agencies not only levels the playing field, it gives us the upper hand in dealing with these drug traffickers that operate both inside and outside of Monroe County,” said Monroe County Sheriff Brad Freeman.
According to court documents and other evidence, an ongoing investigation into methamphetamine distribution activities by Monroe County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigators revealed that Settambrino was supplying methamphetamine to a dealer in the region. Between Sept. 2020 and Jan. 2021, DEA and MCSO coordinated a series of five audio and video recorded controlled purchases of methamphetamine involving Settambrino. A federal search warrant was executed at Settambrino’s residence on Jan. 14, 2021, where agents located more than one kilo of methamphetamine and other drug paraphernalia scattered throughout his home.
The case was investigated by DEA with assistance from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Newton County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Kalim is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Contractor Enters Guilty Plea to Bribing Former Mayor of CatañoRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Mario Villegas-Vargas, 42, pleaded guilty today in Puerto Rico to engaging in a bribery scheme for paying kickbacks and bribes in exchange for being awarded municipal contracts that benefited his asphalt and paving company.
Beginning in or around June 2017, Villegas-Vargas and Individual B, co-owners of an asphalt and paving company, conspired to pay bribes and kickbacks to Félix Delgado-Montalvo, the former mayor of Cataño. The purpose of these payments was to help ensure that their company would be awarded and continue to be awarded municipal contracts as opportunities arose in Cataño.
Together, Villegas-Vargas and Individual B paid more than $95,000.00 in kickback payments to Delgado when he was the mayor of Cataño in exchange for asphalt removal and concrete paving contracts in the municipality.
Villegas-Vargas pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in a bribery scheme. He faces a maximum penalty of five 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, W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s San Juan Field Office.
Trial Attorneys Nicholas W. Cannon and Ryan H. Crosswell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant United States Attorney Seth A. Erbe of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matters, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the District of Puerto Rico for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts. See United States v. Félix Delgado-Montalvo, 21-463 (RAM); United States v. Oscar Santamaria-Torres, 21-464 (RAM); United States v. United States v. Raymond Rodríguez, 21-465 (RAM); United States v. Luis Arroyo-Chiques, 21-485 (SCC); United States v. Eduardo Cintron-Saurez, 22-151 (SCC); United States v. Ramon Conde-Melendez, 22-221 (PAD); Pedro Marrero-Miranda, 22-251 (RAM); and Jose Luis Cruz-Cruz, 22-276 (SCC).
Additionally, the department recently obtained indictments charging several former officials and contractors with bribery related to municipal contracts, and those cases are still pending. See United States v. Ángel Pérez-Otero, 21-474 (ADC); United States v. Radamés Benítez-Cardona, 21-475 (PAD); United States v. Javier García-Pérez, 22-185 (ADC); and United States v. Reinaldo Vargas-Rodríguez, 22-186 (PAD).
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Colorado Man Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that an Aurora, Colorado, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on August 1, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Ricardo Barragan, age 31, was sentenced to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Barragan was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in January of 2022. He pleaded guilty on February 4, 2022. While involved in the conspiracy, Barragan distributed methamphetamine to others in the Rapid City, South Dakota, area for use and distribution.
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota National Guard, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Barragan was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Clearfield Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of Clearfield, PA pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Logan Mactavish, 39, pleaded guilty to Count Two of the Superseding Indictment before Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson.
In connection with the guilty plea, from July 2019 to June 2020, Mactavish conspired to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for December 14, 2022. The law provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and maximum sentence of life in prison, a fine of $10,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Mactavish. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies.
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.
Cincinnati man who was arrested as part of human trafficking operation sentenced to more than 8 years in prisonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 100 months in prison and 84 months of supervised release for conspiring to sex traffic minors.
Doyenn J. Clayborne, 35, was arrested in October 2020 as part of an FBI and Blue Ash Police Department operation targeting human trafficking.
Blue Ash police officers, assisted by agents with the FBI, encountered Clayborne and two co-defendants as part of the operation at a Blue Ash hotel. The three men conspired to sell 16-year-old minor females for sex.
In addition to audio recordings of the defendants discussing logistics for providing underage females for sex, law enforcement officials discovered condoms, sexual devices, bottles of lubricant and a firearm in the defendants’ hotel room.
Officers and agents also encountered a 16-year-old female victim who had been brought to the hotel to perform sex acts for money, a portion of which would be given to the defendants. Clayborne and others picked the minor up from her residence and transported her to the hotel with the intention of having the minor engage in sex acts for $300.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Blue Ash Police Chief Scott Noel announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.
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Cicero Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Brian White, age 67, of Cicero, New York, pleaded guilty today to receipt of child pornography. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen.
As part of his guilty plea, White admitted that between June 2021 and January 2022, he knowingly downloaded approximately 264 images and 170 videos of child pornography using an internet peer-to-peer network. He further admitted that in January 2022 he possessed numerous images and video files depicting child pornography on several digital storage devices.
At sentencing, which is currently scheduled for December 7, 2022, White faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life, and will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Syracuse Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Caribbean Corridor Strike Force Arrests Two International Drug TraffickersRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — On April 8, 2021, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a superseding indictment charging Jonmeny Barros-Casadiego and Álvaro León Barros-Ramírez with Conspiracy to Import Cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 952(a), 960, and 963; International Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 959(a), 960, and 963; and International Cocaine Distribution Attempt, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 959(a) and 963. Barros-Casadiego and Barros-Ramírez are leaders of a Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO) responsible for transportation and distribution of multi-ton kilograms from La Guajira and Venezuela into the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
Between July 28-29, 2022, Jonmeny Barros-Casadiego and Álvaro León Barros-Ramírez, Colombian nationals, surrendered to local authorities in the Dominican Republic. Thereafter, Barros-Casadiego and Barros-Ramírez were transported to Puerto Rico and their initial appearances in federal court were held on August 1, 2022. If convicted of the crimes charged, they face a minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Jonmeny Barros-Casadiego was designated as an OCDETF Regional Priority Organizational Target (RPOT) in 2020. The RPOT List includes leaders of significant drug trafficking and money laundering organizations that are primarily responsible for a region’s drug threat.
Since 2020, federal law enforcement authorities identified Barros-Casadiego and Barros-Ramírez as leaders of a Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO) responsible for the transportation of multi-ton shipments of cocaine from South America into the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Specifically, this TCO prepared and organized drug shipments that were dispatched and transported by go-fast vessels from the northwest coast of La Guajira and Venezuela to the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Cartagena Resident Office (RO), Santo Domingo Country Office (CO), and OCDETF’s Caribbean Corridor Strike Force (CCSF), and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico. As a result of the investigation, agents from CCSF, Cartagena RO, and Santo Domingo CO conducted various interventions leading to the seizure of over 18,000 kilograms of cocaine and the arrest and prosecution of 52 defendants – 48 defendants were prosecuted federally in Puerto Rico and four defendants were prosecuted by authorities in the Dominican Republic.
