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22 July 2022
Las Cruces woman sentenced to four years in prison for wire fraud and false tax returnsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Sandra Roberto was sentenced to four years and three months in prison for wire fraud and false and fraudulent tax returns. Roberto, 44, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, pleaded guilty on Jan. 29, 2021.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, Roberto began working for Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT) in 2009, first as a fuel clerk and later in the accounting office. Beginning in 2011 and continuing to 2018, Roberto exploited her position to embezzle approximately $1,130,215 from MVT.
MVT used third-party payment processors Comdata and EFS, for whom Roberto was the primary contact at MVT. Roberto would load cash advances onto debit cards used by MVT drivers, then contact Comdata or EFS for authorization codes to remove extra funds from the cards. Roberto would then use blank checks obtained from Comdata or EFS, enter the authorization codes and deposit the funds directly into her own bank account. From 2011 to 2018, Roberto deposited 1,735 such checks. Roberto the used the money for personal expenditures such as rent and the purchase of vehicles, flights, hotel accommodations and other items.
MVT discovered Roberto’s embezzlement during an annual financial reconciliation in January 2018. When confronted, Roberto admitted to the embezzlement and was terminated from her position.
In her plea agreement, Roberto admitted that she knowingly failed to report any of the illegally embezzled funds as income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). For example, for 2017, Roberto embezzled $260,705 from MVT, but only reported $31,932 in income. The sum of Roberto’s additional tax due from 2013 to 2018 is $250,473.
Upon her release from prison, Roberto will be subject to three years of supervised release. Additionally, Roberto has agreed to pay restitution to MVT in the amount of $1,130,215 and to the IRS in the amount of $250,473, for a total principal amount of $1,380,688.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Ry Ellison and Richard Williams prosecuted the case.
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Laplace Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling from ChurchRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ANITA WILLENE HOBDY, age 68, from LaPlace, pled guilty on July 21, 2022 to wire fraud, stemming from fraudulent charges made from First Baptist Church of LaPlace.
The government previously charged HOBDY in a one-count bill of information with wire fraud involving conduct from 2015 through 2021. According to court documents, HOBDY worked as a bookkeeper for a church’s daycare and embezzled over $175,000 from church accounts during that period.
HOBDY faces up to twenty years in prison. HOBDY also faces up to three years of supervised release after release from prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain to HOBDY or the gross loss to any victims, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee .
The Honorable Eldon E. Fallon set sentencing for October 27, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Secret Service and the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses is in charge of the prosecution.
Justice Department Launches Environmental Justice Investigation into the City of Houston, TexasRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it has opened an environmental justice investigation into the City of Houston’s operations, policies and practices related to illegal dumping. The investigation, which will be led by the Civil Rights Division, will examine whether the City responds to requests for municipal services, including in response to illegal dumping, in a manner that discriminates against Black and Latino Houston residents in violation of federal civil rights laws.
“Illegal dumpsites not only attract rodents, mosquitos and other vermin that pose health risks, but they can also contaminate surface water and impact proper drainage, making areas more susceptible to flooding,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No one in the United States should be exposed to risk of illness and other serious harm because of ineffective solid waste management or inadequate enforcement programs. We will conduct a fair and thorough investigation of these environmental justice concerns and their impact on Black and Latino communities in the City of Houston.”
“Illegal dumpsites can raise significant concerns regarding public health and safety, property values, and quality of life,” said U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery for the Southern District of Texas. “We look forward to working with the Civil Rights Division to ensure the City of Houston is in compliance with its federal civil rights obligations.”
The investigation will examine whether the City’s enforcement and solid waste management operations, policies and practices in response to illegal dumping have resulted in discrimination against Black and Latino residents in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI). Title VI prohibits recipients of federal financial assistance from discriminating on the basis of race, color or national origin.
The Civil Rights Division’s Federal Coordination and Compliance Section is conducting this investigation with the support of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas. Prior to the announcement, the department informed the City of Houston’s mayor’s office and legal department of the investigation’s initiation.
Addressing discriminatory environmental and health impacts through enforcement of the nation’s civil rights laws is a top priority of the Department of Justice. In May 2022, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the creation of the first-ever Office of Environmental Justice. He also announced the issuance of the Justice Department’s Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy, which provides a roadmap for using the department’s civil and criminal enforcement authorities and tools, including civil rights authorities, to achieve environmental justice. In July 2022, the department released its 2022-26 Strategic Plan, which includes protecting civil rights and advancing environmental justice as an area of focus. In November 2021, the Civil Rights Division announced its first Title VI environmental justice investigation of Justice Department recipients, the Alabama Department of Public Health and Lowndes County Health Department.
“The Justice Department’s recent creation of the Office of Environmental Justice and a Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy affirm our deep commitment to pursuing equal justice under law,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This investigation exemplifies the department’s commitment to alleviating disproportionate environmental burdens borne all too often by communities of color, low-income communities and tribal communities.”
Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the Federal Coordination and Compliance Section by email at [email protected] or by phone at 1-888-TITLE-06 (1-888-848-5306). Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt. Additional information about the Environment and Natural Resources Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/enrd. View the Spanish translation of this press release here.
Jury Convicts Felon for Drug Trafficking Crimes and Gloucester County ShootingRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Gloucester County man yesterday on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, and discharging a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, witness tampering, and obstruction of justice.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in August 2020, Nathan DeAlbert. Mattocks, 37, a previously convicted felon, was arrested after the Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office received an emergency call from an individual reporting that he was being shot at by a person following in another vehicle while driving on a main road in Gloucester County. Following an investigation, law enforcement identified a vehicle matching the description in which Mattocks was an occupant. Officers arrested Mattocks and discovered “Roxacet 30” pills containing fentanyl and a semi-automatic pistol in the vicinity of the crime scene connected to Mattocks.
Further investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF); Gloucester County Sherriff’s Office; and other local law enforcement partners revealed Mattocks’ history of dealing heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana within the Middle Peninsula region.
Mattocks was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute schedule I and II controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute schedule I and II controlled substances, discharge of a firearm in relation to or in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession and carrying of a firearm during or in relation to a drug trafficking crime, tampering with a witness, retaliating against a witness, and obstruction of justice, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on November 29. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Washington Field Division; and Darrell W. Warren, Jr., Gloucester County Sheriff, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Samuels and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Kaplan prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-cr-6.
Jonesport Man Sentenced to 3+ Years for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Jonesport man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for a wire fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., sentenced Donald McMahon, 34, to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release. McMahon pleaded guilty on January 13, 2022.
According to court records, from April 2020 through October 2020, McMahon embezzled approximately $100,000 from a bank account belonging to an estate being probated in Washington County. McMahon obtained unauthorized access to the estate account and utilized PayPal to transfer funds for his own use.
The FBI and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
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Jamaican Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Federal Prison for Operating Sweepstakes Scam Targeting Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Romario Mark Anthony Murray, 27, of Montego Bay, Jamaica was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, four counts of wire fraud, and three counts of mail fraud. The convictions stemmed from activities designed to defraud elderly victims of their money through false promises of sweepstakes prizes. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney Jason R. Coody for the Northern District of Florida.
"Americans are fed up with the constant barrage of scams that maliciously target the elderly and other vulnerable citizens," said U.S. Attorney Coody. "Given our large elder population, Florida experiences far too many instances of fraud against unsuspecting, vulnerable seniors. With the assistance of our dedicated law enforcement partners, we are committed to investigating and vigorously prosecuting those who seek to steal the hard-earned savings of our senior citizens."
Since the late 1990s, telemarketers in Jamaica have been engaging in a scam in which they contact victims in the United States and falsely claim their targets have won large sweepstakes prizes. Victims, who are primarily elderly, are induced to send cash or cash equivalents in order to release their supposed prizes. The victims’ funds are often transported by wire transfers and United States Postal Service packages.
Court documents reflect that between 2017 and 2019, Murray and others conspired together to receive wire transfers and packages mailed by victims, totaling $608,801.99. The conspirators then took a percentage of the funds for themselves before forwarding the remainder to Murray in Jamaica. Nineteen victims were identified through banking records and law enforcement analysis.
Murray’s prison sentence will be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
“This sentencing should send a clear message to criminals defrauding American residents,” said Juan A. Vargas, Acting Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will relentlessly pursue them, regardless of international borders, and bring them to justice.”
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Spaven prosecuted the case following a joint investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Panama City Police Department.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Jacksonville pharmacist, pharmacy owner sentenced for illegally filling drug prescriptions issued by south Georgia ‘pill mill’ doctorRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: A pharmacist and a pharmacy owner have been sentenced to close out the prosecution of a white-coat operation that illegally distributed more than half a million opioid pills and other drugs.
Gilbert Nelson Weise Jr., 58, of Fleming Island, Fla., was sentenced to 46 months in prison, fined $5,000 and ordered to serve three years of supervised release after completion of his prison term, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Weise previously pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Dispense Schedule IV Controlled Substances.
U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also sentenced Amy G. Taylor, 43, of Green Cove Springs, Fla., to four years of probation and a $5,000 fine after she pled guilty to Misprision of a Felony.
“These defendants opened the floodgates to opioid abuse by unlawfully dispensing massive amounts of prescription drugs into an uncontrolled environment,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “They hid behind their lab coats and professional affiliations to become nothing more than illegal drug dealers.”
Five others were previously sentenced after pleading guilty for their roles in the criminal activity which spanned from about October 2014 through June 2017, primarily in St. Mary’s, Ga., and Jacksonville, Fla. David Joseph Muyres, 60, of Fleming Island, Fla.; Mark Alan Ciopryna, 53, of Jacksonville, Fla.; and Silverly Ann May, 51, of St. Augustine, Fla., have completed prison sentences after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges. Courtney G. Gilley, 42, of Fleming Island, Fla., and Rhonda G. Weise, 65, of Fleming Island, Fla., are serving probationary terms after pleading guilty to Misprision of a Felony. The eighth defendant, a physician, was charged in the indictment but was determined to be mentally incompetent to stand trial.
