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Friday 10 June 2022
Federal Indictment Returned in Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A federal grand jury in Paducah, Kentucky returned an indictment this week charging Caryon Johnson, of Paducah, and Treon McElrath, of Clinton, Kentucky and Union City, Tennessee with engaging in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Johnson, 43, was arrested by state and local law enforcement in Paducah on May 5, 2022, after a search warrant uncovered approximately one pound of methamphetamine and 100 grams of cocaine, along with counterfeit oxycodone pills believed to contain fentanyl. Additionally, law enforcement seized $8,532 in U.S. currency.
Also, according to court documents, McElrath, 43, was arrested by state and local law enforcement in Fulton, Kentucky on May 5, 2022. McElrath was operating a 2017 Maserati LVT and was found to be in possession of approximately 3 pounds of methamphetamine. Later that same day, state and local law enforcement in Union City, Obion County, Tennessee discovered, during a search of McElrath’s residence, approximately 7 pounds of suspected cocaine, one-half pound of suspected methamphetamine, and approximately $24,000 in U.S. currency.
Johnson and McElrath are charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. They will be scheduled to appear for their initial court appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, both face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, and a maximum of life imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Louisville Division, made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, the Calloway County Sheriff’s Office, the Graves County Sheriff’s Office, the Hickman County Sheriff’s Office, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, the Fulton Police Department, and the 27th Judicial District Drug Task Force in Tennessee are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictment Against Illinois Man for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A federal grand jury in Paducah returned an indictment on June 7, 2022, charging an Illinois man with bank robbery and interstate transportation of stolen property.
According to court documents, Reginald R. Thomas, 66, of Metropolis, IL, was charged with robbing FNB Bank in Lone Oak, KY on May 10, 2022. Thomas was apprehended in southern Illinois. He was also charged with interstate transportation of stolen property after transporting more than $5,000 in stolen cash from the bank into Illinois.
The defendant will be scheduled to make his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Thomas faces up to 30 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI, the McCracken County Sheriff’s Department, and the Metropolis Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Fargo, ND, Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Possession and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FARGO – Interim United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase announced that on June 9, 2022, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Peter D. Welte sentenced Jeffrey Lee Buckmeier, age 42, Fargo, ND, to 27 years in federal prison for the charges of Receipt and Distribution of Materials Containing Child Pornography and Possession of Materials Containing Child Pornography. Chief Judge Welte also sentenced Buckmeier to a lifetime period of supervised release and ordered him to pay $84,000 in restitution to the child victims depicted in his child pornography collection.
This case came to the attention of law enforcement after KIK reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that one of its users uploaded 27 files of child pornography to a KIK group on January 22 and 24, 2021. A subsequent investigation identified the defendant, Jeffrey Buckmeier, a thrice-convicted sex offender, as the user of the KIK account. In an attempt to avoid detection, Buckmeier used the IP addresses of several local businesses to download child pornography on his cell phone.
On August 27, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Buckmeier’s residence located in Fargo, ND. A forensic examination of the devices seized from the residence revealed more than 11,000 images and 900 videos of child pornography
depicting children as young as three months of age. The investigation also revealed that Buckmeier used several social media platforms to communicate and trade child pornography with others.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations, and North Dakota Parole and Probation and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, with Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Puhl assigned to the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the nation, Project Safe Childhood, in conjunction with Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), help federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies enhance their investigative responses to offenders who use the Internet, online communications systems, or computer technology to sexually exploit children. The ICAC Program is a national network of 61 coordinated task forces engaging in proactive investigations, forensic investigations, and criminal prosecutions. Project Safe Childhood also helps to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Fort Washakie Woman Charged with Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that JESSICA WALLOWINGBULL, 27, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and resulting in serious bodily injury. Wallowingbull appeared for an arraignment hearing on May 19, 2022, before Federal District Court Magistrate Teresa McKee and pleaded not guilty to the charges. A trial has been set for July 25, 2022, and the defendant was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal Service.
Wallowingbull faces up to 20 years of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, up to a $500,000 fine, and a $200 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy W. Gist is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 22-cr-00052-NDF
Fort Washakie Man Sentenced to Carjacking and Assault on the Wind River Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that SHANE DUANE BLACKBURN, age 33, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming was sentenced on May 27, 2022 for carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury and assaulting a federal officer. Blackburn appeared before Chief United States District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl and was sentenced to 148 months for the carjacking offense, to be followed by five years of supervised release; and 96 months for assaulting a federal officer, to be followed by three years of supervised release. These sentences will be served concurrently. In addition, he was ordered to pay a $200 special assessment.
On November 24, 2021, after purchasing groceries for Thanksgiving, the victim offered Blackburn a ride. After leaving the grocery store in Fort Washakie, Wyoming, Blackburn began to severally beat the victim, without provocation, which resulted in serious bodily injury. Following the assault, Blackburn left the victim on the highway and fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle. After being apprehended and placed in a detention facility, Blackburn assaulted a corrections officer by striking him in the face, again without explanation.
“The victim of this crime comes from a generation of kindness. A person who places his community above himself. It was not the first time he offered someone a ride, but it will likely be his last,” said United States Attorney Bob Murray. “The defendant turned the victim’s acts of kindness into abhorrent acts of violence. And, unfortunately, the community may also suffer if trust and kindness now become fear and suspicion.”
This crime was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Elmore.
Case # 0:22-cr-00012-SWS
Fort Washakie Man Charged with Three Counts of Assault by StrangulationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that RELAND LEONARD -HIWALKER, A/K/A/ RELAND FERRIS, age 37, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming was charged with three counts of assault by strangulation. Ferris appeared for an arraignment hearing on June 7, 2022, before Federal District Court Magistrate Judge Teresa McKee and pleaded not guilty to the charges. A trial has been set for August 8, 2022.
Ferris faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, up to a $750,000 fine, and a $300 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 22-CR-00071-ABJ
Fort Washakie Man Charged with Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that HAROLD MORGAN JR., age 27, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and resulting in serious bodily injury. Morgan appeared for an arraignment hearing on May 31, 2022, before Chief Federal District Court Magistrate Judge Kelly H. Rankin and pleaded not guilty to the charges. A trial has been set for July 13, 2022, and Morgan was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal Service.
Morgan faces up to 20 years of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $200 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy W. Gist is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 22-cr-00070-NDF
Fort Washakie Man Charged with Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that EMILIO LEE WESAW, age 31, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury at a change of plea hearing on May 27, 2022, before Chief Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl. Sentencing has been set for August 17, 2022.
Wesaw faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Elmore is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 22-cr-00042-SWS
Florida Man Charged with Transporting a Minor for SexRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that CHRISTOPHER S. EVANS, age 25 of Fort Pierce, Florida, was charged with transporting a minor in interstate commerce with the intent to engage in sexual activity. Evans appeared for an arraignment hearing on May 31, 2022, before United States Magistrate Judge Kelly H. Rankin and pleaded not guilty to the charges. A trial has been set for July 7, 2022, before Chief United States District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl.
If convicted, Evans faces ten years to life imprisonment; five years to life of supervised release; up to a $250,000 fine, and a $5,000 assessment according to the Justice of Victims of Trafficking Act. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, Roosevelt Utah Police Department, Cheyenne Police Department, and the Uinta County Wyoming Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie I. Sprecher is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 22-CR-00062-SWS
El Departamento de Justicia obtiene compensación en un pleito que alega que propietarios hispanos se convirtieron en el objeto de discriminaciónRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que el Tribunal Federal de Distrito para el Distrito Central de Florida ha firmado una orden por consentimiento que resuelve las reclamaciones al amparo de la ley de Vivienda Justa contra Advocate Law Groups of Florida, P.A. (ALGF); Jon B. Lindeman, Jr.; Ephigenia K. Lindeman; Summit Development Solutions USA LLC (SDS) y Haralampos “Bob” Kourouklis. El pleito del Departamento alegó que los demandados habían discriminado por motivos de origen nacional al señalar como blanco a propietarios hispanos para servicios abusivos de modificación de préstamos hipotecarios e interferir en la capacidad de tales individuos de conservar sus casas.