Transnational Organized Crime Section Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan H. Martin from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico is leading the prosecution for this case. The announcement was made by United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow and DEA Special Agent in Charge Denise Foster.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle large scale international drug trafficking and money laundering organizations importing and further transshipping cocaine, as well as money laundering activities.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Camden Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Trafficking in High-Dose Oxycodone PillsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden man was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for conspiring to distribute and selling oxycodone pills, including high 60 and 80 mg. dose pills, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Erick Bell, 49, of Camden, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to an information charging him with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone and distributing and possessing with intent to distribute quantities of oxycodone. Judge Bumb imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Bell admitted that on multiple occasions from January 2020 to March 2020, he worked as a middleman, connecting sellers who were diverting their own prescriptions and others with pill dealers, including Rocco DePoder of Gloucester City, New Jersey and others, to put oxycodone on the streets in and around Camden and Gloucester City. Bell admitted that on Feb. 3, 2020, he obtained 160 80 mg. oxycodone pills from a conspirator and sold DePoder 60 of the pills for $25 each and 100 of the pills to another conspirator for $24 each. Oxycodone is a Schedule II controlled substance – meaning that it has a high potential for abuse, a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions, and abuse of the drug may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.
DePoder was sentenced by Judge Bumb on Oct. 8, 2021, to 70 months in prison for his role in the scheme.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced Bell to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of FBI Philadelphia Division, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert; the Camden County Sheriff's Office, under the direction of Sheriff Gilbert L. Wilson; the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, under the direction of Director Laurie R. Doran; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gabriel Rodriguez; and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
He also thanked the FBI Newark Division, New Jersey State Police, Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara F. Merin of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
Californian Pleads Guilty to Supplying at Least 50 Pounds of Meth to Western PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Stockton, California, pleaded guilty in federal court to violation of federal narcotics and money laundering laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Cindy Chung announced today.
Juan Villagran, age 24, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possesses with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand. Villagran was one of 47 defendants charged in six related indictments as part of the Return to Sender investigation.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Villagran supplied at least 50 pounds of methamphetamine that was shipped from California and Nevada to Jefferson County, Clearfield County, and Allegheny County.
Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for Villagran on Dec. 7, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a sentence of not less than ten years to a maximum of life in prison, a fine not to exceed $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The court ordered that the defendant remain detained pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Michael R. Ball are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department.
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.
California Meth Dealer Pleads Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
A California man who was providing meth to dealers in Sioux City and the tri-state area pled guilty August 3, 2022, in federal court in Sioux City.
Francisco Fabian Gurrola-Garcia, age 35, from Los Angeles, California, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. At the plea hearing, Gurrola-Garcia admitted to conspiring to sell methamphetamine around Sioux City and the tri-state area.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Gurrola-Garcia remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Gurrola-Garcia faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and 5 years up to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons and was investigated by and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office..
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-4055.
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California Man Sentenced to over 5 years in Prison for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BOISE B A Whittier, California man was sentenced to 65 months in federal prison for the unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to court records, Alejandro Velasquez, 49, was found in the back seat of a vehicle that was stopped for a traffic violation in Nampa, Idaho. A K-9, trained to detect odors of controlled substances, positively alerted to the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle. When police searched the vehicle, they discovered approximately 100 fentanyl pills and a Ruger 9mm pistol. Velazquez was prohibited from possessing firearms because of a prior felony drug conviction from California. He admitted to possessing the firearm and that he intended to distribute the fentanyl pills found in his possession.
Velasquez has a criminal history spanning 29 years with prior state convictions for receiving stolen property, transporting controlled substances, possession of controlled substances, and manufacturing controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl, from the District of Wyoming, sitting by designation, also ordered Velasquez to serve 3 years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Velasquez pleaded guilty to the charge on May 9, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Joshua D. Hurwit, of the District of Idaho, made the announcement and commended the investigation by the Nampa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, which led to the charges.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant United States Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is part of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. It provides assistance to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. Idaho is part of the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA. The Idaho HIDTA is a collaboration of local, multi-jurisdictional law enforcement drug task forces, and prosecuting agencies dedicated to addressing regional drug trafficking organizations that operate in Ada, Canyon, Bannock, Kootenai, and Malheur Counties.
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California Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Traveling to Syracuse Intending to Engage in Sexual Conduct with a ChildRead the Press Release
UTICA, NEW YORK – Edward Mercado, age 35, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced today to serve 7 years in federal prison for traveling to New York from California for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a 10-year-old child. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his previous guilty plea, Mercado admitted that from May of 2021 through June of 2021 he engaged in numerous telephone conversations and exchanged sexually explicit text messages with an undercover officer posing as the mother of 10-year-old girl. In these telephone calls and text messages, Mercado expressed a desire to engage in sexually explicit conduct with the child. Mercado further admitted that on June 3, 2021, he traveled from California to Syracuse, New York in order to meet with the child and engage in sexual conduct with her at a location in the Ithaca area. Mercado was arrested after arriving at the Syracuse airport and has been in custody since that date.
United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 15 year term of supervised release, which will start after Mercado is released from prison, and ordered him to pay a $3,000 fine and a $100 special assessment. Mercado will also be required to register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by the FBI Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Brown as a part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
California Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Fair Oaks, California, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on July 11, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Michael Alberti, age 49, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Alberti was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in March of 2021. He pleaded guilty on February 23, 2022. During his involvement in the conspiracy, the defendant sent methamphetamine from California to South Dakota through the U.S. Postal Service. He received money for the methamphetamine via money wires and cash. Once it arrived in South Dakota, the methamphetamine was then dispersed to others for use and further distribution.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspector Service and the Drug Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Alberti was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
California Businessman Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A California businessman pleaded guilty yesterday to willfully failing to account for and pay over employment taxes to the IRS.
According to court documents, Larry Kudsk, of Berkeley, operated two construction businesses, Kudsk Construction Inc. and M. Gutierrez Inc. The companies served as a general contractor or subcontractor on various construction projects, including some government projects. For both companies, Kudsk was responsible for filing quarterly employment tax returns and collecting and paying to the IRS payroll taxes withheld from employees’ wages. Kudsk, however, did not timely file employment tax returns or pay over withholdings to the IRS, for 2014 and the last three quarters of 2015 for M. Gutierrez Inc., and for 2016 for Kudsk Construction Inc. In all, Kudsk caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $250,000.
Kudsk is scheduled to be sentenced on November 8. He faces a maximum of five years in prison for willful failure to account for and pay over employment taxes. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Stephanie Hinds for the Northern District of California made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Charles A. O’Reilly and Julia M. Rugg of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Lloyd-Lovett of the U.S. Attorney’s Office are prosecuting the case.
Caldwell Man Sentenced to 5.5 years for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOISE B A Caldwell man was sentenced to 66 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court records, Shawn Simpson, 56, of Caldwell, Idaho, was found slumped over in the driver’s seat of his vehicle. During the wellness check, Caldwell police officers observed that Simpson was acting erratically. While attempting to assess whether Simpson would need medical attention, another officer deployed their K-9, which is trained to detect odors of controlled substances. The K-9 positively alerted to the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered approximately 120 grams of methamphetamine, two digital scales, and over $700 in cash.