“Addressing the diversion and abuse of opioids, as well as other controlled pharmaceuticals, continues to be one of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s top priorities,’’ said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The defendants in this case admitted to running a ‘pill mill’ and dispensed large quantities of controlled substances. This investigation was a success because of the spirited level of law enforcement cooperation.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Gilbert Weise Jr. and others conspired to dispense hydromorphone, oxycodone, and hydrocodone, among other drugs, for no legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice, through prescriptions from a nominal pain management clinic known as Coastline Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Inc., in St. Mary’s, Ga.
Coastline generated significant amounts of cash by illegally dispensing controlled substances to drug-seeking customers who typically paid approximately $300 cash in exchange for prescriptions. When pharmacies began refusing to fill Coastline’s prescriptions because of suspected improper dispensation, Gilbert Weise Jr. was recruited to fill Coastline’s prescriptions at Weise Prescription Shop in Jacksonville.
Evidence presented in court revealed that Weise unlawfully dispensed more than 500,000 pain pills, sold 100,000 hydromorphone pills to a drug dealer for $100,000, and frequently filled stacks of pain pill prescriptions presented and paid for by multiple drug dealers. During the conspiracy, Weise Prescription Shop, a small locally owned pharmacy, was the top purchaser of hydrocodone powder in the United States and the eighth largest purchaser of oxycodone powder in the United States. Weise Prescription Shop purchased more than 17 kilograms of opioid powder to meet the high demand for opioids from Coastline.
In 2015, Amy Taylor, along with Gilbert Weise Jr.’s wife, Rhonda Weise, and Rhonda Weise’s daughter, Courtney Gilley, purchased Coastal RX Pharmacy in Jacksonville. Coastal RX Pharmacy began filling large numbers of Coastline’s illegal prescriptions shortly after its acquisition. Coastal RX was financed in part with a $120,000 loan from Ciopryna. Ciopryna loaned the money with the understanding that it would be repaid in installments of opioid pills that he could then sell on the street for profit. Each of the three co-owners of Coastal RX Pharmacy admitted that they knew of and concealed the unlawful conspiracy.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Savannah Resident Office and Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office Investigator Charles Sikes, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly Jr., Matthew A. Josephson and Karl I. Knoche.
Jacksonville Convicted Felon Indicted for Possessing A Firearm While Trafficking in FentanylRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of a three-count indictment charging Johnny Deangelo White (45, Jacksonville) with possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. If convicted, White faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the fentanyl offense, up to 5 years’ imprisonment for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and up to 10 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The indictment also notifies White that the United States intends to forfeit the firearm and ammunition traceable to the offense. White was arrested in Jacksonville and made his initial appearance on July 14, 2022, before United States Magistrate Judge Joel B. Toomey and following his detention hearing on July 21, 2022, he was ordered detained pending trial.
According to the indictment, on April 27, 2022, White was in possession of a firearm while trafficking in fentanyl. At the time of the incident, White had previous felony convictions for shooting or throwing a deadly missile, grand theft auto, two possession of cocaine offenses, and three prior sale of cocaine offenses. As a previously convicted felon, White is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. The forfeiture will be handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
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.
Isanti Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Firearms from ShipmentsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Isanti man has pleaded guilty to stealing multiple firearms from shipments destined for Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) businesses, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, beginning in August 2021, law enforcement began receiving notifications of firearm thefts from shipments to FFLs. The carrier for the firearms shipments was XPO Logistics, a logistics company with facilities in St. Cloud and Fridley. On March 9, 2022, XPO Logistics contacted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to report an additional 11 firearms were solen from a recent shipment, including one Century Arms model Draco NAK 9 9mm semiautomatic AK pistol and ten Canik model Rival 9mm semiautomatic pistols. ATF agents later obtained surveillance video showing Jason Thomas Cikotte, who was then working as a weight inspector at the company, removing the firearms from pallets.
According to court documents, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Cikotte’s Isanti residence. Inside the house, law enforcement found the 11 stolen firearms, as well as other firearms and accessories. ATF agents determined that Cikotte had stolen a total of 185 firearms.
Cikotte pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery to one count of theft of firearms. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 17, 2022.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF and the Isanti Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez is prosecuting the case.
Illinois Man Sentenced to Nearly a Decade in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed guns was sentenced to over nine years in prison on July 21, 2022, in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Dillon D. Grundman, age 23, from Inverness, Illinois, received the sentence after a January 4, 2022 guilty plea to being an unlawful drug user in possession of multiple firearms.
In a plea agreement, Grundman admitted to traveling to Iowa and possessing four firearms. In December 2020, law enforcement investigated a shooting of a residence in Waterloo, Iowa, associated with Grundman’s ex-girlfriend’s family. Prior to the shooting, Grundman sent a “snap” of the rear of the residence from his Snapchat Account. Officers later discovered a note in Grundman’s phone with directions to the residence. After the shooting, officers located Grundman and recovered shell casings in his vehicle, which were consistent with the ones recovered inside the shot-up residence. In the plea agreement, Grundman also admitted to being an unlawful user of marijuana while in possession of the firearms.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Grundman was sentenced to serve 114 months’ imprisonment and must serve a 3‑year term of supervised release following his term of incarceration. There is no parole in the federal system. Grundman remains in the custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason D. Norwood and was investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 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
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21‑CR‑02040.
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Henderson Man Charged in Federal Court with Dealing Heroin and FentanylRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Henderson man with possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
According to the indictment and other information presented in a criminal complaint, Tyren Omarious Hargrove, 21, sold heroin laced with fentanyl to a confidential informant working with the Henderson Police Department in May 2022. On June 3, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence associated with Hargrove and found more than 4,000 dosage units of heroin laced with fentanyl and almost $60,000 in U.S. currency. Hargrove, who was on post-release supervision by the state of North Carolina at the time of the offense, was arrested on various state charges but quickly bonded out of state custody. He later failed to appear for court in Vance County Superior Court. On June 22, 2022, Hargrove was located by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol during a traffic stop. Hargrove initially yielded to the traffic stop but then fled, leading troopers and deputies from the Vance County Sheriff’s Office and the Warren County Sheriff’s Office on a chase reaching speeds of approximately 115 mph. After a tire deflation device was deployed, Hargrove’s car was disabled, and he attempted to flee on foot. After a short foot chase, Hargrove was apprehended.
If convicted, Hargrove faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Henderson Police Department, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Vance County Sheriff’s Office, Warren County Sheriff’s Office, and the District Attorney’s Office for the 11th Prosecutorial District are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Dodson is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Hattiesburg Felon Sentenced to Statutory Maximum of 120 Months in Federal Custody for Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Hattiesburg man was sentenced to the statutory maximum of 120 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Field Office. The sentence also included restitution of $6,916.37 and a term of three years of supervised release following his release from confinement.
According to court documents, Harley Cox III, 40, possessed a firearm on or about May 3, 2021. On that date, Cox discharged the firearm into an occupied residence in Forrest County and then fled. Forrest County Sheriff’s Office teamed up with Lamar County Sheriff’s Office and eventually located Cox in Lamar County. When found, Cox was in possession of multiple firearms. He had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including drug distribution.
Forrest County Sheriff Charlie Sims announced: “We appreciate the assistance of all of our partner agencies in getting a violent offender off of the streets. Project Safe Neighborhoods allows agencies to share information and collaborate on cases which has greatly assisted us in our efforts to address violent crime in our community.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Forrest County Sheriff’s Office, and Lamar County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew W. Eichner and Shundral Cole prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Former mayoral candidate sentenced for stealing from the Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Olivia Ware, a former mayoral candidate for the City of Conyers, has been sentenced to prison for using a company she started to steal over $323,000 from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
“Ware shamelessly took advantage of a program designed to assist others in need during an unprecedented challenge to our nation,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “In her various public roles, including running for mayor, Ware asked people to trust in her ability to lead. Unfortunately, what she has shown is a willingness to defraud taxpayers to enrich herself.”
“It is shameful that Ware tried to profit from a bad situation. This scheme took desperately needed money away from people struggling during the COVID pandemic,” said Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “This isn’t a victimless crime, every time a fraudster like this stole money, legitimate applicants were unable to get those funds to help themselves and their families.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: the PPP was an emergency funding program created to assist small business owners and their employees during the coronavirus pandemic. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the Small Business Administration but were underwritten and issued by authorized financial institutions.
Before the pandemic, Olivia Ware formed a Georgia company called Let’s Talk About the Family, Inc. (Let’s Talk), where she identified herself as its CEO. But the investigation revealed that Let’s Talk had not filed federal or state records indicating it paid any taxes or wages to any employees for several years prior to 2020. Yet in April 2020, Ware submitted a PPP loan application to an authorized PPP lender for Let’s Talk.
The application attached fictitious and forged federal tax records purporting to show Let’s Talk was earning millions of dollars in revenue and had 54 employees prior to the pandemic. Ware also sent the bank a list of Let’s Talk’s 54 purported employees, identified by their names and other personal information, purporting that Let’s Talk paid hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in salaries. However, many of the so-called employees, when contacted by federal agents, reported that they had never even heard of Ware or Let’s Talk.
As a result of the materially false information from Ware, a bank issued $323,100 in PPP funds to Let’s Talk. Ware then spent the fraudulently obtained PPP proceeds for her own benefit, including to buy a $24,000 swimming pool, furniture, and a multitude of other home improvement items. She also used stolen PPP funds to pay down the mortgage on her primary residence.
Olivia Ware, 63, of Oxford, Georgia, was sentenced to two years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $323,100 in restitution to the Small Business Administration. The sentence was imposed following Ware’s guilty plea to bank fraud on March 23, 2022.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trevor C. Wilmot and Bernita B. Malloy prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former Postal Service Letter Carrier Sentenced for Stealing MailRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that JAVONTE RICHARD, age 29, of New Orleans, was sentenced on July 21, 2022 to (1) year of probation for Theft of Mail by a Postal Service employee, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1709.
According to court documents, the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (“USPS-OIG”) received complaints from the public concerning missing parcels received by the Johnson Post Office in Metairie, that were later determined to be entrusted to RICHARD. On November 14, 2019, USPS-OIG Special Agents placed a package in the mail to be processed and delivered by RICHARD while on her route. The item was a mail package addressed to a fictitious person and address from another fictitious person and address. While on her route, RICHARD opened the package. Shortly after, USPS-OIG Special Agents stopped RICHARD and observed her retaping the package. RICHARD later admitted to opening the package and removing it from the mail.