En su demanda, el Departamento alegó que los demandados habían señalado como blanco a propietarios hispanos mediante anuncios en español que les hacían la promesa falsa de reducir sus pagos hipotecarios a la mitad. Los demandados indicaron lo mismo en persona ante cientos de propietarios hispanos, prometiéndoles pagos más bajos a cambio de miles de dólares por concepto de comisiones iniciales y cuotas mensuales regulares de hasta $550, lo que los demandados mantenían que “no era reembolsable”. Muchos de los propietarios seleccionados tenían un dominio limitado del inglés. Más aún, la demanda del Departamento alegó que los demandados les indicaron a estos propietarios que no se comunicaran como sus prestamistas y que dejaran de efectuar sus pagos hipotecarios mensuales. Según consta en la demanda, los demandados no hicieron nada o hicieron poco para obtener las prometidas modificaciones de préstamo para los propietarios, muchos de los que incumplieron en los pagos hipotecarios y que, finalmente, perdieron sus hogares.
“Señalar como blanco a propietarios mediante anuncios engañosos y planes abusivos debido a su origen nacional y dominio limitado del inglés es reprobable e ilegal”, declaró Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles. “Los propietarios de color y otros grupos protegidos deben quedarse protegidos de focalización discriminatoria que puede llevar a pérdidas financieras graves, incluyendo la pérdida de la casa de uno. Nosotros seguiremos empleando nuestras leyes federales de derechos civiles para proteger los derechos de los propietarios”.
“Este acuerdo, alcanzado con la colaboración de la Sección de Vivienda de la División de Derechos Civiles, representa un gran logro para nuestra División Civil y su Unidad de Derechos Civiles”, afirmó el Fiscal Federal para el Distrito Central de Florida, Roger B. Handberg. “Estamos comprometidos a usar cada herramienta legal que tengamos a nuestra disposición, incluyendo la ley de Vivienda Justa, para garantizar que nuestros residentes puedan disfrutar de sus derechos a la vivienda sin ser sometidos a prácticas discriminatorias de esta naturaleza”.
El Departamento de Justicia entabló este pleito después de que Lucía Hurtado, Noemí Román, Argentina Roque y miembros de sus familias presentaron quejas de discriminación ante el Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (HUD, por sus siglas en inglés). Después de investigar las quejas, HUD emitió denuncias de discriminación y refirió el caso al Departamento de Justicia para litigio. Más adelante, Hurtado, Román y Roque intervinieron como demandantes en el pleito del Departamento.
“Es increíble que estos demandados emplearan prácticas empresariales que no solo eran ilícitas y discriminatorias sino que también resultaron en el incumplimiento por parte de propietarios trabajadores en sus hipotecas y tales personas perdieron sus casas a la ejecución hipotecaria”, comentó Demetria McCain, la Secretaria Adjunta Auxiliar Principal del HUD para la Vivienda Justa y la Igualdad de Oportunidades. “HUD elogia al Departamento de Justicia por su compromiso a hacer cumplir la ley de Vivienda Justa y por proteger los derechos de vivienda justa de todos los que viven en este país”.
La orden por consentimiento registra una sentencia contra los demandados que asciende a $4,595,000 para indemnizar a las personas perjudicadas por la conducta de los demandados. De ese monto, los demandados deberán pagar un total de $95,000 a los tres interventores, además de una sanción civil a los Estados Unidos. La mayoría de la sentencia monetaria se ha suspendido debido a pruebas del patrimonio neto limitado de los demandados, incluyendo extractos financieros firmados por los demandados bajo pena de perjurio. La orden por consentimiento requiere que los demandados entreguen extractos financieros actualizados cada año durante el plazo de cinco años de vigencia del acuerdo. Si el tribunal determina que los demandados han tergiversado u omitido algo en sus extractos financieros originales o en sus actualizaciones anuales, la sentencia completa se reinstalará y los demandados serán inmediatamente responsables por el monto completo.
Además de la indemnización, la orden por consentimiento prohíbe de modo permanente que los demandados presten servicios de ayuda hipotecaria, tales como servicios de modificación de hipoteca o protección contra la ejecución hipotecaria e impone requisitos de declaración y mantenimiento de registros para las demás actividades inmobiliarias de los demandados.
Este caso fue litigado por abogados de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento y de la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito Central de Florida.
La División de Derechos Civiles hace cumplir la ley de Vivienda Justa, la cual prohíbe la discriminación en la vivienda por motivos de raza, color de piel, religión, origen nacional, género, discapacidad o situación familiar. Para más información acerca de la División de Derechos Civiles y las leyes que hace cumplir, vaya a https://www.justice.gov/crt-espanol. Los individuos pueden reportar incidentes de acoso sexual u otras formas de discriminación llamando a la línea informativa del Departamento de Justicia para discriminación en la vivienda al 1-833-591-0291 o entregando un informe en línea. También se puede denunciar tal discriminación llamando a HUD, al 1-800-669-9777 o rellenando un formulario de demanda en línea.
Dodge County Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking, Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Dodge County man was sentenced to 147 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy and firearms violations, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between May 2020 and January 2021, Matthew James Lyman, 48, received from his Mexico-based supplier multiple shipments of methamphetamine. Lyman coordinated and facilitated a methamphetamine distribution operation in Southern Minnesota, including collecting and sending drug proceeds back to his supplier in Mexico. During the course of the investigation, on January 17, 2021, law enforcement observed two money couriers leaving Lyman’s home. They were found to be in possession of approximately $119,000 in cash, an ounce of methamphetamine, and a loaded handgun. Later that same day, Lyman was stopped for a traffic violation and arrested for driving while intoxicated. During a search of Lyman’s vehicle, law enforcement recovered two firearms, three bricks of methamphetamine, and 3,500 M30 pills that contained fentanyl. Following his arrest, law enforcement recorded one of Lyman’s jail calls in which he directed an individual to recover more of his methamphetamine from an apartment in Rochester. Law enforcement searched the apartment and recovered approximately nine additional pounds of methamphetamine.
Lyman was sentenced on June 8, 2022, in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Donovan W. Frank. On July 30, 2021, Lyman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm during, in relation to, and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This case was the result of investigations conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Rochester Police Department, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, and the Olmsted County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter Jr. prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 9 ½ Years in Prison for Shooting That Left a Man ParalyzedRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Robert Erkhart, 41, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 9 ½ years in prison for shooting a man in a parking lot last year in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The victim survived the attack but is now paralyzed from the chest down.
Erkhart pleaded guilty in December 2021, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to aggravated assault while armed and a related firearms offense, The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a prison sentence of 96 to 138 months. The Honorable Juliet J. McKenna accepted the plea and sentenced Erkhart accordingly. Following his prison term, Erkhart will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, the victim, then 41, was walking a dog on the night of Feb. 23, 2021, when he spotted Erkhart’s vehicle. The two men knew one another and had earlier been in a dispute. The victim approached Erkhart in a parking lot behind a building in the 2100 block of I Street NE, where Erkhart resided. An argument took place, and the victim asked Erkhart to get out of his car and fight him. Erkhart got out of the vehicle, and at approximately 10 p.m., he shot the victim twice with a .40-caliber pistol.
The victim was shot in the back and right ankle. As a result of the shooting, the victim is now paralyzed from the chest down and requires a wheelchair.
Erkhart was arrested on March 5, 2021. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Crystal Waddy, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
Derry Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Jason Ellis, 45, of Derry, pleaded guilty in federal court on Thursday to attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor and possession of child sexual abuse material, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in October 2020, an online covert employee (OCE) working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began corresponding with Ellis through a social media platform known for sharing child sexual abuse material. From approximately October 5, 2020 to September 8, 2021, Ellis engaged in graphic, sexually-oriented conversations pertaining to minors with the OCE and the OCE’s fictitious 13-year-old daughter (OCE2). Eventually, Ellis began engaging in sexually explicit chats directly with OCE2. Ellis described specific sexual acts he wanted OCE2 to engage in and sent images of his erect penis to OCE2.
In January 2022, the same OCE was operating a different online undercover persona when he received a message from a user in Rockingham County. After some communication, the OCE realized that these communications also appeared to be from Ellis. During this communication, Ellis sent the OCE an image of child sexual abuse material. Ellis’ cell phone was later seized during the execution of a search warrant at his residence. The contents of Ellis’ cell phone confirmed he was the user of the online accounts that the OCE had previously communicated with. Portions of the OCE chats were located on Ellis’ phone, as were several images that were sent by Ellis to the OCE during the chat conversations. Ellis also appeared to be corresponding through social media platforms with other users purporting to be as young as 14 years old. These chats were frequently sexual in nature and sometimes including Ellis soliciting and sharing nude images.