Simpson has a criminal history spanning 27 years with prior state convictions for petit theft, forgery, disorderly conduct, multiple convictions of possession of controlled substances with intent to deliver and multiple convictions of possession of controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl, from the District of Wyoming, sitting by designation, also ordered Simpson to pay a $500 fine and to serve 5 years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Simpson pleaded guilty to the charge on February 8, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, of the District of Idaho, made the announcement and commended the investigation by the Caldwell Police Department, which led to the charges.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant United States Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is part of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. It provides assistance to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. Idaho is part of the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA. The Idaho HIDTA is a collaboration of local, multi-jurisdictional law enforcement drug task forces, and prosecuting agencies dedicated to addressing regional drug trafficking organizations that operate in Ada, Canyon, Bannock, Kootenai, and Malheur Counties.
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Bridgeport Resident Living under a Stolen Identity for 20 Years Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ADRIAN JOSEPH, 55, a citizen of St. Lucia last residing in Bridgeport, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Sarah A. L. Merriam in Bridgeport to offenses related to his acquiring federal documents under an assumed identity.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Joseph has been living in Bridgeport under an assumed identity for approximately 20 years. Using his stolen identity, Joseph has obtained from various governmental agencies multiple identity documents, including a U.S. passport, a Social Security Account Number card, a City of Bridgeport voting registration card, and a Connecticut driver’s license from the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (“CT DMV”). In February 2020, Joseph visited the CT DMV in Norwalk and, using fraudulent identity documents, successfully applied for and received a REAL ID driver’s license.
During the investigation, the individual whose identity Joseph used informed the government that his identity documents were stolen in the late 1990s.
Joseph pleaded guilty to one count of use of a passport secured by a false statement, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and one count of false representation of a social security account number, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. Judge Merriam scheduled sentencing for October 25.
Joseph has been detained in federal custody since January 31, 2021.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force, Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles Police and Bridgeport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Role in Lottery and Romance Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that STANLEY PIERRE, 35, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in lottery and romance scams that defrauded primarily elderly victims across the country of millions of dollars.
According to the evidence presented during a trial in this matter, in a lottery scam, scammers notify victims by telephone, through online communications, or by mail, that they have won the lottery. The victims are then told that in order to collect the prize they must pay fees for things like taxes, shipping and processing. Often, once a victim sends a small amount of money, a scammer will ask for larger sums of money with a promise of more winnings. The victims never receive winnings. In a romance scam, scammers take advantage of people looking for companionship by pretending to be prospective companions. Scammers typically create fake online profiles on dating websites that include false personal details such as the death of a spouse, or military service, to lure victims to trust them. Once they have gained the trust of victims, scammers will ask victims for money, falsely claiming to need money for medical or business emergencies, for travel to see the victim, or other purposes.
Between approximately August 2015 and March 2020, Farouq Fasasi, Rodney Thomas, Jr. and others used lottery scams, romance scams and other fraudulent means to induce elderly victims to provide them with money, gifts and personal details. Victims sent cash, money orders or checks through the mail to various addresses in Connecticut, and also wired or deposited money into bank accounts in Connecticut controlled by conspiracy members and their associates.
Fasasi, Thomas, and other co-conspirators lived together for a time at a residence on Sherman Avenue in New Haven, where many packages containing cash, checks and money orders from victims were delivered.
Pierre used his personal bank accounts and also established business bank accounts to launder money obtained from fraud victims. Some victims transferred money directly into these bank accounts, and checks that were mailed to the Sherman Avenue residence were also deposited into the accounts. For example, in November 2018, $78,373 was deposited into one of Pierre’s business accounts and approximately $58,000 was withdrawn. In December 2018, approximately $91,000 was deposited and more than $116,000 was withdrawn.
Pierre also recruited others to lauder proceeds from the scheme.
The investigation revealed that these scams defrauded more than 200 victims across the U.S. of more than $5 million. Many of the victims were elderly and vulnerable, and some victims lost their life savings. One Connecticut victim lost more than $1 million.
On January 27, 2022, Pierre pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering.
On February 15, 2022, Fasasi, Thomas and Ralph Pierre were found guilty of multiple charges stemming from this scheme. On June 28, 2022, Ralph Pierre was sentenced to 36 months of imprisonment. Fasasi and Thomas await sentencing.
Two other individuals have been charged and convicted of offenses stemming from their participation in this scheme.
Pierre, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on September 21.
The Justice Department has established a National Elder Fraud Hotline to provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud. The Hotline is staffed by experienced case managers who can provide personalized support to callers. Case managers assist callers with reporting the suspected fraud to relevant agencies and by providing resources and referrals to other appropriate services as needed. When applicable, case managers will complete a complaint form with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for Internet-facilitated crimes and submit a consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission on behalf of the caller. The Hotline’s toll free number is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311). For more information, please visit. https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/stop-elder-fraud/providing-help-restoring-hope.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Army-CID, and New Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather L. Cherry and Stephanie T. Levick.
Boise Man Sentenced to over 4 Years for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOISE – Justin Yount, 51, of Boise, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography.
According to court records, the investigation began after a citizen witness reported to the Boise Police Department (“BPD”) that she had observed child pornography on Yount’s laptop computer. The witness turned the laptop over to BPD, who obtained a search warrant for Yount’s Boise residence and seized additional electronic devices. During a forensic examination of the devices, BPD located over one thousand files of child pornography. During an interview with BPD, Yount admitted to viewing child pornography.
United States District Judge Scott Skavdahl, from the District of Wyoming, sitting by designation, also ordered Yount to serve 15 years of supervised release following his prison sentence, to forfeit the electronic devices that were used to commit the offense, and to pay $15,000 in restitution to the victims in the images he possessed. As a result of the conviction, Yount will be required to register as a sex offender.
U.S. Attorney Joshua Hurwit, of the District of Idaho, made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of the Boise Police Department and the Intermountain West’s Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory which led to charges.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal 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.
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Birmingham Man Sentenced to 25 years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting a MinorRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge yesterday sentenced a Birmingham man on sex trafficking a minor and sexual exploitation of children, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr.
United States District Judge Karon O. Bowdre sentenced Jeremy Lynn Alexander, 36, of Birmingham, to 300 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for sex trafficking a minor and sexual exploitation of children. Alexander pleaded guilty to this charge in November 2020.
According to the plea agreement, on or about July 16, 2021, FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force received a priority lead regarding a 14-year-old female reported missing out of Madison, Wisconsin. FBI Birmingham and Homewood Police Special Investigations Unit launched an immediate investigation to find and recover the child. They located her through an advertisement on a website known for commercial sex advertisements. A task force officer responded to the number posted in the advertisement and arrangements were made to meet the victim at a specific location. Members of the task force responded to a local hotel and located the minor victim in the hotel room with Alexander. Further investigation revealed child sexual abuse material involving Alexander and the minor victim located on Alexander’s cell phone. This conviction will require Alexander to register as a sex offender in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
“I am very grateful for the swift response of the Homewood Police Department and FBI who located and recovered the child victim in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “The interstate trafficking of children for the purpose of sexual exploitation is a despicable crime, and my office will make every effort to find and prosecute those who commit this offense.”