United States Chief District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown sentenced RICHARD to (1) year of probation, 100 hours of community service and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Office of the Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon M. Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.
Former Philadelphia Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that William Watts, Sr., 56, of Philadelphia, PA, pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge Joel H. Slomsky to the charges of receiving and possessing child pornography.
In June 2022, the defendant was charged by Information with child exploitation offenses. The FBI arrested the defendant in October 2021 after investigating a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. At the time of his arrest, the defendant was a police officer in Philadelphia’s First Police District and had amassed a collection of hundreds of images of child pornography between his online accounts and electronic devices. Watts has since resigned his position with the Department, and as a result of his conviction, he faces a sentence of up to forty years in prison, lifetime supervised release, and mandatory restitution of at least $3,000 per child victim, and other fines and penalties. Watts remains incarcerated at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia pending sentencing.
“Watts has admitted to seeking out videos of children being abused for his own gratification – thus adding to the demand for these types of images to be produced and more children to be victimized,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Our Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to doing the difficult work of investigating and prosecuting these heinous crimes in order to hold people like this defendant accountable, no matter their position in the community or occupation.”
“That William Watts repeatedly broke the law while sworn to uphold it is disappointing,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “That he was collecting images of children being sexually abused is disturbing. All those who seek out this despicable material are perpetuating the victimization of innocent children. That’s why the FBI so doggedly pursues these cases. Protecting kids from this physical and emotional trauma is our priority.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Harrell.
Former Kentucky Department of Corrections Probation and Parole Officer Indicted for Civil Rights Violations and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment, which was unsealed today, charging a Kentucky man with using his former position as a probation officer to engage in unwanted sexual contact with individuals under his supervision.
According to court documents, Ronald R. Tyler, 55, of Shepherdsville, Kentucky, has been charged with engaging in unwanted sexual contact with four individuals who were under his supervision and with making false statements during an interview with the Kentucky State Police for the purpose of obstructing an investigation into allegations he had sexually assaulted females under his supervision.
Tyler made an initial appearance on the indictment today. He is charged with four counts for allegedly violating the civil rights of probationers by subjecting them to unwanted sexual conduct, and one count for the allegedly false statement to investigators. One of the civil rights counts alleges that the offense involved aggravated sexual abuse. If convicted, Tyler faces a maximum of life imprisonment. A federal district court judge would determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky; and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
The FBI and the Louisville Metro Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit jointly investigated the case through the Louisville Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory of the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are 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.
Former Kentucky Department of Corrections Probation and Parole Officer Indicted for Civil Rights Violations and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment, which was unsealed today, charging a Kentucky man with using his former position as a probation officer to engage in unwanted sexual contact with individuals under his supervision.
According to court documents, Ronald R. Tyler, 55, of Shepherdsville, Kentucky, has been charged with engaging in unwanted sexual contact with four individuals who were under his supervision and with making false statements during an interview with the Kentucky State Police for the purpose of obstructing an investigation into allegations he had sexually assaulted females under his supervision.
Tyler made an initial appearance on the indictment today. He is charged with four counts for allegedly violating the civil rights of probationers by subjecting them to unwanted sexual conduct, and one count for the allegedly false statement to investigators. One of the civil rights counts alleges that the offense involved aggravated sexual abuse. If convicted, Tyler faces a maximum of life imprisonment. A federal district court judge would determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky; and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
The FBI and the Louisville Metro Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit jointly investigated the case through the Louisville Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory of the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are 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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Former Chicago Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Heroin and Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IOWA – On July 18, 2022, Pierre Fontain Black, age 31, originally of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced to 192 months in prison for his role in a large-scale heroin and fentanyl conspiracy.
Black was charged in July 2021 along with 27 individuals as the result of a months’ long investigation into heroin and fentanyl distribution within Des Moines that included the use of court-authorized wiretaps. According to court documents, Black had a large drug distribution network, which he helped run and control. Black prepared and stored the drugs containing heroin and fentanyl, controlled how and to whom drugs were delivered, and monitored drug proceeds. Black and his co-conspirators utilized several phones to communicate solely with drug customers. Black would travel to and from Chicago with large quantities of drugs containing heroin and fentanyl for redistribution in Des Moines. Black and several individuals involved in the drug conspiracy are members of the Black P. Stone Nation criminal street gang. Black pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl in February 2022.
At sentencing, Chief United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose found that Black maintained his Des Moines residence for drug trafficking and that he was an organizer or leader of the drug trafficking organization.
U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Omaha, the Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force (MINE), and the Central Iowa Gang Task Force (CIGTF).
This case 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.
Florida Man Charged with $1.6 Million Cares Act Loan Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Florida man will make his initial court appearance today on charges related to his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $1.6 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) payments, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Mohamed A. Awad, 60, of Ocala, Florida, is charged by complaint with two counts of wire fraud. He was arrested July 21, 2022, in Virginia and made his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge William E. Fitzpatrick in the Eastern District of Virginia. He was detained pending transfer to the District of New Jersey.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP. The PPP allowed qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of 1 percent. PPP loan proceeds must be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities.
The CARES Act also authorized the U.S. Small Business Association to provide EIDLs of up to $2 million, through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, to eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Awad engaged in a scheme to illegally obtain over $1.6 million in PPP and EIDL loans through numerous misrepresentations to lenders. He submitted fraudulent loan applications that fabricated numbers of employees and misrepresented company information, to induce PPP and EIDL lenders to approve the loan applications that they otherwise would not have approved. Awad submitted falsified tax documents in support of PPP applications. According to IRS records, none of the purported tax documents that Awad submitted were ever in fact filed with the IRS. Awad transferred the loan proceeds among various bank accounts he controlled, withdrawing significant amounts in cash and transferring at least approximately $760,000 out of the country via wire transfers to banks based in Egypt.
The charges each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain to the defendant or gross loss to the victim, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, Philadelphia Division; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Sharon MacDermott; special agents of the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, under the direction of Stephen Donnelly, Eastern Region; special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca in New York; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Final Defendants in Moultrie Meth Trafficking Network SentencedRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – The remaining defendants guilty of participating in a methamphetamine trafficking network based out of Moultrie, Georgia, were sentenced to prison for their crimes.
Robert Lee Smith, III, 46, of Moultrie, was sentenced to 360 months imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release after he previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. April Contreras, 31, of Moultrie, was sentenced to 262 months imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release after she pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Louis Sands handed down the sentences yesterday. There is no parole in the federal system.
“These defendants are responsible for supplying a significant amount of methamphetamine to a quiet Southwest Georgia community, much of which was orchestrated out of the local jail,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Law enforcement at every level are working to stop drug traffickers profiting from the sale of deadly controlled substances that cause overdoses and violent crime in our communities.”
“The lengthy sentence in this case clearly fits the crimes,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “This defendant brokered the distribution of methamphetamine, even while incarcerated. Because of the hard work and dedication of DEA and its law enforcement partners, this defendant will now have to face the consequences of his actions.”
“Illegal drugs have no place in Georgia. They are dangerous and threaten the safety of our communities. We will continue to work diligently along with our local and federal partners to investigate and dismantle drug trafficking organizations,” said GBI Director Vic Reynolds.
The following co-defendants previously entered guilty pleas and were sentenced:
Melissa Barrow, 48, of Moultrie, pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and was sentenced to serve 188 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release;
Aubrey Thompson, 55, of Moultrie, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 96 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release;
Corey Haynes, 42, of Moultrie, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to serve 43 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release; and,
Roderick Smith, 40, of Moultrie, pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to five years of probation.
According to court documents, GBI began investigating a drug distribution conspiracy in Colquitt and Brooks counties in Nov. 2020, initially based on information that co-defendant Contreras was selling methamphetamine in the region. During the course of the investigation, agents discovered that co-defendant Robert Smith, who was incarcerated at the Colquitt County Jail, was working with Contreras and co-defendants Thompson and Haynes in the sale of controlled substances. Co-defendant Barrow, working under the direction of Contreras, sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant (CI). Barrow would also collect drug proceeds on behalf of Contreras. Co-defendant Roderick Smith was directed by Robert Smith to provide cash to Contreras for the purposes of methamphetamine trafficking. In all, this methamphetamine trafficking network is accountable for the distribution of between 1.5 kilograms and 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by DEA, FBI, GBI, Georgia State Patrol, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Brooks County Sheriff’s Office, Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office and Moultrie Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melody Ellis prosecuted the case.
Felon Indicted on Firearm Charges in Connection with ShootingRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging Darrius Jaques Garrett (33, Orlando) with two counts of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. If convicted, Garrett faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies Garrett that the United States intends to forfeit all firearms and ammunition recovered as a result of the offense conduct.
According to court documents, on May 27, 2022, Garrett was charged with knowingly possessing a Glock pistol and .22 caliber rounds of ammunition in connection with a shooting. At approximately 4:00 p.m. that day, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to Americana Boulevard in Orlando where they found a man who had sustained gunshot wounds to the torso. That individual was later treated and released from the hospital. Surveillance images from a nearby business captured the shooting.
Five days later, on June 1, 2022, Garrett was observed in the same area by deputies with the same Dodge Charger depicted on the video. Inside, deputies found a loaded Glock firearm that authorities allege was used in the shooting.
Garrett is a five-time convicted felon and is therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney D. Richardson-Jones.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety – one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and re-entry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Federal Jury Convicts Antlers Resident of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Stetson Bruce, age 33, of Antlers, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a Federal jury of two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country.
The jury trial began with testimony on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, and concluded on Thursday, July 21, 2022, with the guilty verdicts.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on more than one occasion during the time period of May 1, 2018, to May 31, 2020, the defendant sexually abused a five-year-old child. The evidence further revealed that on at least one occasion, another child witnessed the abuse.
The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Pushmataha County Sheriff’s Office, the Choctaw Nation Tribal Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Pushmataha County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Bernard M. Jones, II, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Bruce was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony C. Marek and Hannah Jones represented the United States.
Evansville Woman Sentenced for Embezzling over $100,000 from her Former Employer and Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE – LaDonna Livers, 67, of Evansville, Ind. was sentenced late yesterday afternoon to a year and a day after pleading guilty to the felony offenses of wire fraud and filing false federal income tax returns.
