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Friday 3 June 2022
Drug Dealer Sentenced to 25 Years for Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in an Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorneys Kareem A. Salem (619) 546-8904 and Larry Casper (619) 546-6734
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – June 3, 2022
SAN DIEGO – Drug dealer Arnold Ray Walters III of San Diego was sentenced in federal court today to 25 years in prison for unlawfully possessing firearms and distributing fentanyl that resulted in the overdose death of a 24-year-old Poway man on January 1, 2017.
According to his plea agreement, Walters admitted that, on or about December 31, 2016, he knowingly provided a pressed-blue pill containing fentanyl to another individual and understood that it would, in turn, be provided to the victim. Walters also admitted he was aware of the potentially lethal impact of the fentanyl based on his knowledge of other individuals accidentally overdosing on fentanyl.
At today’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino noted, “This was truly a tragic case.”
Walters, who has a history of drug-sales convictions and firearm offenses, admitted that he sold fentanyl despite knowing the perils associated with the drug. Walters was also found in unlawful possession of several firearms including an AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle.
“This is a sentence that reflects the tragic and senseless loss of a young life,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “Dealers take note, you will pay a high price for your greedy, reckless actions which are destroying lives, families and communities. Our prosecutors and law enforcement officials are working hard to prevent more deaths and seek justice for victims.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team as well as officials from the San Diego Sheriff’s Department and Homeland Security Investigations for their excellent work on this case.
“This significant sentence should send a strong message that HSI takes very seriously its mission of ensuring public safety,” said HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “HSI will continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to relentlessly investigate and bring to justice those who introduce dangerous narcotics into our communities.”
For those who suffer from addiction, please know there is help. Call the crisis line at 888-724-7240; it’s always open.
DEFENDANT Case Numbers 19-CR-4406-JLS; 18-CR-2185-JLS
Arnold Ray Walters III Age: 34 San Diego
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Felon in Possession of Firearm – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 922(g)(1)
Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death – Title 21, U.S.C., Section 841(b)(1)(c)
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 20 years in prison up to life
AGENCY
San Diego Sheriff’s Department
U.S. Homeland Security Investigations
Dodge County Man Sentenced to Prison for Impersonating a Federal Officer and Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Dodge County man was sentenced to 72 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for impersonating a federal officer and illegally possessing firearms as a felon, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on August 17, 2021, the FBI received a tip that Reyel Devon Simmons, 53, was pretending to be a federal agent with the United States Department of Homeland Security. As part of his impersonation scheme, Simmons established a TikTok profile, using the false name “Rey Reeves,” and regularly held himself out as a federal agent on social media. Simmons, who had nearly 10,000 followers on TikTok, used a profile photo that showed him wearing law enforcement gear and made several posts displaying law enforcement equipment, badges, and firearms, and referring explicitly and implicitly to himself as a federal agent. At no time has Simmons ever been employed by the United States Department of Homeland Security. Similarly, Simmons has never been a sworn law enforcement officer with any federal, state, or local agency, nor has he ever had the authority to act on behalf of any federal agency or department.
According to court documents, Simmons regularly carried a backpack, which he described as his “go bag.” The bag bore the departmental emblem of the Department of Homeland Security and contained a Glock handgun, fake Department of Homeland Security badge, and other items related to Simmons’s supposed service in law enforcement and the military. Law enforcement seized from Simmons’s residence eight firearms, including handguns and rifles, some of which were discovered in a “safe room” or bunker that could be accessed only through a hidden doorway located in a storage area of the basement. In addition, Simmons admitted to possessing unregistered silencers/suppressors, detonating cord containing the explosive pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), a blasting cap, thousands of rounds of ammunition, body armor with law enforcement emblems affixed to it, and other law enforcement style badges, clothing, bags, and identification documents.
Because Simmons has a prior felony conviction in Colorado, he is prohibited under federal law, from possessing firearms, ammunition, or explosives at any time.
Simmons was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud. On January 21, 2022, Simmons pleaded guilty to one count of impersonating an officer of the United States and one count of possessing firearms as a felon.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, ATF, Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, Owatonna Police Department, Kasson Police Department, and the Bloomington Police Department Bomb Squad, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine prosecuted the case.
Delaware Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking Children Sentenced to over Two Decades in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Anthony Jones, 38, of Wilmington, DE, was sentenced to 21 years in prison, 10 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $15,160 in restitution to his victims by United States District Court Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro for his role in a sex trafficking ring that victimized vulnerable children and young women throughout the mid-Atlantic.
In April 2019, following a two-week trial, the defendant was found guilty of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion and three counts of sex trafficking of minors by force, fraud, and coercion.
The evidence at trial showed that Anthony Jones helped manage the sex trafficking enterprise led by co-defendant Dkyle Bridges. The multi-year sex trafficking conspiracy preyed on teenage girls and young women looking for a home and support. Once lured into the trafficking circle, the victims were compelled to engage in commercial sex acts in southeastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, and elsewhere, for the co-defendants’ financial benefit. Co-defendant Bridges used violent and coercive tactics to force the victims to remain in his sex trafficking operation – including pouring water on them to keep them awake, choking them, and assaulting them. Defendant Anthony Jones, and his co-defendant and brother Kristian Jones, helped Bridges run the ring by handling logistics including providing security, collecting money, and reserving hotel rooms.
The investigation began in November 2016, when a Tinicum Township police officer stopped a vehicle that had recently left a hotel known to be frequented by individuals engaged in prostitution. The driver admitted to the officer that he had just met a prostitute at the hotel and had arranged the “date” through a website called Backpage.com. Law enforcement went to the room that the customer had visited, and discovered Kristian Jones, two minor girls, condoms, and cell phones containing communications with Bridges about the sex trafficking conspiracy. The room had been rented by Anthony Jones.
Bridges and Kristian Jones were also convicted after trial for their roles in this sex trafficking conspiracy and both were sentenced last year. Bridges was sentenced to 35 years in prison; and Kristian Jones was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
“Anthony Jones and his coconspirators used the bodies of children for their own financial benefit,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “This sentence of 21 years and the decades-long sentences handed down to his codefendants reflect the seriousness with which the federal justice system will treat defendants convicted of sex trafficking offenses. We will continue to work collectively to investigate and prosecute these destructive crimes committed against some of the most vulnerable members of our community.”
“Anthony Jones and his co-defendants sexually exploited women and girls for profit, across multiple years and state lines,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division. “All have now been brought to justice and received lengthy prison sentences, which we hope will bring their victims some comfort. The FBI and our partners are working every day to shut down these predatory sex traffickers who see vulnerable human beings as little more than walking dollar signs. If you’re being victimized, or know of someone being trafficked, please reach out to us at 215-418-4000 or tips.fbi.gov. You can do so anonymously if you like.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation – Philadelphia with assistance from the Tinicum Township Police Department; Newark, Delaware Police Department; Delaware State Police; Delaware River Bay Authority; and Philadelphia Police Department; and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Priya T. De Souza and Department of Justice Trial Attorney with the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) Jessica L. Urban.
Delano Resident Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Francisco Javier Melgoza, 41, a Delano resident, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on June 25, 2021, a police officer encountered Melgoza driving a motorcycle in Shafter and discovered that Melgoza possessed a Polymer P80 9 mm handgun loaded with five rounds of ammunition, a 31-round high-capacity 9 mm magazine, and 16 grams of methamphetamine. Melgoza is prohibited from possessing ammunition because he has five prior felony convictions, including for grand theft auto, vehicle theft, possession of a controlled substance for sale, and two convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Shafter Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker is prosecuting the case.
Melgoza is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Sept. 9, 2022. Melgoza faces a maximum term of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 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 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.
Defendants Plead Guilty in Cedar Rapids Heroin Wiretap InvestigationRead the Press Release
Two men who conspired to distribute heroin in Cedar Rapids pled guilty on June 2, 2022, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Thomas Nathaniel May, age 27, from Iowa City, Iowa, and Demico Demon Irvin, age 30, from Chicago, Illinois, were each convicted of one count of conspiring to distribute heroin. May admitted to conspiring to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin.
Evidence at a prior hearing showed that, during an early 2021 wiretap investigation involving a large-scale heroin distributor in Cedar Rapids named Brian Dennis, May was identified as one of the top callers to Dennis’s phone. May was typically purchasing at least 3.5 grams of heroin and upwards of 10.5 grams of heroin per day from Dennis and his associates, totaling well over 100 grams in a six-week period. In April 2021, May was arrested after meeting with Dennis and found in possession of 7.39 grams of a substance containing heroin, fentanyl, and synthetic opioids acetyl fentanyl, parafluorofentanyl and metonitazene.
In a plea agreement, Irvin admitted that he conspired to distribute heroin with Dennis and others. Irvin admitted that he obtained heroin from Dennis, which he then sold to various customers for multiple months in 2020. In September 2020, Irvin’s apartment and vehicle were searched by Cedar Rapids police. Irvin was found in possession of 32 baggies of purported heroin packaged for sale. The substance was later determined to weigh 14.86 grams and found to contain fentanyl, and not heroin. Irvin admitted to selling between 80 and 100 grams of heroin for Dennis.
Four other individuals, Cody Scott Deklotz, Andrew James Lehman, Jerry Dwayne Banghart, and Melinda Salvatora Werning, previously pled guilty to the heroin conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing. Ryan Rick Schlitter was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment for his role in the conspiracy. Four other individuals charged in the same indictment, including Dennis, are still pending trial.
Sentencings before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after presentence reports are prepared. May and Irvin remain in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. May faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $2,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment. Irvin faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of imprisonment following any imprisonment.
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 is being 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‑32‑CJW.
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Cumberland County Man to Pay $900,000 for Violations of the False Claims ActRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG, PA —The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rodney L. Yentzer, of Cumberland County, has agreed to pay the United States $900,000 to resolve civil liability for alleged violations of the False Claims Act.
According to United States Attorney, John C. Gurganus, between 2017 and 2019, Yentzer, through a group of pain clinics he controlled known as Pain Medicine of York (PMY), caused the submission of false claims for payment to Medicare. Those claims were for presumptive and definitive Urine Drug Tests (UDTs) that were not medically reasonable or necessary and were not used to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
Additionally, Yentzer agreed to be excluded from all Federal health care programs for 22 years. Yentzer’s exclusion means that no Federal health care program payment may be made, either directly or indirectly, for any items or services furnished by Yentzer or at the direction or on the prescription of Yentzer.