Ellis is scheduled to be sentenced on September 26, 2022.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Derry Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Colombian Attorney Convicted of Obstruction of Justice in East Texas Federal CourtRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Colombian lawyer has been convicted of federal obstruction violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Maritza Claudia Fernanda Lorza Ramirez, 48, was convicted of obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting following a week-long trial before U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan.
A peace agreement signed in 2016 between the Colombian government and members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) ended a conflict between the two, and guaranteed members of the FARC that they would not be extradited for crimes committed before December 1, 2016, in furtherance of the insurgency.
According to information presented in court, beginning in 2016, Ramirez, a Colombian attorney, informed at least seven defendants indicted in the Eastern District of Texas and multiple defendants indicted in the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, that she could help them avoid extradition to the United States and that she could corruptly assist them in adding their names to the list of FARC members to avoid extradition to the United States. As a result, on-going criminal investigations were affected as these defendants would not cooperate with investigators or prosecutors. In exchange, Ramirez was paid in excess of $3,000,000 USD by the large-scale Colombian drug traffickers.
Ramirez was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 10, 2018. She faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
“Ramirez offered services to Colombian drug traffickers, who were not members of the FARC, promising them they could be fraudulently placed on the FARC list and avoid extradition to and prosecution in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “Not only did Claudia’s actions pervert the rule of law and the peace process in Colombia, but they also hindered ongoing investigations, facilitating the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S. by protecting dangerous drug traffickers. We applaud the effort by agents of the DEA and our Colombian partners to bring Ramirez to justice.”
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Offices from the Dallas Field Division, Miami Field Division, and the Bogota Country Office with assistance from the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) Judicial Attachés in Bogotá. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided substantial assistance in securing Lorza Ramirez’s arrest and extradition from Colombia. This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Texas with special assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison, to be followed by supervised release for the rest of his life, for producing child pornography. Brian Wayne Shaffer, 51, must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Shaffer admitted that he used his cell phone to photograph the genitalia of a prepubescent female minor with whom he was living in August 2021. Shaffer further admitted that he used his cell phone to upload the nude photo of the prepubescent female minor and sent it to another individual who Shaffer had been communicating with on YouTube. Shaffer admitted he uploaded the photograph using his Gmail address on or about August 24, 2021. At the time Shaffer produced child pornography of the prepubescent female minor, he previously had been convicted of first-degree sexual assault of another prepubescent female minor in Kanawha County Circuit Court on March 2, 2001.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the West Virginia State Police, and the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-195.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine, distributing cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and possessing with intent to distribute over 400 grams of methamphetamine and over 80 grams of crack.
Michael Andrew King, Jr., 35, was found guilty by a federal jury following his August 2021 trial. He also faces five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, King distributed methamphetamine to an individual in Montgomery, West Virginia, on January 4, 2019. Three days later, King distributed crack to that same individual in Montgomery. On February 2, 2019, King was in Cleveland, Ohio, and placed over 400 grams of methamphetamine and over 80 grams of crack in a female’s vehicle without her knowledge. King arranged for the female to follow him back to Charleston that same day. Law enforcement conducted surveillance of King as he followed the female’s vehicle, and after a traffic stop of both vehicles, seized the methamphetamine and crack that King had previously placed in the female’s vehicle.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work involved in the case. The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) conducted the investigation with assistance from the Charleston Police Department, the South Charleston Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Parkersburg Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the jury trial and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Nowles Heinrich and Ryan Blackwell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-23.
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Career Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm Offenses and Illegal Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Willie Irving, 30, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute spice, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on May 23, 2019, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers executed a search warrant at Irving’s residence after seeing social media posts where he advertised drugs for sale. The search yielded narcotics, a firearm, and drug dealing paraphernalia. Irving is prohibited from legally possessing a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions. Irving committed the current offense three months after completing his sentence for aggravated battery in Marion County. In that case, Irving shot a minor girl in the head over a snowball fight.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Columbus Field Division, and Chief Randal Taylor, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. As part of the sentence, Judge Pratt ordered that Irving be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Abhishek S. Kambli who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force (ICGTF). ICGTF is a partnership of law enforcement officers and analysts from several central Indiana law enforcement agencies in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, Johnson, and Shelby counties. In cooperation with state, local, and federal partners, ICGTF collaborates to address violent crime through a comprehensive strategy including innovative approaches to locating suspects and evidence related to violent crimes and illegal possession of firearms.
Camden Man Admits Role as Supervisor in Camden Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden man admitted his role as a shift supervisor of a drug trafficking organization and conspiring to distribute over one kilogram of heroin, over 280 grams of crack, and unspecified amounts of cocaine and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Christopher Vasquez, 31, of Camden, pleaded guilty on June 9, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court to his role as a shift supervisor and manager in a drug trafficking conspiracy that was based on the 400-500 block of Pine Street in Camden.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court
Vazquez admitted that he operated as a “shift manager” in the drug-trafficking organization, supervising and directing the street-level sellers who were involved in distributing controlled substances to customers. From January 2018 to Nov. 28, 2018, he met with conspirators who were involved in the scheme and discussed the operations and management of the drug trafficking organization. He also provided drugs to street-level sellers.
Eighteen other members of the drug-trafficking conspiracy previously have pleaded guilty in this case.
The count to which Vasquez pleaded guilty carries a mandatory penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for scheduled for Oct. 13, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gabe Rodriguez; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer; the Camden County Sherriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Gilbert L. Wilson; the Cherry Hill Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Larry Robb; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty pleas. He also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Department of Homeland Security for their assistance.
This case is being conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), which 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 government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara A. Aliabadi and Patrick C. Askin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
California Woman Pleads Guilty to Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A California woman pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with travelling across the country to deliver fentanyl to an undercover officer.
Adelaida Yudit Garibay, 46, of Burbank, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for Sept. 7, 2022. Garibay was charged on Sept. 30, 2021.
In September 2021, Garibay drove from California to Boston to deliver two kilograms of fentanyl to an individual who was an undercover officer. On Sept. 29, 2021, officers observed Garibay picking up fentanyl in Jamaica Plain and then get into a ride-sharing vehicle prior to her scheduled meeting with the undercover officer. During a subsequent traffic stop, two kilograms of fentanyl were found inside the vehicle in a bag at Garibay’s feet.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime supervised release and a fine of $10 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.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement. Valuable assistance with the investigation was provided by the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Cheyenne Man Arrested for Illegal Fiearms PossessionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that ROLAN FRENCH, age 48, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing an unregistered firearm. French appeared for an arraignment hearing on June 6, 2022, before Federal District Court Magistrate Judge Kelly H. Rankin and pleaded not guilty to the charges. A trial has been set for August 8, 2022.
French faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, up to a $500,000 fine, and a $200 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cheyenne Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Forwood is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 22-CR-00054-ABJ
Burlington County Man under Felony Indictment Charged with Firearms Trafficking and Illegally Transporting FirearmsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Burlington County, New Jersey, man already under felony indictment was charged with conspiracy to engage in firearms trafficking and unlawful transportation of firearms in interstate commerce following law enforcement’s seizure of 11 firearms, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Dominic Maloney, 19, of Bordentown, New Jersey, was arrested on June 8, 2022, in Salem County, New Jersey, and charged in a three-count criminal complaint with conspiracy to engage in firearms trafficking; unlawful transportation of firearms in interstate commerce while under felony indictment; and unlawful transportation of firearms obtained in another state into Maloney’s state of residence. Maloney made his initial appearance today by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lois H. Goodman and was detained.
According to the criminal complaint and statements made in court:
On Feb. 22, 2022, Maloney was indicted in Mercer County, New Jersey, Superior Court on felony charges of unlawful possession of a handgun; possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose; aggravated assault; and making terroristic threats. As a result of the pending felony indictment, federal law prohibits Maloney from transporting firearms in interstate commerce. Maloney maintained and used an identified Instagram account. Law enforcement review of that account and an associate’s Instagram account indicated that, as of June 1, 2022, Maloney was in the state of Georgia to obtain firearms and intended to transport those firearms to New Jersey to distribute them to others for profit. On June 8, 2022, law enforcement officers identified a silver 2007 Nissan Armada driving northbound on Interstate 95 in Maryland. Maloney was a passenger, along with three other occupants. Officers stopped the vehicle on Interstate 295 in New Jersey. A search of the vehicle recovered 11 firearms from the trunk, including eight semiautomatic pistols, one semiautomatic rifle, and two shotguns.