According to court documents, from approximately March 2009 to November 2017, Livers worked as the office manager for an Evansville business. As the office manager, she oversaw and conducted all financial operations for the business. Livers used her position to illegally enrich herself by embezzling funds from her employer’s bank accounts. Over the course of approximately five years, Livers stole $109,743.73 from her employer by making unauthorized transfers from the employer’s bank accounts to her own bank and credit card accounts.
The unauthorized transfers constituted income for Livers, and therefore should have been reported on her tax returns. Livers did not report any of this income, as required by law. Despite knowing that her tax returns were false, Livers certified that they were accurate and filed them with the Internal Revenue Service.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana; Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Indianapolis; and Justin Campbell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. As part of the sentence, Judge Young ordered that Livers be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for one year following her release from prison. Livers was also ordered to pay $109,743.73 to the victim and $24,315 to the Internal Revenue Service, as restitution.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller who prosecuted this case.
El Departamento de Justicia lanza una investigación de justicia medioambiental en la Ciudad de Houston, TexasRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha iniciado una investigación de justicia medioambiental de las operaciones, políticas y prácticas de la Ciudad de Houston en lo que se refiere al vertido ilegal. La investigación, que será dirigida por la División de Derechos Civiles, examinará si la Ciudad responde a solicitudes de servicios municipales, incluyendo en respuesta al vertido ilegal, de una manera que discrimina a residentes negros y latinos, en contra de las leyes federales de derechos civiles.
“Los vertederos ilícitos no solo atraen a roedores, mosquitos y otros parásitos que representan un riesgo a la salud, sino que también contaminan el agua de superficie y afectan el drenaje adecuado, lo que hace que ciertas zonas sean más susceptibles a la inundación”, afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. “Nadie en los Estados Unidos debe ser expuesto al riesgo de la enfermedad u otro tipo de daño grave a causa de una gestión ineficaz de los residuos sólidos o de programas inadecuados de aplicación de la ley. Nosotros realizaremos una investigación justa y completa de estas preocupaciones de justicia medioambiental y su impacto en las comunidades negras y latinas de la Ciudad de Houston”.
“Los vertederos ilegales pueden generar un nivel de inquietud significativo en cuanto a la salud y seguridad públicas, los valores de las propiedades y la calidad de vida”, declaró Jennifer B. Lowery, la Fiscal Federal para el Distrito Sur de Texas. “Estamos deseando colaborar con la División de Derechos Civiles para garantizar que la Ciudad de Houston cumpla con sus obligaciones federales en lo que se refiere a los derechos civiles”.
La investigación examinará si la aplicación de la ley de la Ciudad, así como sus operaciones, políticas y prácticas de gestión de los residuos sólidos en respuesta al vertido ilícito, han resultado en la discriminación de residentes negros y latinos, en contra del Título VI de la ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964 (Título VI). El Título VI prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de raza, color de piel y origen nacional por parte de beneficiarios de fondos federales.
La Sección Federal de Coordinación y Cumplimiento de la División de Derechos Civiles está dirigiendo esta investigación, con el apoyo de la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito Sur de Texas. Antes de la declaración, el Departamento informó a la Alcaldía de la Ciudad de Houston y su departamento legal del lanzamiento de la investigación.
Una de las prioridades principales de la División de Derechos Civiles es abordar los impactos discriminatorios en el medioambiente y la salud mediante la aplicación de las leyes nacionales de derechos civiles. En mayo del 2022, el Fiscal General Merrick Garland anunció (solo en inglés) la creación de la primera Oficina para la Justicia Medioambiental. También anunció la emisión por parte del Departamento de Justicia de la Estrategia Integral de Aplicación de la Justicia Medioambiental (solo en inglés), la cual ofrece una hoja de ruta para el uso de las herramientas y autoridades de cumplimiento de las leyes civiles y penales del Departamento, incluyendo las autoridades de derechos civiles, para lograr la justicia medioambiental. En julio del 2022, el Departamento emitió su Plan Estratégico 2022-26 (solo en inglés), que incluye la protección de los derechos civiles y la promoción de la justicia medioambiental como áreas de enfoque. En noviembre del 2021, la División de Derechos Civiles anunció su primera investigación de justicia medioambiental bajo el Título VI de beneficiarios del Departamento de Justicia, el Departamento de Salud Pública de Alabama y el Departamento de Salud del Condado de Lowndes.“La creación reciente por parte del Departamento de Justicia de la Oficina para la Justicia Medioambiental y una Estrategia Integral de Aplicación de la Justicia Mediomabiental afirma nuestro compromiso sólido a perseguir la justicia equitativa frente a la ley”, comentó el Fiscal General Auxiliar Todd Kim, de la División del Medioambiente y Recursos Naturales del Departamento de Justicia. “Esta investigación ejemplifica el compromiso del Departamento a aliviar las cargas medioambientales desproporcionadas que en demasiados casos caen sobre las comunidades de color, las comunidades de bajos ingresos y las comunidades indígenas”.
Se le pide a cualquier persona con información relevante que se comunique con la Sección Federal de Coordinación y Cumplimiento por correo electrónico a [email protected] por teléfono al 1-888-TITLE-06 (1-888-848-5306). Para más información sobre la División de Derechos Civiles, visite su sitio web en www.justice.gov/crt-espanol. Para más información sobre la División del Medioambiente y Recursos Naturales, visite su sitio web en www.justice.gov/enrd (solo en inglés). Haga clic aquí para ver este comunicado de prensa en inglés.
Durham County Man Sentenced to 360 Months in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A North Carolina man was sentenced on July 22, 2022, to 360 months in prison, followed by a 15-year term of supervised release, for knowingly receiving child pornography after multiple tips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) led to his arrest.
According to court documents, Timothy James Bryant, 27, was identified by agents from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NSCBI), after a NCMEC tip revealed that a Twitter user in Durham was suspected of uploading images of suspected child pornography to the platform in 2019 and 2020. In October 2020, the NCSBI executed a search warrant at Bryant’s residence where they located several items that contained child pornography. Bryant was arrested later that day on state charges without incident.
Subsequent interviews and search warrants revealed Bryant to be in possession of multiple devices containing over twenty-five thousand images and videos of child pornography. During the pendency of the state case, NCMEC received a new tip from Snapchat regarding suspected inappropriate conduct by a user that the NCSBI connected to Bryant in March 2021. A federal search warrant for Bryant’s phone revealed that his device contained additional videos of child pornography. At the time of his arrest, Bryant had been previously convicted of two counts of Third Degree Sexual Exploitation of a Minor in Durham County Superior Court in 2014.
He was charged by Indictment in the Middle District of North Carolina in April 2021 with one count of knowingly receiving and attempting to receive child pornography and one count of knowingly possessing child pornography. In September 2021, Bryant pled guilty to one count of receiving child pornography. In addition to his imprisonment and supervised release, Bryant was ordered to pay $133,500 in restitution to 27 victims.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, and the Durham Police Department assisted with the investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kennedy Gates. It was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and focuses on coordinating federal, state, and local resources to better identify and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. www.projectsafechildhood.gov
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Donaldsonville Woman Indicted for Mail Fraud and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury recently returned a three-count indictment charging Tynea Lynnshay Gray, age 23, of Donaldsonville and Prairieville, Louisiana, with mail fraud and wire fraud. Gray appeared for her arraignment and pled not guilty to the pending charges.
According to the indictment, between June 2020 and October 2021, Gray submitted claims for unemployment insurance benefits in California in her name and in the names of other individuals. Gray also submitted claims for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) benefits in the names of fictitious businesses and based on fictitious business profits and losses.
Further, Gray obtained names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers of others, and submitted fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance benefits in their names, with and without their knowledge or consent. Gray captured people’s identifying information through social media and used the information to file numerous unemployment insurance claims. Upon submitting the claims and receiving the funds, she either gave a portion of the funds to others or kept all the funds for herself. Through her scheme, Gray obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars in prepaid debit cards in the mail.
In February 2021, Gray also devised a scheme to defraud a lender and the United States, through the Small Business Administration, by filing false and fraudulent applications for PPP funds. In furtherance of the scheme, on or about February 2, 2021, she submitted a false and misleading PPP application in the business name of “Royaldiamondzkollection LLC” seeking PPP funds. Gray submitted a forged bank statement, false tax documents, and made misrepresentations in her PPP applications.
Throughout the course of the fraudulent schemes, Gray caused over $550,000 in prepaid debit cards to be mailed to her addresses, to which she and others were not entitled. Additionally, Gray caused $20,833 to be deposited into her bank account, to which she was not entitled.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Labor-OIG and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner.
NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
Denison Youth Pastor Convicted of Child Exploitation ViolationsRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – An Anna, Texas man has been convicted for child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Chad Michael Rider, 48, was found guilty of three counts of the sexual exploitation of children, also referred to as the production of child pornography. The jury returned the verdict late today following a five-day trial before U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant.
According to the court documents and testimony at trial, in August 2022, Homeland Security Investigations agents were investigating David Pettigrew, of Denison, for child pornography offenses. Agents seized a computer hard drive from Pettigrew’s office at the Denison Church of the Nazarene. Forensic review of the device revealed videos of Pettigrew and Rider setting up to film children while bathing at the church. Additional videos were located in which Rider filmed two other children in residential settings.
“One of the sacred safe havens for children is the church and all it stands for. Yet Rider and his conspirators purposefully used it as a lure to bring children in and then, despicably, exploited those children for their own perverted gratification,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “The jury heard all of the evidence and rendered its judgement and the law of the Eastern District of Texas federal court will render its punishment soon, at least as such punishment that may rendered on earth.”
Under federal statutes, Rider faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in federal prison on each count. 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.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from Anna Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa J. Miller and Jay Combs.
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Delray Beach Woman Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Her Role in International Boiler Room ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn K. Mizelle today sentenced Tracy Lee Jedlicki (56, Delray Beach) to 30 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. As part of her sentence, the Court also ordered Jedlicki to forfeit $750,000, a 4.01 carat diamond ring, a 11-carat diamond necklace, and a South Florida residence worth more than $2 million. The Court also ordered Jedlicki to pay $3,244,592 in restitution to the victims. Jedlicki had pleaded guilty on February 24, 2022.