“Civil enforcement is an important tool to recover funds when providers cause improper claims to the Medicare program,” said Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. “HHS-OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure the integrity of the Medicare Trust Fund.”
In March of 2022, in a related matter, Yentzer pleaded guilty to Health Care Fraud, Money Laundering, and Theft of Public Money for defrauding Medicare, Medicaid, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services between 2016 and 2020. Yentzer is awaiting sentencing. The news release can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/cumberland-county-man-pleads-guilty-health-care-fraud-money-laundering-and-theft-public
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The civil investigation was handled by Assistant United States Attorney, Tamara Haken, and the Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) Unit within the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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Convicted Sex Offender Indicted on Federal Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury last week indicted a Madison County man on multiple child sexual exploitation charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr., and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger.
A four-count indictment filed in the U.S. District Court charges Kevin Alexander Guerrero-Beltran, 32, with advertising, transportation, distribution, and possession of child pornography.
According to the indictment, Guerrero-Beltran was previously convicted in the Circuit Court for Marshall County for traveling to meet a child for sex in Alabama. With that prior conviction, the advertisement of child pornography charge carries a statutory imprisonment range of 25 to 50 years.
FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force (CEHTTF), FBI Phoenix Division, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), Huntsville Police Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and Georgia Bureau of Investigation participated in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White is prosecuting the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Joshua Ray Webb McGee, 34, of Olla, Louisiana, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty to a total of 60 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. McGee was sentenced to 46 months for possession of firearm by convicted felon and an additional 14 months for violating the terms of his supervised release. McGee was previously convicted of conspiracy to commit bank robbery in the Eastern District of Arkansas and was sentenced to 46 months in prison on November 14, 2018.
On July 27, 2021, a concerned motorist called 911 to report a motor vehicle accident in LaSalle Parish. When law enforcement arrived, the motorist told officers what had transpired. He explained that as he was traveling near a sharp curve in the road a blue SUV came around the curve traveling at a high rate of speed. This caused him to make an abrupt turn into the opposite lane to avoid a head-on collision and the other vehicle traveled off the roadway and hit a tree and went into the drainage ditch. The motorist turned around and went back to the accident site to check on the erratic driver. As he drove back up to the accident site, he saw the man, later determined to be McGee, walking in front of the car on the highway. He asked if the man was okay, and he said yes but asked the motorist not to call it in because he had just gotten out of jail and did not want any trouble. The motorist offered to let the man sit in his vehicle as it began to rain, and McGee asked if he could get his gun and the motorist told him no. The motorist then watched McGee throw a long black gun into the woods nearby. He then told McGee that he had already called 911 and McGee then fled into the woods. Officers found paperwork in the vehicle with McGee’s name on it and were able to recover the firearm from the wooded area where McGee had thrown it. A few days later, the motorist was able to positively identify McGee as the sole occupant and driver of the vehicle and who he had seen with the firearm. McGee was charged with one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
The case was investigated by the ATF and LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cytheria D. Jernigan.
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Collin County Man Sentenced in Oil & Gas Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Melissa man has been sentenced to prison in the Eastern District of Texas for federal violations, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Matthew Wayne Fox, 47, pleaded guilty on March 9, 2020 to wire fraud and was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan. Fox was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $862,150.
According to information presented in court, beginning in 2015, Fox formed Wayne Energy, a company that was to specialize in the oil and gas exploration fields. Fox previously was the CEO of a business named Frisco Exploration, that went out of business. From March 2015 through October 2016, Fox raised approximately $949,650 from investors to form a joint venture to convert an oil well to a natural gas well in Upshur County, Texas. Fox solicited the funds through various literature and emails sent to potential investors.
The emails Fox sent contained several misrepresentations about the joint venture such as ownership of the well, the cost of converting the well, the production of a similar well, and actual work done on site. Further misrepresentations included that Wayne Energy was a licensed operator with the State of Texas Railroad Commission. Following the initial investment Fox continued to send emails with misrepresentations about work done on the site in order to solicit more money. An investigation by the SEC showed the majority of money raised by investors was used for the Fox family personal use.
The SEC launched an investigation into Fox following complaints about the investments in the natural gas well. The SEC obtained a judgment in 2018 against Fox for his conduct in soliciting investors. The SEC referred the case to the Federal Bureau of Investigations, who launched a criminal investigation resulting in the indictment.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Securities Exchange Commission and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William R. Tatum.
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Brockton Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Dark Web Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to his role in a highly sophisticated drug trafficking operation that manufactured and distributed a multitude of controlled substances using the Dark Web.
Allante Pires, 25, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, Ketamine and Alprazolam (Xanax). U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for Sept. 8, 2022.
Pires was indicted in June 2019 along with co-conspirators Binh Thanh Le and Steven McCall. Le, who was the ringleader of the drug-trafficking operation, created and operated a vendor site called “EastSideHigh” in markets on the Dark Network, more commonly known as the Dark Web. The Dark Web is any portion of the internet that can only be accessed with specific software, configurations or authorization that anonymize internet traffic. Le used these Dark Web markets to advertise various drugs for sale, including cocaine, MDMA, Ketamine and Xanax. Le ordered and received wholesale quantities of the drugs he and the others were distributing in the mail, principally from foreign sources in Canada and Europe. Le, Pires and, allegedly, McCall then processed and manufactured those controlled substances at an office space Le rented in Stoughton. After receiving the orders and payment via Bitcoin, the men mailed the drugs to customers throughout the United States.
Over 19 kilograms of MDMA, almost seven kilograms of Ketamine, nearly one kilogram of cocaine and more than 10,000 counterfeit Xanax pills were seized by authorities during the investigation. Investigators also recovered a computer with the “EastSideHigh” vendor page open, numerous packages containing MDMA and Ketamine, various shipping and packaging materials and a pill press from the office space in Stoughton.
On March 10, 2022, Le was sentenced to eight years in prison and three years of supervised release. Le was also ordered to forfeit more than 59 Bitcoin (currently worth in excess of $1.7 million), $114,680 in cash, $42,390 representing the proceeds from the sale of a 2018 BMW M3, along with other items including a pill press and currency counter. A plea hearing for McCall, the last remaining defendant, is scheduled for June 28, 2022.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge for the Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Norfolk County District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office, made the announcement. Special assistance with the investigation was provided by the Homeland Security Investigations in Colorado; Postal Inspectors from around the country; and the Stoughton, Norwood and Brockton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Arnold of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Boston Man Indicted for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with the robbery of a TD Bank branch in Cambridge.
Jamall Copeland, 49, was indicted on one count of bank robbery. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. Copeland was previously charged by criminal complaint on May 5, 2022.
According to the charging documents, on April 27, 2022, an unknown male – later identified as Copeland – entered the TD Bank located at 1270 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge at approximately 1:45 p.m. and allegedly handed the teller a demand note that stated, “Give up all Hundreds! AN 50's Robbery!” Copeland obtained $1,455 in cash and fled the scene. Following the robbery, law enforcement lifted a fingerprint from the demand note that allegedly matched the known fingerprint of Copeland.
According to the charging documents, Copeland was released from state prison in December 2021 and has a criminal history including charges related to murder, kidnapping, drug and firearms offenses, armed robbery and assault with intent to murder.
The charge of bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to five years 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; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Cambridge Police Chief Christine Elow made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bennington Man Charged with Federal Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Deven Moffitt, 32, of Bennington, Vermont, was charged today by criminal complaint with three federal felonies: possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; possession of a firearm having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by a prison term of more than a year; and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to the affidavit accompanying the criminal complaint, on Wednesday, June 1, Moffitt fled as police tried to arrest him in connection with his prosecution by the Bennington County State’s Attorney relating to the 2019 murder of Jessica Hildenbrandt. As Moffitt was trying to flee from police, a witness observed him place a bag inside a trash container. A search of that bag revealed more than 3,000 bags of suspected fentanyl, and distribution quantities of powder and crack cocaine. Within the bag, police also found two loaded handguns. When Moffitt was apprehended, police also found that he was in possession of more than $16,000 in cash.
Moffitt is currently in the custody of the State of Vermont in connection with the murder charge. The date of his initial appearance in federal court has not been set.
The complaint is an accusation only and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted of all the charged federal offenses, Moffitt faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years and up to lifetime incarceration. If he is convicted, his federal sentence would be informed by the application of the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The case was investigated by Vermont State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; and the Bennington Police Department.
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. https://www.justice.gov/psn
Belton Man Arrested for Threatening Upstate SchoolsRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Confirms that Upstate School Threat Thwarted, Suspect in Custody
GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Jonathan Trent Patterson, 22, of Belton, has been charged in a federal complaint for electronically transmitting multiple shooting threats relating to several schools in Anderson County.
“I want to first let everyone in the Upstate know that we are not aware of any physical harm that occurred as a result of these threats, and the suspect is in custody and thus at this time does not pose a danger to the community,” said U.S. Attorney Corey F. Ellis. “While these charges speak for themselves, this office aggressively investigates and, where appropriate, prosecutes threats of violence and acts of violence. This is especially true when anyone threatens harm against our schools, and recent events confirm these threats must be taken seriously. Responding to these cases requires a team approach, and I especially want to thank our partners at the FBI and Sheriff Chad McBride and the rest of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office.”
Patterson will appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jacquelyn D. Austin at 2:30 p.m. today (June 3, 2022) at the Carroll A. Campbell, Jr. U.S. Courthouse.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Max Cauthen and Everett E. McMillian are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Ellis stated that all charges in the complaint are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Beckley Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley woman was sentenced today to eight years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 25, 2020, Candice Nicole Long, also known as “Candace Long,” 26, was at her residence when she sold a quantity of methamphetamine to a confidential informant while possessing a .380-caliber handgun in her waistband. On February 28, 2020, officers executed a search warrant on her residence and recovered the firearm.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-228.
