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29 July 2022
Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty in Cross-Country Cocaine Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A Pittsburgh resident pleaded guilty in federal court to a violation of the federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Howard Johnson II, 32, pleaded guilty to an Indictment charging him, and 26 other codefendants, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine before United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Government advised the Court that the prosecution of Johnson arose out of a two-year investigation into a drug trafficking organization whose members distributed kilograms of cocaine, sourced from Mexico, throughout the United States (in California, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere). The Court was advised that alleged co-conspirators obtained kilograms of cocaine in Los Angeles, California, and sent them to the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere through the United States Postal Service. In connection with his guilty plea, Johnson admitted that he received and transported cocaine-laden parcels that were sent by co-conspirators from Los Angeles, California, to the Western District of Pennsylvania. In connection with his plea, Johnson admitted that the total quantity of cocaine attributable to him, through his conduct and the foreseeable conduct of co-conspirators, was at least 15 kilograms but less than 50 kilograms. The Court was advised that agents seized in excess of 100 kilograms of cocaine during its two-year investigation into the drug trafficking organization, of which Johnson admitted to being a member.
Judge Hardy scheduled sentencing for Dec. 6, 2022. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years and not more than life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jerome A. Moschetta is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (in Pittsburgh, PA) and the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General led the multi-agency investigation that included members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (in Los Angeles, CA; in Tucson, AZ; in New York, NY; in Nashville, TN; at the Special Operations Division; and in Mexico); the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; the Los Angeles Police Department; the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police; the Allegheny County Police Department; the New Castle Police Department; the Monessen Police Department; and the Pennsylvania State Police.
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.
Peoria Man Sentenced to 92 Months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a FelonRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Vincent Nichols Jr., 35, of the 2600 block of West Hedge Hill Lane, Peoria, Illinois has been sentenced to the Bureau of Prisons for 92 months for possession of a firearm by a felon. Imprisonment will be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that on September 23, 2020, Nichols was a passenger in a car being driven by an individual with an outstanding arrest warrant. Peoria Police Officers conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle and arrested the driver. Police then searched the car and asked each of three additional occupants to step out. During the search, police located a 9mm handgun directly on top of the seat where Nichols had been sitting. The gun was loaded with 15 rounds of live ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber.
In pretrial filings, the government had established that Nichols had previously been convicted of a felony offense punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.
Nichols was indicted in October, 2020 and convicted by a jury on March 30, 2022.
At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge James Shadid stated that persons unlawfully possessing and carrying firearms contribute to the tragedy and heartbreak on our City streets, adding that sentences imposed must be lengthy to deter others and to reflect the seriousness of the offense.
The statutory penalties for possession of a firearm by a felon are up to 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by the Peoria Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ronald L. Hanna and Sarah Holst Schryer represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Nichols was brought as part of The Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative. The Department’s renewed commitment to Project Safe Neighborhoods establishes four fundamental principles to guide efforts to reduce violent crime: 1) build trust and legitimacy within communities; 2) invest in community-based prevention and intervention programs; 3) target enforcement and priorities to focus resources on identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the most significant drivers of gun violence and other violent crime; and, 4) measure results with the goal to reduce the level of violence in our communities and not to increase the number of arrests and prosecutions as if they were ends in themselves.
Peoria Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Ice MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois man, Russell N. Clemens, 42, of the 4000 block of North Brandywine Drive, was sentenced on July 21, 2022, to 10 years in the Bureau of Prisons, followed by 5 years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Court Judge James Shadid, the government presented evidence that, during an investigation, the Peoria Police Department and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) obtained a search warrant for Clemens’ car and apartment. The search of the car revealed a total of 548.8 grams of 97% pure methamphetamine, more than $5,000 in cash, and a drug ledger. The master bedroom of the apartment contained drug ledgers and a digital scale. Clemens admitted to selling methamphetamine since May 2020 and that he was buying pound amounts of methamphetamine.
Clemens was indicted in May 2021 and entered a plea of guilty in December 2021. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine are 10 years to life of imprisonment, followed by 5 years to life of supervised release, and up to $10 million in fines may also be imposed.
The Peoria Police Department and the DEA investigated the case with assistance of the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Hollingshead-Cook represented the government in the prosecution.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF)’s National Methamphetamine Strategic Initiative, spearheaded locally by the DEA. The primary goal of this initiative is to address methamphetamine trafficking and its attendant consequences by using a coordinated, multi-agency approach targeting the highest levels of drug trafficking leadership. 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.
Peoria Man Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison for PPP FraudRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois man, Samuel M. Powell II, 28, of the 1000 block of West Butler Street, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for theft of government money.
Powell admitted to stealing government money through the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) which was established through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). PPP provided small businesses with funds to pay up to eight weeks of payroll costs and related expenses.
Powell applied for a PPP loan on February 22, 2021. Powell claimed he had operated a barber shop since June 2018 and had one employee with an annual payroll expense of $96,000. He was approved for a $20,000 PPP loan. The funds were direct deposited into Powell’s CEFCU account on March 2, 2021. That same day, Powell withdrew $9,500 in cash, followed by two withdrawals the very next day – one for $9,500 and one for the remaining balance of $1,500. On June 25, 2021, Powell filed a Loan Forgiveness Application, certifying that he used the funds per PPP rules, and the loan was forgiven. However, Powell was not a licensed barber and did not own a barber shop.
Powell was indicted on the current charge on December 21, 2021. He was originally released on bond, but an arrest warrant was issued after Powell removed his electronic monitoring equipment and failed to appear for a February 24, 2022 hearing. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Following his release from prison, Powell will serve two years on supervised release. Powell was ordered to pay restitution of $20,000 for the PPP loan and $350 for damaging the electronic monitoring equipment he was ordered to wear when he was released on bond.
The statutory penalties for theft of government money are up to 10 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and FBI investigated the case. Criminal Chief Darilynn J. Knauss represented the government in the prosecution.
Oregon Mother and Daughter Face Federal Charges for Role in International Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Oregon mother and daughter, both members of a large international drug distribution organization based in India, are facing federal charges for conspiring with each other and others to traffic hundreds of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills into the U.S. for distribution in Oregon and elsewhere.
Jennifer McConnon, 48, and Sydney Sleight, 22, residents of Keizer, Oregon, have been charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances.
John Doe aka “Bunny Jinn,” the unnamed leader of McConnon and Sleight’s drug distribution organization, has also been indicted for their role in the conspiracy.
According to the indictment, Bunny Jinn would, from India, export packages of real and counterfeit pills containing various controlled substances including Tapentadol, Lorazepam, Alprazolam, Clonazepam, Diazepam, Carisoprodol, Ketamine, and Tramadol into the U.S. McConnon and Sleight, operating in Oregon, received the packages, prepared the drugs for distribution, and distributed them to customers throughout the U.S.
Bunny Jinn, McConnon and Sleight used various encrypted messaging applications and services to communicate with one another and further their conspiracy. McConnon and Sleight, who maintained premises in Keizer to store and distribute the drugs, received more than 275 drug parcels via a post office box, and received payment for their participation in the scheme via several online payment applications.
McConnon made her initial appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Armistead. She was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and released pending a 5-day jury trial scheduled to begin on September 13, 2022. The date of Sleight’s first appearance in federal court is to be determined.
If convicted, McConnon and Sleight face maximum sentences of 20 years in federal prison.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Salem Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott M. Kerin is prosecuting the case.
Operation False Haven: Convicted Child Molester Sentenced for Naturalization Fraud and Judicially DenaturalizedRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – Vyacheslav Fyodorovich Rizhkov, age 44, born in Azerbaijan and residing in Union County, was sentenced on July 22, 2022, by Senior United States District Judge N. Carlton Tilley, Jr., to four months in prison followed by a one-year term of supervised release for one count of unlawful procurement of naturalization. Moreover, Rizhkov was judicially denaturalized as a United States citizen.
According to court records, on September 17, 2019, Rizhkov fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship by making materially false statements under oath regarding his naturalization application. In response to the question “Have you ever committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit, a crime or offense for which you were not arrested?” he answered “No.” However, on March 6, 2020, in the Superior Court of North Carolina in Cabarrus County, Rizhkov was convicted of sexual battery of a physically helpless person and two counts of indecent liberties with a child. Rizhkov was sentenced for those offenses to a suspended term of imprisonment of between 16 and 29 months and ordered to register as a sex offender. According to court records, all three victims were minors who he molested over a period of years, beginning at least as early as July 2017. Rizhkov was not arrested until after he naturalized, thus immigration officials were unaware of his crimes.
Sandra J. Hairston, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, made the announcement. ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations division investigated the case as part of Operation False Haven, an ongoing ERO initiative purpose-built to aggressively target child molesters and other egregious felons who fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank J. Chut.
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Omaha Man Sentenced for Firearm and Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Marco A. Vallecillo, 26, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for possessing with intent to distribute marijuana and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Vallecillo to 75 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Vallecillo will begin a three-year term of supervised release on the drug and firearms charges.
On April 26, 2021, a confidential source (CS) arranged for a controlled purchase of marijuana and a gun from Vallecillo at his home in Bellevue, Nebraska. The CS paid $1,000 and received a Polymer 80 PF940C 9mm handgun and marijuana. The firearm was determined to be a “ghost” gun – a firearm without a manufacturer’s serial number and unregistered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, thus rendering it untraceable by law enforcement.
Following the controlled purchase of marijuana and the “ghost” gun, the Omaha Police Department and FBI Safe Streets Task Force executed a search warrant on Vallecillo’s home and seized several items including more than 2.5 kilograms of marijuana, drug packaging materials, drug scales, and other narcotics related paraphernalia. An SCCY 9mm handgun was also found within the residence.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Omaha Police Department. It is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve 10 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, a federal judge sentenced BRIAN KENDALL SMITH, III, 23, of Oklahoma City, to 120 months in prison for illegal possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. Federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On February 1, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a three-count Indictment against Smith charging him three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On April 13, 2022, Smith pleaded guilty to Count Two of the Indictment.
At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Smith to serve 120 months in federal prison. Judge Palk cited, among other things, the serious nature of the offense, Smith’s criminal history, gang affiliation, and the need to protect the public. The Court imposed three years of supervised release. Public records reflect Smith had felony convictions for conspiracy to commit armed robbery in Oklahoma County case CF-2020-1809, assault with a dangerous weapon in Oklahoma County case CF-2020-1809, unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute in Oklahoma County case CF-2020-3317, and possession of stolen property in Oklahoma County case CF-2020-3317.
This case is the result of investigations by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Wilson D. McGarry prosecuted the case.
This case is part of "Operation 922," the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhood, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. "Operation 922" prioritizes prosecution of federal crimes connected to domestic violence. For more information about "Operation 922", visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/project-safe-neighborhood-psn.
Reference is made to public filings for more information.