According to court documents, Jedlicki and her coconspirators operated international boiler rooms in Panama and elsewhere. The boiler rooms used high-pressure sales techniques to defraud individuals who believed they were investing substantial amounts of money in regulated financial products or markets, such as options in commodities and stocks. The majority of the victims targeted by the boiler rooms operated by Jedlicki and her coconspirators were located in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
Jedlicki and her coconspirators then laundered fraud proceeds generated by the boiler rooms through several money laundering rings, to overseas accounts, with the launderers receiving a percentage of the funds they had moved. Jedlicki's duties included, among other tasks, arranging travel for boiler room workers to the boiler room locations, calling victims while posing as an employee of a fake investment firm to set up loading calls for coconspirators operating the boiler rooms, serving as a liaison between the boiler rooms and a money laundering organization, maintaining records of coconspirator wire transfer payments to foreign and domestic bank accounts, and reconciling payments between the boiler rooms and the money laundering organization.
Jedlicki herself received a 2% referral fee for referring victims’ funds to a money laundering ring and used the funds to perpetuate the conspiracy and for her own personal enrichment. Jedlicki and her coconspirators wired or caused to be wired victims’ funds in the approximate amount of $3,244,592 to money laundering accounts in furtherance of the wire fraud conspiracy.
“We are committed to stopping transnational criminal organizations that target the elderly with fraudulent investment schemes that use high-pressure tactics,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Dumas. “This conviction should send a message that HSI and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), working with together with our international partners, are a formidable investigative force that is unwavering in our pursuit of fraudsters.”
“These boiler rooms used high-pressure sales to peddle millions of dollars in bogus investments to unsuspecting victims across the globe,” said Brian Payne, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Tampa Field Office. “Thanks to the investigative work of IRS-CI and HSI special agents, another transnational criminal organization has bit the dust.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee and Assistant United States Attorney Craig Gestring.
Dallas Man Arrested and Charged in Connection with Multiple Bank Robberies across Northeast TexasRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Dallas man has been arrested and charged in connection with multiple bank robberies across the Metroplex area, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Mark Robert Disch, 53, was named in a complaint filed in the Eastern District of Texas on July 19, 2022, charging him with two counts of bank robbery. Disch was arrested on July 21, 2022 and appeared in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kimberly C. Priest Johnson today.
According to the complaint, Disch is alleged to have robbed five Texas banks between May 25 and June 27, 2022: two in the Eastern District of Texas and three in the Northern District of Texas. The banks were located in Lewisville, Arlington, DeSoto, Sulphur Springs, and University Park. Using video surveillance and witness accounts, along with other investigative techniques, law enforcement officers and federal agents were able to identify Disch and determine he was in the immediate vicinity of each bank robbery.
If convicted, Disch faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
A complaint, information or indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Dallas Police Department, the Sulphur Springs Police Department, the Lewisville Police Department, and the University Park Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan R. Hornok with assistance from Northern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Hammond.
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Cottage Grove Man Sentenced to Prison for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Cottage Grove man was sentenced to 57 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for bank robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in November 2021, Michael Thomas Prall, 43, used force, violence, and intimidation to steal thousands of dollars from three separate banks. On November 30, 2021, Prall entered a Wells Fargo bank in Cottage Grove, and presented a note to the teller directing the teller to give him the money in her cash drawer. Prall threatened that if the teller did not quickly do as he asked, he would shoot her or someone else in the bank. The teller complied with the Prall’s demand, and the defendant fled on foot. Law enforcement located and arrested Prall following a short foot chase.
According to court documents, Prall was also responsible for a bank robbery on November 5, 2021, at a U.S. Bank in Bloomington, where he stole $2,558 and a November 19, 2021, robbery at a Bremer Bank in Woodbury, where he stole approximately $4,589.
Prall was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz. Prall pleaded guilty to one count bank robbery on March 22, 2022.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Cottage Grove Police Department, the Woodbury Police Department, the Bloomington Police Department, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Washington County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine prosecuted the case.
Colorado Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Denver, Colorado, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on July 20, 2022, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Timothy Zuk, age 49, was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100, and a $1,000 fine.
Zuk was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 11, 2020. He pled guilty on April 18, 2022.
Beginning in at least January 2015, Zuk was involved with several other individuals to distribute pounds of methamphetamine and heroin in and around the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. Zuk was the source of supply for several individuals who resided on the reservation. They would make trips to Denver to pick up methamphetamine from Zuk to distribute on the reservation. Zuk also made several trips to South Dakota to bring methamphetamine to them to distribute. Over 90,000 kilograms of converted drug weight of narcotics was involved in this conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Zuk was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to over Five Years in Federal Prison for Being a Prohibited Person in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A prohibited person who possessed a firearm was sentenced today to 63 months in federal prison.
Rakeem Leonard, age 31, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the sentence after a February 11, 2022 guilty plea to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. At the plea hearing, Leonard admitted that, on July 19, 2021, he possessed a Taurus 9 mm pistol after having been convicted of two felonies and while he was subject to a no contact order.
Leonard was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Leonard was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 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.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the High Risk Unit of the Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is CR 21-53.
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Career Offender Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – A Thomasville, Georgia, resident with a violent criminal history who fled from police after being caught illegally with multiple weapons — including a stolen AR-15 semi-automatic rifle — was sentenced to serve 21 years in prison for his crime.
Torrieo Monte Johnson aka Corker, 40, was sentenced to 260 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson yesterday after he previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Armed career offenders face accountability for their crimes at the federal level,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “The Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods program calls for reducing violent crime in our communities using all of the federal, state and local resources available. Enforcement efforts remain focused on bringing violent repeat offenders to justice as we work together to make our neighborhoods safer.”
“This case is the product of a concerted collaborative effort on the part of ATF and its local partners to target, investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of violent crime,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka.
According to court documents and other evidence, Johnson—a convicted felon—and another individual ran from Thomasville Police Department officers after they discovered multiple weapons inside the vehicle Johnson was driving on June 26, 2019. The officers found a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a .22 semi-automatic rifle, and a Spikes Tactical .223 semi-automatic rifle, along with multiple firearm magazines and boxes of ammunition. The Spikes Tactical weapon was reported stolen during a burglary at a Thomasville residence on June 17, 2019. Arrest warrants were issued for Johnson and he was captured in Tallahassee, Florida, on July 3, 2019. Johnson has a lengthy criminal history to include felony convictions for arson in the 1st degree, distribution of a controlled substance and burglary.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.
As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Thomasville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit prosecuted the case for the Government.
Cardiac Device Manufacturer Biotronik Inc. Agrees to Pay Nearly $13 Million to Settle Allegations of Improper Payments to DoctorsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Biotronik Inc., a medical device manufacturer based in Oregon, has agreed to pay $12.95 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by causing the submission of false claims to Medicare and Medicaid by paying kickbacks to physicians to induce their use of Biotronik’s implantable cardiac devices, such as pacemakers and defibrillators.
The settlement announced today resolves allegations in a “whistleblower” complaint that Biotronik engaged in a kickback scheme to pay certain favored physicians to induce and reward their use of Biotronik’s pacemakers, defibrillators and other cardiac devices. The case was partially unsealed by United States District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez and was made public on Thursday.
Biotronik allegedly abused a new employee training program by paying physicians for an excessive number of trainings and, in some cases, for training events that either never occurred or were of little or no value to trainees. Biotronik allegedly made these payments despite concerns raised by its own compliance department, which warned that salespeople had too much influence in selecting physicians to conduct new employee training and that the training payments were being over-utilized.
The settlement also resolves allegations that Biotronik violated the federal Anti-Kickback Statute when it paid for physicians’ holiday parties, winery tours, lavish meals with no legitimate business purpose, and international business class airfare and honoraria in exchange for making brief appearances at international conferences.
“Kickbacks to doctors are illegal because they impose hidden costs on the health care system and they taint the doctor-patient relationship,” said Acting United States Attorney Stephanie S. Christensen. “The resolution to this matter concludes a lengthy investigation that demonstrates our commitment to take strong action when patient care takes a backseat to generating profits.”
“Paying kickbacks to doctors to influence their selection of medical devices undermines the integrity of federal healthcare programs,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When medical devices are used in surgical procedures, patients deserve to know that their device was selected based on quality of care considerations and not on improper payments from manufacturers.”
“Valuable taxpayer dollars that fund Medicare and Medicaid are meant to support the delivery of health care services most suitable for beneficiaries. The payment of kickbacks to medical providers to impel their use of certain devices can improperly divert those dollars and undermine the quality of care being provided to patients," said Special Agent in Charge Timothy DeFrancesca of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG remains dedicated to working with fellow law enforcement agencies to safeguard the integrity of federal health care programs and the services they cover.”
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering or paying anything of value to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare and other federally funded programs. The statute is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives.
Medicaid is funded jointly by the states and the federal government. The states of Arizona, California, Illinois, Missouri and Nevada paid for a portion of the Medicaid claims at issue and will receive a total of approximately $933,400 from the settlement with Biotronik.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam – or whistleblower – provisions of the False Claims Act by Jeffrey Bell and Andrew Schmid, two former independent sales representatives for Biotronik. Under the qui tam provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. Mr. Bell and Mr. Schmid will receive approximately $2.1 million as their share of the recovery in this case, United States ex rel. Bell, et al. v. Biotronik, Inc. et al., CV18-1895 (C.D. Cal.).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles and the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section. HHS-OIG assisted in the investigation.
The matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Karen Paik of the Civil Fraud Section and Justice Department Fraud Section Trial Attorneys Breanna Peterson and Jonathan Hoerner.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Bộ Tư Pháp Mở Cuộc Điều Tra Công Lý Môi Trường Đối Với Thành Phố Houston, TexasRead the Press Release
Download Vietnamese Press Release Translation
Hôm nay, Bộ Tư Pháp (Department of Justice, DOJ) ra thông báo mở cuộc điều tra công lý môi trường đối với các hoạt động, chính sách và phương thức của Thành Phố Houston liên quan đến hành vi xả rác bất hợp pháp. Cuộc điều tra này - do Civil Rights Division (Ban Dân Quyền) tiến hành - sẽ kiểm tra xem liệu Thành Phố có phản hồi các yêu cầu thị chính (bao gồm biện pháp ứng phó với hành vi xả rác bất hợp pháp) theo cách phân biệt đối xử với cư dân Houston là người Da Đen và người Latinh vi phạm luật dân quyền liên bang hay không.