“I’m proud of the work of the FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and our partners at the Homewood Police Department to bring Alexander to justice and rescue this young victim. We will not stop our pursuit of those who victimize the most vulnerable members of our community” said FBI SAC Johnnie Sharp, Jr.
FBI Birmingham's Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force (CEHTTF) investigated the case, with the assistance of the Homewood Police Special Investigations Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Darius Greene and Assistant United States Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Birmingham Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge yesterday sentenced a Birmingham man in connection with his involvement in a 2018 cocaine trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr.
U.S. District Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Prentice Delawrence Tanniehill, 46, of Birmingham, Alabama, to 180 months in prison. Tanniehill pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, five separate instances of distributing cocaine, and five counts of using a telephone to commit a drug crime.
“Multiple law enforcement agencies worked together with our Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force to disrupt this drug trafficking conspiracy and put Tanniehill in prison,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “Our efforts to reduce the flow of illegal drugs into our communities depend on the skill and determination of our law enforcement partners, and we are grateful for their excellent work in this case.”
“I’m proud of the outstanding work by the FBI North Alabama Safe Streets Task Force to remove Tanniehill from the streets and hold him accountable for his actions,” said FBI SAC Johnnie Sharp, Jr.
The indictment charged Tanniehill with a cocaine distribution conspiracy that involved over five kilograms of cocaine and spanned from July 2017 to October 2018. During this time, Tanniehill sold cocaine to an FBI confidential source on five distinct occasions.
This case is a part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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.
FBI investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and member agencies of the FBI North Alabama Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory R. Dimler prosecuted the case.
Arizona Man Sentenced for Role in Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: An Arizona man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for conspiring to commit wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., sentenced Arthur Merson, 68, of Scottsdale, Arizona to 15 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Merson was also ordered to pay over $3.4 million in restitution to victims. He pleaded guilty on January 24, 2022.
According to court records, in 2017 and 2018, Merson participated in a scheme to defraud involving investments in Standby Letters of Credit (SBLCs). Investors were promised that they could receive a portion of the value of an SBLC, worth millions of dollars, for a much smaller initial investment. Investors were promised returns equal to many times the amounts of their initial investments in a matter of weeks. They were also promised that their money would remain in the attorney trust account of a co-conspirator—who at the time was a licensed attorney in Florida—until confirmation was received that the SBLC had been issued.
In his role as an intermediary between investors and the principal members of the conspiracy, Merson falsely represented to investors that the investment was not risky and that he had been involved in similar successful deals in the past. He also falsely represented that he was an independent consultant who was only going to receive a small finder’s fee, and claimed not to know the details of the transaction or the payouts the clients could expect. In fact, he had a significant independent financial interest in the investment transaction that he affirmatively misled investors about as he responded to investor inquiries.
Two co-defendants, Russell Hearld and Christopher Ochoa, were both sentenced to 29 months in prison on January 24, 2022, and February 11, 2022, respectively.
The FBI investigated the case.
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Akron Man Charged with Buying House and Tesla with Drug Trafficking Proceeds and Defrauding SBARead the Press Release
An Akron man was arrested today and charged in a 26-count indictment with using proceeds obtained from the sale of controlled substances and a wire fraud scheme to purchase a residence in Akron and a Tesla vehicle on separate occasions.
Nicholas R. Crawford, 41, of Akron, Ohio, was charged with 23 counts of money laundering, one count of wire fraud, one count of theft of government funds and one count of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity.
According to the indictment, in June 2018, it is alleged that the defendant purchased a home for $325,000 in Akron, Ohio, using funds that contained proceeds derived from drug trafficking. The indictment states that the defendant knew the proceeds involved were obtained through unlawful means and initiated wire and electronic transfers with the intent to conceal the nature of the drug trafficking funds.
Additionally, the indictment alleges that in July 2020, the defendant defrauded the Small Business Administration (SBA) by submitting a fraudulent COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application with fictitious information in order to receive relief funding to which he was not entitled. It is alleged that the defendant intentionally misrepresented personal and financial information in order to obtain an SBA EIDL loan. The indictment states that the defendant then used $105,500 in SBA EIDL loan funding for personal expenses despite certifying that the loan proceeds would only be used for designated business expenses.
In December 2020, court records state that the defendant purchased a 2020 Tesla Model X, using proceeds from the EIDL loan and from the sale of controlled substances.
Crawford is scheduled to be arraigned today before of Judge Donald C. Nugent in Cleveland.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offenses and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum; in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigations (CI) and Akron Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Damoun Delaviz.
2 August 2022
Woonsocket Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Trafficking Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Woonsocket man who led a crack cocaine distribution operation, and who attempted to disguise his involvement by having others deliver drugs that he had arranged to sell, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
According to court documents, during an FBI Safe Streets Task Force and Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation into the sale of crack cocaine in and around Woonsocket in early 2020, Anthony Medeiros, 31, arranged at least four sales of crack cocaine, utilizing text messaging, phone calls, and Snapchat.
On each occasion, in an effort to insulate himself from responsibility for his role in trafficking crack cocaine, Medeiros utilized a “runner” to deliver the drugs that he sold. In at least one instance, Medeiros had his girlfriend deliver crack cocaine that he had arranged to sell.
Arrested and detained in federal custody in October 2020, and indicted in November 2020, Medeiros pleaded guilty on May 6, 2021, to conspiracy to distribute cocaine base; distribution of cocaine base; and two counts of distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base. He was sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 60 months of incarceration to be followed by 4 years of federal supervised release.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey P. Veroni.
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Woman Admits Committing Health Care Fraud While Awaiting Sentencing in Another Health Care Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on July 29, 2022, NICOLE STEINER, formerly known as Nicole Balkas, 32, formerly of Stratford and now residing in Edison, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in Bridgeport federal court to a health care fraud offense that she committed while awaiting sentencing in another health care fraud case.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 28, 2021, Steiner pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud related to her operation of Helping Hands Academy, LLC, in Bridgeport, which provided applied behavior analysis services to children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and was enrolled as a participating provider in the Connecticut Medicaid Program (“Medicaid”). From December 2018 to October 2020, Steiner submitted and caused to be submitted fraudulent claims to Medicaid for applied behavior analysis services that were purportedly provided to Medicaid clients. She submitted claims for dates of service when no applied behavior analysis services of any kind had been provided to the Medicaid clients identified in the claims, and she inflated the number of hours for certain claims even when applied behavior analysis had been provided to the Medicaid clients identified in the claims. Steiner also submitted false Medicaid claims in 2020 using a former employee’s name and performing provider number.
After the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS), which administers the Medicaid program in Connecticut, terminated Helping Hands Academy as a provider, Steiner made several false statements and submitted an altered document to DSS in an effort to rescind the termination and to receive payment for previously submitted claims.
Medicaid suffered a loss of $551,311.85 as a result of Steiner’s admitted conduct.
After her guilty plea, Steiner was released on a $50,000 bond. While she was awaiting sentencing in her case, Steiner was a silent partner in another company that provided applied behavior analysis services to children diagnosed with ASD called New Beginnings Children’s Behavioral Health LLC. Steiner was responsible for billing claims to Medicaid, managing payroll, and recruiting and screening potential employees, and she and had access to and used her business partner’s email and other online accounts to operate the company. Steiner and the company engaged in health care fraud by billing Medicaid for thousands of dollars in services not rendered and, in particular, billing for services not rendered by Steiner.