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28-Year-Old Sentenced on Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Daniel Rojas, 28, was sentenced on June 2, 2022, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, as an addict in possession of a firearm and for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Rojas to 87 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On July 3, 2020, law enforcement received information that drugs were being sold out of the Aksarben Suites located on Cedar Street in Omaha. While conducting surveillance, officers observed a Mercedes leave the parking lot of the Aksarben Suites and commit a traffic violation. During a traffic stop, officers observed Rojas leaning forward in an awkward position. A K-9 alerted to the scent of drugs on the passenger side front window of the car.
Upon searching the car and a black bag located under the front passenger seat, officers found a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson SD40 firearm and approximately 1 gram of methamphetamine. At the time Rojas possessed the firearm he was a drug user.
On November 16, 2020, Rojas was arrested on federal charges stemming from the possession of the Smith and Wesson firearm on July 3, 2020. At the time of his arrest, Rojas admitted to possessing methamphetamine in a white Buick parked nearby. Over 100 grams of methamphetamine were recovered from Rojas’s car.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, Omaha Field Division. This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Thursday 2 June 2022
Women admit to smuggling over $2M in fentanyl and other narcoticsRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two Houston women have admitted to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin and cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Today, Clarissa Hernandez, 23, admitted to her role in the conspiracy. Her co-conspirator, Sarah Morales, 23, previously pleaded guilty April 28.
On Feb. 11, Hernandez attempted to drive through a Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint, at which time a K-9 alerted to her vehicle. A search revealed 15 bundles of cocaine and 32,500 pills of fentanyl concealed in the front and rear bumpers of her Chevrolet sedan.
Soon after, Morales also attempted to pass through the checkpoint. During a search, authorities discovered 12 bundles of cocaine, three bundles of heroin and one bundle of fentanyl concealed in the front and rear bumpers of her Ford sport utility vehicle.
As part of their pleas, they admitted they had conspired together to smuggle a total of 25.36 kilograms of cocaine, 4.94 kilograms of fentanyl and 255 grams of heroin.
The drugs have a combined estimated street value of approximately $2.25 million.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales set sentencing for Morales July 20. Hernandez will be sentenced Aug. 23. They each face up to life in prison with a possible $10 million maximum fine.
Both have been and will remain in custody pending their respective hearings.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marck is prosecuting the case.
Woman Indicted for Prescribing Medically Unnecessary Medical Equipment in $8.8 Million Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – A Georgia woman was arrested yesterday in Hampton, Georgia, on criminal charges related to her alleged scheme to defraud Medicare by prescribing medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME), which was then billed to Medicare.
According to the indictment, Kateline Lavache, 53, of Hampton, allegedly prescribed medically unnecessary DME for Medicare beneficiaries in exchange for kickbacks and bribes from her co-conspirators. Lavache allegedly prescribed DME without conducting proper consultations with the beneficiaries. Lavache had no prior relationship with the beneficiaries, was not treating them, and failed to even conduct telemedicine consultations with them. As a result of the prescriptions, Lavache’s co-conspirators submitted to Medicare approximately $8.8 million in false and fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary DME, of which Medicare paid more than $4 million. Lavache was paid more than $123,000 in kickbacks and bribes for her participation in the scheme.
Lavache is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, as well as four counts of health care fraud. If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in prison for the conspiracy count and up to 10 years in prison for each health care fraud count. 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 Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Miami Regional Office; and Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Special Agent in Charge David Walker of the FBI’s Tampa Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Alejandro J. Salicrup of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 24 federal districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $19 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Woman Indicted for Prescribing Medically Unnecessary Medical Equipment in $8.8 Million Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Georgia woman was arrested yesterday in Hampton, Georgia, on criminal charges related to her alleged scheme to defraud Medicare by prescribing medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME), which was then billed to Medicare.
According to the indictment, Kateline Lavache, 53, of Hampton, allegedly prescribed medically unnecessary DME for Medicare beneficiaries in exchange for kickbacks and bribes from her co-conspirators. Lavache allegedly prescribed DME without conducting proper consultations with the beneficiaries. Lavache had no prior relationship with the beneficiaries, was not treating them, and failed to even conduct telemedicine consultations with them. As a result of the prescriptions, Lavache’s co-conspirators submitted to Medicare approximately $8.8 million in false and fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary DME, of which Medicare paid more than $4 million. Lavache was paid more than $123,000 in kickbacks and bribes for her participation in the scheme.
Lavache is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, as well as four counts of health care fraud. If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in prison for the conspiracy count and up to 10 years in prison for each health care fraud count. 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 Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Miami Regional Office; and Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Special Agent in Charge David Walker of the FBI’s Tampa Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Alejandro J. Salicrup of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 24 federal districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $19 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Windber Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison and 10 Years of Supervised Release for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of Windber, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 120 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release on his conviction of possession of child pornography, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Kristian E. Heller, 46, of Windber, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, on or about April 20, 2021, Heller knowingly possessed one or more visual depictions, namely, videos and images in individual computer graphic files, the production of which involved the use of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct and which depict prepubescent minors and minors who have not attained twelve years of age, engaging in sexually explicit conduct, all of which had been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce, by means of a computer, and all of which had been produced using materials which had been mailed and shipped in interstate and foreign commerce.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard, Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Ms. Chung commended the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Heller.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better 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.
West Virginia Former Official Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Offense for Sexual Assault on 16-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
A West Virginia former official pleaded guilty to violating the civil rights of a 16-year-old victim by forcibly raping her in a bunk room at the Danville Fire Department in Danville, West Virginia. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston for the Southern District of West Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office made the announcement.
During the plea hearing in federal court in the Southern District of West Virginia, Christopher Osborne, 26, admitted that on or about Jan. 19, 2021, while he was an officer with the Marmet Police Department in Marmet, West Virginia, and a firefighter with both the Charleston Fire Department in Charleston, West Virginia, and the Danville Volunteer Fire Department, he used his position, authority and status as a firefighter to forcibly sexually assault the victim. Specifically, Osborne admitted that the victim told him that she did not want to have sex, but he held her down inside the bunk room at the fire station and sexually assaulted her anyway, causing her pain and bodily injury.
“The defendant abused his official authority and position of power to perpetrate a violent sexual assault on a 16-year-old girl,” said Assistant Attorney General Clarke. “Officials who carry out sexual assaults on vulnerable people will be held accountable. The Civil Rights Division will continue to use our criminal civil rights laws to stand up for the survivors of these heinous crimes.”
“As the plea in this case demonstrates, Osborne used his official authority to commit a violent sexual assault on a 16-year-old victim,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Johnston. “Osborne’s unlawful conduct constitutes a clear deprivation of the minor’s civil rights. Such an egregious abuse of power will not be tolerated. We continue to work with our law enforcement partners to stand up for victims of such crimes. I want to thank the FBI, the West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia Fire Marshal’s Office for their outstanding investigative efforts in this case.”
“The facts of this case are troubling,” said Special Agent in Charge Nordwall. “No one is not above the law. As a public servant, Osborne violated his oath and victimized those he swore to protect. The FBI will not look the other way.”
With his guilty plea, the defendant faces a 14-year prison sentence, with a maximum of five years of supervised release, and registration as a sex offender under the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
A sentencing date has been set for July 13.
This case was investigated by the Pittsburgh Division of the FBI with the support of the West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia State Fire Marshals. It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Kathryn E. Gilbert of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Julie White for the Southern District of West Virginia.
Washington County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Christopher Michael Wilson, age 45, was sentenced on June 1, 2022, to 210 months in prison for Receipt of Child Pornography. Wilson was ordered to serve fifteen years of supervised release to follow his prison term, as well as pay $3,000 in restitution to his victims. Wilson was also assessed a $100 Special Assessment immediately payable to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
According to court documents, the investigation into Wilson began when law enforcement received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The CyberTip indicated that files suspected to be child pornography were uploaded from specific IP addresses. A phone number included with the tip traced back to Wilson. During the execution of a search warrant at Wilson’s known residence, numerous electronic devices were seized, which contained images and videos of child pornography. On January 20, 2022, Wilson pleaded guilty to the charge.
U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Washington County Sheriff’s Department and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nation-wide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
Virginia Woman Sentenced to 54 Months in Federal Prison for Identity Theft Scheme and Ordered to Pay $4.4 Million Dollars in RestitutionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Yesterday U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Janet Sturmer, age 66, of Manassas, Virginia to 54 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit mail, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. As part of her guilty plea, Sturmer will be required to pay $4.4 million in restitution.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Selwyn Smith of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore.
According to her plea agreement, from October 2015 to March 2017, Sturmer conspired with Peter Unakalu, Khalid Razaq, Brandon Ross, Saulina Eady, Saul Eady, and others to commit wire fraud by posing as navy contracted agents and convincing victim companies that conspiracy members were authorized to order specialized communications equipment without prior payment.
As part of the scheme to defraud, Sturmer and her co-conspirators used fictitious identities, fictitious business names, and the stolen identities of real individuals to lease facilities and receive fraudulently obtained goods. For example, in September 2016, Sturmer and Razaq submitted a commercial lease agreement and tenant information sheet using the name, date of birth, driver’s license, and social security number of Victim 1 without the victim’s permission or knowledge. Ultimately, Razaq and Sturmer used this rental property to obtain high-end smartphones and tablets from a victim company. Sturmer and Razaq subsequently shipped the fraudulently obtained goods to California where the products were either disposed of or sold.
Additionally, in October 2016, Sturmer rented office space located in Chantilly, Virginia for the purpose of receiving fraudulently obtained goods including, thousands of flat screen televisions and communications equipment from two victim companies. To do so, Sturmer used the stolen identity of Victim 2 and a fraudulent tax return created by Razaq. Razaq then arranged for the fraudulently obtained televisions to various store locations that Sturmer and Razaq rented using stolen identities. On one occasion, Sturmer shipped approximately 100 stolen flat screens to Ross (a co-conspirator) in California.
As stated in her guilty plea, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Sturmer’s Virginia residence. Amongst other items, law enforcement recovered stolen flat screen televisions from one victim company, cables from another victim company, shipping records, a notebook documenting the receipt and storage of stolen flat screen televisions, counterfeit identification documents in the names of real victims, at least five cell phones, and counterfeit device-making equipment.