“Không chỉ thu hút các loài gặm nhấm, muỗi cũng như những loài côn trùng khác gây nguy hiểm cho sức khỏe, các bãi rác bất hợp pháp còn làm ô nhiễm nước mặt và ảnh hưởng đến hệ thống thoát nước thích hợp, khiến cho các khu vực dễ bị ngập lụt hơn.” - Kristen Clarke, Trợ Lý Bộ Trưởng Tư Pháp thuộc Civil Rights Division của DOJ cho biết. “Không ai ở Hoa Kỳ đáng phải chịu rủi ro bệnh tật và các tổn hại nghiêm trọng khác vì hoạt động quản lý chất thải rắn không hiệu quả hoặc các chương trình thực thi không đầy đủ. Chúng tôi sẽ tiến hành một cuộc điều tra công bằng và kỹ lưỡng về những mối lo ngại liên quan đến công lý môi trường này, cũng như tác động của các vấn đề nói trên đến cộng đồng người Da Đen và người Latinh ở Thành phố Houston.”
“Các bãi rác bất hợp pháp có thể làm dấy lên những lo ngại đáng kể về sức khỏe, an toàn cộng đồng, giá trị tài sản và chất lượng cuộc sống.” - Luật Sư Hoa Kỳ Jennifer B. Lowery thuộc Quận Phía Nam của Texas chia sẻ. “Chúng tôi mong muốn được hợp tác với Civil Rights Division để đảm bảo Thành Phố Houston tuân thủ các nghĩa vụ dân quyền liên bang của mình.”
Cuộc điều tra này sẽ kiểm tra xem liệu các hoạt động thực thi, vận hành quản lý chất thải rắn, những chính sách cũng như phương thức ứng phó của Thành Phố với hành vi xả rác bất hợp pháp có dẫn đến sự phân biệt đối xử với cư dân là người Da Đen và người Latinh vi phạm Mục VI của Đạo Luật Quyền Công Dân năm 1964 (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI) hay không. Title VI cấm các bên nhận hỗ trợ tài chính liên bang phân biệt đối xử dựa trên chủng tộc, màu da hoặc nguồn gốc quốc gia.
Bộ Phận Tuân Thủ và Điều Phối Liên Bang (Federal Coordination and Compliance Section) của Civil Rights Division sẽ tiến hành cuộc điều tra này với sự hỗ trợ của Văn Phòng Luật Sư Hoa Kỳ thuộc Quận Phía Nam của Texas. Trước khi công bố, bộ đã thông báo cho văn phòng thị trưởng của Thành Phố Houston và bộ phận pháp lý về việc bắt đầu cuộc điều tra.
Ưu tiên hàng đầu của DOJ là giải quyết các tác động của hành vi phân biệt đối xử về môi trường và sức khỏe thông qua quá trình thực thi luật dân quyền của quốc gia. Vào tháng 5 năm 2022, Bộ Trưởng Tư Pháp Merrick Garland đã thông báo về việc thành lập Văn Phòng Công Lý Môi Trường (Office of Environmental Justice) đầu tiên. Ông cũng thông báo về việc ban hành Chiến Lược Thực Thi Công Lý Môi Trường Toàn Diện (Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy) của DOJ , qua đó đưa ra lộ trình vận dụng các công cụ cũng như cơ quan thực thi dân sự và hình sự của bộ (bao gồm các cơ quan dân quyền) nhằm đạt được công lý môi trường. Vào tháng 7 năm 2022, bộ đã phát hành Kế Hoạch Chiến Lược Năm 2022-26 (2022-26 Strategic Plan) ,bao gồm lĩnh vực trọng tâm là bảo vệ các quyền công dân và thúc đẩy công lý môi trường. Vào tháng 11/2021, Civil Rights Division đã công bố cuộc điều tra đầu tiên về công lý môi trường Tiêu Đề VI đối với những bên nhận của DOJ, Sở Y Tế Công Cộng Alabama và Sở Y Tế Quận Lowndes.
“Việc DOJ gần đây thành lập Office of Environmental Justice và Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy đã khẳng định cam kết sâu sắc của chúng tôi trong quá trình theo đuổi công lý bình đẳng theo luật pháp.” - Trợ Lý Bộ Trưởng Tư Pháp Todd Kim thuộc Ban Tài Nguyên và Môi Trường (Environment and Natural Resources Division) của DOJ cho biết “Cuộc điều tra này thể hiện cam kết của bộ trong việc giảm bớt gánh nặng không cân xứng về môi trường mà các cộng đồng da màu, cộng đồng có thu nhập thấp và cộng đồng bộ tộc phải chịu đựng thường xuyên.”
Các cá nhân có thông tin phù hợp nên liên hệ với Federal Coordination and Compliance Section qua email tại [email protected] hoặc qua điện thoại theo số 1-888-TITLE-06 (1-888- 848-5306). Thông tin thêm về Civil Rights Division có trên trang web của họ tại www.justice.gov/crt. Thông tin thêm về Environment and Natural Resources Division có trên trang web của họ tại www.justice.gov/enrd. Xem bản dịch tiếng Tây Ban Nha của thông cáo báo chí này tại đây.
Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Artie Ray Warwick, Jr., 53, of Beckley, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 2, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Warwick’s residence and found in excess of 300 grams of methamphetamine, a small amount of heroin, cocaine, and an assortment of prescription pills. Warwick admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine in and around Raleigh County. The officers also recovered 104 marijuana plants that Warwick was growing inside his house. Warwick further admitted to possessing more than 800 grams of methamphetamine on October 25, 2021, which he intended to distribute in and around Beckley, and to selling small quantities of marijuana.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit is comprised of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-230.
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Beaver Dam Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on July 21, 2022, Chief United States District Judge Pamela Pepper sentenced Kyle R. Halgrimson (age: 38) of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, to 15 years’ imprisonment for production of child pornography.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Pepper noted this was an extremely aggravating and serious offense. Following his release from prison, Halgrimson will spend three years on supervised release. He also will be required to register as a sexual offender.
When entering his guilty plea in this matter, Halgrimson acknowledged that he had recorded his girlfriend at the time, Angelique Boll, having intercourse with a child on several different occasions. Angelique Boll is also charged in this case with production of child pornography. Boll has entered a plea of not guilty, and her case is scheduled for trial starting on October 31, 2022. Like all defendants, Boll is presumed innocent unless and until the charges have been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Beaver Dam Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney’s Megan J. Paulson and Abbey M. Marzick.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Bank Robber SentencedRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that JOSEPH REED, age 35, of New Orleans, was sentenced on July 21, 2022 to one (1) year and a day in the Bureau of Prisons for committing Attempted Bank Robbery in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a).
According to court documents, on October 9, 2021, REED attempted to rob the Chase Bank located in New Orleans, Louisiana. REED entered the bank on foot and slipped a note underneath the protective glass. The note stated the following: “I only want $3,000 all in hundreds don’t take long or try anything on my way out cause someone will be here for you Tuesday.” The victim teller was unable to dispense the cash requested by the suspect. The suspect then removed his phone from his pocket and appeared to try and take a photograph of the victim teller. The Jefferson Parish Crime Laboratory matched fingerprints recovered from the demand note to that of REED.
United States Chief District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown sentenced REED to one (1) year and a day in the Bureau of Prisons, to be followed by three (3) years of supervised release. REED was also ordered to pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crime Task Force as well as officers with the New Orleans Police Department and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon M. Maestri is handling the prosecution.
Baltimore Man Admits Using Female Aliases on Social Media and Messaging Applications to Entice Boys to Send Him Sexually Explicit Images and VideosRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Matthew K. Walsh, age 24, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of a minor in order to produce child pornography. Specifically, Walsh admitted that he created fictitious online profiles purporting to be a minor female to contact and induce minor males between the ages of 12 and 17 to send sexually explicit images and videos the individual they believed to be a minor female, but was, in fact, Walsh.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, from at least 2016 through 2021, Walsh created fictitious profiles on several online platforms posing as a minor female to make contact with minor males between the ages of twelve and seventeen to induce them to produce sexually explicit images and videos to send to the purported minor female. Once Walsh obtained the sexually explicit images and videos, he extorted the minor males into producing more sexually explicit images and videos at his instruction and threatened that if they failed to do so, Walsh would send the previously provided images and videos to the minor victims’ friends, family, and classmates. Walsh directed the minor males to send him the images and videos he directed them to produce, and that the images and videos needed to include their face.
In some of the communications, by text, email, and video, the minor victims are crying and begging Walsh not to send the images and videos to their families and classmates, to leave them alone, and not to make them do more, but Walsh persisted with his threats and demands. Walsh admitted that he harassed some of the victims for years and obtained hundreds of files depicting sexually explicit conduct from some of the victims. In total, Walsh obtained approximately 2000 images and videos depicting sexually explicit conduct of the various minor males.
As detailed in the plea agreement, once Walsh received the sexually explicit files from the victims, he saved them into folders of fake names or a variation of the victim’s real name in a cloud storage account. Walsh also uploaded the minor males’ files to various Twitter accounts and sold the sexually explicit files of the minors to others, obtaining approximately $8000 from the sale of the files. Specifically, Walsh communicated with at least 50 different Twitter users interested in purchasing either individual files of child sex abuse material (CSAM), or Walsh’s “collections” of CSAM. The “collections” contained over 100 different victims’ files. In several messages, the Twitter users were aware that some of the individuals in the sexually explicit files were as young as 14-years-old. Several Twitter users exchanged “tips” with Walsh on how to evade law enforcement and discussed methods for enticing and extorting victims’ nude images and videos. Walsh was also a member of online groups which included other offenders who would post, sell, and trade CSAM.