Oglala Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Body Armor by a Violent FelonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that an Oglala, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of Body Armor by a Violent Felon was sentenced on July 22, 2022, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Kane Youngman, age 27, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Kane Youngman was indicted for Possession of Body Armor by a Violent Felon by a federal grand jury in February of 2022. A federal trial jury in Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted him of the charge in April 2022.
The conviction stems from Youngman, who had been convicted of a crime of violence, possessing a ballistic vest worn to protect against gunfire in January 2022, at Oglala.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Youngman was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Normal, Illinois Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Child Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Normal, Illinois man, Jahquan Howard, 29, of the 1100 block of Wartburg Drive, was sentenced on July 21, 2022, to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release for sex trafficking of a minor. Howard must also register as a sex offender.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Court Judge James Shadid, the government presented evidence that in April 2019, Howard trafficked a minor girl into prostitution. Howard rented hotel rooms in the Peoria area, transported the girl to the hotels, and gave her controlled substances. He used online advertisements to solicit men to the hotel rooms to have sex with the girl and then collected payment for the act.
“Sex trafficking is modern day slavery” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “Sex trafficking is particularly harmful when it involves minor children as in this case. There is zero tolerance for sex traffickers in the Central District of Illinois and we will work tirelessly to bring these predators to justice.”
“The FBI and our law enforcement partners work every day to shut down sex traffickers and deliver justice for victims,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Shannon Fontenot. “While this sentence effectively ends Jahquan Howard’s ability to sexually exploit children, the damage caused by this crime can linger for a lifetime for the victim. The FBI remains constant in our commitment to provide resources for victims to assist in the healing process.”
Howard was indicted in February 2020 and entered a guilty plea in April 2022. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The statutory penalties for sex trafficking a minor are 10 years to life imprisonment, followed by 5 years to life of supervised release. A fine of up to $250,000 may also be imposed.
The Bloomington Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office investigated the case with assistance of the McLean County State’s Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Hollingshead-Cook represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Howard was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the 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, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
New Jersey Man Federally Charged with Enticement of a Minor and Interstate Transportation of a Minor to Engage in Criminal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Arnold Castillo, 22, of Paterson, New Jersey, has been arrested on charges of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and coercion and enticement of a minor.
According to court documents, beginning sometime in February 2022, Castillo used a social media application to communicate with a minor child from central Indiana with the goal of luring her to New Jersey for illicit sexual purposes. Over several months, Castillo showered praise upon the minor, sent her gifts through an online retailer, and paid her money. These tactics, also known as “grooming,” are used by sex offenders to gain a minor’s trust and alienate them from family and other support systems.
On or about May 3, 2022, Castillo coerced and enticed the minor to travel from Indiana to New Jersey for illicit purposes. Castillo paid and arranged for an Uber driver to pick up the minor and transport her across state lines to him.
Using data from the social media application and the online retailer, investigators traced the minor to an address in Patterson, New Jersey. On May 11, 2022, investigators recovered the minor from Castillo’s residence and later reunited her with her mother. New Jersey authorities arrested Castillo on state charges, and he was charged under seal in federal court in Indianapolis the following morning.
On May 12, 2022, Castillo appeared before a federal Magistrate Judge in the District of New Jersey and was detained and ordered removed to the Southern District of Indiana to face charges. Today, the defendant made his initial appearance in Indianapolis and was ordered detained in the custody of the United States Marshal pending trial. If convicted, Castillo faces up to life in prison on each of the two charges. Actual sentences are determined by a federal district court judge and are typically less than the maximum penalties.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Indianapolis Field Office, made the announcement.
The FBI’s Indianapolis Violent Crimes Task Force and Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case. The Lawrence Police Department, the FBI’s Garrett Mountain Resident Agency Violent Crimes Task Force, the United States Marshals Service, the Passaic County, New Jersey, Prosecutor’s Office, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey provided valuable assistance and worked together to rescue the victim.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who is prosecuting this case.
In fiscal year 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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 www.justice.gov/psc
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Nashville Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A Nashville man was sentenced today to three years in federal prison for using social media platforms to threaten, harass, and stalk multiple victims, announced U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Barry Zarculia, 55, was initially arrested in November 2020 and was later indicted by a federal grand jury on three counts of cyberstalking. He pleaded guilty to the charges in November 2021. According to the charging documents, an investigation by the FBI determined that Zarculia used a cellular phone and an Instagram account to send death threats, threaten serious bodily harm, and/or harass, intimidate, and stalk multiple victims.
Zarculia was the user of the Instagram account @songs_in_the_key_of_z and posted hateful, racist, anti-black messages on its public message board, such as messages including the phrasing “black lives don’t matter.” In addition, an individual referenced having observed posts that applauded the sniper who conducted the 2017 Las Vegas massacre and alluded to the fact that the user wished the same attack would occur in Nashville. After posting these and other comments, Zarculia received negative feedback from other social media users. Zarculia then posted a photograph of one individual’s house, along with the address of the individual’s public page, and said in part, “Anyone that wants a piece of me, come on over,……..Off Nolensville Pike. I sleep in the front bedroom.” This alarmed the individual as this front bedroom was occupied by his child. Zarculia also sent other messages to this individual and called him on the phone and threatened to put a gun in his mouth.
The continuing investigation led agents to another victim who began receiving unsolicited messages from Zarculia in September 2019, via Instagram. Although this woman had never met Zarculia, his messages referenced her recent locations around Nashville, including a local coffee shop and a local park. Over the next several months, Zarculia continued to send this woman messages, which she described as “creepy” and “overly sexual” in nature, often sending her photos of his penis. On one occasion, Zarculia made reference to the woman’s minor son and specifically mentioned the elementary school which he attended, though the woman had never mentioned her son to Zarculia. She eventually stopped responding to Zarculia’s messages and, in early 2020, Zarculia approached her in a local grocery store. She did not engage in conversation with him and went about her business. Later, Zarculia sent her messages that were angry in nature. These messages continued to escalate to violent and threatening rants, some sent in audio format and also directed at a friend of the woman who had become involved out of fear for the woman’s safety.
Another woman began receiving unsolicited Instagram messages from Zarculia in July 2020. These messages also escalated to harassing and threatening text and audio messages. On many occasions, Zarculia made reference to her location, making it apparent that he had followed her and knew where she had been and where she lived. In October, out of fear for her safety, the woman obtained a temporary order of protection against Zarculia. The following day, while hiking at a local park, the woman saw Zarculia from a distance. She then hid in a large bush and sought the assistance of a park ranger to escort her to her vehicle, at which time Zarculia began yelling at her.
Each of these victims were forced to take additional security measures, including installing or updating their home alarm systems, or even moving from their home, in order to mitigate the threat posed by Zarculia.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Risinger prosecuted the case.
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Mother of Fresno County Jail Inmate Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Smuggle Heroin and Methamphetamine into the JailRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Eva Dolores Romero, 55, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between Dec. 1, 2020, and Jan. 26, 2021, Romero’s son was an inmate at the Fresno County Jail. Romero conspired with her son and others outside of jail to smuggle methamphetamine and heroin into the jail for distribution among inmates. The plot was unfoiled when law enforcement agents reviewed recorded jail calls and learned about the attempted smuggling set to occur on January 26. On that date, law enforcement intercepted an individual attempting to deliver athletic shoes to the jail for an inmate. The shoes were searched, and hidden compartments were found inside the shoes containing the illicit narcotics.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Fresno Police Department, and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
Romero is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 18, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Romero faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison up to a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a fine up to $5 million. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Morrisville Man Sentenced to 150 Months in Prison and 20 Years Supervised Release for Posting Child Pornography on Dark Web Chat RoomRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Eric Werner Johansson, 59, a Morrisville resident was sentenced today to 150 months in prison and 20 years of supervised release for sharing child pornography on dark web chat rooms. On March 8, 2022, the defendant pled guilty to transportation and possession of child pornography.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, agents with the Department of Homeland Security discovered a chat room on the dark web dedicated to child pornography. Using an explicit username, Johansson was observed in the chat room uploading links that connected to images of child pornography. In addition, Johansson was discussing his sexual arousal of such materials and fantasizing about sexually abusing children.
The investigation revealed that Homeland Security agents as well as Wake County Sheriff’s Office deputies and the State Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at Johansson’s residence on November 4, 2020. He admitted to viewing child sexual abuse material for a period of ten years. He admitted he had posted links to child pornography and had discussed his fantasies about sexually abusing children. Johansson further admitted being sexually aroused by child pornography.
A forensic examination of his digital devices revealed over 1,400 images and 30 videos of child sexual abuse material. These images and files included depictions of infants and toddlers being sexually abused and sadistic and masochistic conduct.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing hearing was concluded. Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II presided over the case. The Department of Homeland Security, Wake County Sheriff’s Office and the State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-00389-M-1.
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Montgomery County Skilled Nursing Facility to Pay More than $819,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Liability Arising from Billing of Rehabilitation TherapyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Old Man’s Home of Philadelphia d/b/a Saunders House will pay $819,640 to settle claims that the skilled nursing facility provided medically unnecessary rehabilitation therapy to residents to maximize revenue, and without prioritizing clinical needs. Saunders House is located in Wynnewood, PA.
The settlement resolves allegations in a whistleblower complaint filed in federal court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. These provisions allow private citizens to bring civil actions on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery. The whistleblower, a physical therapist assistant who provided physical therapy services at Saunders House through his employment with a contracted therapy provider, generally alleged that Saunders House overbilled federal healthcare programs such as Medicare for therapy services. He alleged that Saunders House: (a) overbilled federal healthcare programs such as Medicare for therapy services provided; (b) billed for services not provided; (c) billed for unreasonable, unnecessary, and sometimes harmful therapy; and (d) allowed the therapy provider to manipulate clinical services to maximize billing.
During the relevant time period, Medicare Part A paid for services rendered to a beneficiary in a skilled nursing facility at a daily rate based, in part, on a Resource Utilization Group (RUG) to which the beneficiary is assigned. Each distinct RUG was intended to reflect the anticipated costs associated with providing nursing and rehabilitation services to beneficiaries with similar characteristics or resource needs. The highest reimbursement level was Ultra High or RU. The resolution is based on claims that Saunders House caused the submission of false claims for Ultra High RUG therapy levels despite evidence that the RU level of therapy was not reasonable or necessary for the respective patients.
“Focusing on profits over the needs of individual patients violates the public trust and creates a potential for harm of some of the most vulnerable among us,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “It also shifts taxpayers’ funds away from the vital services of law-abiding therapy providers. We thank the whistleblower for helping to make the government aware of these allegations. We also thank Saunders House for fully cooperating with the government’s investigation—that cooperation was taken into account when determining an appropriate resolution of these allegations.”
“Protecting the integrity of our Medicare program is of the utmost importance,” said Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. “Patients need to depend on the decisions made by their health care providers and know those decisions are made to improve their conditions and not to increase providers’ individual profits. HHS-OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate allegations of fraudulent actions.”
