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Monday 6 June 2022
Jury returns verdict in Cle Nightclub violent armed robberyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 26-year-old security guard working at a downtown Houston nightclub has been convicted of its 2019 violent armed robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
The jury deliberated for 10 minutes before convicting Hakeem Alexander Coles today for interference with commerce by robbery and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence following a five-day trial.
Coles, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, used a false identity to get hired as a security guard for Cle Nightclub. He worked there for about two weeks. On Sept. 7, 2019, after the business closed, he robbed the employees at gunpoint and demanded $20,000 cash.
At trial, the jury heard from witnesses who described how Coles was hired as a security guard using someone else’s identity. They also heard from employees at Cle who described how he had robbed them at gunpoint and discharged his firearm toward them as he fled the scene.
The investigation led to Coles’ arrest in Louisiana. At that time, he was found in possession of a loaded firearm and the false identification he used to gain employment at Cle. Law enforcement was soon able to uncover his true identity.
The jury also heard evidence of another robbery Coles had committed in Minneapolis three weeks prior to the Cle robbery. In that case, Coles was working as a security guard at Cowboy Jacks Bar and Restaurant and robbed the employees during closed hours as well. Coles pleaded guilty in 2020 and received 17 years in federal prison on that case.
The defense attempted to convince the jury in this case that Coles did not commit the crime and it was, in fact, the individual whose identity he had stolen. The jury did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. presided over trial and set sentencing for Aug. 26. At that time, Coles faces up to 20 years for the robbery and a minimum of 10 years and up to life for the firearms charge which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed.
Coles has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; Gretna Police Department in Louisiana and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Britni Cooper and Luis Batarse prosecuted the case.
This is an example of coordination between law enforcement who are part of the Houston Law Enforcement Violent Crime Initiative which combines personnel and resources from numerous federal, state and local agencies. The goal is to proactively fight and reduce violent crime across the Greater Houston area by targeting the region’s most violent offenders, augmenting investigative and prosecutorial efforts and enhancing training, public awareness and education. It stems from the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. 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.
In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Officer Charged with Using and Attempting to Use A Minor to Produce Sexually Explicit ImagesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment against Alejandro Carmona-Fonseca (47, Green Cove Springs) charging him with one count of using a minor child to produce sexually explicit images, two counts of attempting to use a minor child to produce sexually explicit images, and one count of attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. For each of the first three counts, Carmona-Fonseca faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and up to a maximum of 30 years in federal prison. For the fourth count, Carmona-Fonseca faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and up to a maximum of life in federal prison. In addition, he faces up to a $1 million fine and a potential life term of supervised release. Carmona made his initial appearance in federal court on June 2, 2022, and was ordered detained pending trial.
According to public records, Carmona-Fonseca is currently employed as an officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
According to the indictment, between April 2021 and March 2022, Carmona-Fonseca used a minor to produce or attempt to produce sexually explicit images. The indictment also alleges that in March 2022, Carmona-Fonseca attempted to entice an individual he believed to be a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, that is, to produce sexually explicit images.
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 Clay County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Jackson Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley with the Drug Enforcement Administration.
According to court documents, beginning as early August 1, 2017, and continuing until April 2019, communications between Elbert Silas, 44, and his codefendants were intercepted wherein they negotiated and conducted sales of methamphetamine throughout the state of Mississippi, from as far as Aberdeen to Biloxi. Surveillance, confidential source information and additional intercepted communications revealed that Silas and his codefendants also distributed heroin.
The case is the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Drama Queen,” which began as an operation targeting illegal drug trafficking in the central Mississippi area. “Drama Queen” is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Hinds County Sheriff’s Department, Richland Police Department, Biloxi Police Department, Jones County Sheriff’s Office and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.
Illinois Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Entice A Child to Engage in Sexually Explicit ConductRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Robert W. Rice (56, Westville, Illinois) to 10 years in federal prison for the attempted enticement of a minor and possession of child sexual abuse images. As a part of his sentence, Rice is also required to register as a sex offender. The Court also ordered Rice to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and to forfeit his cellphone, which was used in the commission of the offense. Rice had pleaded guilty on March 7, 2022.
According to court documents, from approximately May 2020 through June 9, 2020, Rice used his cellphone to communicate on an online social media application with an individual whom he thought was a 13-year-old girl. In reality, Rice was communicating with an undercover agent. In his communications, Rice sent images and videos depicting children being sexually abused and further engaged in sexually explicit conversation with the purported “child” in an attempt to entice the “child” into engaging in sexually explicit conduct. During the communications, Rice repeatedly asked the “child” to send photos and videos to his email. Rice also sent the “child” pictures of his face, his genitalia, and videos of him masturbating and child sex abuse images and videos to further his attempt to entice the “child.”
“The internet makes it easier for these predators to target and attempt to exploit children,” said HSI Tampa Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Silliman. “We will absolutely investigate those who try victimize our most vulnerable.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell.
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 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 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.
Huntington Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington woman pleaded guilty today to making false statements in the acquisition of firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Whitney Kathlyn Hershey, 35, admitted to lying on a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473, when she bought a Glock, Model 27, .40-caliber pistol in Huntington on February 14, 2020. Hershey certified on the ATF Form 4473 that she was the purchaser of the firearm when she knew she was buying it for someone else. Hershey further admitted to buying firearms on three other occasions and stating on the forms that she was the actual purchaser when she was not.
Hershey is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Huntington Police Department and the ATF for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney R. Gregory McVey is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-23.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced today to three years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Parrish Wayne Spurlock, 55, sold 0.8 grams of suspected fentanyl behind his North High Street residence to a confidential informant on May 11, 2021. The suspected fentanyl field-tested positive and was ultimately confirmed as fentanyl by the West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory. Spurlock admitted to law enforcement officers that he had sold significant amounts of methamphetamine and heroin over an approximate one-year period.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-250.
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Harrisburg Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Possessing A Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kshawn Carter, age 25, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 180 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Christopher Conner for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Carter pleaded guilty to possessing a stolen handgun discovered during the execution of a search warrant at his Harrisburg residence on September 23, 2019. Because Carter had three prior felony drug convictions, under federal law, his possession of the firearm mandated the 15-year sentence.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Harrisburg Police Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Johnny Baer is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Grand Jury Charges Memphis Woman Who Allegedly Bought Maserati Luxury Automobile and Other Personal Items with Fraudulently Obtained Paycheck Protection LoansRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN - A Memphis woman was charged for her role in a fraudulent scheme to obtain thousands of dollars in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for herself and others. Joseph C. Murphy Jr., United States Attorney, announced the indictment today.
On May 19, 2022, a federal grand jury charged Kenyatta Danielle Hooper, 34, in a six-count indictment with wire fraud. Hooper was arrested on Friday, May 27, 2022.
According to the indictment, 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 the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The law authorized up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.
Hooper engaged in a scheme to illegally obtain thousands of dollars in PPP money for herself and others through numerous misrepresentations to financial institutions. Hooper both personally submitted and directed others to submit fraudulent PPP loan applications. She also submitted fake and false documents in support of these applications. Hooper also took kickbacks from the persons she assisted in filing fraudulent PPP loan applications. She further falsely certified that she would only use PPP loan proceeds for permissible expenses – payroll, rent or mortgage payments, and utilities – and instead spent loan money on a Maserati automobile, personal travel, concerts, and gambling.
“Congress funded the PPP program to provide a financial lifeline to struggling small businesses in West Tennessee and across the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic”, said United States Attorney Joseph C. Murphy. “Bad actors unfortunately have targeted this critical assistance program and fraudulently diverted much needed resources. Our office and our law enforcement partners will investigate all allegations of unlawful use of these funds and are committed to ensuring federal tax dollars are used for their intended purposes.”
“The FBI takes particular interest in cases where individuals scheme for their own personal benefit, lining their pockets at the public’s expense,” said Douglas M. Korneski, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Memphis Field Office. “The honest and law-abiding small business owners in this country should be assured by this indictment that the FBI is committed to working closely with its law enforcement partners to vigorously pursue anyone who would scheme to use critical assistance loans for their own avaricious desires.”
“Scheming to fraudulently use SBA program funds is unacceptable,” said SBA OIG’s Special Agent-in-Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “OIG remains committed to rooting out bad actors and protecting the integrity of SBA programs. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”
“The Memphis Field Office of the United States Secret Service assisted the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the arrest of suspect Kenyatta Hooper for COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program Fraud. This investigation and subsequent arrest once again demonstrate the continued collaboration between the FBI and Secret Service to combat financial crime,” said Carl B. Hagins, Special Agent in Charge (Memphis Field Office), United States Secret Service.