During the investigation, federal search warrants were executed on 17 Google accounts, 22 Twitter accounts, 4 Facebook accounts, 7 Instagram accounts, 6 Snap accounts, 3 Dropbox accounts, 3 TextNow accounts, a Kik account, an Apple account, and an Oath/Yahoo! account, all created and utilized by Walsh. To date over 40 minor males have been positively identified as victims of Walsh’s conduct. At least 30 victims’ pictures and videos were sold and/or distributed to others by Walsh.
Walsh faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for production of child pornography. As required by his plea agreement, Walsh will make full restitution to all minor victims of his offenses as to all counts charged, whether or not he has entered a guilty plea to those counts. As a consequence of Walsh’s conviction, upon his release from prison, Walsh will be required to register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, is an employee, and is a student, pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for November 4, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Noblesville, Indiana Police Department for its assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Judson T. Mihok and Paul E. Budlow, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Alleged Members of a Multi-State Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, and Cocaine Trafficking Ring ArrestedRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging twenty-one individuals for their roles in an Indianapolis-based drug trafficking organization with conspiracies to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. The indictment was unsealed late yesterday following their arrests and initial appearances.
As alleged in court documents, Keith Jones, aka “Keybo,” 56, Indianapolis, was the alleged leader of a drug trafficking organization that operated in Indianapolis. Jones received parcels containing large amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl from Kevin Backstrom, 56, of Los Angeles, California and another individual in Desert Hot Springs, California. Jones directed other individuals to receive the drug parcels at their residences and places of business and transport the drugs to a stash location at 2877 North Centennial Street in Indianapolis. Jones then delivered the controlled substances to other individuals for redistribution. The indictment also alleges that Jones enlisted his twelve-year-old daughter to assist him in the distribution of the controlled substances.
In addition, DEA filed a federal criminal complaint against Michael Tyrone Hill of Indianapolis for the offenses of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
Law enforcement officers from 22 different agencies served search and arrest warrants at 25 locations in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Los Angeles, California on Thursday morning, ultimately arresting 20 individuals. During the execution of the search warrants, officers seized approximately 43 firearms, $300,000 in U.S. currency, four ounces of methamphetamine, one kilogram of cocaine, and two kilograms of fentanyl. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage. One kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people.
The following individuals are in custody or have been ordered to appear in federal court:
Defendant
Charge(s)
Keith Jones, aka “Keybo” 56, of Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments
Kevin Backstrom, 56, of Los Angeles, CA
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments
Jamie Rayner, 32, of Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments
Imany Jones, 30, of Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments
Tameka Washington, 47, of Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
Jerry Bibbs, 54, of Ft. Wayne
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
Emmanuel O’Hara, 24, of Ft. Wayne
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
Danyale Buchanan, 52, of Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
Charles Davis, 37, of Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
LaDonna Jones, 38, of Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
Anthony Moore, 36, of Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
Marcus Miles, aka “Old Hat” 47, of Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
Steve Young, aka “Friday” 39, of Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
Sean Devonish, 44, of Indianapolis
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
Katrina Green, 50, of Indianapolis
Maintaining drug involved premises
Fredrick Garner, 52, of Indianapolis
Unlawful use of communication facility
Nicholas Ray, 31, of Indianapolis
Possession of cocaine hydrochloride with intent to distribute
Theodore Poinsett, Jr., aka “Grover” 41, of Indianapolis
Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute
William Starks, 58, of Indianapolis
Possession of cocaine hydrochloride with intent to distribute
The defendants face the following possible penalties, if convicted:Charge
Penalties
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
10 years to life in prison
Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments
0 to 20 years in prison
Continuing criminal enterprise
Life in prison
Maintaining drug involved premises
0 to 20 years in prison
Unlawful use of communication facility
0 to 3 years in prison
Possession of cocaine hydrochloride with intent to distribute
0 to 20 years in prison
Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute
10 years to life in prison
Actual sentences are determined by a federal district court judge and are typically less than the maximum penalties.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office, Chief Randal Taylor, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Major Charles Harting, Hamilton-Boone County Drug Task Force, Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division, and Justin Campbell, Special Agent in Charge, Chicago Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation made the announcement.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the IRS Criminal Investigations, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Drug Task Force, the Hamilton/Boone County Drug Task Force, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Brad Blackington, who is prosecuting this case.
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.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
21 July 2022
York County Man Sentenced to over Ten Years in Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jeremy Michael Kohler, age 34, of Wrightsville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to 130 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Kohler was indicted for his role in methamphetamine trafficking. On July 2, 2020, Kohler and his codefendant, Nicole Botterbusch, were stopped in a vehicle with over 400 grams of methamphetamine. Both Kohler and Botterbusch previously entered guilty pleas to drug trafficking. Botterbusch is awaiting sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Consiglio is prosecuting the case.
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Winchester Man Arrested for Making Straw Purchase of Firearm Used in HomicideRead the Press Release
HARRISONBURG, Va. – A Winchester, Virginia man was arrested today on criminal charges related to his alleged straw purchase of a firearm, which was used four days later in a homicide in Washington, D.C.
According to court documents, Gerald Kendrick Oxner, 25, lied when he purchased a Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun from a Front Royal, Virginia gun store in January 2021. Oxner did not disclose that he was purchasing the weapon for a close relative and provided a false home address on required forms. Investigators obtained security camera footage and receipts from the store, which show Oxner buying the firearm and using his relative’s debit card to make the purchase.
“To reduce violent crime in our communities, we must leverage all available federal laws to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous people,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “My Office is committed to prosecuting individuals who directly contribute to the surging violence in our communities, including those who circumvent the law and providing firearms to violent felons. We will find and identify those responsible through traditional investigative efforts and advanced forensic analysis.”
“The straw purchase of firearms will continue to be at the forefront of our investigations as we combat violent gun crime,” said ATF Washington Field Division Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson. “We know people that purchase illegal firearms almost always have ill intentions, and the consequences can be deadly. Our mission is clear, we will continue working with our partners as we disrupt the cycle of illegal firearm acquisition to maintain public safety.”
Law enforcement later recovered the firearm in Maryland, but its serial number had been obliterated. Through forensic analysis, the serial number was restored, and the firearm was linked to evidence recovered the scene of a shooting. On January 25, 2021, the firearm was used in a shooting in Southeast Washington D.C. where one person was killed and three others were injured. Oxner’s relative was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting.
The criminal complaint further alleges Oxner conducted additional straw purchases in Virginia, including purchasing a firearm later found in possession of a felon in a separate shooting investigation.
Oxner is charged with making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm and, if convicted, faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Oxner will make his initial court appearance today at 2:00 p.m. in U.S. District Court in Charlottesville.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanie Smith and Katie B. Medearis are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
West Des Moines Man Charged for Sexually Exploiting and Enticing Numerous MinorsRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IOWA – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned an indictment on July 20, 2022, charging a West Des Moines man with exploiting minors to produce child pornography and attempting to entice and persuade other minors to do the same thing.
According to court documents, Jonathan Francis Speidel, age 30, used the social media application Snapchat to manipulate and entice numerous children to produce child pornography for him. Speidel had multiple Snapchat usernames, including “Letssbang” and “SD_Backupacct.”
Speidel is charged with twenty-eight crimes, including seven counts of Sexual Exploitation and Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, eight counts of Enticement and Attempted Enticement of a Minor, four counts of Transportation of Child Pornography, five counts of Receipt of Child Pornography, one count of Possession of Child Pornography, and three counts of Transfer and Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor.
Speidel has been ordered to remain in custody until his trial or sentencing. If convicted, Speidel faces a mandatory minimum fifteen-year prison sentence and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
If you have information relevant to this investigation, please contact [email protected], an email account dedicated to identifying possible victims.
The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the North Olmsted (Ohio) Police Department, and the Gladstone (Oregon) Police Department. The investigation remains ongoing.
U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Essley is prosecuting the case.
The case was 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. Attorney’s Offices and the Department of Justice’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
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Valdosta Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for Producing Child Sexual Assault MaterialRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – A Valdosta man who produced child sexual assault material involving two young children was sentenced to the statutory maximum prison sentence of 60 years in prison today.
Henry Theodore Salmons aka Ted, 48, of Valdosta, Georgia, was sentenced to serve a total of 720 months in prison (the statutory maximum of 360 months imprisonment per count) to be followed by 25 years of supervised release and pay $150,000 in restitution to each of the two minor victims by U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson after he previously pleaded guilty to two counts of producing child pornography. In addition, Salmons will have to register as a sex offender upon his release from federal prison. There is no parole.
“Ted Salmons will spend the rest of his life in prison where he will no longer be able to sexually assault children and film their horrific suffering,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office and our law enforcement partners have an unwavering commitment to protect children from exploitation; we will use every resource at our disposal to track down dangerous sex offenders who target children and bring them to justice.”
“Finding and stopping predators like Salmons, that not only victimize innocent children, but also share those horrific images with others who delight in viewing this filth is one of our highest priorities,” said Special Agent in Charge Katrina Berger, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “Thanks to the great work done by our agents along with our state, local and federal partners we were able to remove a serious threat from our community and we will continue to pursue those who commit these evil acts.”
“The U.S. Marshals and our K-9 unit helped us track down and take this defendant into custody; and thanks to our federal partners, we were able to build a good case against him. With this sentence, Ted Salmons will not see the light of day in Lowndes County again,” said Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk.
According to court documents, Salmons admitted that he enticed two minor children under the age of ten years old to engage in sexually explicit acts which were filmed or photographed in April and July 2021. For the protection of the minor victims, Salmon’s guilty plea was sealed by the Court at the request of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (HSI) and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn Semales prosecuted the case with support from Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McCullers.
U.S. Attorney's Office Closes Investigation into Officer Involved Shooting in Lame DeerRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana is closing its investigation into the Dec. 2, 2021 fatal shooting of Arlin Bordeaux by a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) officer in Lame Deer, on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation.
“After a thorough investigation by the FBI into the shooting of Mr. Bordeaux by a BIA officer and an extensive review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the office has declined to prosecute the case.