Assistant United States Attorneys Landon Y. Jones III and Elizabeth L. Coyne handled the case in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with assistance from auditor Dawn Wiggins, and worked with Albert Mayer, Trial Attorney, of the Civil Fraud Section of the Department of Justice. The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General.
The Department of Justice, committed to protecting our nation’s seniors through its Elder Justice Initiative, works in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to support the efforts of state and local prosecutors, law enforcement, and other elder justice professionals to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation, with the development of training, resources and information. Learn more about the Justice Department’s Elder Justice Initiative at http://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
The case is docketed as United States et al. ex rel. Carson v. Select Rehabilitation, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 15-5708 (E.D. Pa.). The settled civil claims are allegations only. There has been no determination of civil liability.
Mexican National Sentenced to over 34 Years for Producing Child Pornography and CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz.- On Tuesday, Ruben Oswaldo Yeverino Rosales, 27, of Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 413 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Rosales previously pleaded guilty to four counts of Production of Child Pornography and two counts of Cyberstalking.
Rosales, using an online account in Mexico, coerced a 14-year-old girl in Arizona to take over 600 pornographic images of herself. He then blackmailed the minor into producing additional images by threatening to send, and by actually sending, the images to her family and schoolmates.
Rosales also used the internet to coerce an 18-year-old high school senior in Arizona into taking nude pictures of herself and sending them to him. He later threatened to create a pornographic website to post the images if she did not continue to send him pictures.
The investigation into Rosales revealed that he used social media from 2015 until the time of his arrest to exploit more than 100 females, mostly minors – some as young as 12 years of age. Homeland Security Investigations was able to identify more than 80 of these victims throughout the United States and in multiple other countries.
Rosales was arrested in Mexico in 2019. In May 2020, Rosales was extradited to the District of Arizona.
Tuesday’s sentencing took into account similar indictments in five other districts, including the Central District of California, the District of South Carolina, the Eastern District of North Carolina, the Eastern District of Missouri, and Northern District of Oklahoma. As part of Rosales’ plea agreement, these indictments will be dismissed.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Goodyear Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gayle Helart and Sheila Phillips handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-01200-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-126_Rosales# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Mexican National Sentenced for Attempting to Escape from Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Mexican national has been sentenced for an attempted prison escape in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Juan Fidencio Romo-De La Rosa, 39, of Muzquiz, Coahuila, Mexico, pleaded guilty on Dec. 28, 2021, to escape from federal custody and was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield on July 27, 2022. The 27-month sentence was ordered to be served following an eight-year sentence De La Rosa was already serving at the time of the attempted escape. De La Rosa was previously convicted of transporting illegal aliens for financial gain and being a felon in possession of a firearm in 2019 in the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents, on Oct. 7, 2020, officers at the Federal Correctional Institute (FCI)-Beaumont-Medium were alerted to an active fence alarm. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) officers found an injured and bloodied inmate, identified as De La Rosa, in the process of climbing the outer perimeter razor wire fence. De La Rosa, bleeding from the razor wire, had already cleared an interior fence during his attempted escape. Upon being caught, De La Rosa surrendered to the guards at gun point without incident.
“Rest assured that those who threaten the safety and security of other inmates, staff, and the surrounding community, by escaping and attempting to escape from federal prison will be caught and will surely not escape justice either,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “Their reward instead, will be additional time in federal prison tacked on to their current sentence.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and Federal Bureau of Prisons and prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Stratso.
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Mexican Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Reentry by an Alien Who Was Previously Removed Due to a Felony ConvictionRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Mexican national was sentenced to 18 months in prison for unlawful reentry by an alien removed or deported after conviction of a felony.
Guillermo Ivan Ramirez-Saucedo, 41, of Mexico, pleaded guilty and was convicted of the federal felony offense on April 21, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Taylor B. McNeel in Gulfport.
According to court documents, Ramirez-Saucedo was arrested on November 22, 2021, on Interstate 10 eastbound in Hancock County. Following a “Be On the Lookout” Alert, a U.S. Border Patrol Agent conducted a vehicle stop and identified the driver as Guillermo Ivan Ramirez-Saucedo, who was illegally present in the United States. Hancock County Sheriff’s deputies assisted in arresting Ramirez-Saucedo, who also was charged in connection with resisting arrest. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) provided further investigation of the case in addition to the U.S. Border Patrol and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department.
At the Gulfport Border Patrol Station, Ramirez-Saucedo’s identity was positively confirmed. Records revealed that in 2008, Ramirez-Saucedo was lawfully removed from the U.S. to his home nation of Mexico. He was arrested again, convicted of unlawful return after removal, and removed again in 2010 and 2017. In 2018, he was convicted in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, for unlawful reentry by a removed alien, followed by his most recent removal from the U.S. in 2020.
Following completion of his prison sentence, Ramirez-Saucedo is subject to Homeland Security proceedings to remove him from the United States. If Ramirez-Saucedo were to unlawfully return after removal from the U.S. during his three-year term of supervised release, he would be subject to further imprisonment as well as additional prosecution.
U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi, Jason E. Schneider, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector, and Special Agent-in-Charge, Jermicha L. Fomby, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The U.S. Border Patrol, the FBI and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris was the prosecutor for the case.
Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to over Eighteen Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who was responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine from out-of-state and into Iowa during 2019 was sentenced July 28, 2022, to more than eighteen years in federal prison.
Gilbert Terrell Brutley, age 42, from Dothan, Alabama, received the prison term after a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance after having been convicted of a serious felony drug offense.
At the guilty plea, Brutley admitted that, between February 2019 and September 2019, he entered into an agreement with others to distribute 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine. Brutley was previously convicted of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance in Alabama in 2017.
Brutley was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Brutley was sentenced to 219 months’ imprisonment and fined $100. He must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Brutley 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 Liz Dupuich and investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Manchester Police Department and the Delaware County Sherriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-cr-2046.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Massachusetts Man Arrested for Making Bomb Threat to Arizona State Election OfficialRead the Press Release
A Massachusetts man was arrested today in Falmouth, Massachusetts for allegedly sending a communication containing a bomb threat to an election official in the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.
James W. Clark, 38, of Falmouth, is charged with one count of making a bomb threat, one count of perpetrating a bomb hoax, and one count of communicating an interstate threat. Clark made his initial appearance today at the federal courthouse in Boston.
“Illegal threats of violence put election officials and workers at risk and undermine the bedrock of our democracy: free and fair elections,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Our Election Threats Task Force, working with partners across the nation, will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute illegal threats like these to hold accountable those who threaten our democracy.”
“Throughout Arizona, we are fortunate to have highly professional state, county and local officials who administer elections in a fair and impartial manner,” said U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino. “Democracy requires that we support those officials, and that we take seriously allegations of threats or violence against them.”
“The FBI takes all threat-to-life matters very seriously,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Ormerod of the FBI’s Phoenix field office. “While this arrest demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to hold accountable anyone who tries to intimidate a public official, it also shows that people cannot threaten others with violence and physical harm without repercussions.”
According to the indictment, on or about Feb. 14, 2021, Clark allegedly sent the following message via the website contact form of the Elections Division, Arizona Secretary of State’s Office, addressed to the election official: “Your attorney general needs to resign by Tuesday February 16th by 9 am or the explosive device impacted in her personal space will be detonated.”
The indictment also alleges that Clark utilized a web browser to search for the address of the election official and searched for “how to kill” the election official. The indictment further alleges that, on or about Feb. 18, 2021, Clark utilized a web browser to search for “fema boston marathon bombing” and “fema boston marathon bombing plan digital army.”
If convicted, Clark faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison for making the bomb threat and up to five years in prison for each of the counts on the bomb hoax and making a threatening interstate communication.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Ormerod of the FBI’s Phoenix Field Office made the announcement.
FBI Phoenix is investigating the case, with the assistance of FBI Lakeville (Mass.).
Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean K. Lokey for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI field offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. A year after its formation, the Task Force is continuing this work and supporting the United States Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the Task Force has begun.
Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Department of Justice, including the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Criminal Division, the Civil Rights Division, the National Security Division, and the FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found here: https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at: tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Massachusetts Man Arrested for Making Bomb Threat to Arizona State Election OfficialRead the Press Release
A Massachusetts man was arrested today in Falmouth, Massachusetts for allegedly sending a communication containing a bomb threat to an election official in the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.
James W. Clark, 38, of Falmouth, is charged with one count of making a bomb threat, one count of perpetrating a bomb hoax, and one count of communicating an interstate threat. Clark made his initial appearance today at the federal courthouse in Boston.
“Illegal threats of violence put election officials and workers at risk and undermine the bedrock of our democracy: free and fair elections,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Our Election Threats Task Force, working with partners across the nation, will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute illegal threats like these to hold accountable those who threaten our democracy.”
“Throughout Arizona, we are fortunate to have highly professional state, county and local officials who administer elections in a fair and impartial manner,” said U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino. “Democracy requires that we support those officials, and that we take seriously allegations of threats or violence against them.”
“The FBI takes all threat-to-life matters very seriously,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Ormerod of the FBI’s Phoenix field office. “While this arrest demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to hold accountable anyone who tries to intimidate a public official, it also shows that people cannot threaten others with violence and physical harm without repercussions.”
According to the indictment, on or about Feb. 14, 2021, Clark allegedly sent the following message via the website contact form of the Elections Division, Arizona Secretary of State’s Office, addressed to the election official: “Your attorney general needs to resign by Tuesday February 16th by 9 am or the explosive device impacted in her personal space will be detonated.”
The indictment also alleges that Clark utilized a web browser to search for the address of the election official and searched for “how to kill” the election official. The indictment further alleges that, on or about Feb. 18, 2021, Clark utilized a web browser to search for “fema boston marathon bombing” and “fema boston marathon bombing plan digital army.”
If convicted, Clark faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison for making the bomb threat and up to five years in prison for each of the counts on the bomb hoax and making a threatening interstate communication.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Ormerod of the FBI’s Phoenix Field Office made the announcement.
FBI Phoenix is investigating the case, with the assistance of FBI Lakeville (Mass.).
Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean K. Lokey for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI field offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. A year after its formation, the Task Force is continuing this work and supporting the United States Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the Task Force has begun.
Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Department of Justice, including the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Criminal Division, the Civil Rights Division, the National Security Division, and the FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found here: https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at: tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Indicted in Murder for Hire Scheme Arrested in BostonRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Allen Gessen was arrested in Boston after a San Francisco federal grand jury indicted him for murder for hire, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan.
The indictment, filed July 26, 2022, against Gessen, 47, of Massachusetts, charges that from June 2 to July 26, 2022, he engaged in a murder for hire scheme targeting a person identified only as “P.C.” in the indictment. The indictment alleges the consideration offered for the murder was $50,000. The indictment further alleges that Gessen paid a gold coin as a down payment in the murder scheme on June 22, 2022, and the indictment seeks to forfeit that gold coin as well as $22,950.