Hooper faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud count. There is no parole in the federal system.
The charges and allegations contained in indictment are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the United States Small Business Administration, and the United States Secret Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Tony Arvin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
###Gang Member with a Dozen Prior Convictions Sentenced to 200 Months Imprisonment Resulting from Project Safe Neighborhoods InvestigationRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia resident and gang member with an extensive criminal history was sentenced to serve 200 months in prison after a federal jury found him guilty on all counts.
Quinton Jarod Simmons, 30, of Adel, Georgia, was sentenced to a total of 200 months for possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine by U.S. District Judge Louis Sands on June 2 in Albany. Simmons was convicted on all counts on Thursday, Feb. 10, resulting from a four-day trial at the Valdosta, Georgia, federal courthouse.
“Repeat offenders face federal prosecution in Middle Georgia as we continue to focus law enforcement efforts on those who constantly commit crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Through the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work closely with local, state and federal law enforcement, as well as our community partners, to make Middle Georgia a safer place.”
“With twelve prior convictions, Simmons was a continuous threat to the safety of the citizens in our community,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI is proud to work with our partners in the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program to help convict repeat offenders at the federal level, where they face steeper penalties and no opportunity for parole.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Simmons, a member of the Crips street gang, fled Remerton Police Department Officers who were attempting to conduct a traffic stop for a traffic violation on June 15, 2018. Simmons ran through a red light during the pursuit and crashed his vehicle into a tree on Georgia Avenue in Valdosta. Simmons attempted to escape his car, but responding officers took him into custody. Simmons was in possession of a Glock 22 firearm that had been reported stolen by an Adel resident in April 2018, as well as two clear bags of pink and blue pills that tested positive for methamphetamine. Simmons has a lengthy criminal history, with 12 prior convictions, including burglary, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, fleeing a police officer and theft by taking.
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 FBI, GBI, Remerton Police Department, Valdosta State University Police Department, Valdosta Police Department, Lowndes County Sheriff's Office, Valdosta-Lowndes Regional Crime Laboratory and Georgia State Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sonja Profit and Mike Morrison prosecuted the case.
Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute over 40 Grams of Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Mario Garcia, 28, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between Oct. 2 and Dec. 16, 2020, Mario was incarcerated at the Fresno County Jail in an unrelated case. From inside the jail, he used the jail’s telephones to contact his brother Isaiah Garcia, 19, and discuss a plan to distribute counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl to Isaiah’s customers. On Dec. 16, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Isaiah’s residence and seized about 1,200 counterfeit M30 fentanyl pills.
This case was the product of an investigation by FORT, a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
Mario Garcia is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 29, 2022. He faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Charges are pending against Isaiah Garcia for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The charges are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
Former U.S. Congressman and Philadelphia Political Operative Pleads Guilty to Election Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced today that former U.S. Congressman Michael “Ozzie” Myers, 79, of Philadelphia, PA, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to deprive voters of civil rights, bribery, obstruction of justice, falsification of voting records, and conspiring to illegally vote in a federal election for orchestrating schemes to fraudulently stuff the ballot boxes for specific Democratic candidates in the 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 Pennsylvania elections.
39th Ward, 36th Division
Specifically, Myers admitted in court to bribing the Judge of Elections for the 39th Ward, 36th Division in South Philadelphia, Domenick J. Demuro, in a fraudulent scheme over several years. Demuro, who was charged separately and pleaded guilty in May 2020, was responsible for overseeing the entire election process and all voter activities of his Division in accord with federal and state election laws.
The voting machines at each polling station, including in the 39th Ward, 36th Division, generate records in the form of a printed receipt documenting the use of each voting machine. This printed receipt, also known as the “results receipt,” shows the vote totals, and the Judge of Elections and other Election Board Officials at each polling place attest to the accuracy of machine results.
Myers admitted to bribing Demuro to illegally add votes for certain candidates of their mutual political party in primary elections. Some of these candidates were individuals running for judicial office whose campaigns had hired Myers, and others were candidates for various federal, state, and local elective offices that Myers favored for a variety of reasons. Myers would solicit payments from his clients in the form of cash or checks as “consulting fees,” and then use portions of these funds to pay Demuro and others to tamper with election results.
After receiving payments ranging from between $300 to $5,000 per election from Myers, Demuro would add fraudulent votes on the voting machine – also known as “ringing up” votes – for Myers’ clients and preferred candidates, thereby diluting the value of ballots cast by actual voters. At Myers’ direction, Demuro would add these fraudulent votes to the totals during Election Day, and then would later falsely certify that the voting machine results were accurate. Myers is also accused of directing Demuro to lie to investigators about the circumstances of the bribes and the ballot-stuffing scheme.
39th Ward, 2nd Division
Myers also admitted to conspiring to commit election fraud with a former Judge of Elections for the 39th Ward, 2nd Division in South Philadelphia, Marie Beren. Beren, who was charged separately and pleaded guilty in October 2021, was the de facto Judge of Elections and effectively ran the polling places in her division by installing close associates to serve as members of the Board of Elections. Myers admitted that he gave Beren directions to add votes to candidates supported by him, including candidates for judicial office whose campaigns actually hired Myers, and other candidates for various federal, state, and local elective offices preferred by Myers for a variety of reasons.
Myers acknowledged in court that on almost every Election Day, Myers transported Beren to the polling station to open the polls. During the drive to the polling station, Myers would advise Beren which candidates he was supporting so that Beren knew which candidates should be receiving fraudulent votes. Inside the polling place and while the polls were open, Beren would advise actual in-person voters to support Myers’ candidates and also cast fraudulent votes in support of Myers’ preferred candidates on behalf of voters she knew would not or did not physically appear at the polls.
During Election Day itself, Myers conferred with Beren via cell phone while she was at the polling station about the number of votes cast for his preferred candidates. Beren would report to Myers how many “legit votes,” meaning actual voters, had appeared at the polls and cast ballots. If actual voter turnout was high, Beren would add fewer fraudulent votes in support of Myers’ preferred candidates. From time to time, Myers would instruct Beren to shift her efforts from one of his preferred candidates to another. Specifically, Myers would instruct Beren “to throw support” behind another candidate during Election Day if he concluded that his first choice was comfortably ahead.
Beren and her accomplices from the Board of Elections would then falsify the polling books and the List of Voters and Party Enrollment for the 39th Ward, 2nd Division, by recording the names, party affiliation, and order of appearances for voters who had not physically appeared at the polling station to cast his or her ballot in the election. Beren took pains to ensure that the number of ballots cast on the machines was a reflection of the number of voters signed into the polling books and the List of Voters. After the polls closed on Election Day, Beren and her associates would falsely certify the results.
“Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy. If even one vote has been illegally cast or if the integrity of just one election official is compromised, it diminishes faith in process,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Votes are not things to be purchased and democracy is not for sale. If you are a political consultant, election official, or work with the polling places in any way, I urge you to do your job honestly and faithfully. That is what the public deserves and what the federal government will enforce.”
“One thing you can say about Ozzie Myers: his values have long been out of whack,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Decades ago, he valued a fake sheikh’s bribes more than the ethical obligations of his elected federal office. This time around, he valued his clients’ money and his own whims more than the integrity of multiple elections and the will of Philadelphia voters. Free and fair elections are critical to the health of our democracy, which is why protecting the legitimacy of the electoral process at every level is such a priority for the FBI.”
“The guilty plea entered today is a satisfying culmination of tireless work by our Pennsylvania State Troopers, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Justice. It is imperative the citizens of this Commonwealth have faith in a fair voting process. We will remain committed to prioritizing these investigations and working with our federal partners to fully investigate and prosecute anyone who attempts to impede or alter the election process.” Captain James Cuttitta, Director, Special Investigations Division, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Eric L. Gibson and Richard P. Barrett with assistance from Richard C. Pilger, Director of Elections Crimes Branch, Criminal Division, Public Integrity Section, U.S. Department of Justice.
Former Mayor of Puerto Rico Municipality Sentenced for Accepting BribesRead the Press Release
A former mayor of a municipality in Puerto Rico was sentenced today to two years in prison for his involvement in a bribery scheme in which he received monthly cash payments in exchange for awarding municipal contracts.