Based on the search warrant results, surveillance footage, and business records, Sturmer and her co-conspirators caused a loss of more than $4.4 million to victim companies.
Co-defendants Khalid Razaq, Saul Eady, Saulina Eady, and Brandon Ross, were sentenced to 5 years, 4 years, 30 months, and 18 months in federal prison; respectively. As part of their sentencing, Razaq was ordered to pay over $4 million in restitution and Ross was ordered to pay $1.5 million in restitution. Troy Barbour is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the DOD-OIG and HSI for their work on the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked the FBI, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and Customs and Border Protection for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph R. Baldwin and Adam K. Ake, 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 https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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U.S. Attorney Charges New Jersey Registered Sex Offender with Attempted Sexual Enticement of A Minor and Committing an Offense Against A Minor While A Registered Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the arrest of BRIAN REED. REED is charged with communicating online with an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old girl and attempting to meet the girl to engage in sexual activities and with engaging in that offense while a registered sex offender. REED was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause in White Plains federal court and detained.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “This case underlines the urgent need for law enforcement to continue its efforts to protect children from those who prey on them. As this arrest shows, we will use every tool available to law enforcement to investigate and prosecute those who sexually exploit children.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint[1] filed on May 31, 2022 in White Plains federal court:
On May 25, 2022 and May 26, 2022, an investigator with the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office (“Investigator-1”), who was posing as a 13-year-old girl on various online social media platforms, communicated via text with BRIAN REED. REED asked Investigator-1 for sexually explicit photos and indicated that he wanted to meet with her for the purpose of having sex.
During the communications with REED, Investigator-1 referred on multiple occasions to the fact that she was 13 years old and also told REED that “im a virgin still.” REED responded, “Thats ok.” REED told Investigator-1 that he wanted to speak by phone and Investigator-1 spoke to REED by phone on a number of occasions. During their calls, REED and Investigator-1 discussed meeting in person and REED described in detail various sexual activities that he wanted to engage in with Investigator-1. REED said he was excited to meet her and that he could “teach [her] some things.” REED made a plan to meet Investigator-1 at a park in Rockland County, New York.
On May 26, 2022, at approximately 11:35 p.m., REED arrived at a parking lot near the agreed-upon meeting spot and parked his car. As he began to walk toward Investigator-1, who was waiting at the meeting spot, REED was arrested. Following his arrest, REED was interviewed and he admitted, among other things, that he communicated with an individual he believed was 13 years old and made a plan to meet her so that he could have sex with her. In addition, REED stated that he had been convicted of a sex offense and was a registered sex offender. On May 27, 2022, BRIAN REED, the defendant, was charged in Clarkstown Justice Court with Attempted Rape in the 2nd Degree and Disseminating Indecent material to minors.
On October 17, 2016, REED was convicted in Morris County Superior Court, New Jersey, of Endangering the Welfare of a Child Through Sexual Conduct and sentenced to three years in prison. REED was required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
There may be other victims of this alleged conduct. If you have information to report, contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-800-CALL-FBI
* * *
REED, 33 of Sussex, New Jersey is charged with one count of attempted enticement of a minor, which carries a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, and one count of committing the offense of attempted enticement while a registered sex offender, which carries a minimum sentence of 10 years to be imposed consecutively to any sentence of imprisonment imposed for the attempted enticement.
The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Following today’s presentment, Judge Krause ordered that BRIAN REED be detained.
Mr. Williams praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, Rockland County District Attorney’s Office Special Investigations Unit, Rockland County District Attorney’s Office Special Victims Unit, Town of Clarkstown Police Department, and the Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, which is comprised of special agents and task force officers from the FBI, U.S. Probation, New York State Police, New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Putnam County Sheriff's Office, Westchester County DAs Office, Rockland County DAs Office, NYPD, Westchester County PD, and the Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, Greenburgh, White Plains, Peekskill, Ramapo, and Clarkstown Police Departments. He added that the investigation is ongoing.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Marcia S. Cohen is in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
U.K. National Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for $8.3 Million Scam That Claimed Precious Metals Could Be Extracted from ‘Ancient Slag’Read the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A British national was sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison for defrauding over 100 investors out of more than $8 million through a scheme that sold “ancient slag,” a mining waste byproduct that supposedly contained precious metals.
Michael Godfree, 80, a United Kingdom citizen who resides in the Mount Washington neighborhood of Los Angeles, was sentenced by United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt, who also ordered Godfree to pay $8,336,965 in restitution.
Godfree pleaded guilty in December 2021 to one count of mail fraud.
From 2011 to November 2017, Godfree schemed to defraud victim-purchasers of material he identified as “ancient slag” and “gold ore.” He was co-founder of The Minerals Acquisition Company (TMAC), a Pasadena-based outfit that offered to sell slag to victims who were told the company would be able to extract precious metals from this slag, which was generated from copper mining. TMAC sold ton-quantities of the slag with promises of refining the material and recovering precious metals. TMAC provided victims with supposedly attorney-certified “Certificates of Title” that purported to transfer ownership of the slag to victims.
Godfree fraudulently induced the victims to buy the “ancient slag” by falsely stating the “ancient slag” was valuable because it contained precious metals and a process would soon be available that could extract the precious metals supposedly in the slag.
In fact, Godfree and TMAC did not actually own most of the slag they sold, there was not a commercially viable process for extracting precious metals from the slag, and the business operation had not been endorsed by a lawyer.
Acting on Godfree’s false promises, victims sent the company money by mailing checks to the TMAC offices in Pasadena and by wiring money to accounts that Godfree controlled. Godfree used the funds to pay for his personal expenses.
In total, Godfree and TMAC caused losses of approximately $8,336,965 to the victims of their fraud.
TMAC was dissolved in 2015, but its operations were largely taken over by Precious Metals of North America Inc., another of Godfree’s companies.
“Godfree was nothing more than a glorified conman,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. “At bottom, [Godfree] was selling nothing more than worthless dirt (that he generally didn’t own) along with a non-existent ‘process’ to extract value from the dirt…. Unsurprisingly, not a single victim-purchaser has ever seen any return on their purchase. Instead, the money was spent on lavish goods and personal expenses for [Godfree].”
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Bruce K. Riordan of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
Two current, one former St. Louis aldermen indicted on corruption chargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two current and one former St. Louis aldermen, including board President Lewis Reed, have been indicted on federal charges accusing them of misusing their offices on multiple occasions in multiple ways in exchange for cash bribes and other things of value.
Reed, 22nd Ward Alderman Jeffrey L. Boyd and former 21st Ward Alderman John Collins-Muhammad were all indicted May 25. Collins-Muhammad resigned his office on May 12, 2022 due to the ongoing criminal investigation. They are scheduled to turn themselves in and make their first appearance in court Thursday at 1 p.m. Reed is facing two bribery-related charges. Collins-Muhammad has been indicted on two bribery-related charges and one charge of honest services bribery/wire fraud. Boyd is facing two bribery related charges and a separate, two count wire fraud indictment alleging he fraudulently sought $22,000 from his insurance company for damage to vehicles that he falsely claimed to own.
The main indictment alleges Collins-Muhammad and Reed helped a small business owner obtain a lucrative property tax abatement in exchange for a series of cash bribes related to what the indictment refers to as “project A.”
The indictment also alleges that in “project B,” Boyd accepted cash to help the business owner buy a city-owned property for tens of thousands of dollars less than it was worth, and accepted more cash to help the business owner obtain a lucrative tax abatement for that project.
Project A:
The indictment lays out a years-long scheme in which Collins-Muhammad, and later Reed, sought to help the business owner, referred to in the indictment as “John Doe,” obtain a significant property tax abatement for a new gas station and convenience store development in Collins-Muhammad’s ward. Doe estimated that the abatement could be worth $20,000 to $30,000 per year over at least 10 years, the indictment says. In all, Reed accepted $9,000 in cash from Doe, the indictment alleges. Collins-Muhammad accepted $7,000 cash, $3,000 in campaign contributions, a new iPhone 11 and a 2016 Volkswagen CC sedan in exchange for his help, the indictment alleges. Collins-Muhammad and Reed ultimately worked to pass Board Bills which provided the property tax abatement for Project A.
During Reed’s 2021 run for mayor, Doe also gave Reed $6,000 total in cash and $3,500 in campaign contributions for Reed’s help in Doe’s ultimately unsuccessful attempt to obtain Minority Business Enterprise certification for his trucking company, and for help in winning contracts for city construction projects, the indictment alleges.
Collins-Muhammad is also accused of accepting $3,000 after setting up a meeting with a public official who could steer business to Doe’s trucking company. Collins-Muhammad later asked for $2,500 more on behalf of the official, but instead used it to buy a 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer, the indictment alleges.
Project B:
A separate scheme set out in the main indictment involved Doe’s purchase of a commercial property on Geraldine Avenue in St. Louis from the city’s Land Reutilization Authority, which owns and sells vacant property. The property was in Boyd’s ward.
Collins-Muhammad introduced Doe to Boyd so Boyd could help in the purchase, telling Doe that he would have to pay cash for Boyd’s help, the indictment says. Through Boyd’s assistance, Doe eventually was able to buy the property from the LRA for $14,000. The LRA valued it at $50,000, and Doe estimated it would have cost $250,000 if privately sold, the indictment alleges. Boyd also submitted and sponsored a board bill which provided a substantial property tax abatement for Doe’s Project B.
Boyd accepted a total of $9,500 in cash from Doe related to Project B, and Doe also made free repairs worth $1,611 to Boyd’s 2006 Chevrolet Impala and $733 to his Kia van, the indictment alleges. Collins-Muhammad received an additional $1,000 cash for introducing Doe to Boyd.
Boyd was indicted in a separate case on two counts of wire fraud for a scheme in which he and Doe are accused of agreeing to split the proceeds of insurance fraud related to a Jan. 17, 2021 vehicle accident at Doe’s used car lot in Jennings, Missouri.
After Doe learned his insurance company would not cover the damage, Boyd suggested falsely claiming that three of the damaged vehicles were owned by his used car company, The Best Place Auto Sales on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive in St. Louis, the indictment alleges.