Steiner was arrested on May 2, 2022.
Steiner is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer on October 21, 2022. She faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years for the new case, part of which must be imposed consecutively to the sentence she receives in her initial health care fraud case.
Pending sentencing Steiner is released on a $250,000 bond in home detention and under electronic monitoring.
This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
U.S. Attorney Avery acknowledged the valuable cooperation of the Connecticut Department of Social Services in the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
Westbrook Man Admits Illegally Baiting Ducks in Violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty ActRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Casey, Regional Chief, Division of Refuge Law Enforcement, announced that DAVID FOSTER, 51, of Westbrook, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in late September and early October 2020, after receiving an anonymous complaint, the Connecticut Environmental Conservation Police (EnCon) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel investigated the spreading of whole kernel corn around a hunting blind on Menunketesuck Island in Westbrook. Foster had received a summons for waterfowl baiting/taking violations in the same area in October 2009. On October 10, 2020, which was the opening day of duck hunting season, officers who had established surveillance near the duck blind observed Foster and two other hunters shoot and retrieve ducks over the area that had been baited. When they finished, officers conducted a compliance check. Under questioning, Foster admitted that he had spread corn over the hunting area to attract ducks.
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for October 28, 2022, at which time Foster faces a maximum term of imprisonment of one year and a fine of up to $100,000.
This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Refuge Law Enforcement, and the Connecticut Environmental Conservation Police. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile.
West Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing with Intent to Distribute 765 Grams of Fentanyl and Fentanyl AnalogueRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Columbus resident with a lengthy criminal history pleaded guilty to attempting to distribute nearly 500 grams of fentanyl and 265 grams of a fentanyl analogue.
Michael Schlarman, aka White Mike, 31, pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute before U.S. District Judge Clay Land today and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years up to a maximum of life imprisonment to be followed by at least five years of supervised release and a maximum $10,000,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 29.
“Simply put, illicit fentanyl use kills. A single two milligram dose is potentially lethal, and Michael Schlarman was in possession of approximately 380,000 doses of this drug,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “In 2021, overdose deaths in America hit an all-time high; our office and our law enforcement partners at every level are working to combat the spread of fentanyl – and save lives – in every community across the Middle District of Georgia.”
“While in the midst of this country’s opioid epidemic, deadly drugs like fentanyl continue to ravage many communities,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Consequently, DEA and its law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue drug dealers like Michael Schlarman who choose to ‘push’ poison in the community for consumption. This defendant will now spend time in federal prison.”
According to court documents and other evidence, on Jan. 26, members of the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and FBI executed a search warrant at Schlarman’s residence on Wagner Drive in Columbus. Schlarman fled from the rear of the house but was later arrested with the help of DEA Air Support and escorted back to the house without incident. Inside the defendant’s residence, law enforcement found 496.4 grams of fentanyl and 265.5 grams of p-Fluorofentanyl (a fentanyl analogue), plus a Glock 9mm with an extended magazine and a Taurus 9mm with magazine and ammunition. In addition, agents found multiple jars of a cutting agent for drugs, digital scales, a 20-ton hydraulic press, a variety of drug paraphernalia and cash. Schlarman has a lengthy criminal history, including three prior burglary convictions in Muscogee County, Georgia, Superior Court.
The case was investigated by the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office, DEA, ATF, and FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Wentzville man charged with three St. Louis County armed robberiesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Wentzville, Mo. appeared in court Tuesday to face charges accusing him of three armed robberies or attempted robberies of St. Louis County businesses and the discharge of a firearm during one of the incidents.
Matthew Sabir, 37, was indicted July 27 in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on three robbery charges, one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
He appeared in court briefly Tuesday and is scheduled to appear again Friday.
The indictment accuses Sabir of the armed robbery of a White Castle restaurant at 7380 Olive Boulevard in University City on June 22, the attempted robbery of a BP gas station at 4403 North Hanley Road in Berkeley on June 23 and another robbery of the White Castle that same day. During the second White Castle robbery, Sabir shot at employees, the indictment alleges.
One employee was struck multiple times, court documents say.
Within hours of the second set of robberies, University City and Berkeley police cooperated in identifying Sabir as a suspect.
The robbery charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The discharge of a firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and the brandishing charge carries a minimum 7-year term.
Sabir is also facing charges in St. Louis County Circuit Court.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the University City Police Department and the Berkeley Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Lane is prosecuting the case.
Washington State Man Sentenced in Fictitious Social Security Scheme Targeting East Texas ElderlyRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Kirkland, Washington man has been sentenced to federal prison for fraud violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Aakash Kalpesh Gandhi, 28, pleaded guilty on Nov. 4, 2021, to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone. Judge Crone also ordered Gandhi ordered to pay restitution his victims, many of whom are elderly. The exact amount has not yet been determined.
“We need help getting the word out to look out for our neighbors,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “Our greatest generation is constantly being attacked by phone and computer scammers. Tricked, our elderly and some not-so elder generations are falling prey to phone scammers who threaten them with jail time if they don’t withdraw, package and mail money across the country. No government agency will threaten you with jail over the phone and then demand cash be wrapped in foil and mailed. Scoundrels like Gandhi take advantage of our senior citizens and he was part of a very large network that houses hundreds of callers who spend their days calling and scamming. When in doubt about a possible scam call or email, contact someone you trust and ask them if the call is legitimate or contact your local law enforcement. Gandhi’s scam would have been thwarted if a victim would have simply googled ‘social security phone scams,’ and the very quick search result would show the phone call was a scam. Preventing someone from being a victim is a lot easier than trying to recover the stolen money after the fact.”
According to information presented in court, Gandhi and his co-conspirators operated a scheme designed to defraud victims throughout the United States. Co-conspirators from call centers based in India would target unsuspecting victims claiming that those victims would suffer financial ruin or criminal liability if they did not immediately send money to correct fictional problems often involving the victim’s social security benefits. To enhance the viability of the scheme, co-conspirators fraudulently identified themselves as government agents to their unsuspecting victims.
Gandhi tracked currency shipments for the conspiracy and recovered packages of United States currency shipped by those who had been victimized by the scheme, including victims within the Eastern District of Texas. Gandhi would receive a fee from a portion of the contents of those packages and deliver the remaining currency to co-conspirators. A majority of the funds were ultimately distributed to various locations in India. Gandhi was indicted by a federal grand jury in Beaumont on July 8, 2021.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has made a concerted effort to not only prosecute those involved with these illegal activities, but to educate and inform the public on the many fraudulent schemes targeting our seniors and how to avoid them. Assistant U.S. Attorneys across the Eastern District of Texas have visited various senior facilities and community groups to provide outreach and educate the public on how to protect themselves and their families. Groups or organizations that are interested in securing a speaker for their event should contact Assistant U.S. Attorney Camelia Lopez at 972-509-1201.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 10am-6pm Eastern Time, Monday-Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in Seattle and Houston, the Seattle (WA) Police Department, Department of Human Services-OIG, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), and the Beaumont Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Lee.