Gessen made his initial federal court appearance July 28, 2022, in United States District Court in Boston.
The indictment charges one count of murder for hire in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1958. The maximum statutory penalty for the charge is 10 years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. However, any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by a court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. As in any criminal case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The case is being prosecuted by the Corporate and Securities Fraud Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The case is being investigated by the FBI.
Madison Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Brandon Norton, 32, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William Conley to 120 months in prison for distribution of 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. Norton pleaded guilty to this charge on April 6, 2022.
On October 14, 2021, a confidential source working with the Drug Enforcement Administration communicated with Norton and arranged to buy two pounds of methamphetamine from him in Madison in exchange for $6,000. Norton arrived at the meeting location driving a car with his girlfriend and two minor children. The confidential source entered the back seat of Norton’s car and received the methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Conley noted that Norton had “leaned into” a leadership role in a large-scale interstate drug trafficking organization and was involved in transporting pounds of methamphetamine from California to Wisconsin. Judge Conley also noted it was an aggravating factor that Norton had two prior felony convictions for drug trafficking in the Madison area.
The charge against Norton is the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Sun Prairie Police Department. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.
Lorain Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
A Lorain man was sentenced to 105 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Pamela A. Barker on July 28, 2022, for his role in a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing cocaine and heroin in the Lorain County area.
Prince Brown, 37, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, possession of a firearm as a felon and other drug possession charges.
According to court documents, from January 2019 to September 2020, Brown and codefendant Mohammed Hamid engaged in a drug trafficking conspiracy that purchased large quantities of cocaine and heroin and redistributed the drugs to other traffickers in Cleveland, Lorain and Elyria, including codefendants Robert Starr, Darian Lopez, Devan Grantham and Amos Jackson.
Court records state that Brown was arrested in December of 2019 in Cleveland and had in his possession at the time of the arrest 96 grams of heroin and other narcotic substances along with a loaded firearm and $20,000 in drug trafficking proceeds.
Brown is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to previous convictions of drug trafficking in the Lorain County Common Pleas Court.
Previously sentenced in this matter were Richard Starr, 29, of Fairview Park, Ohio, to 160 months; Amos Jackson, 39, of Elyria, Ohio, to 48 months; Darian Lopez, 28, of Lorain, Ohio, to 32 months and Devan Grantham, 27, of Elyria, Ohio, to 12 months in federal prison. Mohammed Hamid, 31, of Avon Lake, Ohio, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and will be sentenced in the future.
This case was investigated as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.)., an initiative that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids and to identify wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers in Lorain County.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Elyria Police Department, Lorain Police Department, Lorain County Drug Task Force and the FBI Cleveland conducted the investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vasile C. Katsaros and Robert F. Corts.
This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Leading ISIS Media Figure and Foreign Fighter Sentenced to Life ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
A Saudi-born Canadian citizen was sentenced today to life imprisonment for conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, resulting in death.
According to court documents, Mohammed Khalifa, aka Abu Ridwan Al-Kanadi and Abu Muthanna Al-Muhajir, 39, served in prominent roles within ISIS starting in 2013 and continuing until his capture by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in January 2019, following a firefight between ISIS fighters and the SDF. In addition to serving as a fighter and personally executing two Syrian soldiers on behalf of ISIS, Khalifa served as a lead translator in ISIS’s propaganda production and the English-speaking narrator on multiple violent ISIS videos.
In the spring of 2013, Khalifa traveled to Syria with the intent of becoming a foreign fighter and ultimately joining ISIS. In or around November 2013, he joined ISIS and swore allegiance to then-ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. In early 2014, he was recruited to join ISIS’s media department due, in part, to his language abilities as a fluent English and Arabic speaker. Starting in 2016, Khalifa directed various supporter networks that assisted in the translation, production and dissemination of propaganda released under various ISIS media brands in order to reach Western audiences. He worked within the ISIS media operation until late 2018.
Khalifa provided the narration and translation for approximately 15 videos created and distributed by ISIS. The productions narrated by Khalifa include two of the most influential and exceptionally violent ISIS propaganda videos: “Flames of War: Fighting Has Just Begun,” distributed on Sept. 19, 2014, and “Flames of War II: Until the Final Hour,” distributed on Nov. 29, 2017. The videos depict glamorized portrayals of ISIS and its fighters as well as scenes of violence, including depictions of unarmed prisoners being executed, footage of ISIS attacks and fighting and depictions of ISIS attacks in the United States.
The ISIS “Flames of War” videos include scenes of Khalifa executing a different Syrian soldier in each of the two videos. In the final scenes of both videos, a masked Khalifa speaks to the camera and is then seen executing a kneeling Syrian soldier while other masked ISIS members shoot the prisoners kneeling in front of each of them.
During the time Khalifa was a prominent member of ISIS, the terrorist organization was conducting a brutal hostage-taking and ransom demand campaign involving journalists and humanitarian aid workers who came to Syria from across the globe. Between August 19, 2014, and February 6, 2015, ISIS killed eight American, British and Japanese citizens in Syria as part of the hostage scheme.
In January 2019, Khalifa engaged in fighting on behalf of ISIS and attacked an SDF position in Abu Badran, Syria. Khalifa, alone and armed with three grenades and an AK-47, threw a grenade on the roof of a house where SDF soldiers were standing. The grenade detonated and Khalifa ran into the house and attempted to go to the roof, but an SDF soldier was firing from the stairs. Khalifa began firing at the SDF soldier and attempted to use all three of his grenades during the attack. Khalifa fired most of his ammunition during the assault before his AK-47 jammed. Khalifa surrendered to the SDF on or about Jan. 13, 2019. He was transferred to the custody of the FBI last year and brought to the Eastern District of Virginia, where he had his initial appearance on Oct. 4, 2021. Khalifa pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization, resulting in death, on Dec. 10, 2021.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis III.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis M. Fitzpatrick, John T. Gibbs and Aidan Taft Grano-Mickelson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Trial Attorney Alicia H. Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted this case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-271.
Leading ISIS Media Figure and Foreign Fighter Sentenced to Life ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Saudi-born Canadian citizen was sentenced today to life imprisonment for conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, resulting in death.
According to court documents, Mohammed Khalifa, aka Abu Ridwan Al-Kanadi and Abu Muthanna Al-Muhajir, 39, served in prominent roles within ISIS starting in 2013 and continuing until his capture by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in January 2019, following a firefight between ISIS fighters and the SDF. In addition to serving as a fighter and personally executing two Syrian soldiers on behalf of ISIS, Khalifa served as a lead translator in ISIS’s propaganda production and the English-speaking narrator on multiple violent ISIS videos.
In the spring of 2013, Khalifa traveled to Syria with the intent of becoming a foreign fighter and ultimately joining ISIS. In or around November 2013, he joined ISIS and swore allegiance to then-ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. In early 2014, he was recruited to join ISIS’s media department due, in part, to his language abilities as a fluent English and Arabic speaker. Starting in 2016, Khalifa directed various supporter networks that assisted in the translation, production, and dissemination of propaganda released under various ISIS media brands in order to reach Western audiences. He worked within the ISIS media operation until late 2018.
Khalifa provided the narration and translation for approximately 15 videos created and distributed by ISIS. The productions narrated by Khalifa include two of the most influential and exceptionally violent ISIS propaganda videos: “Flames of War: Fighting Has Just Begun,” distributed on September 19, 2014, and “Flames of War II: Until the Final Hour,” distributed on November 29, 2017. The videos depict glamorized portrayals of ISIS and its fighters as well as scenes of violence, including depictions of unarmed prisoners being executed, footage of ISIS attacks and fighting, and depictions of ISIS attacks in the United States.
The ISIS “Flames of War” videos include scenes of Khalifa executing a different Syrian soldier in each of the two videos. In the final scenes of both videos, a masked Khalifa speaks to the camera and is then seen executing a kneeling Syrian soldier while other masked ISIS members also shoot the prisoners kneeling in front of each of them.
During the time Khalifa was a prominent member of ISIS, the terrorist organization was conducting a brutal hostage-taking and ransom demand campaign involving journalists and humanitarian aid workers who came to Syria from across the globe. Between August 19, 2014, and February 6, 2015, ISIS killed eight American, British, and Japanese citizens in Syria as part of the hostage scheme.
In January 2019, Khalifa engaged in fighting on behalf of ISIS and attacked an SDF position in Abu Badran, Syria. Khalifa, alone and armed with three grenades and an AK-47, threw a grenade on the roof of a house where SDF soldiers were standing. The grenade detonated and Khalifa ran into the house and attempted to go to the roof, but an SDF soldier was firing from the stairs. Khalifa began firing at the SDF soldier and attempted to use all three of his grenades during the attack. Khalifa fired most of his ammunition during the assault before his AK-47 jammed. Khalifa surrendered to the SDF on or about January 13, 2019. He was transferred to the custody of the FBI last year and brought to the Eastern District of Virginia, where he had his initial appearance on October 4, 2021. Khalifa pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization, resulting in death, on December 10, 2021.
U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis III.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis M. Fitzpatrick, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Gibbs and Aidan Taft Grano-Mickelson, all from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Trial Attorney Alicia H. Cook of the Justice Department prosecuted this case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-271.
Lead defendant pleads guilty in Waycross-area drug trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
WAYCROSS, GA: The lead defendant in a Waycross-area fentanyl and heroin trafficking operation has now pled guilty, joining the other five defendants who admitted their roles in the conspiracy.
Eric Lashawn Hayes, a/k/a “Pee Wee,” 28, of Blackshear, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Because of a prior drug felony conviction, Hayes faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, up to life, along with substantial financial penalties, and a minimum of eight years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Opioid addiction and overdoses, particularly those involving fentanyl, continue to ravage our country,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Eric Hayes typifies the gun-carrying drug trafficker whose activities fuel the opioid epidemic and the violent crime it inflicts on our communities. The substantial prison sentence he now faces will make our streets safer.”
Hayes was one of six defendants named in February 2021 in U.S.A. v. Hayes, et. al, an indictment targeting a drug distribution network in the greater Waycross area. The Pierce and Ware County Sheriff’s Offices initiated the investigation in July 2020 after multiple drug overdoses attributed to heroin and fentanyl, including three deaths. The Savannah Office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration joined the investigation, which identified Hayes as a source of supply for the illegal drugs.
The investigation culminated in the indictments of the six defendants, all who now have pled guilty. The brother of Eric Hayes, Cyrlus LaShawn Hayes, a/k/a “Dubo,” 45, of Waycross, Ga., is serving 120 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, Fentanyl and Heroin; and Crystal Champagne, 34, of Waycross, is serving 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to Distribution of Fentanyl. Three other defendants – Preston Connor Luke, 27, of Blackshear; Renalba Jamar Green, a/k/a “Reno,” 35, of Waycross, Ga.; and Davey Green, a/k/a “Little Dave,” 35, of Waycross – await sentencing after pleading guilty to related charges in the conspiracy.
“Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin – the combination of these deadly substances has claimed many lives,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Because of the efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement, these defendants can no longer distribute these dangerous and potentially deadly substances.”
The case was investigated by the Savannah Office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Ware County Sheriff’s Office, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, and the Blackshear Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Marshals Service, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank M. Pennington II and Noah J. Abrams.
Kidnapper Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
EL PASO – Raymundo Guerra, 36, of El Paso pleaded guilty this week to one count of conspiracy to kidnap.
According to court documents, on December 23, 2015, Guerra agreed with Charles Douglass, 39, and Lawrence Dean Henry, aka Gotti, 33, both of El Paso, to kidnap a man they thought had stolen methamphetamine from Guerra. The victim was kidnapped in Chaparral, NM, then forcibly moved to El Paso and then back again to Chaparral. The victim was assaulted by the three men and died during the commission of the kidnapping. Guerra and Henry then burned and buried the victim’s remains in a desert area near Chaparral.
The case, initially opened as a missing person’s report, remained unsolved until officers with the El Paso Police Department and agents with the FBI discovered the victim’s remains in 2017. Guerra, who is a United States citizen, fled to Mexico to avoid prosecution. The FBI worked with counterparts in Mexico to have Guerra arrested and deported to the United States to face these criminal charges.
Guerra is scheduled to be sentenced on October 12, 2022 and faces up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
On April 17, 2019, Douglass pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to kidnap and was sentenced on October 30, 2019 to 169 months in prison.
On July 2, 2019, Henry pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to kidnap and one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On November 12, 2019, Henry was sentenced to 480 months in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Downey, El Paso Field Office, made the announcement.
The FBI and the El Paso Police Department, with valuable assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ian Martinez Hanna and Kyle Myers are prosecuting the case.
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Justice Department and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Underscore Legal Obligations of Auto Finance Companies During Military Consumer MonthRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a joint letter today reminding auto lenders and leasing companies of their responsibilities to recognize important legal protections that exist for members of the military and their dependents under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). Under the SCRA, servicemembers have additional rights and protections given the unique financial challenges that often emerge because of their service. July is Military Consumer Month, which is dedicated to raising awareness of consumer protections and promoting financial readiness for servicemembers, veterans and their families.
“The Civil Rights Division is entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring that the rights of those serving in our nation’s armed forces are safeguarded from discrimination and unfair treatment,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Auto lenders and leasing companies across the nation have an obligation to ensure the fair and lawful treatment of servicemembers.”
“Auto finance companies that play by the rules should not be disadvantaged by competitors that violate the legal rights of military families,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “The CFPB is closely monitoring the auto finance industry to ensure that servicemembers and their families are being treated fairly.”
Recent CFPB research has shown that servicemembers tend to carry more auto loan debt at younger ages than their civilian counterparts, largely due to the need for transportation while living on a military base. Servicemembers are also the common target of unfair or predatory practices, including costly loans and expensive contracts, because of the financial inexperience of many entering the service as young adults, combined with their steady paychecks and ability to structure payments through the military allotment system.
The letter is designed to ensure that auto finance companies are aware of key provisions within the SCRA that protect servicemembers and their families against certain unlawful auto financing practices, including:
- Wrongful vehicle repossessions – The SCRA prohibits an auto finance company from repossessing a vehicle during the borrower’s military service without a court order, if the borrower financed or leased the vehicle prior to entering military service.
- Failure to terminate vehicle leases without penalty – The SCRA allows servicemembers to terminate motor vehicle leases early and without penalty after entering military service or receiving qualifying military orders for a permanent change of station or deployment.
- Violations of auto loan interest rate benefits – The SCRA also limits interest rates on loans incurred prior to military service to no more than 6% per year, including most fees. If servicemembers make a proper request, a creditor must forgive and not defer any interest greater than 6%.
The Justice Department’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative coordinates with federal resources and information to build a comprehensive legal support and protection network focused on serving servicemembers, veterans and their families. The initiative’s mission is to support the department in its efforts to protect those who protect us all. For more information, please visit www.justice.gov/servicemembers.
Consumers encountering problems with auto servicing can submit a complaint with the CFPB online or by calling (855) 411-CFPB (2372). Employees who believe their companies have violated federal consumer financial protection laws are encouraged to send information about what they know to [email protected].
Justice Department and HHS Issue Guidance on Nondiscrimination in Telehealth the Week of the 32nd Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities ActRead the Press Release
As we commemorate the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Justice Department and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are partnering to publish guidance on the protections in federal nondiscrimination laws, including the ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, requiring that telehealth be accessible to people with disabilities and limited English proficient persons. These laws work in tandem to prohibit discrimination and protect access to health care. The guidance is available here on the Justice Department website. The guidance is also available here on the HHS website.
“Telehealth has become an evolving and common pathway for accessing healthcare, particularly as our society becomes increasingly digitized,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “It is critical to ensure that telehealth care is accessible to all, including patients with disabilities, those with limited English proficiency and people of all races and national origins. Federal civil rights laws protect patients from discrimination regardless of whether they are receiving health care online or at the doctor’s office. The Department of Justice will vigorously enforce the ADA and other civil rights laws to ensure that health care providers offering telehealth services are doing so free from discrimination.”
“We have seen important expansions in health care technologies, such as telehealth, that provide great convenience and help for people seeking care,” said Acting Director Melanie Fontes Rainer of HHS’s Office for Civil Rights. “This guidance makes clear that there is a legal obligation to ensure that all people receive full access to needed health care and can connect to telehealth services, free of discriminatory barriers. While we celebrate the progress of the ADA, we know how important it remains to uphold the rights of people with disabilities and other protected individuals to make our country accessible and inclusive for all. That work has been a priority of this Administration from day one, and President Biden’s Executive Order on advancing equity explicitly includes people with disabilities in its call for comprehensive action.”
Technological developments and the COVID-19 public health emergency have increased the importance of providing telehealth and greatly expanded its use. Telehealth can take many forms, including communication between a patient and a health care provider via video, phone or other electronic means. While telehealth has many benefits, including making health care more available and convenient, certain populations may face discrimination or other barriers in accessing care provided via telehealth. For example:
- A person who is blind or has limited vision may find that the web-based platform their doctor uses for telehealth appointments does not support screen reader software.
- A person who is deaf and communicates with a sign language interpreter may find that the video conferencing program their provider uses does not allow an interpreter to join the appointment from a separate location.
- A limited English proficient person may need instructions in a language other than English about how to set up a telehealth appointment.
The HHS Office for Civil Rights and Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division have collaborated to provide this new guidance to help health care providers better understand their nondiscrimination obligations and patients better understand their rights under federal law in this area. The guidance provides examples of actions that may be discriminatory and describes steps that providers may need to take to ensure that health care offered via telehealth is accessible. The guidance also provides a list of resources that providers and patients may wish to consult for additional information about telehealth and civil rights protections.
If you believe that you or someone else has been discriminated against because of your race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex or religion in programs or activities that HHS directly operates or to which HHS provides federal financial assistance, you may file a complaint with the HHS Office for Civil Rights at: https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/filing-a-complaint/index.html.
If you believe that a telehealth provider has violated your or another person’s civil rights, you may file a complaint with the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division at: https://civilrights.justice.gov/#report-a-violation.
Jackson Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 30 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jackson Field Office.
James Lee Simmons, 50, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and a $1500 fine.
According to court documents, on July 6, 2020, a confidential source made prior arrangements with another individual for the purchase of a pound of methamphetamine. The other individual, who is a codefendant in the case, directed the confidential source to pick up the methamphetamine from Simmons. The confidential source met with and provided Simmons with $3,000 in exchange for the methamphetamine. The substance was laboratory tested and confirmed to be methamphetamine hydrocholoride containing 369.4 grams of pure substance.
The case is the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Hailstorm,” which began as an operation targeting illegal drug trafficking in the Jackson, Mississippi area. “Hailstorm” is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.
Imprisoned leader of gang-related drug trafficking conspiracy sentenced to nearly 40 years in federal prisonRead the Press Release
WAYCROSS, GA: The imprisoned leader of a criminal conspiracy in which violent criminal street gang members distributed methamphetamine and other drugs throughout south Georgia has been sentenced to nearly 40 years in federal prison.
Jackie Kavaskia McMillan, a/k/a “Bijay,” 41, was sentenced to 444 months in federal prison, consecutive to the life sentence for murder he currently is serving at Dooly State Prison, after pleading guilty in January to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and a Quantity of Marijuana, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. In the event that the sentence of incarceration ends, McMillan also must serve four years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“’Bijay’ McMillan led an extensive drug-trafficking operation while locked inside a Georgia prison, using contraband cellphones and a gang-related network inside and outside prison to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine and other drugs that fueled violent crime in Coffee County and beyond,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Ultimately, our network of law enforcement agencies overcame this criminal conspiracy, ensuring that its leader is unlikely to ever walk the streets again.”
McMillan was the lead defendant in U.S.A. v. McMillan et.al, the 57-count indictment resulting from Operation Sandy Bottom, an investigation centered in the Sand Ridge neighborhood on the east side of Douglas, Ga., in an area known as “the bottoms.” Of the 48 defendants originally named in the indictment, 36 are now sentenced after pleading guilty; nine defendants await court hearings related to guilty pleas; two await trial or other court proceedings; and one defendant is deceased.
The investigation began in 2018 when the Coffee County Drug Unit enlisted the assistance of the FBI and the Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force to investigate rising violent crime and illegal drug activity in the Douglas area. The traffickers, coordinated by a subset of the Gangster Disciples criminal street gang, controlled multiple “trap houses” to store illegal drugs, primarily methamphetamine. Those drugs were then distributed throughout Coffee, Bacon, Emanuel, Jeff Davis, Pierce and Wheeler counties, along with other parts of Georgia.
Investigators infiltrated the operation, intercepting multiple kilograms of drugs and nearly two dozen illegally possessed firearms, along with seven vehicles and more than $12,000 in cash identified as drug-trafficking proceeds.
As described in court documents and testimony, McMillan used contraband cell phones and compromised prison guards to coordinate the drug trafficking operation while incarcerated. McMillan’s primary contact outside prison was his girlfriend, Christina Veronda Alexander, 41, of Hazlehurst, Ga., who is serving a 286-month prison sentence for her role in the conspiracy that included obtaining methamphetamine from a supplier in Mexico for distribution to street-level dealers in south Georgia. Three state prison guards indicted as part of the conspiracy have all pled guilty to federal charges.