Boyd filled out Missouri Department of Revenue bill of sale and certificate of title forms for the three vehicles, fraudulently backdating the sales dates to Jan. 2 and falsely claiming Boyd’s company had paid $22,000 for the vehicles, the indictment says. Boyd also falsely sought a $50 per vehicle, per day storage fee from Boyd’s insurance company for the damaged vehicles. Boyd’s insurance company ultimately rejected the claim.
If convicted of the main indictment, Reed’s and Boyd’s charges carry maximum penalties of 10 years and five years in prison, respectively, and a $250,000 fine. Collins-Muhammad’s honest services bribery/wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. One of his bribery charges carries a 10-year maximum and the other has a five-year maximum. Boyd’s additional wire fraud charges related to the automobile insurance scheme carry maximum penalties of 20 years and a $250,000 fine. Restitution is also mandatory. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Hal Goldsmith is prosecuting the case.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Men Charged in Indictment with Distributing Narcotics, Including Fentanyl, and Causing the Deaths of Four Persons on the East End of Long Island in the Summer of 2021Read the Press Release
A seven-count indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Central Islip charging Marquis Douglas, also known as “Prince” and “President,” and Jesse Pace, also known as “Jah,” with conspiring to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, heroin and crack cocaine. The indictment also charges Douglas and Pace with distribution of controlled substances resulting in four separate deaths on August 13, 2021. The indictment separately charges Douglas with the possession of fentanyl and cocaine in Suffolk County in May 2022. Pace was arrested this morning and will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Steven L. Tiscione. Douglas, who is already in federal custody on related charges, will be arraigned at a later date.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Raymond A. Tierney, Suffolk County District Attorney, announced the charges.
“The defendants’ drug sales caused four overdose deaths in a single day last summer, contributing to the tragic history of the opioid epidemic that has claimed too many lives on Long Island,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Dealing deadly drugs in this district will be met with severe consequences. At the same time, we are working to reduce the availability of these drugs and prevent new addictions in our efforts to save lives. It is our hope that the federal prosecution of Douglas and Pace will bring some solace to the families of the four victims who died as a result of the defendants’ actions.”
Mr. Peace also extended his thanks to the Riverhead Police Department for their assistance in investigation.
“Tragically, as overdose deaths continue to rise, people are still peddling these poisons into our communities. Fortunately our focus on the illegal drug epidemic hasn't waned, and bringing Douglas and Pace to justice shows our pursuit of these dealers hasn't either,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.
“We thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI for their assistance in helping us get these dangerous drug dealers off of our streets,” stated District Attorney Tierney. “These defendants, while in federal custody, will no longer be able to sell fentanyl and other dangerous drugs to unwitting customers and pose a danger to the community.”
The charges arise from Douglas and Pace allegedly distributing cocaine and a fentanyl analogue, flourofentanyl, which led to a series of overdose deaths, on the East End of Long Island in 2021. As set forth in the indictment and other court filings, Douglas and Pace allegedly engaged in a years’ long conspiracy to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine, one kilogram of heroin, 280 grams of crack cocaine, 40 grams of fentanyl and a quantity of a fentanyl analogue. In August of 2021, Douglas and Pace distributed cocaine laced with a fentanyl analogue in Greenport, New York. When their drugs were re-distributed at the street level, it caused four fatal overdoses on August 13, 2021. The bodies were found the following day. More recently, while travelling as a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped for a traffic infraction in Suffolk County on May 5, 2022, Douglas was found in possession of distribution quantities of cocaine and fentanyl.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, each defendant faces up to life imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Maffei and Andrew P. Wenzel, along with Special Assistant United States Attorney Dana Gremaux are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
MARQUIS DOUGLAS (also known as “Prince” and “President”)
Age: 36
Riverhead, New YorkJESSE PACE (also known as “Jah”)
Age: 38
Riverhead, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-246 (JS)
Toledo Man Sentenced to Prison for Stealing Motorcoach Buses and Defrauding Church GroupRead the Press Release
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler announced that Derrick Lamont Jones, 57, of Toledo, was sentenced on May 31, 2022, to 54 months in prison and ordered to pay $21,702 in restitution by U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary after Jones pleaded guilty to stealing motorcoach buses from various businesses and defrauding a church tour group.
According to court documents, from 2003 through 2019, Jones conspired together with codefendant Kelly Marie Thomas to steal, conceal and transport motorcoach buses. Court records state that between April 2003 and April 2009, Jones stole several buses from businesses in Ohio and elsewhere, including Ground Transportation Specialists in Taylor, Michigan; Lakefront Lines in Toledo, Ohio; Seniors Unlimited in Pontiac, Michigan and American Heritage Trails in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
According to court records, Jones had prior experience working as a bus driver and was familiar with the operations of the vehicles. After stealing a bus, Jones would take steps to conceal the fact that the bus was stolen, including altering vehicle identification numbers, changing exterior paint and removing company logos and markings.
As part of the conspiracy, Jones and Thomas would offer charter bus transportation services to passengers in Ohio and elsewhere through advertisements on the internet, on social media and in local newspapers. Jones and Thomas offered these services under the names of Destiny Tours, Kelly Tours, Marie’s Tours and Travel, Elite Tours and GT Tours. Jones and Thomas purportedly offered these services as compliant with the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations when, in fact, they knew that these companies were never incorporated and never received operating authority from the DOT or FMCSA.
In one instance, in December 2017, Jones entered into a contract with a church group from Toledo for $3,200 to provide charter bus services from Toledo to New York City. Court documents state that Jones received approximately $2,200 in cash prior to the scheduled departure date of the trip but failed to take the group on the trip and never returned the payment he had received.
Jones pleaded guilty to conspiracy, interstate transportation of stolen vehicles, violation of FMCSA regulations, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Zouhary ordered Jones to pay restitution to the church group that he defrauded and restitution to the various business that owned the buses he stole for damages and bus retrieval costs.
Kelly Marie Thomas was previously sentenced to three years of probation for her role in the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation - Office of Inspector General, with assistance by the U.S. Department of Transportation – Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Ohio Division, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Toledo Police Department and the Michigan State Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jody L. King.
Third Former Executive of Telecommunications Company Charged in Scheme to Defraud InvestorsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of an indictment charging ANTHONY SIROTKA, the former chief administrative officer of a FTE Networks, Inc. (“FTE”), along with the company’s former chief executive officer, Michael Palleschi and former chief financial officer, David Lethem, with conspiracy, securities fraud, wire fraud, improperly influencing the conduct of an audit and aggravated identity theft. These charges stem from a years-long scheme to inflate FTE’s revenue and to conceal liabilities and expenses. SIROTKA was arrested this morning and was presented today in Manhattan federal court. Palleschi and Lethem were previously arrested based on an indictment charging them with the same crimes.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Anthony Sirotka conspired with his co-defendants to lure investors with false claims about FTE’s financial condition and to make the company appear more profitable than it was. Sirotka helped to deceive FTE’s auditors and the investing public, and now faces serious criminal charges for his alleged conduct.”
According to the allegations in Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
FTE was a telecommunications company based in Naples, Florida and Manhattan. As of December 2017, its stock traded on the NYSE American market. SIROTKA served as the company’s Chief Administrative Officer, Senior Vice President of Business Development, and Chief Business Development Officer. Together with Palleschi and Lethem, among other things, SIROTKA caused FTE to recognize more than $13 million in fraudulent revenue. This fraudulent revenue included more than $10 million in “unbilled” revenue that the defendants represented FTE had earned from services it had supposedly provided to a large customer that would not yet accept bills for those services. FTE never provided any such services. In addition, the defendants caused FTE to recognize approximately $2.6 million as an account receivable for which there was no support. When FTE’s auditors said that the account receivable should be written off, SIROTKA and his co-conspirators created a fake email from a representative of the customer saying that the customer would “expedite payments” for more than $1.5 million for projects completed by FTE in 2016 and 2017. The defendants caused this fake email to be sent to FTE’s auditors so that FTE could continue to recognize the receivable.
As a result of the defendants’ fraudulent recognition of revenue, FTE’s financial statements overstated the company’s accounts receivable by between 18% and 120% for each of the quarters in 2017 and 2018 and by approximately 477% for 2016.
In a separate action, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filed civil charges against SIROTKA. The SEC previously filed civil charges against Palleschi and Lethem.
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SIROTKA, 55, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of conspiring to commit securities fraud, wire fraud, making false statements in SEC filings and improperly influencing the conduct of audits, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of improperly influencing the conduct of audits, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory minimum term of two years in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the FBI and thanked the SEC for its assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James McMahon and Daniel Loss are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
Tampa Bay Medical Biller Sentenced for Healthcare Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Tax OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Joshua Maywalt (42, Tampa) to five years and five months in federal prison for healthcare fraud, aggravated identity theft, filing a false income tax return, and failing to file an income tax return. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order forfeiting $2,257,029.86 and real property located at 5346 Northdale Boulevard in Tampa, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Maywalt had pleaded guilty on December 1, 2021.
According to court documents, Maywalt worked as a medical biller at a company in Clearwater that provided credentialing and medical billing services for its medical provider clients. In this capacity, Maywalt had access to the company’s financial, medical provider, and patient information. Maywalt was assigned to a Tampa Bay area physician’s account (“Physician #1”) and was responsible for submitting claims to Florida Medicaid Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO) for services rendered by Physician #1 to Medicaid recipients.
Maywalt abused his role as a medical biller by wrongfully accessing and utilizing the company’s patient information and Physician #1’s name and identification number to submit false and fraudulent claims to a Florida Medicaid HMO for medical services purportedly rendered by Physician #1, which were not actually rendered. Maywalt also altered the “pay to” information associated with the HMO’s payment processor so that the payments for the non-rendered medical services were sent to bank accounts under Maywalt’s control.
Maywalt knowingly signed and filed a false federal income tax return for tax year 2019 which substantially understated his income and reported only his employment wages, and not the substantial amount of money he was depositing into his bank accounts as a result of his fraudulent activities. In addition, Maywalt failed to file federal income tax returns for 2017 and 2018, as required by the Internal Revenue Service.