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Wapello Man Sentenced to Six Months in Federal Prison for Failing to File Income Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – Bradley Earl Ewart, age 51, of Wapello, was sentenced Monday, August 1, 2022, to 6 months in prison for failing to file income tax returns. Ewart pleaded guilty on March 24, 2022, to two counts of failure to file income tax returns, one for each of the calendar years 2016 and 2018. The Court imposed a three-month prison sentence on each count, to be served consecutively. Following completion of his prison term, Ewart will be on supervised release for one year. The Court imposed a $20,000 fine.
Since approximately 2004, Ewart has owned and operated Louisa County Millwright, LLC, a business that specializes in grain elevator work, material handling, steel building installation, and fabrication. Ewart failed to file federal income tax returns for the years 2004 to 2014. As part of his plea, Ewart admitted that he knowingly and willfully failed to file tax returns for the years 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Ewart remains responsible for paying his tax liability in full.
“Mr. Ewart admitted that he repeatedly failed to file his federal income tax returns the majority of the time his business was in operation,” said Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – Criminal Investigations. “Earning prison time and a $20,000 fine for this offense sends a clear message that we all have the responsibility to file accurate returns on time and pay our fair share of taxes.”
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigations investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Kerndt.
Utica Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Receiving and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – John Seiselmyer, age 50, of Utica, New York, was sentenced today to serve 15 years in federal prison for receiving and possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen.
As part of his previous guilty plea, Seiselmyer, admitted that from February 2020 to June 2020 he used a laptop computer to download child pornography over the internet using peer-to-peer file sharing software. A subsequent search of Seiselmyer’s apartment revealed that he was in possession of over 9,000 images and 955 video files depicting child pornography. Seiselmyer is a registered sex offender who was convicted in 2007 of Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree involving a victim who was less than 11 years old.
Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a 25 year term of supervised release, which will start after Seiselmyer is released from prison, and ordered him to pay a $200 special assessment and restitution in the amount of $30,000. Seiselmyer will also be required to continue to register as a sex offender.
Seiselmyer’s case was investigated by the FBI Syracuse Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), with assistance from the Utica Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown as a part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
United States Attorney Adair Boroughs, Justice Department Leadership to Participate in National Night Out Events in Charleston to Promote Community-Police PartnershipsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA —United States Attorney Adair F. Boroughs will join Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco to participate in the 39th Annual National Night Out today as part of a department-wide effort to bring attention to events that build stronger communities.
Established in 1984 from a Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) grant, the goal of National Night Out is to build relationships with and between communities and law enforcement. National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, better places to live. In most areas of the country, the program culminates annually on the first Tuesday of August.
“I am honored to join our law enforcement partners and community members for National Night Out,” said U.S. Attorney Boroughs. “South Carolina is safer when police officers and the communities they protect see their common goals and build relationships.”
OPEN PRESS
National Night Out in the Greater Charleston Area
WHO: Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco and United States Attorney Boroughs will attend two National Night Out events in Charleston with both the Charleston Police Department and North Charleston Police Departments.
WHEN: Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022 approximately 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. EDT
WHERE: Eastside National Night Out with the Charleston Police Department at Mall Park 68 Columbus Street, Charleston, SC
North Charleston Police Department National Night Out at Riverfront Park 1061 Everglades Avenue, Charleston, SC
For information on National Night Out events in your community, visit https://natw.org/.
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U.S. Justice Department Seeks Seizure of Boeing 747 Cargo Plane Grounded in ArgentinaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Justice transmitted a request to Argentinian authorities today to seize a Boeing 747-300M cargo plane following the unsealing of a seizure warrant in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The warrant, which was issued on July 19, 2022, alleges that the U.S.-made plane is subject to forfeiture based on violations of U.S. export control laws related to the unauthorized transfer of the plane from Mahan Air, an Iranian airline affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), a designated terrorist organization, and Empresa de Transporte Aéreocargo del Sur, S.A. (EMTRASUR), a Venezuelan cargo airline and subsidiary of Consorcio Venezolano de Industrias Aeronáuticas y Servicios Aéreos, S.A (CONVIASA), a Venezuelan state-owned company.
In 2008, the Department of Commerce issued, and has since periodically renewed, a Temporary Denial Order prohibiting Mahan Air from, among other things, engaging in any transaction involving any commodity exported from the United States that is subject to the Export Administration Regulations. As alleged in the seizure warrant, in or around October 2021, Mahan Air violated the Temporary Denial Order and U.S. export control laws when it transferred custody and control of the Boeing aircraft to EMTRASUR without U.S. Government authorization. Additional violations of U.S. export control laws subsequently occurred between February and May 2022 when EMTRASUR reexported the aircraft between Caracas, Venezuela; Tehran, Iran; and Moscow, Russia, without U.S. Government authorization.
Further, as alleged in the seizure warrant, in June 2022, Argentinian authorities detained the flight crew of the Boeing aircraft, including five Iranians. The registered captain of the aircraft was identified as an ex-commander for the IRGC and a shareholder and member of the board of Iranian airline Qeshm Fars Air. Argentinian law enforcement also searched the aircraft and found a Mahan Air flight log documenting the aircraft’s flights after the unlawful transfer to EMTRASUR, including a flight to Tehran, Iran, in April 2022. Mahan Air was designated in 2011 by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) for providing material support to the IRGC-QF, and Qeshm Fars Air was designated in 2019 for being controlled by Mahan Air and for providing material support to the IRGC-QF.
In addition, CONVIASA, EMTRASUR’s parent company, was designated by OFAC in 2020, and its fleet was blocked pursuant to Executive Order in 2019. Concurrent with today’s action, the Department of Commerce issued a Temporary Denial Order denying the export privileges of EMTRASUR for 180 days with the possibility of renewal.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate transactions that violate our sanctions and export laws,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Working with our partners across the globe, we will give no quarter to governments and state-sponsored entities looking to evade our sanctions and export control regimes in service of their malign activities.”
“The seizure of this aircraft demonstrates our determination to hold accountable those who seek to violate U.S. sanctions and export control laws,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “We will aggressively seek to prevent sanctioned entities from gaining access to America-made items or profiting from their illegal transfer. Working with our federal and international partners, we will be unflagging in our efforts to bring to justice those who violate these sanctions and to seize assets where appropriate and lawful.”
“Today’s coordinated actions target the unlawful transfer of an Iranian cargo plane to a Venezuelan airline and the airline’s subsequent operation of that plane in violation of our rules,” said Assistant Secretary of Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security. “We will continue to take significant and direct enforcement action against foreign airlines operating U.S.-origin aircraft in violation of U.S. export controls.”
“This seizure demonstrates the FBI’s persistence in using all of our tools to hold the Iranian Government and affiliated individuals and companies accountable when they violate U.S. laws,” said Acting Assistant Director of Counterterrorism Kevin Vorndran of the FBI. “The FBI, along with our international partners, will continue to seek out those individuals who contribute to the advancement of Iran’s malign activities and ensure they are brought to justice, regardless of where, or how, they attempt to hide.”