The conspiracy count and the two unlawful transportation counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross amount of gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Trenton Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s charges. He also thanked special agents of ATF, Philadelphia Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew P. Varisco; special agents of ATF, Wilmington Field Office, Baltimore Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby; special agents of the ATF, Washington Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson; special agents of the ATF, Savannah Field Office, Atlanta Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ben Gibbons; troopers of the New Jersey State Police Trafficking Central, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, and troopers of the Pennsylvania State Police, under the direction of Col. Robert Evanchick, for their assistance with the investigation.
In July 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched five cross-jurisdictional strike forces to help reduce gun violence by disrupting illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country. Leveraging existing resources, the regional strike forces will better ensure sustained and focused coordination across jurisdictions and help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms from source cities, through other communities, and into five key market regions: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area/Sacramento Region and Washington, D.C. According to gun trace data, a significant number of firearms recovered in the New York/northern New Jersey area originate from outside the area. The strike force will help ensure sustained and focused coordination between law enforcement and prosecutors in the New York/ New Jersey area with their counterparts in those other locations.
The government is represented by J. Brendan Day, Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton Office.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Bronx Drug Dealer Admits to Murder and Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ELIJAH BILAL, a/k/a “Karate Kid,” pled guilty today to conspiring to commit a firearms crime in connection with the April 15, 2012 murder of Terrance Martin, 25, in the Bronx, New York. As part of his plea, BILAL admitted that he murdered Martin. BILAL pled in the middle of his jury trial before U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken. BILAL also pled guilty to conspiring to tamper with witnesses who were expected to testify against him at trial.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Through his guilty plea, Elijah Bilal admitted that he shot and killed Terrance Martin. Thanks to the efforts of our law enforcement partners, Bilal will be held accountable for his crimes.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment, other filings in this case, and statements during court proceedings:
On or about April 15, 2012, in a public courtyard in the Andrew Jackson Houses in the Bronx, New York, BILAL shot and killed Martin over a drug debt in connection with a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. BILAL killed Martin by firing a single bullet into the back of his head from approximately two feet away. Prior to trial, BILAL conspired from prison to disseminate the names of the witnesses who were expected to testify against him. His co-conspirator released the witnesses’ names on Instagram.
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BILAL, 30, of the Bronx, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of conspiracy to commit witness tampering, and one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily A. Johnson, Peter J. Davis, Thomas J. Wright, Adam S. Hobson, and Christopher Clore are in charge of the prosecution.
Bridgeport Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Federal Racketeering ChargeRead the Press Release
JAMAR TRAYLOR, also known as “J-Hop,” 22, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a racketeering charge stemming from his participation in a violent Bridgeport street gang.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Acting Police Chief Rebeca Garcia; David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. Traylor was a member of the Original North End (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport that committed acts of violence against rival gang, including the East End gang, the East Side gang, and the PT Barnum gang. O.N.E. members also robbed drug dealers, sold narcotics, laundered narcotics proceeds, and stole cars from inside and outside Connecticut and used the cars to commit crimes.
On August 8, 2018, Traylor and other O.N.E. members stole a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Newburgh, New York, and drove it back to Bridgeport. In the following days, Traylor and others conspired to use the car to kill East End gang members and their allies who they had learned through social media were at a deli on Stratford Avenue in Bridgeport. Although that plan fell through, in the early morning hours of August 13, 2018, O.N.E. members drove the stolen Jeep to Union Avenue in Bridgeport where they shot and killed Len Smith, 25, who they mistook for a rival East End group member, and shot and seriously wounded Smith’s female companion, both of whom were seated in a parked car. After the shooting, O.N.E. members transported the Jeep to Indian Wells State Park in Shelton where they burned the vehicle in an effort to destroy evidence of the murder.
On October 22, 2018, Traylor and others committed a violent robbery of a marijuana dealer.
On June 1, 2021, Traylor, who at the time was on probation after a state felony weapons conviction, possessed five Glock handguns and ammunition.
Traylor pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in a pattern of racketeering activity, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He has been detained since June 1, 2021.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Waterbury Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck, Rahul Kale, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis and Tara E. Levens.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Austin Serial Robber Sentenced to 219 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
AUSTIN – An Austin man was sentenced today to over 18 years in prison for robbing Austin-area convenience stores while brandishing a firearm.
According to court documents, in May of 2021, David Olmos, 35, robbed two Austin convenience stores at gunpoint. At that time, Olmos had been released on a pending state-court case on a personal recognizance bond. On both occasions, Olmos approached the store clerk and asked for a cigarillo or cigarettes. When the clerks turned away, Olmos displayed a handgun and demanded money from the cash registers. On May 25, 2021, Olmos was arrested after having committed multiple other violent crimes, including other commercial robberies and a carjacking.
On January 6, 2022, Olmos pleaded guilty to one count of interfering with commerce by threats or violence and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
“The sentence imposed today sends a strong and clear message,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “Federal prosecutions for violent crime lead to hard time. Along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to use every tool in the federal toolbox to prosecute offenders and reduce violent crime in our communities.”
“Removing this type of danger from the streets has an immediate impact on the safety of our community,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Fred J. Milanowski. “This case is a perfect example of ATF’s commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who commit dangerous crimes in our communities are held accountable for their actions.”
The ATF and the Austin Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel Cohen prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Arkansas Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of A MinorRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – A Tontitown man was sentenced today to 600 months in prison without the possibility of parole on two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor via Production of Child Pornography. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court documents, in July 2021 Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigations received a lead regarding the exchange of child sexual abuse material between an individual in Florida with a user located in Tontitown, Arkansas. The investigation led the FBI to Joshua Paul Brown, 32.
A residential search warrant was obtained and executed at Brown’s residence. Subsequent forensic examination of the electronics taken from Brown’s residence revealed Brown had produced multiple videos of child sexual abuse material with a minor.
Brown was indicted by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Arkansas in November 2021 and entered a plea of guilty in February 2022.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The FBI, Benton County Sheriff’s Office and Tontitown Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Marshall prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Albuquerque man sentenced to 20 years in prison for aggravated sexual abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Eddie Gomez, 30, of Albuquerque, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for two counts of aggravated sexual abuse in Indian Country. Gomez pleaded guilty on Feb. 28, 2022.
According to the plea agreement, between May 28, 20212, and May 27, 2014, Gomez sexually abused Jane Doe 1 in her home on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation. Gomez also admitted to sexually abusing Jane Doe 2 on Nov. 25, 2016, in her parents’ home on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation. Both victims are enrolled members of the Jicarilla Apache Nation and were less than 16 years old at the time of the abuse.
Upon his release from prison, Gomez will be subject to 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Spindle is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
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Arapahoe Man Pleads Guilty to Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that ELVIN WAYNE MCCLAIN, 30, of Arapahoe, Wyoming, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm at a change of plea hearing on June 1, 2022, before Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freuedenthal. Sentencing has been set for August 22, 2022.
McClain faces up to ten years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Elmore is prosecuting the case.
Case No. 22-CR-00013-NDF
Activity in the United States Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Chief United Stated District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced PEDRO NAVARRETTE-GOMEZ, 24, of Sacramento, California (originally from Tapachula, Chipas, Mexico) on May 27, 2022, for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Navarrette-Gomez was arrested in Rawlins, Wyoming on January 31, 2022. He received 24 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. The crime was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Rawlins Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Forwood prosecuted the case.
United States District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal sentenced KEVIN NATHANIEL HANSEN, 40, of Lovell, Wyoming on May 31, 2022, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He received 70 months’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $500 fine and a $200 special assessment. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Big Horn County Sheriff's Office investigated the crime, and Assistant United States Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case.
Chief United Stated District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced ROBERTO RIVERA, 52, of Cheyenne, Wyoming on May 27, 2022, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Rivera was arrested in Cheyenne, Wyoming on November 8, 2021. He was sentenced to 138 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $500 in community restitution and a $200 special assessment. The crime was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Cheyenne Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom prosecuted the case.