“As a result of this case, communities across Georgia are safer and drug traffickers across the region have been put on notice that we will not tolerate efforts to spread these dangerous drugs,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “It is especially alarming that McMillan ran his operation from behind prison walls while already incarcerated for murder. Prisons should be a place of rehabilitation, not a place to continue committing crimes.”
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
It was investigated by the FBI and the FBI Coastal Georgia Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office and the Coffee County Drug Unit; the Georgia Department of Corrections; the Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office; the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office; the Bacon County Sheriff’s Office; the Emanuel County Sheriff’s Office; the Lanier County Sheriff’s Office; the Blackshear Police Department; the Nicholls Police Department; the Douglas Police Department; the Alma Police Department; the Glynn County Police Department; the Brunswick Police Department; the Swainsboro Police Department; and the Coffee County Department of Family and Children Services.
The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Greg Gilluly Jr.
Illegal Pharmacy Operator Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who illegally sold thousands of doses of controlled substances and misbranded prescription drugs was sentenced today to 15 months in federal prison, fined and ordered to forfeit over $500,000 in drug proceeds.
Jon Stidham, age 57, from McClelland, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 5, 2022 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to deliver, distribute or dispense methyltestosterone, a Schedule III controlled substance, by means of the Internet without a valid prescription and without complying with federal and Iowa licensing requirements, and one count of conspiracy to introduce misbranded drugs into interstate commerce with intent to defraud or mislead and to commit mail fraud.
In a plea agreement, Stidham admitted that he operated a business called Kennel Supply, LLC. Kennel Supply provided a variety of items used for the operation of kennels and the care of farm animals at a brick-and-mortar location. On the Internet, Kennel Supply sold controlled substances and non-controlled prescription drugs that require prescriptions to lawfully dispense to the ultimate user. From 2015 through October 12, 2018, Stidham distributed and sold over 300,000 doses of methyltestosterone, a controlled substance, without valid prescriptions, profiting $324,303. During that same time-period, Stidham illegally distributed over 50 types of misbranded prescription drugs without a valid prescription or authorization, and illegally profited $203,207.
Stidham was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Stidham was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment and fined $7500. He was ordered to forfeit $527,510 of drug proceeds. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The laws regarding the labeling and dispensing of controlled substances and prescription drugs exist to protect the health and safety of our community, said Acting U.S. Attorney Timothy Duax. When those laws are violated, it endangers those who come into contact with the unprescribed or mislabeled substances. Accordingly, when individuals like Mr. Stidham try to profit by ignoring or violating controlled substance and prescription laws, they will be vigorously prosecuted and the proceeds of their illegal activities will be seized.”
“To protect the wellbeing of animals, the FDA regulates animal drugs as part of its mission to protect the public health. This ensures that prescription animal drugs are lawfully distributed and dispensed pursuant to a valid prescription, among other requirements” said Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who attempt to evade the law.”
Stidham was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Food & Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigation, and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-01036.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Haitian National Indicted for Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
Denver – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Haitian national Peniel Olibris, age 32, was indicted on charges of smuggling goods, specifically firearms, from the United States.
According to the indictment, between April 8, 2019, and July 5, 2019, the defendant allegedly sent a semi-automatic firearm from the United States to Haiti. This is a violation of the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. Between October 19, 2019, and December 10, 2019, the defendant is accused of sending another semi-automatic firearm from the United States to Haiti in violation of the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.
The defendant made his initial appearance on July 28, 2022 before Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cramer-Babycz is handling the prosecution.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case number: 22-cr-00238.
Garyville Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that BRYANT DAIGRE, age 33, of Garyville, Louisiana, was sentenced on July 28, 2022 to 120 months of imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 846.
According to court documents, DAIGRE conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Louisiana. Additionally, on August 15, 2020, DAIGRE possessed over 50 grams of methamphetamine in St. John the Baptist Parish.
United States Chief District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown sentenced DAIGRE to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by 4 years of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan L. Shih.
Garyville Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that BRYANT DAIGRE, age 33, of Garyville, Louisiana, was sentenced on July 28, 2022 to 120 months of imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 846.
According to court documents, DAIGRE conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Louisiana. Additionally, on August 15, 2020, DAIGRE possessed over 50 grams of methamphetamine in St. John the Baptist Parish.
United States Chief District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown sentenced DAIGRE to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by 4 years of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan L. Shih.
Four men charged with aiming laser pointers at police helicoptersRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Daniel Maloney, Fredy Contreras, Timothy Wilson, and Theodore Rowe have been arraigned on federal charges of aiming laser pointers at police helicopters. All four were indicted by a federal grand jury on July 13, 2022.
“Pointing lasers at an aircraft is extremely dangerous,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “A laser aimed at an aircraft blinds the pilot and makes it difficult if not impossible for the persons in the cockpit to read their instruments. Persons who are found pointing lasers at aircraft will be prosecuted.”
“When aimed at an aircraft, a beam of light from a handheld laser can illuminate a cockpit, disorienting and temporarily blinding the pilot or pilots of the craft, and in this case, preventing police from completing important public safety work,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “It's not a game. It's a federal felony that the FBI and our law enforcement partners take very seriously.”
“Irresponsibly using and aiming a laser device at any civil, commercial, military, or law enforcement aircraft seriously compromises safe aviation operations,” said Todd Damiani, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Southeastern Region. “These arrests on federal charges should serve as a warning that engaging in this dangerous and criminal activity is unacceptable.”
“The Atlanta Police Department takes the safety of our officers seriously, whether on the ground or in the air,” said Interim Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum. “The fact that these defendants used laser pointers to endanger the lives of members of our Phoenix Air Unit and the safety of people on the ground, is very disturbing. The federal charges brought forth against these men sends a message that irresponsible actions and criminal activity will not be tolerated.”
“The Gwinnett Police Department is thankful for the diligence the FAA and FBI both have for continuing the mission of educating the public on how dangerous it is to point a laser at any aircraft. Our department will not allow these offences interfere with the Aviation Unit’s operations and the department’s mission of serving and protecting the residents of Gwinnett with first class law enforcement service, including airborne response,” said Chief James D. McClure, Gwinnett County Police Department.
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court, each defendant aimed a laser pointer at a police helicopter as the helicopter was assisting officers on the ground: Around 9:50 p.m. on February 13, 2020, a Gwinnett County Police Department helicopter was assisting officers in looking for a robbery suspect who had fled into a wooded area. Daniel Maloney saw the helicopter in the air and pointed a red laser at it, temporarily blinding the pilot and the tactical flight officer. They had to stop looking for the robbery suspect, switch to infrared vision, and look for the source of the red laser. Ground units went to Maloney’s home, where an officer found Maloney still pointing his laser at the helicopter.
Around 9:00 p.m. on November 9, 2020, as a Gwinnett County Police Department helicopter was assisting officers on the ground looking for a stolen vehicle, it was hit at least twice with a green laser. Using the infrared camera, the tactical officer was able to identify the home that the laser was aimed from. Officers on the ground went to the home, where Fredy Contreras admitted that he had been shining the laser at the helicopter.
In the early evening hours of May 26, 2021, an Atlanta Police Department helicopter was assisting grounds units with looking for a missing 6-year-old boy. The helicopter was struck several times by a green laser. After switching over to protective eye gear that minimized the light from the laser, the pilot was able to identify the home where the laser strikes were coming from. Officers on the ground went to the home, where Timothy Wilson admitted that he had been shining the laser at the helicopter.
Around 10:30 p.m. on July 1, 2021, Gwinnett County Police Department received a call about a suspicious person wandering in the middle of a busy road. A Gwinnett County Police Department helicopter was sent to help locate this person. While searching for the person, the helicopter was struck multiple times by a green laser. The tactical flight officer switched to the infrared camera to identify the source. Officers on the ground went to a home in Lawrenceville, where Theodore Rowe admitted that he pointed the laser at the helicopter.
Daniel Maloney, 55, of Snellville, Georgia, Fredy Contreras, 48, of Lilburn, Georgia, Timothy Wilson, 61, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Theodore Rowe, 51, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Justin S. Anand. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove each defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General, the Atlanta Police Department, and the Gwinnett County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul R. Jones is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Four Defendants Facing Federal Charges for Mail Theft and Possession of United States Postal Service KeysRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging four defendants with theft of mail matter and the unlawful possession of postal service keys. The indictment was returned on July 21, 2022 and unsealed today upon the defendant’s arrests. Charged in the indictment are:
Eyalan Owona, age 21, of Upper Malboro, Maryland;
Ibrahim Kourouma, age 22, of Glenarden, Maryland
Ali Dickerson, age 20, of Hyattsville, Maryland; and
Benjamin Washington, age 22, of Owings Mills, Maryland
Owona, Dickerson, and Washington will have their appearances today beginning at 1:30 p.m., in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan. Co-defendant Kourouma remains a fugitive.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Tira Hayward of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division.
According to the two-count indictment, on May 25, 2022, the defendants allegedly unlawfully possessed proprietary United States Postal Service keys with the intent to use, sell, and dispose of the keys. On the same day, the defendants allegedly stole mail matter from a United States Postal Service depository for mail located on Stanford Street in Bethesda, Maryland. The mail that was stolen in the theft included the mail of Victim 1 who had a recipient address located in Silver Spring, Maryland.
As stated in the detention memo filed on behalf of the government, the defendants’ arrests occurred as part of a larger law enforcement investigation into a series of violent armed robberies of United States Postal Service (“USPS”) Letter Carriers. During these robberies Letter Carriers appear to have been targeted for proprietary keys that are used to open USPS mail collection boxes. According to the detention memo, at least 13 robberies involving USPS Letter Carriers have taken place in the greater Washington D.C. metropolitan area between May 23, 2022, and July 7, 2022.
If convicted on the current charges, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison possession of United States Postal Service keys and 5 years in federal prison for the theft of mail matter. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
If you have any information regarding a United States Postal Service letter carrier robbery or would like to report mail theft or other crimes committed through or towards the United States Postal Service, please contact the United States Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 or https://www.uspis.gov/report. The United States Postal Inspection Service is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information that leads to the identification, arrest and conviction of any other individuals involved in United States Postal Service letter carrier robberies.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the USPIS for their work in the investigation and thanked the Montgomery County Police Department and the United States Park Police for their assistance in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam K. Ake, and Darren Gardner, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Former Madison County Detention Center Captain Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Assaulting DetaineeRead the Press Release
Gregory Evans, 50, a former Captain with the Madison County Detention Center, in Richmond, Kentucky, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, and three years of supervised release. Evans previously pleaded guilty to using unreasonable force against a detainee, thereby violating the detainee’s civil rights.