Luis Arroyo-Chiqués, 56, of Rincon, pleaded guilty in December 2021 to one count of conspiracy to engage in a bribery scheme. According to court documents and statements made in connection with his plea and sentencing, Arroyo-Chiqués was the mayor and highest-ranking government official in the municipality of Aguas Buenas from 2005 until 2016. In 2017, Arroyo-Chiqués negotiated with Individual B for a waste collection contract for Company A, which was owned and operated by Individual A. In exchange for the 10-year waste collection contract, Individual A agreed to pay Arroyo-Chiqués bribes of $10,000 per month ($1.00 per house for 10,000 houses in the municipality). The agreement was arranged so that Arroyo-Chiqués would be paid $5,000 per month for the life of the contract and Individual B would be paid $5,000 per month. This payment was made in cash every month from 2016 and continued even after Arroyo-Chiqués left office in 2016. The last payment to Arroyo-Chiqués occurred in June 2021.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matters, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the District of Puerto Rico for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts. See United States v. Eduardo Cintrón-Suárez, 22-151 (SCC); United States v. Félix Delgado-Montalvo, 21-463 (RAM); United States v. Oscar Santamaria-Torres, 21-464 (RAM); United States v. Raymond Rodríguez, 21-465 (RAM); and United States v. Ramon Conde-Melendez, 22-221 (PAD).
Additionally, the department recently obtained indictments charging several former officials and contractors with bribery related to municipal contracts, and those cases are still pending. See United States v. Mario Villegas-Vargas, 21-468 (FAB); United States v. Ángel Pérez-Otero, 21-474 (ADC); United States v. Radamés Benítez-Cardona, 21-475 (PAD); United States v. Javier García-Pérez, 22-185 (ADC); and United States v. Reinaldo Vargas-Rodríguez, 22-186 (PAD).
Former Mayor of Puerto Rico Municipality Sentenced for Accepting BribesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former mayor of a municipality in Puerto Rico was sentenced today to two years in prison for his involvement in a bribery scheme in which he received monthly cash payments in exchange for awarding municipal contracts.
Luis Arroyo-Chiqués, 56, of Rincon, pleaded guilty in December 2021 to one count of conspiracy to engage in a bribery scheme. According to court documents and statements made in connection with his plea and sentencing, Arroyo-Chiqués was the mayor and highest-ranking government official in the municipality of Aguas Buenas from 2005 until 2016. In 2017, Arroyo-Chiqués negotiated with Individual B for a waste collection contract for Company A, which was owned and operated by Individual A. In exchange for the 10-year waste collection contract, Individual A agreed to pay Arroyo-Chiqués bribes of $10,000 per month ($1.00 per house for 10,000 houses in the municipality). The agreement was arranged so that Arroyo-Chiqués would be paid $5,000 per month for the life of the contract and Individual B would be paid $5,000 per month. This payment was made in cash every month from 2016 and continued even after Arroyo-Chiqués left office in 2016. The last payment to Arroyo-Chiqués occurred in June 2021.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matters, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the District of Puerto Rico for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts. See United States v. Eduardo Cintrón-Suárez, 22-151 (SCC); United States v. Félix Delgado-Montalvo, 21-463 (RAM); United States v. Oscar Santamaria-Torres, 21-464 (RAM); United States v. Raymond Rodríguez, 21-465 (RAM); and United States v. Ramon Conde-Melendez, 22-221 (PAD).
Additionally, the department recently obtained indictments charging several former officials and contractors with bribery related to municipal contracts, and those cases are still pending. See United States v. Mario Villegas-Vargas, 21-468 (FAB); United States v. Ángel Pérez-Otero, 21-474 (ADC); United States v. Radamés Benítez-Cardona, 21-475 (PAD); United States v. Javier García-Pérez, 22-185 (ADC); and United States v. Reinaldo Vargas-Rodríguez, 22-186 (PAD).
Former Director of Public Works of Puerto Rico Municipality Pleads Guilty to Accepting BribesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The former Director of Public Works in the Municipality of Cataño, Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty today in Puerto Rico to a bribery conspiracy in which he received cash payments in exchange for the distribution of asphalt removal projects and certification of invoices for payments from the Municipality of Cataño to an asphalt and paving company.
According to court documents, in 2019, 2020, and 2021, Pedro Marrero-Miranda agreed to receive and did receive multiple kickback payments from Individual A and Individual B, owners of an asphalt and paving company, equaling approximately $1.00 for each square meter of asphalt removed by the company in the municipality of Cataño. The total value of the kickback payments received by the defendant from Individual A and Individual B exceeded $40,000.
Marrero-Miranda, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in a bribery scheme. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matters, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the District of Puerto Rico for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts. See United States v. Luis Arroyo-Chiqués, 21-485 (SCC); United States v. Eduardo Cintrón-Suárez, 22-151 (SCC); United States v. Félix Delgado-Montalvo, 21-463 (RAM); United States v. Oscar Santamaria-Torres, 21-464 (RAM); United States v. Raymond Rodríguez, 21-465 (RAM); and United States v. Ramon Conde-Melendez, 22-221 (PAD).
Additionally, the department recently obtained indictments charging several former officials and contractors with bribery related to municipal contracts, and those cases are still pending. See United States v. Mario Villegas-Vargas, 21-468 (FAB); United States v. Ángel Pérez-Otero, 21-474 (ADC); United States v. Radamés Benítez-Cardona, 21-475 (PAD); United States v. Javier García-Pérez, 22-185 (ADC); and United States v. Reinaldo Vargas-Rodríguez, 22-186 (PAD).
Foreign National Involved in Religious Institution Check Theft Conspiracy Sentenced to over Three Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore C. Chuang sentenced Marius Vaduva, age 27, of Hollywood, Florida, to 42 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud. As part of his sentence, Vaduva will be required to pay $1,334,230.84 in restitution.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Charles Wickersham of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Selwyn Smith of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Acting Special Agent in Charge Quenton Sallows of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) Mid-Atlantic Region; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Toni Dezomits of the Cary, North Carolina, Police Department; and Sheriff Dusty Rhoades of the Williamson County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Office.
According to his guilty plea, beginning in June 2018 to January 2021, Vaduva and his co-conspirators conspired to steal checks from the U.S. mail intended for religious institutions and deposit the illegally obtained funds into multiple fraudulent bank accounts at various victim financial institutions. Conspirators, including Vaduva, conducted the thefts by driving to roadside mailboxes of churches and other religious institutions and removing the mail, specifically targeting donation checks.
As part of the scheme to defraud, Vaduva and other co-conspirators fraudulently opened bank accounts at victim financial institutions under false identities. Conspiracy members often opened fictitious bank accounts with the aid of a co-conspirator who was an employee at one of the victim financial institutions. In addition, Vaduva and his co-conspirators used at least two extended family members who were minors to assist in the account openings.
Vaduva and co-conspirators then withdrew cash from the fraudulent bank accounts through ATMs and spent the illegally obtained proceeds using debit cards associated with the bank accounts. Additionally, Vaduva deposited stolen checks in fraudulently opened bank accounts held in others’ identities. Vaduva opened at least nine fraudulent accounts between October 24, 2019 to November 20, 2019. The same nine fraudulent accounts received a total of at least 119 stolen checks totaling approximately $41,528.99. Vaduva also deposited at least four stolen checks totaling approximately $2,120.69 into other bank accounts. Those checks had been stolen from religious institutions in North Carolina and Virginia.
Further, upon his arrest in February 2021, Vaduva’s cell phone contained images of at least 21 stolen checks, totaling $10,119.68.
In total the conspiracy stole at least approximately $1,320,829.69 from 3,075 stolen checks.
Co-conspirators Daniel Velcu, age 43, of Baltimore, Maryland; Marian Unguru, age 36, of Baltimore, Maryland; Vali Unguru, age 19, of Baltimore, Maryland; and Florin Vaduva, age 31, of Dania Beach, Florida previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud. Nicolae Gindac, age 52, of Dania Beach, Florida pled guilty to the same charge and was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison. Mateus Vaduva, age 29, of Baltimore, Maryland pled guilty to the same charge and was sentenced to five years in federal prison.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, HSI, the FDIC Office of Inspector General, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Cary (North Carolina) Police Department, and the Williamson County (Tennessee) Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Wright, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con un empleador en Florida que resuelve unas acusaciones de discriminación relacionada con la inmigraciónRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con Temple Beth El, una sinagoga en Boca Raton, Florida, que emplea a maestros y otro personal. El acuerdo resuelve las acusaciones del Departamento que a la hora de contratar a individuos para su escuela infantil, la sinagoga discriminó a un no ciudadano de los EE. UU. con base en su estatus de ciudadanía al comprobar el permiso del individuo a trabajar en los Estados Unidos.