United Stated District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson sentenced ALEXA S. KINNEY, 31, of Gillette, Wyoming on May 20, 2022, for wire fraud, using an unauthorized access device, and making false claims. She was sentenced to a total of 33 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $172,400 in restitution and a $300 special assessment. The crime was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant United States Attorney Margaret M. Vierbuchen prosecuted the case.
Thursday 9 June 2022
“Lavish” Bissonnet sex trafficker facing life in prisonRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 46-year-old Houston man has been taken into custody on charges of sex trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Larry Odell Lewis expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew M. Edison at 2pm today.
A federal grand jury returned the eight-count indictment June 2 which was unsealed upon his arrest late June 8.
Self-proclaimed as “Lavish,” Lewis allegedly used force, fraud and coercion to cause four adult women to engage in commercial sex. The indictment alleges some of the acts occurred on the Bissonnet Track, an area of Houston known to be plagued by prostitution and prostitution-related crimes.
He also coerced the women to do similar acts across state lines, according to the charges.
If convicted, Lewis faces up to life imprisonment and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The Department of Public Safety and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation with assistance from the FBI as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA).
Established in 2004, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Houston formed the HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as a national model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sebastian A. Edwards and Christine Lu are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Woman Sentenced for Leading a Paycheck Protection Program Loan SchemeRead the Press Release
A Tulsa woman who led two others in a scheme to apply for almost $800,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the CARES Act was sentenced Tuesday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Aleta Necole Thomas, 43, to 30 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. In total, Thomas and her two codefendants will pay restitution in the amount of $774,753.50. The government previously seized $209, 991.11 from bank accounts held by Thomas pursuant to federal seizure warrants, which will go toward restitution.
“Individuals who steal funds from federal programs meant to help sustain Americans in times of need will face justice,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Aleta Thomas’ 30-month prison sentence should serve as a warning to other like-minded criminals that white collar crime doesn’t pay.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message that those who defraud the federal government of pandemic relief funds for their own personal gain will be brought to justice,” said Cory Nootnagel, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Western Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. “I want to thank all our federal law enforcement partners for their hard work that led to this result.”
Thomas previously pleaded guilty to two counts of making false statements to a financial institution.
In her plea agreement, Thomas stated that on May 27, 2020, she submitted false statements and reports to Cross River Bank when she applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan. Thomas submitted a borrower application form falsely stating “Coming Correct Community Ministry” had an average monthly payroll of $35,000 and was in operation since Feb. 15, 2020. Thomas further claimed that she had 26 employees for whom she paid payroll taxes or independent contractors as reports in IRS Form 1099-MISC. Thomas also falsely certified that all information in the application and supporting documents was correct and submitted documentation that included forged bank statements and false 2019 IRS Schedule C (Form 1040).
Thomas further stated that on June 16, 2020, she submitted false statements and reports to First Electronic Bank when she applied for another Paycheck Protection Program loan where she made similar claims.
Thomas will self-surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility on July 20, 2022.
The other two defendants charged and convicted for taking part in the scheme were Katrina West, 39, and Pepper Jones, 42.
See the press release regarding the three defendant’s plea agreements here.
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin Harrington and Cymetra Williams are prosecuting the case.
To learn more about the Justice Department’s COVID response and to report COVID-19 fraud, visit: https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. For further information on the Criminal Division’s enforcement efforts on PPP fraud, including court documents from significant cases, visit the following website: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.
Woman Accused of Federal Gun Crime in Connection with Fatal Shootout with Nicholas County Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson announced today that a Nicholas County woman has been charged with a federal gun crime related to the June 3, 2022, shooting that left one Nicholas County sheriff’s deputy dead and another wounded.
Melanie Clodfelter, 41, of Summersville, is charged with providing a firearm to a felon. The criminal complaint alleges that on November 17, 2021, Clodfelter purchased a Radical Firearms, model RF-15, multi-caliber rifle for Richie Holcomb.
Holcomb was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a July 30, 2014, felony conviction for unlawful wounding in Webster County Circuit Court. The criminal complaint alleges that Clodfelter was aware of Holcomb’s previous conviction and that he was unable to buy the firearm himself.
Nicholas County Sheriff’s Deputy Thomas Edward Baker III was killed and Corporal Joshua Ellison was wounded in an exchange of gunfire after responding to a domestic disturbance in the Birch River area on June 3, 2022. Holcomb, 36, was fatally shot in the incident.
“Our law enforcement officers face uncertainty each and every day as they perform their duties and protect our communities. The crime alleged in this complaint underscores that grim reality,” Thompson said. “I commend the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for its swift and thorough investigative action in this case.”
“The ATF Charleston Field Office assisted the Nicholas County Sheriff's Office and the West Virginia State Police in response to the shooting of two deputies," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Division, which covers West Virginia. "Special agents, with the support of the ATF National Tracing Center, conducted an investigation resulting in federal firearms charges against Melanie Clodfelter. Federal law prohibits felons from receiving or possessing firearms, and this tragic incident shows why. ATF and the U.S. Attorney's Office, along with our law enforcement partners, will work together to hold accountable those who enable violent crime in our communities.”
Clodfelter was arrested on June 4, 2022. She made an initial appearance on June 7, 2022, before United States Magistrate Judge Dwayne L. Tinsley, who scheduled her preliminary hearing for June 14, 2022. Clodfelter faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner is handling the prosecution.
Note: The charge contained in the complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-mj-69.
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Westwood Man Arrested on Indictment Alleging Scheme Offering Surety Bonds that Defrauded Clients Out of $5.2 MillionRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Westwood man was arrested today on a 27-count federal grand jury indictment alleging he defrauded victims out of more than $5 million by purporting to sell bonds for large-scale construction and other projects.
Tommy Lester Watts, 62, a.k.a. “Michael Nesbeth,” “Michael Kent,” and “Alex Mason,” was arrested at his residence this morning and is expected to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
Watts is charged in an indictment filed Tuesday with 13 counts of wire fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, eight counts of money laundering, two counts of tax evasion and two counts of willful failure to file tax returns.
According to the indictment, from September 2016 to September 2019, Watts falsely claimed to be experienced in and able to provide surety bonds and other financial guarantees for large-scale projects. Watts allegedly told victims that he would assist them in obtaining financing for their projects via his various companies, including the Sherman Oaks-based Source One Surety LLC. Watts allegedly misrepresented that any such bonds or guarantees were underwritten by well-known companies and banks, and that they were backed by assets in the millions or billions of dollars.
But Watts and his companies were not licensed to sell such bonds in California. And his claims about his experience, his clients – including governments – his underwriting, and his supporting assets were not true, the indictment alleges. To make his scheme appear legitimate, Watts allegedly hijacked the corporate filings of other companies and created fake employees and accounts for underwriters and banks.
Watts caused victims to send his companies approximately $5,205,144, the majority of which he spent on personal items such as classic and luxury cars, rent for high-end apartments, and the purchase of luxury retail goods, the indictment states.
He also allegedly laundered victim payments through accounts held in the names of corporations that were not registered and used fake taxpayer identification numbers – and then used those accounts to spend victim funds as his own. He hid this income from the IRS in tax years 2017 and 2018, in which years he failed to file any tax returns, according to the indictment.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, Watts would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count, 10 years in federal prison for each money laundering count, five years in federal prison for each tax evasion count, one year in federal prison for each willful failure to file tax returns count, and a mandatory two-year consecutive prison sentence for each count of aggravated identity theft.
The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the California Department of Insurance investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Kristen A. Williams of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.
Westlake Chemical Corporation Subsidiaries Agree to Reduce Harmful Air Pollution at Three U.S. Chemical FacilitiesRead the Press Release
Five subsidiaries of Westlake Chemical Corporation — Westlake Chemical OpCo LP, Westlake Petrochemicals LLC, Westlake Polymers LLC, Westlake Styrene LLC, and Westlake Vinyls Inc. — have agreed to make upgrades and perform compliance measures estimated to cost $110 million to resolve allegations that they violated the Clean Air Act and state air pollution control laws at two of their petrochemical manufacturing facilities located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and one facility in Calvert City, Kentucky. The Westlake companies will also pay a $1 million civil penalty. The settlement will eliminate thousands of tons of air pollution from flares.