This matter is being investigated by the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security’s Miami Field Office and the FBI Miami Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rajbir Datta of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Camacho of the Southern District of Florida, and Trial Attorney Elizabeth Abraham of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are handling the seizure and investigation, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Brian Rickers and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in working with the Argentinian authorities.
A photograph of the TARGET Aircraft from Sept. 6, 2019 with the Mahan Air livery and logo. A photograph of the TARGET Aircraft from Jan. 23, 2022 with the EMTRASUR livery and logo.U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref to Take Part in Spokane’s National Night Out Against Crime to Promote Community-Police PartnershipsRead the Press Release
Spokane – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that members of her office will participate in community events held as part of Spokane’s National Night Out Against Crime this evening at various events in the Spokane area. U.S. Attorney Waldref, along with United States Attorneys and Department of Justice officials from across the country, are partnering with local law enforcement to attend National Night Out Events throughout the nation.
Established in 1984 from a Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) grant, the goal of National Night Out is to build relationships with and between communities and law enforcement. National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, better places to live. In most areas of the country, the program occurs annually on the first Tuesday of August. This year, approximately 40 National Night Out Events are scheduled in various Spokane neighborhoods.
“Building safe and strong communities is a Justice Department priority,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “When we build trust and support within the communities we serve, law enforcement is most effective. This is why events such the National Night Out are so important. By bringing community members and law enforcement officers together, we help to bridge the gap and build trust between law enforcement officers and the neighborhoods they serve.”
National Night Out with U.S. Attorney Waldref
WHO: U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington Vanessa R. Waldref will join officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Spokane Police Department at various locations in Spokane.
WHEN: Tuesday, August 2, 2022 from approximately 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. EDT
WHERE: Cannon Park, 1511 N Elm St, Spokane, WA 99201
Glass Playfield, 627 E Heroy Ave, Spokane, WA 99207
For more information on National Night Out events, visit https://natw.org/. For information about event at Cannon Park, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/5167445383359861/.
U.S. Attorney Dena J. King Takes Part in National Night OutRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, will join residents, law enforcement, community organizations, and community
leaders to commemorate the 39th Annual National Night Out.
U.S. Attorney King and her staff will visit neighborhoods throughout the Charlotte area today hosting National Night Out events.
Established in 1984 from a Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) grant, the goal of National Night Out is to strengthen relationships between communities and law enforcement. National Night Out is a community-building and crime prevention campaign that promotes collaborative law enforcement community partnerships. Each year, communities nationwide participate in neighborhood events, block parties, festivals, safety demonstrations, seminars, and activities that heighten crime and drug prevention awareness and generate support for and participation in local anticrime efforts. These events help strengthen neighborhood ties, foster police-community partnerships, and demonstrate a shared commitment for safe communities.
“National Night Out is an opportunity for neighbors, community organizations, businesses and community leaders to join forces with law enforcement in building community-based partnerships. Bridging the gap between law enforcement and the community and promoting mutual trust is vital to increasing public safety, and that begins with getting to know the people we serve and protect,” said U.S. Attorney King.
For more information about National Night Out, please visit www.natw.org.
Two women admit armed robbery of Billings Heights casino; discarding loaded firearms on elementary school propertyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — Two women accused of stealing liquor at gunpoint from a Billings Heights casino, firing a warning shot while fleeing and ultimately discarding two loaded firearms on elementary school property admitted robbery and firearms charges, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Taliah Jeneane Ramirez, 22, of Billings, pleaded guilty today to a superseding information charging her with robbery affecting commerce, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and possession of a firearm in a school zone. Co-defendant Makyla Shayd Fetter, 28, of Harlem, pleaded guilty on July 28 to the same charges.
Ramirez and Fetter each face a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the robbery crime and a mandatory minimum seven years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the crime of possessing a firearm in a crime of violence. In addition, the defendants face a maximum of five years in prison, not to be run concurrent to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release, on the crime of possession of a firearm in a school zone.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The government alleged in court documents that on March 20, Fetter and Ramirez entered the Magic Diamond Casino in the Billings Heights, and Fetter removed five bottles of Southern Comfort liquor from a shelf. When an employee approached Fetter and asked to see her identification, Fetter pulled out a pistol, pointed it at the clerk and said, “here’s your (obscenity) ID.” Meanwhile, another employee had moved to block the doors. Fetter then pointed the firearm at the second employee, who moved away from the doors. The defendants got into a Buick, and before leaving, Ramirez took out another pistol and fired a round into the air. In a statement later, Ramirez said that Fetter told her to fire a round to prevent people from following them or identifying the vehicle.
The government further alleged that the Billings Police Department responded to the robbery and attempted a traffic stop of the Buick. The car fled at more than 80 mph, and the officer stopped a pursuit after a few blocks to avoid risks to civilians. The vehicle crashed a short time later after going through a fence at Ponderosa Elementary School. Law enforcement officers found the car abandoned with multiple bottles of Southern Comfort on the front passenger floorboard. During a search of the area, officers found Fetter, who was attempting to hide in grass next to a fence. Ramirez had fled. Officers searched Fetter but did not find a firearm. However, officers found a loaded gun that had been dropped in the middle of the playground. The next day, the school principal contacted the Billings Police Department about a second firearm that had been found on the school grounds by a student, who summoned a faculty member. A police officer determined that the second firearm also was loaded. Both firearms were determined to have been stolen.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Billings Police Department, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Two arrested in $39M personal protection equipment fraud schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Two suburban Houston men have been charged with conspiracy to commit and committing wire fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic involving medical-grade nitrile gloves, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Authorities took Caleb Jordan McCreless, 32, Richmond, and Christopher Luke McGinnis, 39, Spring, into custody today. They are expected to make their initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Ho at 2 p.m. Aug. 3.
The six-count indictment returned July 28 charges McCreless and McGinnis with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. McCreless also faces an additional five counts of wire fraud.
The indictment alleges McCreless purported to have access to medical-grade nitrile gloves during the ensuing demand for medical personal protection equipment amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical companies allegedly paid him $39 million to buy the in-demand gloves. However, McCreless did not have any gloves at all and never delivered them to anyone that had made purchases, according to the charges.
McGinnis served as a logistics operator and delayed or stalled the delivery process when companies became concerned about their order of gloves not arriving, according to the charges.
Healthcare professionals who were on the frontlines during the fight against COVID-19 were expected to use the gloves, according to the charges.
As a result of this scheme, one victim allegedly lost over $13 million.
The indictment also includes the forfeiture of the residence of McCreless in Ft. Bend County which is valued at over $2 million. The charges allege the house was purchased with money profited during the scheme.
If convicted, both men face up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The FBI and Harris County Constable’s Office - Precinct 1 conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas H. Carter is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Two Men Indicted in Separate Bankruptcy Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Jorge Droz Yapur and Yamil Fonseca Salgado were indicted by a federal Grand Jury in relation to separate bankruptcy fraud schemes, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
Jorge Droz Yapur was indicted in a bankruptcy fraud scheme for making materially false representations from May 2019 to August 2021 in order to defraud creditors as part of a bankruptcy proceeding, In re: Jorge Droz Yapur, Case No. 19-02999(MCF), all in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 157. Additionally, he is charged with nine counts of concealment of assets during his bankruptcy proceedings in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 152, and eight counts of making false statements in relation to such bankruptcy proceedings, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 152.