According to court documents and statements made at the sentencing hearing, Evans was escorting the victim, E.B., down a hallway when Evans grabbed E.B. out of anger, strangled him and repeatedly punched him. Evans’s assault caused E.B. to lose consciousness and Evans then punched E.B. in the back and face while E.B. was unconscious. E.B. suffered a broken jaw as a result of the assault. Evans was aware that chokeholds were banned at Madison County Detention Center and that punching and strangling E.B. out of anger was an unreasonable use of force. Following the assault, Evans falsified an incident report and made false statements to the FBI. Specifically, Evans falsely claimed that he had ordered E.B. to turn around prior to the assault, that E.B. ignored his commands, and he deliberately omitted the fact that he had strangled E.B.
“The defendant abused his authority as a law enforcement officer and betrayed the public’s trust when he violently assaulted a detainee in his custody,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Law enforcement officials who abuse inmates and detainees are not above the law, and we will continue to vigorously prosecute those who deprive individuals of their Constitutional rights.”
“The defendant was supposed to be law enforcement; instead, he broke the law and violated the rights of someone in his custody,” said U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Today, he learned the consequence of his criminal conduct. We will continue our efforts to prosecute excessive force violations, and strive to restore some of the public trust that is lost whenever these crimes occur.”
This case was investigated by the FBI Lexington resident agency, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Dembo for the Eastern District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Former Huntsville Business Executive Charged with Wire FraudRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Federal prosecutors have charged a Round Rock, Texas man with wire fraud for embezzling from his employer, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr.
A one-count information filed yesterday in U.S. District Court charges Steve Ray Shickles, Jr., 43, of Round Rock, Texas, with wire fraud.
According to the information, between January 2012 and January 2019, while employed as the Chief Operating Officer for Simple Helix, LLC in Huntsville, Shickles devised and executed a scheme to fraudulently obtain money from Simple Helix. As part of the scheme, Shickles gained access to PayPal accounts of Simple Helix and made multiple unauthorized charges, withdrawals, and transfers from those accounts to pay for personal expenses. Shickles also created a fraudulent email account for Simple Helix and caused funds intended for Simple Helix to be deposited into personal accounts of Shickles. Shickles took steps to conceal his fraudulent activities by causing a computer-generated report of financial activities of Simple Helix to exclude his fraudulent transactions. The fraudulent transfers caused by Shickles resulted in a loss to Simple Helix of over $2.1 million dollars.
“White-collar crimes imperil the livelihood of every employee and their families. Vigorous enforcement against white-collar criminals is the best deterrent and means to protect the integrity of our community institutions,” said United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
The maximum penalty for wire fraud is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael R. Pillsbury is prosecuting the case.
An information contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former BOP Employee Sentenced to 80 Months in Prison for Sexual Abuse of a WardRead the Press Release
A former employee of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Hosea Lee Jr., 43, was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison and 10 years of supervised release on Friday, by U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, after pleading guilty to committing five counts of sexual abuse of a ward.
According to his plea agreement, Lee was employed as a correctional officer at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, serving as a drug treatment specialist. In that position, Lee was responsible for conducting interviews regarding treatment eligibility and progress, leading drug education classes and providing group and individual counseling to inmates with substance use disorder. Between August and December 2019, on several occasions, Lee engaged in sexual acts with four separate women. Each of these victims was a participant in his drug treatment classes. These sexual acts all occurred in secluded spaces adjacent to the classroom or a closet area in his office.
Lee pleaded guilty in April 2022.
“The defendant’s abhorrent sexual misconduct betrays the trust we place in our correctional officers to protect those in their custody and to prepare them to return to society,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “As part of our ongoing effort to root out sexual misconduct within the Bureau of Prisons, the department has prioritized prosecuting cases of criminal misconduct by Bureau employees. We will continue to hold accountable those who violate their position of trust.”
“This defendant abused his authority and the public trust by preying sexually upon women entrusted to his care,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This betrayal of trust by a federal official is intolerable and the Department of Justice hopes that this prosecution brings some much-needed closure to his victims.”
“The safety and security of federal prisons are of the utmost importance, and correctional officers who abuse their authority undermine the integrity of these institutions,” said Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz. “Inmates should never experience sexual abuse at the hands of the Bureau of Prisons employees, and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General will continue to aggressively investigate allegations of abuse, including sexual abuse, across the BOP.”
“Instead of helping those in his custody and care with their substance use, the defendant preyed on particularly vulnerable individuals and betrayed an important public charge,” said U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “This despicable conduct has done enduring damage to his victims. Beyond that, when public officials act with such disregard for those in their care and protection, it erodes faith in law enforcement. We will continue our efforts to protect these individuals, and to combat abuses by those who fail to warrant the public trust.”
“Part of the FBI’s critical mission is to protect the American people. This includes those who are currently serving time in prison,” said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “When corrections officers who have sworn to protect inmates within their facility abuse their position of authority, the FBI will stop at nothing to hold them accountable. Because investigating civil rights violations remains a top priority for the FBI in Kentucky, if you have knowledge of similar crimes occurring within our correctional facilities, contact your local FBI field office or submit information to tips.fbi.gov.”
Under federal law, Lee must serve 85% of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Special in Agent Charge William J. Hannah of the Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG), Chicago Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by DOJ-OIG and FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tashena Fannin and Kate Smith.
Flo~Pro Performance Exhaust and Thunder Diesel & Performance Company to Halt Sales of Illegal Vehicle Emission Control Defeat Devices and Pay a $1.6 Million PenaltyRead the Press Release
Red Deer Exhaust Inc. (doing business as Flo~Pro Performance Exhaust) and Thunder Diesel & Performance Company have agreed to stop selling devices that bypass or disable vehicle emissions control systems, and pay a $1.6 million penalty, to resolve allegations that they violated the Clean Air Act (CAA).
The complaint, filed simultaneously with the consent decree, alleges that the parts described above are “defeat devices” prohibited by the CAA. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that prior to its 2018 investigation, Flo~Pro manufactured or sold more than 100,000 aftermarket defeat devices in the United States per year. In early 2019, Flo~Pro suspended sales of the defeat devices in the United States in an effort to resolve this matter.
“Defeat devices violate Clean Air Act emissions requirements meant to protect public health and the environment, as well as vulnerable communities that are disproportionately impacted by air pollution,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This settlement ensures that Flo~Pro will stop the sale of all defeat devices in the United States and is the latest reminder that the Department of Justice will hold the aftermarket automotive parts industry accountable for violations of federal anti-pollution laws.”
“The exhaust from diesel pickup trucks equipped to operate without essential emissions controls causes severe harm to our nation’s air quality,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “This action will stop the manufacture and sale of these illegal products, preventing additional excess pollution caused by aftermarket defeat devices and keeping the air we breathe clean.”
Under the agreement, Flo~Pro, an automotive parts manufacturer based in Alberta, Canada, has agreed to stop manufacturing and selling parts for diesel pickup trucks in the United States, that bypass, defeat or render inoperative EPA-approved emission controls and harm air quality. Thunder Diesel, a distributor based in Mountain Home, Arkansas, has shut down its operations and is no longer selling auto parts. The companies will pay a $1.6 million penalty, which is a reduced amount due to verified financial information indicating the companies’ limited ability to pay. The companies will notify customers who purchased subject parts that the products violate the CAA, will no longer provide technical support or honor warranty claims for the products and will provide CAA compliance training for employees.
This settlement will improve public health and prevent substantial amounts of air pollution in the future, as the installation of defeat devices prevents emission controls from working properly. Tampering with diesel-powered vehicles by installing defeat devices causes large amounts of nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions, both of which contribute to serious public health problems. These include premature death, aggravation of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, aggravation of existing asthma, acute respiratory symptoms, chronic bronchitis and decreased lung function. Numerous studies also link diesel exhaust to increased incidence of lung cancer. Respiratory issues disproportionately affect families, especially children, living in underserved communities overburdened by pollution. EPA estimates that the subject parts from these companies in 2016-2019 may have resulted in more than 775 million pounds of excess nitrogen oxides emissions and 6.7 million pounds of excess particulate matter over the life of the affected vehicles. Stopping the sale and use of defeat devices will help reduce harmful air pollution that exacerbates the health effects of pollutant exposures.
Stopping the manufacture, sale and installation of defeat devices on vehicles and engines used on public roads as well as on nonroad vehicles and engines is a priority for EPA. To learn more, visit: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/national-compliance-initiative-stopping-aftermarket-defeat-devices-vehicles-and-engines.
The consent decree for this settlement was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas and will be open for public comments for a period of 30 days.
If you suspect someone is manufacturing, selling or installing illegal defeat devices, or is tampering with emission controls, tell the EPA by writing to [email protected].
Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to over 13 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Sterling man was sentenced today to 162 months in prison for distributing fentanyl.
According to court documents, Salahudin Mitchell, 39, distributed fentanyl in the Petersburg area and elsewhere. In late 2020, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Virginia State Police, and Petersburg Bureau of Police became aware of Mitchell’s drug trafficking activities. Between April 2021 and October 2021, a series of nine controlled purchases of fentanyl were made from Mitchell. In November 2021, Mitchell was arrested and a search warrant was executed for his residence. At that time, a distribution quantity of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine were recovered from inside his residence, along with cash and a scale used to weigh narcotics.
Mitchell pleaded guilty in March to one count of distributing more than 40 grams of fentanyl. In all, Mitchell was held responsible for distributing approximately 270 grams of fentanyl and 2 kilograms of heroin during the one-year time period that preceded his arrest. In October 2021, Mitchell, who was previously convicted in federal court for conspiring to distribute cocaine and sentenced to 8 years’ imprisonment in the federal Bureau of Prisons, possessed and sold a Walther PPQ .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, despite being prohibited from possessing any firearms at all.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA’s Washington Division; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, and Travis Christian, Chief, Petersburg Bureau of Police made the announcement after sentencing by Senior United States District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Mastandrea-Miller prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-7.
Fennimore Man Charged with Producing & Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Fennimore, Wisconsin man is charged with producing and possessing child pornography in an indictment returned on July 13, 2022, by a federal grand jury sitting in Madison. The charges are announced by Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
The indictment charges James C. Gibson, 53, with 4 counts of using minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct. The indictment alleges that Gibson used a cellular phone to produce the child pornography on four occasions between January 2020 and September 2021.
The indictment also charges Gibson with 1 count of possessing child pornography. The indictment alleges that on November 8, 2021, he possessed a cellular phone containing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment further alleges that at least one of the depictions was of a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.
The indictment was unsealed following Gibson’s arrest Wednesday, July 27, at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming by the U.S. Marshals Service, pursuant to an arrest warrant issued at the time the indictment was returned. Gibson made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Mammoth, Wyoming yesterday and remains in federal custody. An identity and detention hearing is scheduled for August 2 in federal court in Wyoming.
If convicted, Gibson faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison on each production charge and a maximum of 20 years on the possession charge.
The charges against Gibson are the result of an investigation by the Fennimore Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, U.S. Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the U.S. Marshals Service in the District of Wyoming and Southern District of Illinois, with the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Przybylinski Finn is handling the prosecution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christyne Martens is handling the court appearances in Wyoming.