According to the complaint, also filed today by the United States, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and the State of Louisiana, the companies failed to properly operate and monitor their industrial flares, which resulted in excess emissions of harmful air pollution at the three facilities. The company regularly “oversteamed” the flares and failed to comply with other key operating constraints to ensure the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) contained in the gases routed to the flares are efficiently combusted.
“This settlement demonstrates that the Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency are committed to addressing excessive and harmful air pollution from improperly operated petrochemical flares,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The settlement’s significant reductions of hazardous and other air pollutants and greenhouse gases will serve to reduce exposure in the vulnerable nearby communities with environmental justice concerns.”
“This settlement will require the Westlake companies to install pollution control and emissions monitoring equipment at the three facilities, reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and other harmful gases by thousands of tons per year,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield for the EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Those controls, plus a requirement for fence line monitoring of benzene emissions and corrective actions when benzene readings are high, will result in significant benefits for the local communities in Kentucky and Louisiana.”
The settlement requires the three facilities to install and operate air pollution control and monitoring technology to reduce flaring and the resulting harmful air pollution from eight flares at the three facilities. Once fully implemented, the pollution controls are estimated to reduce emissions of ozone-forming VOCs by 2,258 tons per year and of toxic air pollutants, including benzene, by 65 tons per year. The settlement is also expected to reduce emissions of climate-change-causing greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, methane and ethane, by over 50,733 tons per year.
This settlement also contains innovative injunctive relief measures that continue this administration’s efforts to use enforcement to reduce the impacts of harmful pollutants on overburdened communities and to fight climate change by reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. The significant emissions reductions of VOCs and HAPs secured at the facilities serve to reduce exposure in the community to some of the same air pollutants to which they are disproportionately exposed. The improved combustion efficiency requirements, flare gas recovery system, requirements to reduce flaring, and limits on flaring included in the settlement will reduce the carbon footprint of all three facilities.
The Westlake companies will perform air quality monitoring that is designed to detect the presence of benzene at the fence lines of the three facilities. Monitoring results must be posted to a publicly available website, providing the neighboring communities with more information about their air quality. The monitoring requirements also include triggers for root cause analysis and corrective actions if fence line emissions exceed certain thresholds. Flare compliance is an ongoing priority for the EPA under its Creating Clean Air for Communities National Compliance Initiative.
The pollutants addressed by the settlement can cause significant harm to public health. VOCs are a key component in the formation of smog or ground-level ozone, a pollutant that irritates the lungs, exacerbates diseases such as asthma, and can increase susceptibility to respiratory illnesses, such as pneumonia and bronchitis. Chronic exposure to benzene, which EPA classifies as a carcinogen, can cause numerous health impacts, including leukemia and adverse reproductive effects in women. Flares are also often large sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
Flares are devices used to combust waste gases that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere during certain industrial operations. Well-operated flares should have high “combustion efficiency,” meaning they combust nearly all harmful waste gas constituents, like VOCs and HAPs, and turn them into water and carbon dioxide. The agreement — the eighth of its kind since 2013 — is designed to improve the Westlake companies’ flaring practices. First, it requires the company to minimize the amount of waste gas that is sent to the flares, which reduces the amount of flaring. Second, the company must improve the combustion efficiency of its flares when flaring is necessary. The Westlake companies will take several steps to minimize the waste gas sent to its flares at each facility. All three facilities will operate a flare gas recovery system that recovers and “recycles” the gases instead of sending them to be combusted in a flare. The flare gas recovery system will allow Westlake to reuse these gases as a fuel at its facilities or a product for sale. For flaring that must occur, the agreement requires that the Westlake companies install and operate instruments and monitoring systems to ensure that the gases sent to its flares are efficiently combusted.
The consent decree, lodged in the Western District Court of Louisiana, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. The consent decree will be available for viewing at https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
Wagner Man Charged with Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Wagner, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor and one count of Abusive Sexual Contact.
Zander Zephier, age 21, was indicted on May 3, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann on June 8, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 15 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and up to $300 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on or about January 1, 2021, Zephier knowingly engaged, and attempted to engage, in a sexual act and sexual contact with a minor female who had not attained the age of 16 years and was at least four years younger than Zephier.
The charges are merely accusations and Zephier is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Yankton Sioux Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman is prosecuting the case.
Zephier was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial which has been set for August 16, 2022.
Two Men Sentenced to Prison in Connection with Damage to Energy FacilityRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Ricky Sprouse, 53, of Raleigh County, and Stuart Dotson, 55, of Fayette County, were sentenced today to nine months in prison and one year in prison, respectively, for their roles in the destruction of an energy facility, a known mine located across Boone and Lincoln counties.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Sprouse, of Naoma, and Dotson, of Mount Hope, each admitted to working with others to steal multiple pieces of specialized mining equipment from the known mine in 2019. These thefts forced the mine to shut down for a period of two weeks as the mine was unable to function without the stolen pieces of equipment. The thefts also resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to the mine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Each man pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the destruction of an energy facility. Both face three years of supervised release after their prison terms.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed Sprouse’s sentence. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed Dotson’s sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson prosecuted the cases.
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 Nos. 2:21-cr-143, 2:22-cr-45, and 2:21-cr-182.
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Two Fresno Men Indicted for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned two indictments today charging two Fresno residents with violations of federal firearm laws, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Mike Marty Hernandez, 26, was charged with one count of being a felon in possession a firearm. According to court documents, on May 23, 2022, Hernandez was arrested after law enforcement officers observed him in possession of a loaded 9 mm handgun equipped with a large capacity magazine. In 2019, Hernandez was convicted of threatening a public official and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Julio Cesar Lopez, 33, was charged with one count of being a felon in possession a firearm. According to court documents, on May 17, 2022, Lopez was found to be in possession of a .45‑caliber semi-automatic firearm. The gun was loaded and equipped with a 13‑round magazine. A subsequent search of Lopez’s residence recovered a sawed-off shotgun and approximately 50 rounds of ammunition. Lopez has been convicted in Fresno County of burglary, evading a peace office and firearms offenses.
These cases are the product of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno Police Department Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation assisted in the investigation of Lopez. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
These cases are being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Two Burlington County Women Charged in $175 Million Check-Cashing SchemeRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – Two Burlington County women with businesses in Riverside, New Jersey and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were arrested today and charged with operating an illegal unlicensed check cashing operation that cashed over $175 million in checks and failed to file Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs) on their customers, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Luciana Machado, 42, of Riverside, and Juliana Gomes-Souza, 45, of Cinnaminson, Jersey, are charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to fail to file CTRs and operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. Machado and Gomes-Souza are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio later today.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in Court:
Since at least 2018, Machado and Gomes-Souza have operated two businesses – Via Brazil I in Riverside and Via Brazil II in Philadelphia – as a criminal enterprise that has allowed their customers to cash over $175 million in checks without generating CTRs or financial records identifying their customers. This facilitates the customers’ ability to pay off-the-books employees and laborers in cash and avoid payroll and income taxes.
The charge carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a fine $250,000, or twice the gross financial gain derived or twice the loss caused by the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins; postal inspectors of the U.S. States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Postal Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, Philadelphia Division; special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge William Walker; special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca; agents of the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation, under the direction of Executive Director Chadd W. Lackey; officers with the Cinnaminson Police Department, under the direction of Chief Richard Calabrese; and officers with the Riverside Police Department under the direction of Chief H. David Jaensch. He also thanked the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw, for its assistance in the case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Malagold of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Baltimore, Maryland Men Facing Federal Indictment for the Attempted Murder of a Drug Enforcement Administration Special AgentRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Yesterday a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Juan Hester, a/k/a “Q,” age 40, and Davon Rogers, a/k/a “Stew,” age 39, both of Baltimore, with the attempted murder of a federal Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) agent; with using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. The indictment also charges Hester with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Baltimore District Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to the four-count indictment, on December 29, 2021, the defendants attempted to kill a Special Agent of the DEA, while the Special Agent was engaged in the performance of his official duties. Further, the indictment alleges that from 2020 until December 29, 2021, Hester and Rogers conspired to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and crack cocaine. The indictment alleges that on December 29, 2021, Hester possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams of more of fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin. Finally, the indictment alleges that on December 29, 2021, the defendants used, carried, and brandished a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, specifically, the attempted murder of a DEA agent.