“Health care industry professionals are required to follow Medicaid rules and accurately bill for services that are actually provided. Fraudulently billing Medicaid for personal gain cheats millions of people who fund the program and contributes to the soaring cost of health care,” stated Omar Perez Aybar, Special Agent in Charge with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue those who exploit government health care programs.”
“Joshua Maywalt had no concern for anyone except himself. He exploited the personal information of medical patients, fraudulently billed services on behalf of a local physician and then cheated the U.S. tax system for his own personal gain,” said Brian Payne, special agent in charge of the IRS-CI Tampa Field Office. “In the end, committing fraud doesn’t pay. In this case, it resulted in a five-year prison sentence and a multimillion dollar forfeiture order.”
This case was investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services -Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Office of the Florida Attorney General, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Guzman and Suzanne Nebesky.
TSA Labor Union President Pleads Guilty to Fraud Scheme to Misappropriate Union FundsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The president of a local union representing Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to engaging in a fraud scheme to defraud the union by misappropriating $3,000 in union funds.
Marie LeClair, 59, of Lynn, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Aug. 16, 2022. LeClair was charged by an Information on April 26, 2022.
LeClair was the president of the American Federation of Government Employees, Local 2617, which was based in Boston and represented TSA employees. Beginning in or about March 2015, LeClair engaged in a scheme to defraud the union by misappropriating funds belonging to the union for her personal use. Specifically, LeClair transferred funds from union accounts to a travel debit card issued in her own name without the knowledge or authorization of the union and used the misappropriated union funds for personal expenses. On May 22, 2018, LeClair made a wire transfer of $3,000 from a union account to her personal travel debit card.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $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; Jonathan Russo, District Director of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor Management Standards; and Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Kaplan of Rollins’ Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Abuse, Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to sexually assaulting a child victim and recording the abuse on his cell phone.
William Shane Berg, 49, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of the sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of receiving child pornography over the internet.
By pleading guilty today, Berg admitted that he sexually abused a minor victim, identified in court documents as John Doe 2.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Berg’s residence on April 12, 2020, and seized a laptop computer, VHS tapes, CDs, two laptop hard drives, a portable hard drive, a CD writer, USB drives, a camera and media card, three Chromebooks, and a cell phone. Investigators found multiple files on the cell phone and the laptop computer that depicted Berg sexually abusing John Doe 2. They also found additional files of child pornography that Berg downloaded from the internet.
When the victim was interviewed at the Springfield Child Advocacy Center, he told investigators that Berg started sexually abusing him when he was in the fifth grade. He said Berg took videos on his cell phone during the sexual abuse.
Under federal statutes, Berg is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 50 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the FBI and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Second Whitley County Man Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Violent KidnappingsRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. — Jake Messer, 39, of Rockholds, Kentucky, was sentenced to Life in federal prison on Tuesday, by United States District Judge Robert E. Wier. On February 10, 2022, Messer was convicted by a federal jury of two counts of kidnapping, following his indictment in November of 2020.
According to evidence at trial, the kidnappings were motivated by an unsuccessful drug deal, where Messer and his co-conspirators lost $10,000. Jake Messer organized, directed, and recruited assistance for the armed kidnappings. Messer ordered the two victims transported to a remote trailer in Clay County, where they were held for 24 hours. There, the victims were separated, interrogated, threatened, and assaulted. After several hours of captivity, Messer held the female victim down and raped her. Messer then provided his father, George Oscar Messer, duct tape and zip ties. His father then duct taped the victim and sexually assaulted her a second time, at gunpoint. The victims only escaped after a family member spotted them in a ditch on the side of the road with Messer. Thereafter, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Kentucky State Police (KSP) recovered 15 firearms, including an assault rifle, from the Messer residence.
Messer received numerous sentencing enhancements, including use of a dangerous weapon, acting as an organizer, demanding ransom, and sexually exploiting a victim. At the sentencing hearing, witnesses also testified that Jake Messer had previous incidents of violence, sexual assault, and threats. In rendering the sentence, Judge Wier described the Messers’ conduct as the “very basement of human conduct.” Judge Wier also said the sentence reflected the importance of declaring that the rule of law exists and applies to everyone, regardless of location and culture.
“This is a disturbing example of the incidence of unspeakable violence that often accompanies illegal drug trafficking,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “This case included kidnappings, threats, firearms, repeated sexual assaults, and even a true sense of lawlessness. This unconstrained violence and infliction of suffering certainly warrants the sentence imposed. Cases like this will embolden our efforts to combat this blight on our communities; it should also serve as a stark warning to those who continue to participate in destructive violence and drug trafficking.”
“This is the second defendant to receive a life sentence from an armed drug-trafficking group that kidnapped, tortured and raped the victims in this case,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Division. “This was a joint effort between the Kentucky State Police and ATF. We hope this life sentence brings some sense of justice to the victims and sends a very clear message that ATF and our law enforcement partners will not stand by and allow these acts of violence."
United States Attorney Shier, Special Agent in Charge Morrow, and Colonel Phillip Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
This case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. The PSN program involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
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S. Lane Tucker Confirmed as U.S. Attorney for the District of AlaskaRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE – The United States Senate confirmed S. Lane Tucker as the United States Attorney for the District of Alaska on May 17, 2022, and she was sworn in on May 31. She was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden on January 26 of this year.
Tucker brings with her over three decades of experience as a prosecuting attorney and defense attorney. Prior to entering private practice, Tucker was an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Civil Chief for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Anchorage. Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Tucker was a Trial Attorney in the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington D.C., and began her legal career as an Assistant General Counsel for the General Services Administration.
“I am both honored and humbled to have this opportunity to serve Alaskans,” Tucker said. “Over the past twenty years I have built the most important relationships of my life among the people of Alaska, and I look forward to working tirelessly to give back to this great state. I know from personal experience that the prosecutors and staff in the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska are deeply committed to ensuring justice for the people of Alaska, and I am prepared to lead our office to a new era of combating crime in our state and making Alaska a safe place for all who live here.”
Tucker has served as President of the Federal Bar Association, as a lawyer representative to the 9th Circuit Judicial Conference, and is the founder and chair of the Alaska Bar Public Contracts section. For many years she has been selected as one of America’s Leading Lawyers for litigation by Chambers USA, included in Best Lawyers in America, and listed in Alaska Super Lawyers. She has served as a board member and officer for the Alaska Community Foundation and the Anchorage Association of Women Lawyers.
She received her J.D. from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law in 1987, her B.A. from Mary Baldwin College in 1983, and attended Oxford University.
For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ak
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Roswell man sentenced to 110 years in prison for child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Dain Justin Adams was sentenced on June 1 to 110 years in prison. After a five-day trial, a federal jury convicted Adams, 41, of Roswell, New Mexico, on Jan. 28, 2020, of possession of child pornography, conspiracy to produce child pornography, receipt of child pornography and two counts of distribution of child pornography.
Adams was charged on Dec. 17, 2019, in a superseding indictment. According to the indictment and other court records, on June 27, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Adams’ residence in Roswell. Adams was not home, but investigators seized multiple electronic devices. Jade Tiffany Laurezo, 38, was present in the residence when the search warrant was executed. A review of their cell phones revealed conversations between Adams and Laurezo through the Viber app, which they also used to exchange child pornography. During those conversations, they discussed their sexual interest in children and Adams discussed his desire to sexually abuse children.
The jury found that Adams possessed and had access to images and videos of children engaged in sexual conduct, that he conspired with others to entice and coerce children to engage in sexual conduct to produce child pornography, that he knowingly received child pornography, and that he distributed child pornography to others.
Upon his release from prison, Adams will be subject to 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
Laurezo pleaded guilty on Oct. 31, 2019, to production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. A sentencing hearing for Laurezo is scheduled for June 16. By the terms of the plea agreement, Laurezo faces 15 to 20 years in prison.
The Roswell Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General and the Chavez County Sheriff’s Department investigated this case with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Assistant United States Attorney Marisa A. Ong prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
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Registered Sex Offender Is Sentenced to 25 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A Buffalo, New York man who traveled to Western North Carolina to engage in sexual activity with a minor was sentenced to 25 years in prison today, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, Allen Roger Cobb, 63, was ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.
Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
“Cobb is a repeat sex offender who was willing to travel great distance for his sexual gratification with a child. Thanks to the work of HSI and my office, this dangerous predator is off the streets and no longer able to harm innocent children,” said U.S. Attorney King.
“One of HSI’s most important missions is to protect children from predators like Cobb. As a repeat offender Cobb has proven he was willing and capable of traveling to North Carolina to irrevocably harm yet another child, were it not for the outstanding work of our special agents. We will continue to utilize all of the resources at our disposal to ensure individuals like Cobb are investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent that the law allows,” said Special Agent in Charge Martinez.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, beginning in July 2021, Cobb began communicating online with an undercover HSI agent posing as the parent of a minor female. During the online exchanges, Cobb expressed an interest in having sexual contact with the minor and discussed travel arrangements and details pertaining to the commission of the sexual assault. According to court records, over the course of their discussions, Cobb expressed concern to the HSI agent about being tracked by law enforcement given his sex offender registration status and stressed the importance of being discreet in their communications.
Cobb was arrested on August 31, 2021, after he travelled from Buffalo to Western North Carolina to engage in a sexual act with a minor. At the time of the arrest, law enforcement found a stuffed toy Cobb had purchased as a gift for the minor and a camcorder which Cobb intended to use to record the sexual assault.
On December 29, 2021, Cobb pleaded guilty to traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
U.S. Attorney King thanked HSI for their investigation that led to today’s sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis I. Solheim of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on May 24, 2022, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Alexander Salway, age 38, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Salway was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 18, 2021, and pleaded guilty on December 3, 2021. The conviction stems from Salway, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, illegally possessing a Taurus, model PT111 Millennium Pro, 9mm semi-automatic pistol, which was found after Salway came into contact with law enforcement in January 2021 in Rapid City.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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 investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Salway was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on May 24, 2022, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Tyler Allen, age 28, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Allen was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 18, 2021, and pleaded guilty on July 23, 2021. The conviction stems from Allen, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, illegally possessing an FEG, model PA-63, 9x18mm Makarov caliber, semi-automatic pistol, which was found after Allen came into contact with law enforcement in January 2021 in Rapid City.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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 investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Allen was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Charged with Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Michael Wilson, age 37, was indicted on May 19, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on May 24, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge stems from Wilson, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, knowingly possessing a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol in February 2022 in Rapid City. The charge is merely an accusation and Wilson is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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 investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson is prosecuting the case.