«Los empleadores no pueden discriminar a los trabajadores y pedirles documentos específicos para probar que tienen permiso para trabajar, con base en su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen», afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal Federal Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles. «Los empleadores deben permitir que todos sus empleados, independientemente de su estatus de ciudadanía, proporcionen el documento válido y aceptable de su elección para demostrar su permiso para trabajar. Aguardamos con interés nuestra colaboración con Temple Beth El en la implementación de este acuerdo y aseguraremos que su personal entienda el proceso correcto que debe usar para evitar posibles incidentes discriminatorios».
El Departamento inició la investigación para determinar si la compañía estaba vulnerando la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad («INA», por sus siglas en inglés) después de recibir información de un miembro del público. La investigación del Departamento reveló que, en dos ocasiones diferentes, la compañía se había portado de una manera discriminatoria al pedir a un residente permanente legal que presentase documentos específicos para demostrar su permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos, mientras no pedía lo mismo a ciudadanos de los EE. UU. Todo empleado tiene el derecho a elegir la documentación válida que desea presentar para demostrar que cuenta con permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos.
La disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA prohíbe que los empleadores pidan documentos innecesarios –o que especifiquen el tipo de documentación que un trabajador debe presentar– para demostrar su permiso para trabajar, debido a la ciudadanía, el estatus migratorio o la nacionalidad de origen del trabajador.
Conforme el acuerdo, Temple Beth El pagará una sanción civil de $4,144, cambiará sus políticas de empleo para que cumplan con la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA y capacitará a sus empleados responsables de la verificación del permiso de los trabajadores para trabajar en los Estados Unidos.
La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados de la División de Derechos Civiles es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. La ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión; prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación.
Para aprender más sobre la labor de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda, vea este vídeo corto. El sitio web de la IER dispone de más información sobre cómo los empleadores pueden evitar la discriminación en el momento de verificar el permiso de un trabajador a trabajar mediante el Formulario I-9 o E-Verify. Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su estatus migratorio, ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia. El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); enviar un correo electrónico a [email protected]; inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés o español. Para recibir las últimas noticias de la IER, inscríbase a GovDelivery.
Eastern Panhandle man sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Ronald Louis Browning, of Kearneysville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 12 months and one day of incarceration for a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Browning, 34, pleaded guilty in July 2021 to one count of “False Statement During Purchase of Firearm.” Browning admitted to making a false statement to purchase a 9mm pistol in December 2020 in Berkeley County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives investigated.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Doc Antle, Owner of Myrtle Beach Safari, and Employee Charged with Federal Money Laundering CrimesRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Bhagavan Mahamayavi Antle a/k/a Doc Antle, 62, and Andrew Jon Sawyer a/k/a Omar Sawyer, 52, both of Myrtle Beach, have been charged in a federal complaint with money laundering crimes involving more than $500,000.
According to the complaint, which was unsealed today in a federal courtroom in Florence, Antle is the owner and operator of The Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S), also known as the Myrtle Beach Safari. The Myrtle Beach Safari is a 50-acre wildlife tropical preserve in Myrtle Beach. Sawyer is Antle’s employee and business associate. The complaint alleges that over the last four months, Antle and Sawyer laundered $505,000 in cash they believed to be the proceeds of an operation to smuggle illegal immigrants across the Mexican border into the United States.
Specifically, according to the complaint, Antle and Sawyer would launder the cash by providing checks from a business controlled by Antle and a business controlled by Sawyer. Those checks falsely claimed they were remitted for construction work being performed at the Myrtle Beach Safari, when in reality the checks were simply a means to allow the recipients to appear to have legitimate income. In exchange, Antle and Sawyer received a 15% fee of any amount laundered.
The complaint alleges that Antle discussed his plan to conceal the cash he received by inflating tourist numbers at the Myrtle Beach Safari, and that in the past he had used bulk cash receipts to purchase animals for which he could not use checks.
Antle and Sawyer each face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for the charges in the complaint, and they are currently detained.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Derek A. Shoemake and Amy Bower are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Corey F. Ellis stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.Davenport Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for EscapeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man, Marius Lamar Avant, 27, was sentenced on Thursday, June 2, 2022, to 16 months in prison for Escape from Custody, to be served consecutively to his previously imposed 60-month sentence for Felon in Possession of a Firearm in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois. Following his imprisonment, Avant was ordered to served three years of supervised release and pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ fund.
In September 2020, while serving the remainder of a term of imprisonment for a prior federal escape conviction, Avant left the Davenport Residential Reentry Center (RRC) without authorization and failed to return. He was not apprehended for over four months. When he was arrested in February 2021, Avant was found in possession of a firearm in Rock Island, Illinois. Avant pleaded guilty to the escape offense on January 10, 2022, following his conviction for the firearm offense in the Central District of Illinois.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.
The United States Marshals Service investigated the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Possessing Firearm in Connection with the Shooting of Five Individuals Outside Nightclub in QueensRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Danari Aiken, a member of the Mac Baller Brims Bloods street gang, as well as the “From Nothing” street gang based in the Lincoln Towers development in East New York, Brooklyn, was sentenced by United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen to 11 years’ imprisonment for two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court filings and facts presented during the sentencing proceeding, the first count of firearm possession related to a 2018 incident where Aiken attempted to murder a rival gang member and ended up firing at random into a crowd of people outside a Queens nightclub injuring five bystanders. The second count related to an incident where Aiken possessed a firearm while fleeing police from a traffic stop. In December 2021, Aiken pleaded guilty to both counts. Aiken was previously convicted in 2015 of possessing a loaded firearm.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sentence.
“The defendant, who has previously been convicted of a felony crime, armed himself on multiple occasions, and one night, used that deadly weapon to endanger and wound many in his line of fire. Thankfully in this case, the victims suffered non-fatal injuries,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Gun violence and mass shootings are a menace that this Office and our law enforcement partners are working tirelessly to stop by taking firearms out of the hands of violent individuals like the defendant, who learned today there are serious federal consequences for his actions.”
Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, the New York City Police Department (NYPD), and the Queens County District Attorney’s Office for their outstanding work and assistance in this investigation and prosecution.
As set forth in court filings, on December 7, 2018, Aiken attempted to ambush rival gang members outside of the Rose Lounge nightclub in Queens. When he arrived at the nightclub, Aiken flashed gang signs before attempting to shoot an individual at point-blank range. When that individual returned fire, Aiken fled but continued firing into the crowd. As a result of the shooting, five bystanders suffered non-fatal injuries. The firearm and ammunition used by Aiken were recovered by the NYPD at the scene.
On November 12, 2020, Aiken led NYPD officers on a high-speed chase in Brooklyn when they attempted to stop the vehicle he was driving for disobeying a traffic device. After smashing into a garbage truck and nearly striking several pedestrians, Aiken was apprehended when his path was blocked by a parked fire truck. The NYPD recovered a firearm in the vehicle which was later found to have Aiken’s DNA on it.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. As part of the program, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Siegel and Lindsey R. Oken are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
DANARI AIKEN
Age: 29
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-68 (PKC)
Ceres Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. —Albert Dominguez Jr., 52, of Ceres, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Dominguez conspired with Leonor Sarabia-Ramirez, 52, of Modesto, to distribute and did, in fact distribute, 5 pounds of methamphetamine to Joseph Phillip Mar, 54, of Ceres, at a residence in Ceres. Sarabia previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 13 years in prison. Mar is scheduled for a jury trial on Nov. 29, 2022.
Dominguez is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Dale A. Drozd on Aug. 29, 2022. Dominguez faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Multi-Jurisdictional Methamphetamine Enforcement Team (Cal-MMET), and the Stanislaus Drug Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Cedar Rapids Woman Who Sold $1,000 Worth of Heroin and Fentanyl Sentenced to over Seven MonthsRead the Press Release
A woman who sold heroin and fentanyl in Cedar Rapids was sentenced today to over seven months in federal prison.