If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the attempted murder of a federal agent and a consecutive 10 years in federal prison for using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Rogers faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Hester faces a maximum of life in federal prison for the conspiracy and for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. 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. The defendants are scheduled to have their initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Baltimore on June 10, 2022, starting at 1:30 p.m.
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.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, ATF, the Washington-Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (HIDTA), the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joan C. Mathias and Darryl L. Tarver, 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 https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Troy Man Sentenced for Firearm FeloniesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Shamel Mark Anthony Chung, age 35, of Troy, New York, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison on firearm convictions, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
As part of his guilty plea, Chung admitted to possessing a firearm that he knew had an obliterated serial number and to hiding the firearm under a vehicle in an alleyway in Troy, New York, after being involved in a physical altercation nearby. Chung had been convicted of four felonies previously, all of which involved controlled substance offenses, and was on parole at the time he possessed the firearm.
Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release, which will start after Chung is released from prison.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the Troy Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Williams and Dustin Segovia.
Toronto Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Operating Dozens of Illegal Asian Brothels in Three CountriesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Canadian man was sentenced to federal prison today for his leadership role in an international sex trafficking organization operating dozens of illegal Asian brothels in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Zongtao Chen aka Mark Chen, 49, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, Chen led a criminal enterprise that recruited women, primarily from China, to travel to the United States and elsewhere to engage in prostitution and other sex trafficking activities. The organization employed dispatchers who would receive incoming requests for “dates” from potential customers. The dispatchers would coordinate and schedule dates with women working in the various brothels.
On November 15, 2018, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Chen and four co-conspirators with conspiring to use and using interstate facilities to promote, manage, establish, carry on, or facilitate a racketeering enterprise. On March 4, 2022, after being extradited to the U.S., Chen pleaded guilty.
U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by FBI Portland’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents in Omaha, Nebraska. The Toronto Police Service provided assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Canada to secure the arrest and extradition of Chen to the United States. Participating CETF member organizations include the Portland Police Bureau, Beaverton Police Department, Tigard Police Department and Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Julia Jarrett, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
The FBI CETF conducts sexual exploitation investigations, many of them undercover, in coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. CETF is committed to locating and arresting those who prey on children as well as recovering and assisting victims of sex trafficking and child exploitation.
Third Hells Angels Motorcycle Club Member Indicted for Illegally Possessing Two Firearms in Solano CountyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Michael Mahoney, 29, of Fairfield, charging him with possessing a firearm with an obliterated or altered serial number and possessing an unregistered short-barreled shotgun, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Mahoney is the third individual to be indicted in the Eastern District of California based on an investigation into a brutal beating at the clubhouse for the Vallejo chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. The other two defendants—Jaime Alvarez and Dennis Killough Jr.—were indicted by a grand jury on May 27, 2022.
According to court documents, in October 2021, two different victims—both of whom were members of a different motorcycle club that is considered a “puppet” (or subordinate) club of the Hells Angels—were beaten by Mahoney, Alvarez, Killough, and other club members based on perceived infractions of the Hells Angels’ rules.
According to court documents, on Dec. 8, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Mahoney’s Fairfield home and found several firearms, including a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver with a serial number that had been scratched off, as well as a Sears & Roebuck 12‑gauge shotgun with a barrel that had been sawed off to approximately 12.75 inches in length. Mahoney had not registered his ownership of this short-barreled shotgun with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by federal law.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Vacaville Police Department, the Vallejo Police Department, the Fairfield Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron D. Pennekamp and Jason Hitt are prosecuting the case.
If convicted of possessing a firearm with an obliterated or altered serial number, Mahoney faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. And if convicted of possessing an unregistered short-barreled shotgun, Mahoney faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Spring Valley Man Charged in White Plains Federal Court with $1.6 Million Covid-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment in White Plains federal court charging ELIZIER SCHER with wire fraud in connection with his scheme to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration of more than $1.6 million in COVID-19 relief funds. SCHER was arrested this morning and was presented in White Plains federal court earlier today.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendant schemed to steal taxpayer funds intended for small businesses in need of assistance during the pandemic. My Office will continue to investigate and prosecute those who illegally seek to profit from a national emergency.”
FBI Assistant Director -in-Charge Michael J. Driscoll said: “Administration of more than $1.6 million in COVID-19 relief funds. Elizier Scher allegedly made materially-false statements in at least a dozen applications for money intended to assist honest businesses navigate the financial hardships they faced as a consequence of the pandemic. As today’s action demonstrates, the FBI remains committed to bringing to justice those who would aim to serve their own greed at the expense of the government and American taxpayers.”
According to the Indictment unsealed today in White Plains federal court[1]:
The SBA is a federal agency that administers assistance to American small businesses, including the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program, which was intended to provide funding to help small business recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The maximum amount of an EIDL loan is determined by a formula based on the date the borrower began operating and the borrower’s gross revenue and cost of goods sold for the twelve months prior to January 31, 2020. The loans can be used for only working capital and other normal operating expenses. While the loans generally need to be repaid, some borrowers are eligible for up to $15,000 in advances that do not need to be repaid.
Over an approximately four-hour period on or about July 13, 2020, SCHER submitted twelve applications for EIDL loans in a principal amount of $150,000 to the SBA over the Internet on behalf of twelve different corporations that he owned and controlled. SCHER further requested on each application that the borrower be considered for an advance of up to $10,000 that did not need to be repaid. SCHER made materially false statements in each application with respect to each applicant’s gross revenue and cost of goods sold for the twelve-month period prior to January 31, 2020.
Between on or about July 20, 2020 and on or about August 11, 2020, eleven of the twelve applicants received a net total of $1,648,900 in loan proceeds from the SBA. SCHER used the proceeds to buy real estate and to pay credit card expenses instead of using it for working capital for the borrowers, as SCHER had agreed to do in the loan agreements he executed on behalf of the borrowers.
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SCHER, 33, of Spring Valley, New York is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the FBI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney James McMahon is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
South Carolina Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Federal Sex Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rodregiz Antwon Cole, 37, of Manning, South Carolina, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for sex trafficking a minor in Washington, D.C. in April 2019 while on sex offender registration status.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Cole pleaded guilty on May 20, 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of sex trafficking of a minor and one count of commission of a crime against a minor victim while on sex offender registration status. He was sentenced by the Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. Following completion of his prison term, Cole will be placed on a lifetime of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, the minor victim first encountered Cole in April 2019 through an online sexual solicitation advertisement on “skipthegames.com” when she was 17 years old and pregnant. When she told Cole that she was only 17 years old, he initially said he did not want her to engage in commercial sex acts for his financial benefit due to her age, but then changed his mind. Cole drove the minor victim, along with two other adult females who were working in his commercial sex enterprise, to the “Track” in Washington, D.C. There, he had the minor victim engage in at least six commercial sex “dates” and took all of the proceeds from her.
Cole was arrested on April 5, 2019 following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. When Cole was arrested, he was in possession of the cash earned by the minor victim and the other women working for him along with two cellular phones with communications about his commercial sex enterprise. He has remained in custody since his arrest. At the time of these offenses, Cole was required to register as a sex offender because of a prior conviction in 2018 in South Carolina.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI and MPD. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Justice Department, including Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant.
Finally, they commended the work of Trial Attorney Elizabeth Hutson of the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
Scammers Pretending to be from U.S. Attorney’s Office Asking for MoneyRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office is alerting the public of imposter scams involving individuals claiming to represent the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
During these calls, scammers may attempt to collect money in lieu of arrest for a variety of false charges. They may tell victims they can avoid arrest by purchasing a prepaid debt card or gift card and read the card number over the phone to satisfy the debt or by sending cash.
Scammers use many tactics to sound and appear credible. They sometimes provide information like actual names of federal prosecutors and federal office addresses. They also spoof their phone numbers to appear on caller IDs as if they are calling from a government agency such as the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Remember that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will never ask you to purchase a gift card or give out a credit card number to avoid arrest.
Please call the San Antonio FBI office at 210-225-6741 to report scam calls pretending to be from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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Rosebud Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rosebud, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Stanford Points At Him, age 55, was indicted on March 8, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on June 8, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, a mandatory minimum 5 years of supervised release, up to life, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between November 1, 2021 and February 8, 2022, Points At Him, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of a conviction under federal law, knowingly failed to register and update his registration.