The indictment alleges that during his bankruptcy proceedings, Jorge Droz Yapur concealed assets and income by using a bank account in his adult son’s name. It further alleges that Jorge Droz Yapur testified under oath that his mother was at an elderly home and provided Puerto Rico tax returns as part of the bankruptcy proceedings wherein he claimed his mother as a dependent between the years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, when in fact, he knew his mother had passed away in the year 2011.
If convicted, Jorge Droz Yapur may be sentenced to up to five years of imprisonment for each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 157 and § 152, a two hundred and fifty thousand dollar fine, and three years of supervised release.
Separately, Yamil Fonseca Salgado was indicted in a bankruptcy fraud scheme where it is alleged that he made materially false representations between April 2018 and May 2022 in five separate bankruptcy cases in order to defraud his minor child of child support payments, all in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 157. Additionally, he is charged with one count of willful failure to pay approximately $107,200 in child support payments in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 228, and thirteen counts of false statements during his bankruptcy proceedings, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 152.
The indictment alleges that Yamil Fonseca Salgado concealed in several bankruptcy filings, assets, income and his connection to a maintenance company by the name of CMM Janitorial, Inc. The indictment further alleges that Yamil Fonseca Salgado concealed, in several bankruptcy filings, that he received money transfers via ATH Móvil from the bank account of a construction company controlled by close family members. A Construction company which in turn collected monies from the public housing management company Yamil Fonseca Salgado worked for, and that he further received money through the use and control of a Banco Popular de Puerto Rico bank account in his grandmother’s name where he accessed funds for routine personal expenses.
If convicted, Yamil Fonseca Salgado may be sentenced to up to two years for violating 18 U.S.C. § 228, five years of imprisonment for each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 157 and § 152, a two hundred and fifty thousand dollar fine, and three years of supervised release.
“The fraudulent use of bankruptcy and other court proceedings to defraud creditors or defraud children of child support payments are of grave concern, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office remains vigilant in the effort to hold accountable those who would defraud the government,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow.
“Together with U.S. Attorney Muldrow and our law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue fraud and abuse in bankruptcy cases,” stated Mary Ida Townson, U.S. Trustee for Georgia, Florida, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands (Region 21). “I am thankful for the appointment by the U.S. Attorney of two Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys from our San Juan office that will allow us to prosecute all those who engage in fraudulent conduct.” The U.S. Trustee Program is the component of the Justice Department that protects the integrity of the bankruptcy system by overseeing case administration and litigating to enforce the bankruptcy laws.
“As the primary investigative agency responsible for addressing bankruptcy fraud, the FBI takes these cases very seriously. The relief offered by federal bankruptcy proceedings can be life-saving for honest individuals who have fallen on hard times due to legitimate reasons. Unfortunately, bankruptcy can also be used by wrong doers for a variety of sinister reasons,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “This not only causes creditors to lose money, but also results in higher fees and even higher taxes for the innocent. We urge the public to report bankruptcy fraud by contacting the U.S. Trustees Program at [email protected] or to the FBI by calling 787-987-6500 or visiting tips.FBI.gov”.
“We are proud to be a part of the team that brought defendant Fonseca Salgado to justice for evading his child support obligations,” said Scott J. Lampert, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General’s New York Regional Office which also covers Puerto Rico. “The Office of Inspector General will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure that individuals like the defendant are held accountable for their actions when they violate the law.”
Both cases were referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecution by the San Juan office of the U.S. Trustee. The Jorge Droz Yapur matter was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney José Capó Iriarte from the Office of the U.S. Trustee. The Yamil Fonseca Salgado matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney José Capó Iriarte and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney José C. Díaz Vega from the Office of the U.S. Trustee.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Three Men, Who Acquired and Transferred Almost 1,000 Guns, Charged with Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury returned three indictments charging Radamés Revilla-Machín, Roberto Miranda-Schmidt, and Luis Matos-Rosa with the unlicensed business of dealing in firearms, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is in charge of the investigation, with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB).
According to the indictments, since 2012 Revilla-Machín and Miranda-Schmidt have transferred over 820 firearms in Puerto Rico. Since 2019, Matos-Rosa has transferred over 100 guns. Several of these transfers occurred within 72 hours of the defendants’ acquisitions of the guns. The three defendants advertised guns for sale on websites, such as comprayventadearmas.com and pewpewpr.com. None of these individuals had a license to sell firearms. In 2019, ATF sent Revilla-Machín a letter advising him to stop engaging in the unlicensed business of dealing in guns.
“Working with our local partners to tackle violent crime is a top priority of the Justice Department,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “Today’s arrests are yet another example of our commitment to combating violent crime and illegal firearms trafficking. We will continue to investigate and disrupt the networks that put guns into our communities -- oftentimes with tragic consequences.”
“Today’s arrests mark significant strides in ATF and PRPB efforts to combat firearms trafficking Puerto Rico,” said Christopher A. Robinson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF Miami Field Division. “This collaborative effort enhances our violent crime prevention strategy by apprehending those who place firearms in the hands of criminals.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Linet Suárez and Jonathan Gottfried of the Violent Crimes and National Security Section are in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted, each defendant faces a sentence of up to five years in prison.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Syracuse Man Sentenced to 84 Months for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Carlos Esteras, 41, of Syracuse, NY was sentenced today to serve 84 months in prison following his conviction for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Esteras admitted that between June and July 2021, he conspired with others to distribute fentanyl in the Syracuse, NY area. Esteras personally distributed or possessed with intent to distribute at least 124 grams of fentanyl. Esteras had previously been convicted of three felony and 15 misdemeanor offenses in state court.
Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also sentenced Esteras to a four-year term of supervised release to begin after he serves his term of imprisonment and ordered him to pay a forfeiture judgment in the amount of $5,760, which represented the proceeds from drug sales.
This case was investigated by the DEA-Syracuse Resident Office, which includes Task Force Officers from the City of Auburn Police Department, the City of Syracuse Police Department, the New York State Police, and the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office. Other agencies that assisted in this investigation included the New York State Police, the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Sutcliffe.
St. Louis man sentenced to five years in prison for gun crime after domestic violence incidentRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon from St. Louis who was caught with a gun by police responding to a domestic violence incident was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry Tuesday to five years in federal prison.
De’Aliz’e Jones, 25, pleaded guilty in May to a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that on Dec. 30, 2020, he argued with his girlfriend at an apartment in the 3600 block of Shaw Boulevard in St. Louis, resulting in a call to police.
Jones said he’d been kicked out of his apartment. Officers found Jones’ girlfriend with a cut lip, a bloody nose and a large bruise on her forehead. They also noticed that Jones had a Glock 17 9mm semi-automatic pistol with a large capacity magazine on his ankle, and arrested him for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Jones has two prior robbery convictions and a conviction on a 2018 domestic violence charge and was on probation at the time of the incident.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone prosecuted the case.