Wilson was detained pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Rapid City Man Charged with Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Julion Graham, age 26, was indicted on May 19, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on May 24, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge stems from Graham, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, knowingly possessing a Bersa, .380 ACP semi-automatic pistol in April 2022 in Rapid City. The charge is merely an accusation and Graham is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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 investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson is prosecuting the case.
Graham was detained pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Previously Convicted Child Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Adam L. Mahaffey, 39, of Martinsville, Indiana, was sentenced late yesterday to fifteen years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distributing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct and possession of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, Mahaffey is a repeat sex offender against children, convicted in 2012 of child seduction in Johnson County Indiana. Beginning no later than January 2021, Mahaffey began using an end-to-end encrypted online application to communicate with other individuals. One of the people Mahaffey contacted reported to the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office that Mahaffey sent them videos containing child sexual abuse material.
Between January 24, 2021, and April 20, 2021, Mahaffey was communicating online with an undercover FBI agent. During those exchanges, Mahaffey talked at length about his interest in engaging in sex acts with children as young as five years old. Mahaffey sent the agent multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse material. Mahaffey also told the agent that he wanted to meet at a hotel in the Southern District of Indiana so that Mahaffey could engage in sex with two prepubescent girls.
On April 26, 2021, the FBI executed federal search warrants at Mahaffey’s residence in Martinsville. Agents recovered Mahaffey’s cellular phone which contained hundreds of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material. The images and videos distributed and possessed by Mahaffey included depictions of the sexual abuse of a prepubescent child.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana and FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton made the announcement.
The FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case. The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office also provided valuable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. As part of the sentence, Judge Pratt ordered that Mahaffey be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years following his release from federal prison and ordered Mahaffey to pay a $1,000 fine and restitution to each of the minor victims depicted in the images and videos he distributed and possessed. Mahaffey must also register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, as required by law.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany J. Preston who prosecuted this case.
In fiscal year 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
Port St. Joe Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA –Roderick L. Robinson, 55, of Port St. Joe, Florida, also known as “Raggedy” and “Rags,” was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison for his part in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.
“Those who repeatedly commit serious crimes are deserving of significant prison sentences,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners work tirelessly to keep us safe and serve a critical role in our efforts to remove addictive and deadly controlled substances from our communities. Moreover, this sentence should serve as a strong deterrent to those who would distribute drugs in North Florida.”
Robinson pled guilty to conspiring to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine and 500 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine. Court documents show that Robinson was responsible for distributing at least 180 ounces (5.1 kilograms) of methamphetamine.
“DEA’s top priority is to protect our Florida communities from individuals like Mr. Robinson who threaten the health and safety of our citizens with their illegal actions,” said Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “DEA remains committed to our partnerships with the law enforcement community in northern Florida to bring these drug trafficking organizations to justice and keep our communities safe.”
Robinson had an extensive criminal history which included eight prior convictions for sale of cocaine and a 1994 conviction for attempted second degree murder with a hate crime enhancement for which Robinson had previously served over 15 years in state prison.
Following Robinson’s 168-month sentence, he will be on federal supervised release for 10 years. This sentence was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office, and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. 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.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted on two separate charges of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and a third charge of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on May 20, 2022, by U.S. District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier.
As to the conviction for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Nikki Joshua James Coomes, age 30, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Regarding the first conviction for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, Coomes was sentenced to serve 37 months in federal prison, and on the second conviction of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, Coomes was sentenced to serve 10 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. All three sentences are to be served concurrently. Coomes was also ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Coomes pleaded guilty to the Possession of Firearms charges on December 22, 2021. Coomes, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, was found to be in possession of a 20-gauge pump-action shotgun on December 5, 2020, at Pine Ridge. On September 15, 2021, Coomes was found in possession of a 9 mm caliber pistol, two .22 caliber rifles, two 12-gauge shotguns, a .380 caliber pistol, and a .38 caliber derringer on September 15, 2021, at Pine Ridge.
The firearms investigations were conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Sazama prosecuted the cases.
Coomes also pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance on April 26, 2022. From approximately June 2018 through 2021, Coomes obtained methamphetamine from multiple sources and then distributed it primarily from his residence on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The Defendant would supply quantities of methamphetamine to other persons, who would in turn further distribute the methamphetamine.
The drug distribution case was investigated by the Badlands Safe Trails Task Force, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, South Dakota Department of Criminal Investigation, and the Martin, South Dakota, Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina S. Nelson prosecuted the case.
Following the pronouncement of his sentences, Coomes was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 25 Years’ Imprisonment for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that David Serrano-Munoz, age 43, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner to 25 years’ imprisonment for producing child pornography. The sentence also included a 10-year term of supervised release, which will follow the term of imprisonment.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Serrano-Munoz previously admitted to coercing a minor living in York County, Pennsylvania, to take sexually explicit photos of herself and to send those images to him over the internet in 2017.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
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Philadelphia Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of Philadelphia, PA pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Joel Butler, 28, pleaded guilty to the offense at Count One of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.
In connection with the guilty plea, on or about February 24, 2022, Butler knowingly, intentionally, and unlawfully, possessed firearms and ammunition, after having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for Oct. 12, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Arnold P. Bernard Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Marshals Service conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Butler.
Operation Washout Classic City Results in Arrests of Most Wanted Individuals in Athens-Clarke County RegionRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. –An eight-day multi-agency operation to curb violent crime in the Athens-Clarke County and surrounding communities resulted in wanted repeat violent offenders and documented gang members taken into custody on various state charges. These cases are currently under federal investigation and no federal charges have been filed at this time.
“Operation Washout Classic City” took place between May 18 – 25, amassing federal, state and local law enforcement resources to arrest the most wanted individuals in the area, including repeat violent offenders and gang members, who had eluded police. The operation was led by the U.S. Marshals Service-Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force (USMS SERFTF), and included FBI, ATF, DEA, GBI, Georgia Department of Community Supervision (DCS), Georgia State Patrol (GPS), Organized Crime and Gang Unit-Atlanta (OCAG), Clarke County Sheriff's Office, Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office, Athens-Clarke County Police Department and Western Circuit District Attorney’s Office with support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia.
Arrest and search warrants executed during this time period resulted in 49 arrests; 13 are documented gang members of Ghostface Gangsters, Gangster Disciples, Bloods and 1831 Piru. The individuals taken into custody as part of the operation are facing various state charges including probation violations for violent crimes, aggravated assault, rape and robbery. During the operation, law enforcement seized five firearms and a quantity of illegal drugs.
“Reducing violent crime in the Athens-Clarke County region and in every community across the Middle District of Georgia is the highest priority,” said U.S. Attorney Peter Leary. “Partnering directly with community stakeholders and law enforcement through Project Safe Neighborhoods, the U.S. Attorney’s Office aims to direct our resources toward addressing the most significant drivers of violent crime in each community and taking action.”
“Operation Washout Classic City is a great example of federal, state and local law enforcement partners working together to make a significant impact on reducing violent crime in our communities,” said USMS-SERFTF Deputy Commander John Edgar.
“The success of Operation Washout Classic City and initiatives like Project Safe Neighborhoods speak directly to what can be accomplished through collaboration and shared goals. The goal of directing resources to the most violent offenders in our community as a means to reducing violent crime is a strategy we can all unify behind,” stated District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez. “We are grateful for the strong work of our partners in the pursuit of creating a safer Athens-Clarke County.”
“The Athens-Clarke County community will not tolerate violent crime and criminal street gangs. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department is committed to protecting the citizens of Athens-Clarke County and Operation Washout Classic City is an example of what we can achieve when federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies work collaboratively, with a unified goal of removing violent, repeat offenders from our community,” said ACCPD Interim Chief of Police Jerry Saulters. “ACCPD appreciates the hard work of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners and the support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia.”
“Crime in our area is a regional problem. Through efforts like this one, we want to ensure those that engage in the criminal lifestyle do not find a comfortable place to stay in Oglethorpe County,” said Oglethorpe County Sheriff David Gabrielle.
The following individuals were taken into custody on state charges as part of Operation Washout Classic City; those who are documented street gang members are noted below:
Demetrius Bankston, 39, Cocaine
David Bingham, 39, Probation Violation, Ghostface Gangsters affiliation
Bradley Blakely, 34, Probation Violation, Ghostface Gangsters affiliation
Larry Bolton, 20, Robbery, 1831 Piru affiliation
Eric Brunson, 45, Illegal Drugs
Melvin Bryant, 56, Probation Violation
Delvin Buckles, 35, Aggravated Assault, Gangster Disciples affiliation
Jarvis Clark, 22, Probation Violation/Bond Violation, Crips affiliation
Denzell Davis, 29, Aggravated Assault, Sex, Money, Murder affiliation (sub-set of Bloods)
Reginald Dillard, 61, Probation Violation
Trellis Drake, 36, Probation Violation, Gangster Disciples affiliation
Domeeka Dunn, 33, Obstruction
Reco Echols, 45, Probation Violation, Gangster Disciples affiliation
Rodney Edwards, 34, Bond Violation, Gangster Disciples affiliation
Dominque Faust, 33, Probation Violation
Alden Fleming, 31, Failure to Appear
Jeffery Foote, 58, Burglary
Brandy Franklin, 27, Cocaine
Jason Jackson, 36, Rape
Andrew Jackson, 41, Probation Violation, Bloods affiliation
David Jones, 39, Probation Violation
Joshua Kell, 30, Probation Violation, Ghostface Gangsters affiliation
Carey Kimbro, 52, Probation Violation
Roy Dale Kirk , 56, Illegal Drugs
Michael Kiser, 35, Probation Violation, Gangster Disciples affiliation
Quincy Lassiter, 20, Probation Violation
Darious Latimore, 24, Probation Violation
Andrew Lattimore, 59, Probation Violation
Terrance McGuire, 31, Parole Violation
Gregory McIntosh, 65, Aggravated Assault
Joshua Pappe, 29, Probation Violation
Jamie Parker, 37, Probation Violation
Keyron Pass, 29, Aggravated Assault
Bryan Prather, 44, Stalking
Yobani Rico, 31, Methamphetamine
Justin Rogers, 30, Methamphetamine, Ghostface Gangsters affiliation
Shanika Rucker, 31, Aggravated Assault
Johnnty Saylors, 46, Parole Violation
Antoine Stewart, 30, Aggravated Assault
Amber Tatum, 34, Probation Violation
Jerilyn Titus, 44, Methamphetamine
Steven Walls, 40, Illegal Drugs
Derrion Watson, 20, Probation Violation
Rufus Whitfield, 59, Failure to Appear
Steven Williams, 33, Aggravated Assault
Reavco Woodall, 37, Violation Probation
Jose Yanez, 22, Sodomy
In addition, two juveniles were taken into custody for armed robbery charges.