The charge is merely an accusation and Points At Him is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler is prosecuting the case.
Points At Him was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Recidivist Defendant Sentenced for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Hyde Park man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for accessing child pornography while on federal supervised release for a similar offense.
David Ladeau, 66, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Ladeau was also sentenced to two years in prison for each of his two supervised release violations, which will run concurrently with the 10-year sentence. On Feb. 18, 2022, Ladeau pleaded guilty to access with intent to view child pornography.
Ladeau was previously convicted of federal charges in Massachusetts in 2010 for possession of child pornography. Later, in 2015, Ladeau was convicted of conspiracy to possess child pornography in the Middle District of Tennessee. While on federal supervised release for those convictions, law enforcement identified images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct on Ladeau’s court-monitored computer. A subsequent investigation determined that in January and February 2021, Ladeau had been using the computer to access child pornography saved on a thumb drive.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Dell’Anno of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Rapid City Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Dwight Black Spotted Horse, age 37, was indicted on May 10, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on June 8, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, a mandatory minimum term of 5 years of supervised release up to life, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between August 20, 2021 and April 13, 2022, Black Spotted Horse, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of a conviction under federal law, knowingly failed to register and update his registration.
The charge is merely an accusation and Black Spotted Horse is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler is prosecuting the case.
Black Spotted Horse was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Project Safe Neighborhoods Cases Result in the Conviction of Three Shreveport Men and the Removal of Five Firearms Possessed IllegallyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Three men from Shreveport, Louisiana have been sentenced for illegally possessing firearms, United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced. Chief United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. has sentenced two of the men, LilTerrence Pierce, 27, and Keyon Coleman, 19. Pierce was sentenced to 87 months (12 years, 3 months) in prison, and Coleman was sentenced to 30 months (2 years, 6 months) in prison. Both men will serve 3 years of supervised release following their release from prison.
On or about July 20, 2021, a Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle for traffic violations, including speeding and expired inspection registration. Pierce was the driver of the vehicle and Coleman was seated in the back passenger side. During the encounter, the deputy conducted a lawful search of the vehicle and recovered three firearms, including a FNH .45 caliber pistol loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition, a Palmetto State Armory 5.56 caliber pistol loaded with 41 rounds of ammunition, as well as a Glock 9mm pistol with an extended magazine loaded with 32 rounds of ammunition. One of the firearms had been reported stolen. Pierce admitted to possessing the firearms, knowing that he was prohibited from doing so due to being a convicted felon. Coleman admitted that he purchased the stolen firearm with a loaded, extended magazine off the streets for a fraction of the retail price, knowing that it was likely to have been stolen.
Pierce has prior felony convictions for illegal use of a weapon (January 2012 and April 2018) and simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling (May 2012 and October 2013) and knew that as a convicted felon he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan.
In an unrelated case, Darrien Demarqez Johnson, 29, was sentenced by United States District Judge Donald E. Walter to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. On May 12, 2021, troopers with the Louisiana State Police stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation and Johnson was a passenger. After the stop, Johnson fled on foot carrying a Saiga rifle and a backpack containing a Beretta pistol. During the foot chase, Johnson tossed the backpack and rifle but they were recovered by troopers a short time later. Johnson was later arrested and charged with possession of firearms by a convicted felon. He had previously been convicted of domestic abuse battery in 2010 and 2018 and was therefore, prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Johnson was charged and pleaded guilty on February 11, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Louisiana State Police and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan.
These cases are 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. PSN is 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. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Charges including to Distributing Heroin and Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA -- A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty in federal court to violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Davonte Dugger, 23, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count of distributing heroin and fentanyl, before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. Dugger accepted responsibility for causing the death of the victim in this case, R.J., as a result of his heroin and fentanyl distribution. Dugger also accepting responsibility for distributing additional quantities of heroin and fentanyl and possessing with intent to distribute quantities of heroin, fentanyl, and acetyl fentanyl.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on August 7, 2018, Dugger distributed a quantity of a heroin and fentanyl mixture that R.J. ingested, causing his death. In addition, investigators conducted a controlled purchase of a heroin and fentanyl mixture from Dugger October 10, 2018. Subsequently, on October 19, 2018, investigators obtained search warrants for Dugger’s vehicle and residence. They ultimately seized 31.1 grams of a mixture that contained heroin, fentanyl, and acetyl fentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, from those locations.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for October 25, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, 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 Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Moon Township Police Department led the investigation that led to the prosecution of Dugger.
Pesticide Smuggling Ringleader Sentenced to 8 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
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Assistant U. S. Attorney Melanie K. Pierson (619) 546-7976SAN DIEGO – Sofia Mancera Morales, the ringleader of a pesticide smuggling organization, was sentenced to eight months in custody in federal court yesterday, having previously entered a guilty plea in which she acknowledged obtaining illegal pesticides in Mexico and delivering them to others to smuggle into the United States. When handing down the sentence, U.S. District Court Judge John Houston also ordered Morales to pay $7497 in restitution for the cost of disposal of the illegal pesticides.
According to sentencing documents, Morales recruited individuals on Facebook, offering to pay $40-$150 for each box of six 1-liter bottles delivered to the United States. Morales directed her recruits to deliver the pesticides to a self-storage facility near the border in Calexico, after which they were required to send her photographs of the pesticides in the storage unit as proof of delivery prior to payment. Morales paid recruits to lease self-storage units in their own names and instructed them to provide her with the keys. Recruits caught at the border with pesticides reported that they had seen items delivered by others in their self-storage units, including pesticides, veterinary medications and alcohol. One recruit delivered almost 1000 bottles of pesticides in a one-month period, while others advised that they had delivered pesticides 2-5 times per week.
The pesticides involved were primarily Bovitraz and Taktic, which contain the active ingredient amitraz in a concentrated form (12.5%) that renders it a cancelled and unregistered pesticide. Amitraz is an acaricide that is registered in the United States. to control varroa mites in honeybee colonies at a much lower concentration (3.33%) than the smuggled product. At a permissible concentration it is also registered for use in dog flea collars. In addition to posing risks to the bee population, misuse of amitraz-containing products in beehives can result in exposures that could cause neurological effects and reproductive effects in humans from consumption of contaminated honey. Animal toxicity studies indicate that amitraz is slightly toxic by the oral and inhalation routes and moderately toxic through the skin. Reproductive effects seen in animal studies include a decline in male fertility and a reduction in live births. Moreover, signs of neurotoxicity from exposure to amitraz were seen in multiple animal species, including central nervous system depression, decrease in pulse rate, and hypothermia, and based on human studies, humans appear to be more sensitive to amitraz than
animals. Amitraz is also classified as a Group C possible human carcinogen based on rodent studies suggesting that long-term exposure could result in cancer.
Federal law prohibits the distribution and sale of cancelled or unregistered pesticides. 7 U.S.C. §136j(a)(1)(A). Only pesticides registered with the EPA may be imported or sold in the United States. 7 U.S.C. §136o(c).
“In exchange for ill-begotten profits, this cavalier smuggling operation was more than willing to risk the public’s health and the honeybee industry, which is critical to pollinating our food supply,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “This office and our law enforcement partners will not stand idly by in the face of pesticide 3 smuggling. Perpetrators of environmental crimes will be investigated and held accountable.” Grossman commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Pierson, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen DaPonte, and the law enforcement agents at Homeland Security Investigations and the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division who worked on this case.
“This defendant recklessly orchestrated an illegal large-scale pesticide smuggling operation. These pesticides are banned from importation into the United States because they are highly toxic to humans, wildlife, and the environment,” said Chad Plantz, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego. HSI, along with its partners from the Environmental Protection Agency – Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Department of Justice Environmental Crimes Section are committed to preventing these deadly pesticides from entering the United States.”
“The pesticides involved in this case pose serious public health and environmental dangers,” said Special Agent in Charge Scot Adair of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in California. “The sentence in this case demonstrates that individuals who intentionally violate smuggling and environmental protection laws will be held responsible for their crimes.”Case Number 20cr3054-JAH
DEFENDANT
Sofia Mancera Morales Age: 53 Mexicali, MX
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Smuggle Pesticides – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371
Maximum penalty: 5 years’ imprisonment and $250,000 fine
AGENCY
Homeland Security Investigations
Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division