“According to the evidence reviewed during the investigation, the shooting occurred when a BIA officer responded to a call of a suspicious man near a residence and encountered Mr. Bordeaux, who was acting in a peculiar manner. Mr. Bordeaux disobeyed orders to stop and get on the ground and began fighting with the officer. The responding officer called for assistance and a second BIA officer arrived. Using non-lethal methods, including tasers, both officers tried unsuccessfully to gain control of Mr. Bordeaux, who was taller and heavier than the officers. During the fighting, Mr. Bordeaux obtained the assisting officer’s taser and was within arm’s reach of the responding officer. Believing the taser could incapacitate the responding officer or himself, the assisting officer shot Mr. Bordeaux twice. The first shot was through the back. The assisting officer shot Mr. Bordeaux a second time, in the shoulder, because Mr. Bordeaux again reached for the taser while he was still within arm’s reach of the responding officer. Both officers received minor injuries.
“An autopsy determined that the first shot did not incapacitate or kill Mr. Bordeaux, while the second shot nicked his heart and killed him. The autopsy also showed that Mr. Bordeaux had methamphetamine in his system.
“Evidence reviewed in the investigation included law enforcement video and audio files, interviews of the officers and the person who called the police, and autopsy records.
“As in all cases under its consideration, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is responsible for determining whether the government can prove each element of a federal crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Under the applicable federal criminal civil rights statute, prosecutors would have to establish that the assisting officer’s actions were objectively unreasonable under the circumstances, and that his actions were willful. To establish willfulness, the government must show that the officer acted with deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids – one of the highest standards of intent imposed by law. An officer reasonably believing that he or she is acting in self-defense or defense of others – even if predicated on mistake, misperception, negligence or poor judgment – is insufficient to establish this high standard.
“After a careful and thorough review into the facts surrounding the shooting, the evidence, when viewed as whole, is insufficient to prove that the officer’s actions were ‘objectively unreasonable’ under the law. The evidence is also insufficient to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer acted willfully, that is with the specific intent to break the law.
“Accordingly, the investigation into this tragic incident has been closed. This decision is limited to the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s inability to meet the high legal standard required to prosecute the case under the applicable federal civil rights statute; it does not reflect an assessment of any other aspect of the shooting.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to ensure that all such allegations are fully investigated and aggressively prosecuted whenever there is sufficient evidence to do so.”
U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Calls Mexico’s Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero to Discuss the Extradition of Rafael Caro-QuinteroRead the Press Release
This afternoon, U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland spoke by phone with Mexico’s Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero. Attorney General Garland called to express his gratitude to Attorney General Gertz and the Government of Mexico for successfully arresting Rafael Caro-Quintero, who is wanted in the United States on a number of criminal charges, including his alleged involvement in the kidnapping and murder of Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena in 1985. Attorney General Garland offered his condolences to the families and loved ones of the Mexican servicemembers who gave their lives in service to their country last week. The two leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to continue working in lockstep on the extradition of Caro-Quintero and pledged to continue building upon successful collaboration in criminal investigations and prosecutions of cross-border crime.
Two People Arrested and Charged for Carson City Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A Reno resident made her initial appearance on Wednesday, July 20, 2022, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carla L. Baldwin for allegedly conspiring to commit bank robbery and for bank robbery.
Shanequa Charles (31) is charged in a superseding indictment with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Bank Robbery and Bank Robbery. The superseding indictment alleges that on January 27, 2022, Charles and her co-defendant, Devon Jones (29) conspired to rob the Plumas Bank, 1101 North Carson Street, Carson City, Nevada. Jones is also charged with discharging a semi-automatic pistol during the bank robbery. Loss to the Plumas Bank was approximately $10,000.
The superseding indictment also charges Jones with interfering with commerce by robbery and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. On January 24, 2020, Jones allegedly discharged a semi-automatic pistol during the robbery at USA Cash Services, 699 Moana Lane, Reno, Nevada.
If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty for bank robbery is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The penalty for conspiracy is 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The statutory maximum penalty for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence is life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years that must run consecutive to any other related count of conviction and a fine of $250,000. The statutory maximum penalty for interference with commerce by robbery is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A jury trial has been set for August 29, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the Northern Nevada Safe Streets Task Force which is comprised of members from the FBI, Reno Police Department, Carson City Sheriff’s Office, Nevada Gaming Control Board, Nevada Parole and Probation, Nevada Department of Corrections, Nevada Highway Patrol, and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Rachow is prosecuting the case.
A superseding indictment contains merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Two Morgan Management Employees Sentenced for Bank LarcenyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Frank Giacobbe and Michael Tremiti, who were convicted of bank larceny, were sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. Giacobbe was sentenced to serve one year probation and ordered to pay a $500 fine, while Tremiti was sentenced to time served and a $500 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Glaberson, who handled the case, stated that defendant Tremiti worked for Morgan Management, LLC., a real estate management company that managed over 100 multi-family properties, as the Vice President of Finance. Tremiti admitted submitting false documents to the ESL Federal Credit Union to obtain a construction loan. The loan was used to construct Ellison Heights Apartments, a multi-family residential complex in Penfield, NY.
Defendant Giacobbe owned and operated Aurora Capital Advisors, LLC, which brokered loans for borrowers seeking financing for multi-family properties such as apartment complexes. Through Aurora, Giacobbe worked as a mortgage broker on behalf of Morgan Management. Morgan Ellicott Apartments, LLC, was a limited liability company created to purchase a multi-family residential apartment complex located at 221 and 291 William Street in Buffalo, NY, known as Morgan Ellicott Apartments. Morgan Ellicott sought to obtain a loan from Evans Bank. Giacobbe, working with others, submitted documents and information to Evans Bank that overstated the contract purchase price of Morgan Ellicott, falsely represented the obligations associated with Morgan Ellicott, and misrepresented the actual purchase price of the property. Giacobbe also made misrepresentations designed to conceal from Evans Bank that he and others were not using the loan proceeds to purchase or maintain the property as required by the loan agreement.
The sentencings are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Robert Manchak, Northeast Region.
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Two Marysville, Washington residents arrested following discovery of fentanyl pill manufacturing labRead the Press Release
Seattle – Two residents of Marysville, Washington, were arrested today following an investigation into parts shipped from China that could be used to make counterfeit oxycodone pills, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Jose Eduardo Garnica and Lauren Malina Wilson, appeared in U.S. District Court today charged with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute fentanyl, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Both remain detained at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac pending additional hearings.
“Fentanyl pills are linked to the huge increase in overdose deaths in Washington State,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “A pill press, such as the one in this case, can create 30-50 pills a minute – up to 3,000 potentially deadly pills per hour. Seizure of this press helps reduce the supply of these dangerous pills.”
According to the criminal complaint, the pair came to the attention of law enforcement on June 17, 2022, when U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Los Angeles inspected a package shipped from China to Garnica’s Marysville address. The package was labeled “furniture parts,” but in fact it contained die sets for use in a pill press, and would make pills that appear to have the markings of oxycodone pills. Further investigation of Garnica and Wilson revealed numerous unusual cash transactions and the purchase of 11 firearms in a three-month span of 2020.
This morning agents with Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI executed search warrants at the Marysville residence and in the garage seized a pill press and other materials for making fake oxycodone pills. Both Garnica and Wilson were arrested at the scene. Officers called a hazmat team to secure the lab, due to the potentially deadly nature of fentanyl powder. The investigation of the scene is ongoing. In the vehicles associated with the defendants, law enforcement found multiple suspected counterfeit oxycodone pills.
The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI with assistance from the Washington State Patrol, National Guard Civil Service Team, the Snohomish County Drug Task Force, and the Skagit County Drug Task Force.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vince Lombardi.
garnica-wilson_complaint.pdf Pill press in garageTwo Defendants Plead Guilty for Their Roles in A Narcotics Conspiracy Which Resulted in A Triple HomicideRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jariel Cobb a/k/a Doobie a/k/a Black, 49, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to narcotics conspiracy, conspiracy to obstruct justice, use of fire to commit a felony, and conspiracy to damage and destroy a vehicle used in interstate commerce by fire. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 25 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $20,000,000 fine. Co-defendant James Reed, 39, of Buffalo, also pleaded guilty to narcotics conspiracy, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and use of fire to commit a felony, as well as accessory after the fact, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $20,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan T. Cullinane, who is handling the case, stated that beginning in 2014, Cobb, Reed, and others, began receiving and selling marijuana, heroin and cocaine. Cobb, Reed, and their co-conspirators utilized 973 Fillmore Avenue to store, package, and sell the illegal narcotics. In furtherance of the narcotics conspiracy, on September 15, 2019, Cobb arranged a purchase of a kilogram of cocaine from Miguel Anthony Valentin-Colon and Dhamyl Roman-Audiffred, who served as Cobb’s sources of supply. Valentin-Colon, along with his wife. Nicole Marie Merced-Plaud, their minor son, and Roman-Audiffred, arrived in their vehicle, a white minivan, at a residence on Roebling Avenue, as directed by Cobb. Roman-Audiffred exited the van and entered the residence’s kitchen, at which time a co-defendant her in the head with a blunt object and she fell to the floor. The co-defendant then went outside and shot and killed both Valentin-Colon and Merced Plaud, in the presence of their minor son, who was seated in a child’s car seat. The co-defendant then drove the minivan and parked it on Scajaquada Street near Kilhoffer Street in Buffalo.
A short time later, Cobb and Reed moved the body of Dhamyl Roman-Audiffred from the kitchen into the residence’s basement, where they dismembered her body. Cobb placed the body parts into multiple trash bags and placed them into the trunk of his vehicle, and then drove to a residence on Box Avenue, removed the trash bags, and placed them into a burning fire in a fire pit area in the backyard.
The following day, during the early morning hours of September 16, 2019, Cobb and another co-defendant retrieved the minivan from Scajaquada Street, with the bodies of Miguel Valentin-Colon and Nicole Marie Merced-Plaud still inside, as well as their minor son. Cobb and the co-defendant drove the minivan into the yard of a residence on Tonawanda Street and doused the vehicle and the bodies with gasoline, lighting the vehicle and bodies on fire. They took the minor child and left him on a stranger’s porch on Potomac Avenue in Buffalo.
In addition, co-defendant Deshema Clark pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of marijuana and faces up to one year in prison.
The pleas are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia; the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia; the Erie County Central Police Services Forensic Laboratory, under the direction of Commissioner James Jancewicz. Additional assistance was provided by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney John Flynn.
Sentencing's will be scheduled at a later date.
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