You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Federal Prosecutor Retires After 35+ YearsRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK-Pat Harris, a longtime federal prosecutor, has announced his retirement from the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO). Harris, who has held various roles at the USAO including Acting United States Attorney, began as a law clerk in 1983.
Harris returned to the USAO in 1985 as a Special Assistant United States Attorney and the Law Enforcement Coordinator and became an Assistant United States Attorney in 1987. Since that time, he has been a true leader through his tireless work in the pursuit of justice.
Harris became Criminal Chief in May 2007 and remained in that position until February 2013, when he was appointed First Assistant United States Attorney, second in command of the entire office, and remained in this role until becoming Acting United States Attorney in March 2017, when he served and led the office. He has also served as Professional Responsibility Officer, Organized Crime Chief, Violent Crime Coordinator, and is currently Senior Litigation Counsel.
In addition to his leadership roles as an attorney, Harris took on numerous other responsibilities during his time in federal service. He served as Acting Administrative Officer, and in that capacity filled 13 vacancies at the USAO. He volunteered with Evaluation and Review Staff (EARS) and participated in 25 evaluations of other offices across the country, often serving as Team Leader.
Harris played a major role in reducing gang violence in central Arkansas in the 1990s through his dedicated pursuit of violent crime prosecutions. He received the Attorney General’s Director’s Award in 1996 and 2000 for superior performance as an AUSA. Harris has prosecuted some of the most complex cases in the district, including death penalty cases, large drug trafficking organizations, and significant fraud cases.
Harris’ courtroom skills and experience have been an invaluable asset, and one that he often shared as a mentor to other prosecutors. His unique ability to motivate, encourage, and inspire others had led to an increased sense of family among his coworkers at the USAO.
The United States Attorney’s Office celebrated Harris’ retirement with an event on Thursday, when more than one hundred friends and colleagues gathered to reflect on Harris’ accomplishments and contributions to the federal justice system. His dedication and expertise will be sorely missed, and the USAO wishes him well.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Federal Jury Finds Meridian Man Guilty of Attempted Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – On Wednesday, July 27, 2022, a federal jury convicted a Meridian, Mississippi man on two counts of Attempted Witness Tampering.
In June 2018, Daniel Robert was arrested on an outstanding warrant in a narcotics trafficking case that spanned multiple states from 2007 through 2009. Robert was indicted in 2009 and on the run until his capture in June 2018. Soon after his arrest, Robert made numerous phone calls to his family members directing them to tell witnesses not to appear for trial by avoiding subpoenas, to testify that they could not remember facts of the case, or to simply refuse to testify. Daniel Robert even went so far as to request the preparation of a false affidavit.
In January 2020, Daniel Robert was convicted of his narcotics trafficking charges following a three-day trial. Daniel Robert is currently serving a sentence of 330 months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons for those narcotics trafficking convictions.
Robert again chose to go to trial and was convicted this week of two counts of witness tampering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2022 for the witness tampering convictions by U.S. District Judge Kristi H. Johnson, and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years and a $250,000 fine for each count. Those sentences will be imposed in addition to the sentence Daniel Robert received for his narcotics trafficking crimes.
U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Criminal Chief Erin O. Chalk and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham are prosecuting the case.
Federal Jury Finds Former Navy Sailor Guilty of Sexually Exploiting a Minor on SnapchatRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal jury convicted Christopher Jeorge Millican, 28, of Coalinga, on Thursday for producing and receiving child pornography via the popular app, Snapchat, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents and evidence introduced during the trial, in July 2018, a parent reported to Snapchat that someone, later identified as Millican, had been engaging in inappropriate communications with an 11-year-old girl. Snapchat reviewed Millican’s account and discovered images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Snapchat reported the conduct to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, which then contacted the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in Fresno. Investigators identified several minors, and one of them testified at the trial that Millican had coerced her into creating and sending him sexually explicit images. At the time of the offense conduct, Millican was on active duty with the U.S. Navy.
“The conviction in this case means that the defendant will no longer be in a position to carry out his criminal acts against innocent and vulnerable children,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly with its federal and local law enforcement partners to protect and seek justice for these young victims.”
“Safeguarding children from predators is a top priority for Homeland Security Investigations,” said HSI San Francisco/NorCal Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. “HSI is committed to working with local, state and federal partners to relentlessly pursue anyone involved in criminal behavior against children.”
This case is the product of an investigation by the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the Fresno Police Department, the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Hanford Police Department, and several local police agencies across the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa and Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz are prosecuting the case.
Millican is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Oct. 24, 2022. Millican faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum prison term of 50 years. He also faces a potential $250,000 fine for each count and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.
Fayette County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Andrew Daniel Sprinkle, 35, of Oak Hill, was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Sprinkle admitted to selling methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Mount Hope on September 21 and September 22, 2020. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant of Sprinkle’s vehicle following the September 22, 2020, transaction and found cash from the controlled buys, drug paraphernalia, and a Smith & Wesson, model SD9 VE, 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
Sprinkle admitted to possessing the firearm during the September 21, 2020, controlled buy. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Sprinkle knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for possession with the intent to sell or deliver marijuana in the District Court of Henderson County, North Carolina, on May 12, 2015.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Beckley Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the Central West Virginia Drug Task Force, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, the West Virginia State Police, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-149.
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Eight Indicted in Money Laundering RingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Eight individuals have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for their alleged roles in elaborate money laundering and money transmitting conspiracies that laundered tens of millions of dollars’ worth of drug trafficking proceeds, as well as a trade-based scheme that used stolen and/or fraudulent gift cards to purchase and ship thousands of Apple products internationally.
The following defendants were indicted on conspiracy to commit money laundering and unlicensed money transmitting:
- Shi Rong Zhang, 48, of Windham, N.H.;
- Qiu Mei Zeng, 47, of Quincy;
- Vincent Feng, 32, of Quincy;
- Da Zeng, 30, of Massachusetts;
- Wei Qing Zeng, 58, of Quincy;
- Xian Rong Zeng, 45, of Hanover; and
- Qiu Fang Zeng, 59, of Windham, N.H.
Chengzou Liu, 36, of Braintree, was also indicted on conspiracy to commit money laundering as well as possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
“These defendants are alleged to have moved tens of millions of dollars in illicit proceeds as part of sophisticated money laundering and transmitting schemes operating out of seemingly lawful businesses that serve Massachusetts residents,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Without money, there is no drug trade. Laundering drug profits is fundamental to drug trafficking activity. By eliminating the means by which drug suppliers clean their illicit proceeds, we cut off the life blood of their operations: money. In doing so, we help significantly limit the flow of drugs trafficked in our communities. We need to do everything possible to make the Commonwealth safer and combat the drug crisis. This indictment should serve as a serious warning to both drug traffickers and business operators who engage in illicit money laundering: your conduct is criminal, and you will be prosecuted under federal law.”
“This group is alleged to have laundered tens of millions of dollars in illicit drug trafficking proceeds which in turn, fuels the drug crisis we are currently facing,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Everyday, drug traffickers are motivated by the power and the wealth they gain from the sale of narcotics. The DEA will not allow this type of illegal activity to happen and we will continue to pursue anyone who puts their own financial gains before the safety and well being of the people of Massachusetts. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative local, state and federal law-enforcement efforts in Massachusetts and our strong partnership with the US attorney‘s office.”
"Drug trafficking and money laundering go hand in hand, and this crew is accused of using their family-owned restaurant in Chinatown as a front for an elaborate, international money laundering scheme and money transmitting business in which they conducted tens of millions of dollars in off the books transactions to circumvent our country’s laws, and hide the source of their income," said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Operation Good Fortune is just one example of how the FBI and our law enforcement partners work together to dismantle large-scale criminal enterprises."
According to the charging documents, Qiu Mei Zeng and her former husband, Zhang, co-own China Gourmet, a restaurant in Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood. Zhang is also a registered owner of Wonderful Electronics, an electronics and restaurant supply business based in Hanover. It is alleged that the defendants used these businesses to run a large-scale money laundering and money transmitting operation that involved the laundering of drug proceeds and proceeds from stolen and/or fraudulent gift cards.
During a months-long wiretap investigation, Liu was identified as a marijuana trafficker who laundered his drug proceeds through Qiu Mei Zeng and Zhang’s businesses. It is alleged that Liu regularly delivered large amounts of bulk drug proceeds, typically in amounts greater than $30,000, to China Gourmet, and to Qiu Mei Zeng, who then laundered the money via electronic transfers. Additionally, in March 2022, investigators allegedly seized over $250,000 of suspected marijuana proceeds being transported by Wei Qing Zeng from New York to China Gourmet in Boston. The cash was found inside Wei Qing Zeng’s vehicle, hidden under packaged frozen meat products as it was en route to be delivered to China Gourmet.
To conduct the scheme, Qiu Mei Zeng and Zhang allegedly worked with their co-conspirators – including family members Wei Qing Zeng, Xian Rong Zeng and Qiu Fang Zeng – to launder hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of drug proceeds in exchange for Chinese Renminbi. Specifically, it is alleged that the defendants would accept drug proceeds in Boston and New York for a fee, transfer the equivalent value of Chinese Renminbi to drug traffickers’ bank accounts and “sell” the drug proceeds to individuals in the United States at a discounted exchange rate. Through these off-the-books transactions, the defendants conspired to avoid United States reporting requirements, as well as China’s capital flight limits, and to hide the nature and source of the illicit funds being transferred.
It is further alleged that Zhang, Qiu Mei Zeng, Da Zeng, Feng and other defendants worked together on a sophisticated trade-based money laundering scheme in which they used stolen and/or fraudulent gift cards to purchase thousands of Apple products, which they then shipped internationally to locations, including Dubai, in exchange for tens of millions of dollars in wire transfers.
The charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the value of the property involved, whichever is greater. The charge of unlicensed money transmitting provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession with intent to distribute marijuana provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Rollins; DEA SAC Boyle; FBI SAC Bonavolonta; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long; Braintree Police Chief Mark W. Dubois; and Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren A. Graber of Rollins’ Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
This investigation, dubbed Operation Good Fortune, is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dominican National Sentenced to 54 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LUIS MIGUEL ROSARIO-PERALTA, 32, a citizen of the Dominican Republic last residing in Stamford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 54 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for trafficking fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Stamford Police Department’s Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit identified Rosario-Peralta as a large-scale fentanyl trafficker. In July 2019, investigators intercepted Rosario-Peralta on a wiretap negotiating the sale of kilogram quantities of narcotics. Rosario-Peralta was arrested on July 5, 2019, in Yonkers, New York, after he traveled to a drug stash location there and picked up approximately three kilograms of fentanyl.
Peralta has been detained since his arrest. On August 5, 2020, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Rosario-Peralta faces immigration proceedings when he is released from prison.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Stamford Police Department, with the assistance of the Yonkers Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie T. Levick.