Ladonna Cynthia Givens, age 33, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 1, 2021 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
In a plea agreement, Givens admitted that she agreed with another person to distribute heroin on multiple occasions in January 2021. Givens admitted that the other person would receive orders from drug customers, but that Givens would arrive at the meeting location and distribute the drugs. She also admitted that on two occasions in January 2021, Givens sold $500 worth of purported heroin, which was later determined to contain both heroin and fentanyl.
Givens was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Givens was sentenced to seven months and fourteen days’ imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Because Givens has already served seven months and fourteen days in custody pending sentencing, following her sentence she was released to the supervised release portion of her sentence.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21‑CR‑00033‑CJW‑MAR.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
California Man to Federal Prison for Iowa Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A California man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced June 3, 2022, to more than five years in federal prison.
Felton Fitzgerald, 52, from Orange, California, received the prison term after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine on this same date.
Evidence at the combined plea and sentencing hearings showed that Fitzgerald was involved in a conspiracy that distributed more than 22 kilograms of methamphetamine from June 2017 through August 2019. Defendant was the broker between California sources of supply and a Sioux City, Iowa drug trafficking organization led by three-time convicted federal felon, Melroy Johnson Sr. The Johnson organization obtained methamphetamine and cocaine via bulk transportation and the mail.
Fitzgerald was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Fitzgerald was sentenced to 67 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Fitzgerald is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the United States Postal Service, and the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, and the Cypress (CA) Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-4065. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Berkeley County woman sentenced for drug chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Ataiah J. Turner, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to time served for a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Turner, also known as “Queen,” 26, pleaded guilty in January 2022 to one count of “Distribution of Fentanyl.” Turner admitted to selling fentanyl in January 2021 in Berkeley County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Helman prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Berkeley County man sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Lante Jerrel Cook, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 24 months of incarceration for a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Cook, 32, pleaded guilty in January 2022 to one count of “Unlawful Possession of Firearm.” Cook, a person prohibited from having firearms because of a prior conviction, admitted to having a 9mm semi-automatic pistol in July 2021 in Berkeley County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Martinsburg Police Department investigated.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Berkeley County man sentenced for drug chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Gregory K. Parr, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to time served for a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Parr, 65, pleaded guilty in January 2022 to one count of “Distribution of Fentanyl.” Parr admitted to selling fentanyl in November 2020 in Berkeley County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Helman is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Baltimore man sentenced for drug trafficking chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Tremaine Antonio Davis, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced today to 78 months of incarceration for a drug a charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Davis, 32, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.” Davis admitted to working with another to distribute fentanyl in January 2020 in Berkeley County.
This case is the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lara Omps-Botteicher and Timothy D. Helman prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives investigated. The task force consists of the West Virginia State Police, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Ranson Police Department, the Charles Town Police Department, and the Martinsburg Police Department.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Arizona man indicted for aggravated sexual abuse of a childRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Wade Platero was arraigned on an indictment charging him with aggravated sexual abuse of a child in Indian Country. Platero, 26, of Red Valley, Arizona, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will be released to a halfway house once space is available and will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Platero on May 10. According to the indictment and other court records, on Dec. 28, 2021, Platero allegedly used force to engage in a sexual act with a child, identified as Jane Doe. The alleged assault occurred in Shiprock, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Platero faces a minimum of 30 years and up to life in prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
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Saturday 4 June 2022
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson Issues Statement Regarding Two Nicholas County Sheriff's Deputies Shot in the Line of DutyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- United States Attorney Will Thompson issued the following statement regarding Nicholas County Sheriff's Deputy Tom Baker, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on Friday, June 3, 2022, and Corporal J. Ellison, who was shot and wounded in the same incident.
Yesterday evening, two officers with the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department put themselves in harm's way in the performance of their duties. Deputy Tom Baker and Corporal J. Ellison were shot while responding to a domestic disturbance. Deputy Baker succumbed to his injuries. I am grateful to learn that Corporal Ellison was treated for his injuries and released. This tragedy is a stark reminder of the sacrifices made by our law enforcement officers in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others. We mourn with Deputy Baker's loved ones, our fellow law enforcement partners, the Nicholas County community and all of West Virginia. We are resolved that Deputy Baker's service and selfless dedication will be forever remembered.
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.
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Friday 3 June 2022
White Earth Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting a ChildRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A White Earth man has pleaded guilty to assaulting a minor child on the White Earth reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on June 8, 2020, Edward Duane Fairbanks, 30, was caring for a minor child. During the early afternoon hours, Fairbanks intentionally shoved the child into a table, causing a serious head injury. The child was taken to the hospital where doctors diagnosed a large skull fracture and a subdural hematoma. The child had to undergo a craniectomy to relieve pressure on the brain.
Fairbanks pleaded guilty yesterday before Chief U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 30, 2022.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the White Earth Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Y. Aanstad is prosecuting the case.
Washington man sentenced to eight years in prison for meth trafficking, illegal possession of stolen firearmRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Washington man who admitted to dealing methamphetamine and to illegal possession of a firearm after a traffic stop in Rosebud County was sentenced on June 2 to eight years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Andrew Rex Allenby, 35, of Richland, Washington, pleaded guilty in December 2021 to possession with intent to distribute meth and to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in September 2020, a Rosebud County Sheriff’s Office sergeant was patrolling along the interstate and made a traffic stop of Nissan Altima that was speeding. Allenby was the driver. The sergeant was familiar with both Allenby and his passenger because he had pulled over the passenger who was driving another car earlier in the day. The sergeant suspected there may be drugs in the car based on strange behaviors and other information. A K-9 was deployed and alerted on the car. The vehicle was seized and searched pursuant to a warrant. Law enforcement found 113 grams of meth, fentanyl pills and other drugs in a backpack belonging to Allenby. In the trunk, officers located a handgun that had been stolen in North Dakota. Allenby was prohibited from possessing firearms because of a felony conviction in Washington.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rosebud County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Veteran Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding the VA in Connection with the Receipt of Disability BenefitsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell has sentenced Barry Wayne Hoover (51, Tampa) to 27 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay $429,568.09 in restitution for theft of government funds and false statement to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). As part of his sentence, the court also entered a forfeiture money judgment against Hoover in the amount of $429,568.09, the proceeds of the offense. A federal jury had found Hoover guilty on December 3, 2021.
According to evidence presented at trial, Hoover, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, exaggerated the extent of his visual impairment in order to receive VA disability benefits to which he was not entitled. Specifically, Hoover manipulated the results of subjective tests of his peripheral vision to reflect that he had a 5-degree visual field and was legally blind. Hoover also made false statements to the VA regarding his ability to drive and perform other activities. Based upon the manipulated test results and false statements, the VA found Hoover 100% disabled and awarded him significant monetary benefits and other valuable services.
In stark contrast to Hoover’s representations to the VA, agents’ surveillance, video footage, social media posts, and other evidence showed Hoover driving a car, a three-wheeled motorcycle, an ATV, and a boat. Hoover was also captured mowing his lawn, operating power tools such as a chain saw, hunting, fishing, scuba diving, and performing other tasks, including, but not limited to, shopping, without assistance. Expert testimony at trial established that an individual with a 5-degree visual field could not drive and would be reliant on a white cane to function in public. Hoover received approximately $429,568.09 in VA benefits to which he was not entitled as a result of his misrepresentations.
“Today’s sentence sends a clear message that veterans who defraud the VA by exaggerating their disabilities will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “VA’s disability programs are established to justly compensate deserving veterans and the VA OIG is committed to investigating those who would exploit these programs.”
This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler and Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany Fields.
Utah Dentist Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Tax Evasion and Obstructing the IRSRead the Press Release
A Utah man was sentenced today to five years in prison for evading more than $1.8 million in federal income tax and obstructing the IRS’s efforts to collect the money he owed.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Derald Wilford Geddes, of Ogden, was a dentist who owned and operated Mount Ogden Dental PC. From approximately 1998 through 2014, Geddes took repeated steps to evade the federal income taxes he owed and obstruct the IRS’s efforts to collect his tax debt. Among other efforts, Geddes filed false liens against his own properties, submitted to the IRS bogus “bonds to discharge debt” that he claimed were from the account of the former Treasury Secretary and filed false corporate income tax returns. In March 2022, Geddes was convicted at trial by a federal jury of tax evasion, filing false tax returns and impeding the IRS.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell ordered Geddes to serve 36 months of supervised release and to pay approximately $1.8 million in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Ahmed Almudallal and Christopher Lin of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.
U.S. Capitol Police Officer Indicted on Federal Charges for Georgetown Hit-And-Run Traffic Crash and Cover-UpRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Capitol Police Officer Thomas Smith has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of violating a man’s civil rights and for obstructing justice. Smith, 44, is expected to be arraigned on these charges in federal court within the next week.
The indictment alleges that on June 20, 2020, Smith drove his police vehicle in a reckless and dangerous manner and was deliberately indifferent to the risk of harm he created, which resulted in Smith crashing his car into the victim and injuring him. Smith then knowingly drove away from the scene of the crash without rendering aid, alerting medical authorities, and taking any other reasonable steps to obtain help for the victim. Following the crash, Smith falsified U.S. Capitol Police records to cover-up his misconduct.
The indictment was returned yesterday and unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendra Briggs. Assistance in the investigation was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Capitol Police Officer Indicted on Federal Charges for Georgetown Hit-And-Run Traffic Crash and Cover-UpRead the Press Release
U.S. Capitol Police Officer Thomas Smith has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of violating a man’s civil rights and for obstructing justice. Smith, 44, is expected to be arraigned on these charges in the District of Columbia within the next week.
The indictment alleges that on June 20, 2020, Smith drove his police vehicle in a reckless and dangerous manner and was deliberately indifferent to the risk of harm he created, which resulted in Smith crashing his car into the victim and injuring him. Smith then knowingly drove away from the scene of the crash without rendering aid, alerting medical authorities, and taking any other reasonable steps to obtain help for the victim. Following the crash, Smith falsified U.S. Capitol Police records to cover-up his misconduct.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendra Briggs. Assistance in the investigation was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney's Office Resolves Complaint from Customer with HIV Who Was Refused Service by Tattoo ArtistRead the Press Release
DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced today that the United States has resolved a discrimination claim under the Americans with Disabilities Act against Ikonik Ink Tattoo.
Ikonik is a tattoo and piercing shop located in Lakewood, Colorado. An individual who has HIV alleged that in March 2020, he asked Ikonik for a tattoo with a design related to his HIV status. The individual claimed that after requesting the tattoo and disclosing his HIV status, he was refused service by a tattoo artist who worked at the Ikonik studio. The individual then filed a complaint with the Department of Justice under the Americans with Disabilities Act. That Act prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities, which includes people who have been diagnosed with HIV.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office then took steps to address the complaint and resolve the matter. Ikonik agreed to pay $4,400 in compensatory damages to the complainant, and the tattoo artist also agreed to pay $500 to the complainant. Ikonik also agreed to develop a non-discrimination policy, train its employees on the policy, and to cease asking potential customers about their HIV status.
“People with HIV have the right to equal access to businesses and services,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure that those living with HIV do not face discriminatory barriers in any part of their everyday lives.”
This matter is part of an ongoing effort by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice to enforce Title III of the ADA against companies and service providers that discriminate against individuals with HIV.
This case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeyen Wu.
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Two Men Sentenced for Illegal Possession of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty has sentenced two men to federal prison for illegal possession of narcotics.
Antoyn A. Wordlaw, 43, of Delhi, Louisiana, was sentenced to 234 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On July 6, 2021, Louisiana State Police (LSP) received a call from a company in Delhi, stating there were narcotics found in an employee locker room. The company found a soft-side cooler bag with a large amount of narcotics inside a locker belonging to Wordlaw. Law enforcement agents with the LSP and Richland Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to the call and were able to review surveillance cameras for the day and identified Wordlaw walking into the plant and locker room with the same cooler bag. Wordlaw was arrested and a search of the cooler bag revealed that it contained a clear bag with methamphetamine, four bags with marijuana, numerous baggies for distribution and several other controlled substances. Agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted a chemical analysis and determined that the substance was in fact methamphetamine with a net weight of 88.9 grams and a 95% purity level.
The case was investigated by the DEA, LSP and Richland Parish Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cytheria D. Jernigan.
In an unrelated case, Preston Ryan Eckard, 23, of Fort Necessity, Louisiana, was sentenced to 48 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine. Deputies with the Franklin Parish Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Eckard in December 2020. Law enforcement agents were able to obtain video evidence of Eckard selling methamphetamine for cash on two occasions in January and February of 2021. The narcotics were seized and sent to the lab for analysis. The North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory determined the narcotics seized on January 28, 2021 to be 28.01 grams of methamphetamine. The DEA Laboratory determined that narcotics seized on February 2, 2021 had a net weight of 44.92 grams of pure methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the DEA and Franklin Parish Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Moody.
“Our office has a heightened interest in conducting parallel drug trafficking investigations with state law enforcement in the more rural areas of our district, where there is a violation of federal law,” stated U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “There are instances where local law enforcement, through no fault of their own, may have limited resources to conduct such investigations. We look forward to strengthening our relationship with these jurisdictions and communities so that these residents can live in a safe environment.”
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Two Franklin County Men Ordered to Pay $1,584 in Restitution and Fines for Abandoning Junk Boat in Missisquoi River on the National Wildlife RefugeRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on June 2, 2022 Wayne Bailey, 68, of Swanton and Louis Bates, 49, of St. Albans pleaded guilty to abandoning a junk boat and setting it adrift in the Missisquoi River on the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle ordered Bailey to pay $684 in restitution and a $300 fine and Bates to pay $400 in restitution and a $200 fine. The restitution reimburses the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the costs of disposing of the boat.
The offense is a Class B misdemeanor and carried a maximum penalty of six months in prison and a $5,000 fine. In determining the fine amount, Magistrate Judge Doyle considered the defendants’ limited means to pay a larger fine.
According to court records, in the early summer of 2021, Wayne Bailey bought a 19 ½ foot long Bayliner boat for $150. The boat was manufactured in 1989. Bailey removed the engine from the boat and sold the engine. Rather than paying to dispose of the boat properly, Bailey devised a plan to set the junk boat adrift in the Missisquoi River. Bailey, however, did not have a tow hitch on his vehicle so he recruited Bates to use Bates’s truck to tow the boat to the Missisquoi River.
After dark on the evening of July 15, 2021, Bates towed the boat to Louie’s Landing boat ramp on the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, and Bailey followed in his own vehicle. Bates then backed the boat trailer into the river, and Bailey unhooked the boat and set it adrift. The next day FWS personnel discovered the boat. The engine was gone, but the remaining gas tank contained 4 ½ gallons of gas. The FWS incurred about $1,084 in costs for the proper disposal of the boat and the associated administrative expenses.
The following two photographs are of the boat in the Missisquoi River.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest stated that the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to vigorously enforcing our federal environmental laws, which protect and preserve our public lands and waterways for all to enjoy. Enforcement is particularly important in cases such as this where the evidence established that the defendants displayed a callous disrespect for the Vermont environment.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Perella. Wayne Bailey was represented by Mary Nerino, Esq. of the Office of the Federal Public Defender and Louis Bates was represented by Michael Straub, Esq.
Tucson Woman Sentenced to Four Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Selene Marie Camacho, 48, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Márquez to four years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Camacho previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.
The investigation into the case revealed that Camacho operated as a courier, retrieving narcotics that were transported into the United States on foot. Camacho was arrested in Tucson on June 30, 2020 after retrieving a load of narcotics near Mount Hopkins, Arizona. At the time of her arrest, Camacho was driving a vehicle that was transporting three backpacks containing approximately 1.46 kilograms of cocaine, 342.5 grams of heroin, and 19.19 kilograms of methamphetamine, as well as a loaded handgun magazine.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-2246-01-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-085_Camacho# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Three Men Sentenced to Prison Terms for July 4, 2020 Slaying of 11-Year-Old BoyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Three men, all from Washington, D.C., were sentenced today to prison terms for their roles in the fatal shooting of 11-year-old Davon McNeal on July 4, 2020, in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
All three defendants pleaded guilty in February 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to voluntary manslaughter while armed. They include Carlo General, 21, Marcel Gordon, 27, and Christen Wingfield, 24. General’s plea called for an agreed-upon sentence of 13 to 16 years in prison. Gordon’s called for 10 years, and Wingfield’s called for 9 ½-years.
The Honorable Rainey R. Brandt accepted the pleas and sentenced the defendants accordingly. General was sentenced to 16 years, Gordon to 10 years, and Wingfield to 9 ½ years. Following their prison terms, they will be placed on five years of supervised release.
The sentences are consistent with the Court’s voluntary sentencing guidelines.
A fourth defendant, Daryle Bond, 20, also from Washington, D.C., is to be sentenced on Aug. 4, 2022. Bond also pleaded guilty in February 2022 to voluntary manslaughter while armed, and his plea agreement calls for an agreed-upon term of 7 ½-to-9 ½- years in prison.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 4, 2020, at approximately 9:15 p.m., General, Gordon, Wingfield, and Bond were congregating at a barbeque near the cul-de-sac in front of an apartment building located in the 1400 block of Cedar Street SE. Cedar Street is a long road that ends in a cul-de-sac. The entrance of the 1400 block of Cedar Street intersects diagonally with a street that is known as the “alley.”
Near the entrance of the 1400 block of Cedar Street, Davon McNeal – 11 years old – was exiting a vehicle and walking towards a basement apartment in the Frederick Douglass Garden Apartment Complex. At a certain point, General, armed with a firearm with a laser sight, started running towards the entrance of the 1400 block of Cedar Street and fired his weapon towards the alley. Surveillance footage shows Davon running towards the basement apartment and falling after General fired his weapon.
Approximately six seconds later, Gordon, while running behind General, fired his weapon in the same direction. Bond, also armed with a firearm, ran towards the entrance of the 1400 block on a sidewalk on the side of the apartment building, along with Wingfield, who was armed with a firearm as well and running on the road.
All four defendants gathered in front of the apartment building and looked down the alley. The group subsequently ran in the direction of a playground with guns drawn. Bond, General and Gordon all fired their firearms as they were running away.
An autopsy concluded that Davon’s death was caused by a gunshot wound to the head.
General was arrested on July 30, 2020. Bond was arrested on July 10, 2020. Wingfield was arrested on July 11, 2020. Gordon was arrested on Sept. 1, 2020. All have been in custody since their arrests.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Criminal Investigations Division Homicide Branch of the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Lashone Samuels, former Victim/ Witness Specialist Marcia Rinker, Victim/ Witness Specialist Latrice Washington-Williams, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin.
Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shehzad Akhtar, Stephen Rickard, and Jack Korba, who investigated and prosecuted the case, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Maryam Adeyola, who provided valuable assistance.
Three Kenosha Area Men Enter Guilty Pleas for Conspiring to Commit Tax FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard G. Frohling announced that on March 29, 2022, an information was filed charging Richard Pignotti (age 63), Richard Milkie (age 62), and Jeffrey Milkie (age 56), each of Kenosha, Wisconsin, with conspiring to under-report income derived from their business in order to pay less federal tax, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. Separate plea agreements were also filed, in which each defendant agreed to waive indictment by the grand jury and enter a guilty plea to the charge in the information. On separate dates in May 2022, each defendant entered a plea of guilty to the charge in the information.
According to court filings, the defendants jointly operated a roofing business and agreed to not deposit all payments for completed jobs into their business bank account,and they further agreed to not report all of their business’s earnings to the accountant who prepared their business and personal tax returns. These actions caused the defendants and their business to pay fewer federal taxes in 2015, 2016, and 2017 than they actually owed by virtue of their business’s actual earnings revenue. In total, as a result of their conspiracy, they underpaid $321,192 in federal taxes.
Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Pamela Pepper on separate dates in September and October of 2022.
This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Division, and has been assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Stephen A. Ingraham for prosecution.
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Taylorville, Illinois, Man Convicted of Possession of More than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine (“Ice”) with the Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict on Thursday, June 2, 2022, against Donald R. Felton, 37, of the 900 block of West Poplar Street in Taylorville, Illinois, for possession with intent to distribute 50 or more grams of actual methamphetamine (“Ice”). Sentencing for Felton has been scheduled for October 5, 2022, at the federal courthouse in Springfield, Illinois.
Over two days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that beginning in May 2019, law enforcement officers initiated an investigation of Felton for traveling to the St. Louis area to obtain methamphetamine for redistribution in the Taylorville area. On June 8, 2019, officers saw Felton drive his SUV to a rest area near Hamel, Illinois, north of St. Louis, where he met with an unknown man, and then returned to Taylorville. Once Felton returned to Taylorville, officers executed a traffic stop and then searched the SUV. During the search, officers seized 398 grams (nearly one pound) of pure methamphetamine (“Ice”) and a digital scale. They also seized more than $800 in cash from Felton.
Felton remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals. At sentencing, Felton faces statutory penalties of a minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison, up to a $20,000,000 fine, and a minimum of 10 years and up to a life term of supervised release.
The case investigation was conducted by the Illinois State Police Central Illinois Enforcement Group, Christian County Sheriff’s Office, Taylorville Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy A. Bass and Sierra Senor-Moore represented the government at trial.
Stilwell Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sexually Abusing a MinorRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. –A Stilwell man who sexually abused a minor during a 2017 road trip was sentenced Friday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Chief U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced David Anthony RomanNose, 45, to life in federal prison for aggravated sexual abuse by force and threat in Indian Country and 180 months in prison for sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country.
“David RomanNose exploited the trust and friendship of a 12-year-old child. The victim’s testimony about the abuse she endured helped prevent the defendant from continuing to prey on other children,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The collaboration and exemplary work from our partners at the FBI, Oneida Indian Nation Police Department and Craig County Sheriff’s Office ensured that RomanNose was held responsible for his crimes.”
"The reprehensible crimes committed by Mr. RomanNose against a minor reveal his repulsive and vile character," said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. "The spectacular bravery displayed by the victim-- in combination with the partnerships between federal, tribal, and state law enforcement-- brought Mr. RomanNose to justice. The FBI and our police partners will continue to fight against predators who prey on our Oklahoma community."
On July 4, 2017, RomanNose, accompanied a group who were traveling through northeastern Oklahoma after attending a festival in Seiling. While traveling, RomanNose sexually abused the victim in the backseat of the vehicle. The violation occurred in Indian Country on the Will Rogers Turnpike/Interstate Highway I-44 near Vinita. RomanNose also abused the minor, an Oneida Indian Nation citizen, after the group arrived home in New York.
During the trial, family members testified that following the road trip, the victim’s behavior changed dramatically. They stated that she became more withdrawn and started acting out. Unexplained changes in children’s behavior can be indicative of child sexual abuse. The victim eventually disclosed the abuse to a counselor and family member.
RomanNose remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI, Oneida Indian Nation Police Department, Craig County Sheriff’s Office, and the Craig County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gina S. Gilmore and Stacey P. Todd are prosecuting the case.
*Note: the spelling of the defendant’s last name was clarified in court today as RomanNose. It was spelled Romannose in previous press releases.
Steven Carrillo Sentenced to 41 Years in Prison for Murder and Attempted Murder for Role in Drive-By Shooting at Federal Courthouse in OaklandRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO - Steven Carrillo was sentenced today to 41 years in prison for murder and attempted murder in connection with the May 29, 2020, drive-by shooting at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland, California, announced U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) San Francisco Field Division Special Agent in Charge Patrick T. Gorman. Protective Services Officer Dave Patrick Underwood was killed in the attack and a second security contractor was wounded. Today’s sentence was handed down by the Hon. Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, United States District Judge.
Carrillo, 34 of Ben Lomond, pleaded guilty to the federal charges on February 11, 2022. According to the plea agreement Carrillo admitted that he intended to kill the two officers and acted with premeditation by firing on the officers from a van driven by another individual. Carrillo agreed that his killing of Officer Underwood was first degree murder as defined by the federal statute at 18 U.S.C. § 1111. Carrillo also admitted that during the months before the shooting, he aligned himself with an anti-government ideology and wanted to carry out violent acts against federal law enforcement, in particular.
Carrillo posted messages and writings on social media sites during the weeks leading up to the shooting, describing the timing as favorable for the destruction of the government. Carrillo admitted that on May 29, 2020, he posted social media comments referring to the ongoing protests over the killing of George Floyd, and he made plans to travel to an area in Oakland where protests were expected that night. Carrillo admitted that he went to the protests with another individual, and Carrillo brought firearms and incendiary devices in a van driven by the other individual. After observing the protests, federal building and courthouse, and surrounding area, at approximately 9:44 p.m., while the other individual drove the van, Carrillo fired approximately 19 shots at the two security officers, killing Officer Underwood and wounding a second security officer with life-threatening and permanent injuries. In addition, Carrillo agreed and recommended to the court that a reasonable and appropriate disposition of this case would be 41 years in prison and a lifetime term of supervised release.
Carrillo was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 25, 2020, for his role in the May 29 shooting at the Oakland Federal Courthouse. Carrillo pleaded guilty to use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j)(1) and attempted murder of a person assisting an officer or employee of the U.S. Government, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1114(3), 1111, and 2.
Carrillo came into federal custody following his arrest on June 6, 2020, by Santa Cruz County authorities stemming from his alleged involvement in a separate shooting that day in Ben Lomond that resulted in the death of a Santa Cruz County Deputy Sheriff and injuries to other law enforcement personnel.
In addition to imposing the prison term, Judge Gonzalez Rogers also scheduled a hearing for September 1, 2022, in San Francisco, to consider restitution claims for the victims of Carrillo’s conduct.
The United States Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime Strike Force is prosecuting this case with assistance from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. The case is being investigated by the FBI, the ATF, the FPS, and the U.S. Marshal Service with assistance from the Oakland Police Department and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
St. Paul Man Pleads Guilty to Online Sextortion Scheme Targeting More Than 500 Minor VictimsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Paul man has pleaded guilty to victimizing more than 500 minor girls across the country in an extensive online sextortion scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, for approximately five years, Yue Vang, 31, created and used multiple Internet applications and social media services, including Kik, Snapchat, and Skype, to communicate with hundreds of minor girls throughout the United States and elsewhere. Vang created fake female personae to prey on vulnerable minor girls he met online in order to entice and coerce them to create sexually explicit images and videos to send to him. Vang also threatened to disseminate sexually explicit images of the minor victims to their family members, friends, and classmates, unless they created and sent him additional images and videos of themselves nude or engaging in sexually explicit conduct. For example, in June 2016, Vang contacted a 15-year-old girl and threatened to distribute sexually explicit pictures of her to her classmates and parents to “ruin her life” unless she complied with Vang’s demands to send additional sexually explicit images and videos.
Vang pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud to two counts of production of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of interstate communications with intent to extort. Vang was ordered to remain in detention pending his sentencing hearing, which will be scheduled at a later date.
To date, at least 500 minor females have been identified, although law enforcement is attempting to confirm the identity of many other victims. Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Vang’s offenses or who has information about this matter is encouraged to visit www.fbi.gov/resources/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victims-in-yue-vang-investigation or www.Justice.gov/usao-mn/child-sextortion-victim-information.
This case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Click on the “resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Minneapolis Field Office and multiple FBI Field Offices, the St. Paul Police Department, the Minnesota ICAC Task Force, the Chandler (Arizona) Police Department, the Delhi Township (Ohio) Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea A. Walcker and Miranda E. Dugi are prosecuting the case.
St. Louis County man admits selling fentanyl that killed pregnant woman in 2018Read the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County on Thursday admitted selling the fentanyl that killed a pregnant woman in 2018.
Raymond Blankenship, 27, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to a felony charge of distribution of fentanyl. He admitted in his plea agreement that he sold fentanyl capsules to a St. Louis County woman on Sept. 17, 2018. She died later that day of acute fentanyl intoxication.
The woman arranged to buy the drug via Facebook messages with Blankenship. After her initial inquiry, Blankenship said he was out of the painkiller Percocet but would call someone else to see if they had any drugs, Blankenship’s plea says.
After her death, St. Louis County police detectives posed as the woman and arranged to buy more fentanyl from Blankenship. When police tried to arrest him, Blankenship ran and swallowed some of the capsules containing fentanyl.
Blankenship was indicted June 23, 2021 and is scheduled to be sentenced in September.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department.
Springfield, Illinois, Man Sentenced to Eleven Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, resident, Brock A. Purdy, 34, of the 2000 block of Converse Avenue was sentenced on May 31, 2022, to eleven years in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of Ice methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing in front of United States District Judge Sue E. Myerscough, the government presented evidence that between September 1, 2016, and February 21, 2017, Purdy, along with co-defendant, Brendon Richardson, conspired to distribute well over 200 grams of “Ice” methamphetamine in Mason and Menard Counties in the State of Illinois. The government’s evidence showed that the defendants purchased methamphetamine on the dark web using cryptocurrency and had the drugs mailed to them. They then further distributed the methamphetamine in central Illinois. The defendants also used an encrypted messaging application to try and hide their activities. Richardson was sentenced to six years in federal prison in January 2020.
Purdy, who is formerly of Menard County, was indicted in May 2018 and pleaded guilty in January 2020. He has been detained since March 2018. Prior to the instant federal offense, Purdy had been convicted three times for state offenses involving the distribution of drugs, as well as for aggravated battery and aggravated fleeing a peace officer. He was on parole with the Illinois Department of Corrections at the time the federal drug conspiracy started.
The statutory penalties for conspiracy to distribute 50 or more grams of Ice methamphetamine are not less than ten years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and not less than five years of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; United States Postal Inspection Service; Illinois State Police; Menard County Sheriff; and Mason County Sheriff investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Jacobs represented the government in the prosecution.
South Shore Landscaper Pleads Guilty to Underreporting $1.5 Million in Taxable IncomeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a residential and commercial landscaping business operating in the South Shore area pleaded guilty today in connection with his failure to report approximately $1.5 million in income to the Internal Revenue Service.
Scott Herzog, 47, of Norwell, pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false tax return. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Oct. 6, 2022. Herzog was charged on April 18, 2022.
Herzog owned and operated Herzog Landscape Solutions. From 2016 through 2018, Herzog allegedly directed landscaping customers to pay him personally for jobs and then cashed many of these payments or deposited them into bank accounts unaffiliated with the landscaping business. Herzog then failed to report approximately $1.5 million in these receipts in the tax returns his tax preparer filed on his behalf. As a result of this alleged conduct, Herzog underreported his personal income tax obligations, causing a loss to the Internal Revenue Service of nearly $500,000.
The charge of filing a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Second Port St. Joe man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Arthur Desean North, 32, of Port St. Joe, Florida, was the second man from Port St. Joe to be sentenced to federal prison this week for his part in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. North received a sentence of ten years in prison. Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.
“Rural communities throughout our district are plagued by methamphetamine distribution,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “We are committed to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and aggressively prosecute those recidivist offenders who continue to distribute such addictive and deadly controlled substances. This sentence is further proof of this resolve.”
North pled guilty to conspiring to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine and 500 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine. Court documents show that North was responsible for distributing at least ten pounds of methamphetamine.
“In partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Attorney’s Office, we remain committed to identifying and holding those who distribute deadly drugs to account,” said Franklin County Sheriff A.J. Smith. “Significant sentences like this should deter those who would engage in such acts.”
North was part of a conspiracy which was obtaining methamphetamine from Atlanta, Georgia. North was provided with one-pound quantities of methamphetamine which he resold in various communities in North Florida. North had four prior convictions for drug-trafficking offenses and was on probation for sale of cocaine at the time he conspired to distribute methamphetamine.
“Methamphetamine is a dangerous and destructive drug. This sentence sends a strong message that those who bring this poison into our communities will be held accountable for their actions,” said Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “DEA remains deeply committed to working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to target these individuals who threaten the safety of our communities.”
Following North’s 120-month sentence, he will be on federal supervised release for ten years. This sentence was the result of an investigation conducted by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain prosecuted the case.
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.
Rochester Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Rochester man was sentenced today to 180 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, from June 2019 through August 2019, Nicholas John Hanson, 38, was part of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. As part of the conspiracy, Hanson coordinated and facilitated the delivery of methamphetamine on behalf of the conspiracy leader, John Willis Netherton, also known as “Big John,” and “Wicked One.”
Hanson, who pleaded guilty on August 17, 2020, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson. Hanson was the last conspiracy member to be sentenced by the Court. Judge Nelson previously sentenced several other conspiracy members:
- On August 25, 2020, Jacob Paul Williams was sentenced to 180 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
- On August 28, 2020, Miguel Angel Cuevas Zamora was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment and two years of supervised release.
- On May 11, 2021, conspiracy leader Netherton was sentenced to 260 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
- On June 22, 2021, Jason Edward Hoffman was sentenced to 132 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
- On June 7, 2021, Andrew Robert Berndt was sentenced to 102 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
- On July 19, 2021, Deja Lee Benton was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
- On August 18, 2021, Joshua Alexander Sazo was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment and two years of supervised release.
- On June 1, 2022, Kayleigh Rea Todd was sentenced to 40 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Rochester Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crimes Enforcement Team, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, the South Central Drug Investigation Unit, and the Minnesota State Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter, Jr. prosecuted the case.