Operation Washout Classic City was conducted 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.
In addition, Operation Washout Classic City is a response to The Department of Justice’s Comprehensive Violent Crime Reduction Strategy announced on May 26, 2021. The comprehensive strategy supports local communities in preventing, investigating and prosecuting gun violence and other violent crime—and requires U.S. Attorneys’ offices to work with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement, as well as the communities they serve, to address the most significant drivers of violence in their districts.
Criminal charges are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Onslow County Drug Dealer Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Jacksonville woman was sentenced to 180 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base (crack), and marijuana, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of such drug trafficking crime. On December 8, 2021, Ramona Lopez pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Jacksonville Police Department received complaints from management of a local hotel regarding Lopez’s selling of narcotics from a room at the hotel. After law enforcement surveillance revealed that Lopez was using the hotel as the base of operation for her drug trafficking organization, a search warrant was executed on the hotel room and law enforcement recovered 122 grams of methamphetamine, 107 grams of heroin, a quantity of fentanyl, 73 doses of Ecstasy, 7 grams of cocaine, written instructions for cooking methamphetamine, $6,636,and a loaded Taurus 9 millimeter handgun, later determined to have been stolen from Virginia.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Jacksonville Police Department, Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis M. Duffy prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-cr-00038-D.
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Odyssey International Inc. and Former Officer of Company Convicted of Fraudulent Scheme to Obtain $99 Million-Dollar U.S. Government ContractRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – On June 1, 2022, a federal jury found both Odyssey International, Inc. and its president and owner, Whitney McBride, 41, of Queen Creek, Arizona, guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and major fraud after a trial in Salt Lake City on June 1, 2022. In addition, the jury found McBride guilty of making a false statement to federal law enforcement and making a false declaration to the Court. The charges arise out of fraudulently claiming special status under a Small Business Administration (“SBA”) program in order to obtain the proceeds of a $99 million contract.
McBride and Odyssey were both charged in August of 2020 by a federal grand jury in Utah with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and major contract fraud in relation to submitting fraudulent applications for a $99 million-dollar federal government contract in Fort Drum, New York. McBride was charged with additional felony counts related to perjury and making false statements during the criminal investigation and prosecution of her and Odyssey’s fraudulent business ventures.
McBride and Odyssey were charged with federal felony violations after investigators discovered, that in 2011, Odyssey fraudulently bid on a $99 million contract for work at the Fort Drum military base in New York. The contract had been set aside for qualified businesses operating in historically underutilized business zones (“HUBzones”) under an SBA program. Areas are qualified as HUBzones based upon historical unemployment and poverty levels, and also include areas such as Indian reservations and military base closure areas. To qualify for a HUBzone contract through the SBA, two requirements are that at least 35% of the business’s employees must reside in a HUBzone and the business must be a small business. Odyssey bid upon the contract knowing that it did not qualify for HUBzone contracts through the SBA because 35% of its employees did not reside in a HUBzone and because Odyssey was not a small business.
In pursuing the $99 million dollar Fort Drum contract, Odyssey’s officers and employees falsified information about who was working for Odyssey and where they worked. These efforts included recruiting employees to falsify their addresses on their driver’s licenses and voter’s registrations, temporarily placing HUBzone residents who did not actually work for the company on payroll in order to falsely claim them as employees and using a shell company to pay employees who did not reside in HUBzones off of Odyssey’s books in order to conceal them from the SBA.
It was further alleged at trial that Odyssey had also fraudulently gained admission to the SBA’s 8(a) program. That program is designed to provide contract opportunities to businesses owned by individuals who have personally experienced discrimination. The Defendants conceded at trial that Odyssey’s application to this program was fraudulent but claimed Odyssey’s CFO was solely responsible for the application. Over a period of about nine years, Odyssey obtained more than $200 million in contracts through this program.
Sentencing is currently set for September 1, 2022. The maximum penalties for the counts of conviction are twenty years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to twice the amount gained from the fraud.
The investigation also resulted in Odyssey’s former chief operating officer Michael Tingey and chief financial officer Paul Lee both previously entering guilty pleas to wire fraud, and the seizure of more than $7 million in assets.
This case was investigated by Special Agents from the FBI, the United States Army Criminal Investigations Division, United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Small Business Administration. Additional assistance was provided by other government agencies including the General Services Administration and the Department of the Interior. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carl LeSueur and Assistant United States Attorney Aaron Clark.
Oakland Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Sex Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Alabama, who was living in Pittsburgh at the time of the offenses, has been sentenced in federal court to 15 years’ imprisonment on his conviction of sex trafficking crimes, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Anthony Juskowich, 23, who resided in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood.
According to information presented to the court, Juskowich had been grooming the victim, Jane Doe, since December of 2019, when the two met in Alabama. After a few failed attempts at expanding his sex trafficking business in Alabama and Georgia, Juskowich convinced Jane Doe, who had never traveled outside of the south, to travel with him to Pittsburgh. Once in Pittsburgh, the Court was informed that Juskowich coerced and forced Jane Doe to engage in commercial sex acts based upon the false promise of making enough money to go legitimate someday by purchasing and running a fast-food franchise. Additionally, Juskowich used force, threats of force, fraud and coercion to compel Jane Doe to meet sex customers. While Jane Doe initially tried to resist, to maintain some form of control over her life, Juskowich’s control, manipulation, demands, and intimidation wore down her resistance.
On May 14, 2021, investigators, after conducting an undercover operation, disrupted Juskowich’s crimes and arrested him, which enabled Jane Doe to be physically separated from Juskowich. Even so, Juskowich continued to exercise control over Jane Doe, even from jail.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government and conveyed to the Court, at sentencing, that human trafficking is more than a crime, it is an affront to human dignity and an attack on fundamental humanitarian values. There are no words to adequately describe the experience of a victim of any form of sexual abuse, particularly a victim of sex trafficking. The impact on a victim, including Jane Doe, is not merely physical, it affects one emotionally and psychologically in ways that most cannot begin to understand.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Narcotics Division and the Moon Township Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Juskowich.
This prosecution is part of Operation T.E.N. (Trafficking Ends Now), the United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania’s coalition to end human trafficking. Operation T.E.N. serves as an umbrella coalition for law enforcement, community and non-profit partners in the 25 counties in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Through this initiative, the US Attorney’s Office is proactively working with local, state and federal law enforcement, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations, to identify and prosecute human traffickers and to empower victims to become thriving survivors. This coordinated effort aims to end human trafficking through education, training and improved cooperation, resulting in the successful prosecution of individuals like Juskowich.
North Dakota Man Convicted of Laundering over One Million Dollars from Schemes Targeting Victims Across the United States Perpetrated by Ghana-Based Criminal EnterpriseRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that SADICK EDUSEI KISSI was convicted today of three criminal counts he was charged with for his participation in a conspiracy based in the Republic of Ghana (“Ghana”) involving the theft of more than one million dollars. KISSI was convicted after a jury trial before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty which lasted approximately one week. KISSI was previously arrested on February 5, 2021.
As reflected in the Indictment, public filings, and the evidence presented at trial:
From in or about 2014 through in or about February 2020, a criminal enterprise (the “Enterprise”) based in Ghana committed a series of romance scams against individuals and businesses located across the United States, including in the Southern District of New York. The Enterprise conducted the romance scams by using electronic messages sent via email, text messaging, or online dating websites that deluded victims, many of whom were vulnerable older men and women who lived alone, into believing the victim was in a romantic relationship with a fake identity assumed by members of the Enterprise. Once members of the Enterprise had gained the trust of the victims using the fake identity, they used false pretenses to cause the victims to wire money to bank accounts the victims believed were controlled by their romantic interests, when in fact the bank accounts were controlled by members of the Enterprise like KISSI.
KISSI received money sent by victims of the Enterprise under false pretenses into personal bank accounts located in the Bronx, New York. The defendant also received criminal proceeds from other U.S.-based members of the Enterprise by cash deliveries. Once KISSI received these funds, he took out a percentage fee and then withdrew, transported, and laundered those criminal proceeds to other members of the Enterprise, in order to send those funds abroad to Ghana.
From in or about 2015 through in or about 2020, KISSI controlled more than eight bank accounts that had deposits that totaled over approximately $1 million during that time period. A substantial portion of the deposits consisted of large wire transfers and check or cash deposits from U.S.-based individuals and entities that were victims of schemes of the Enterprise.
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KISSI, 25, of Dickinson, North Dakota, was convicted by a jury of one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of receipt of stolen money, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to receive stolen money, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. KISSI was also acquitted of one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud.
KISSI will be sentenced before Judge Crotty at a later date.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine C. Reilly, Mitzi Steiner, and Sagar Ravi are in charge of the prosecution.
Niagara Falls Woman Who Allegedly Stole Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars from Investment Firm Clients Indicted on Fraud and Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a 23-count indictment charging Jennifer Campbell, 47, of Niagara Falls, NY, with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The charges carry a minimum penalty of two years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A. C. Penrose, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, Campbell was employed as the Office Manager and Chief Compliance Officer at an investment advisory firm based in Buffalo, NY, with access to client accounts. Between November 2018, and May 2021, Campbell used this access to steal over $500,000 from several clients and from the firm itself. Campbell wrote checks from client accounts, forging signatures of either the client or a principal at the firm, and then deposited the checks into her own personal account. Campbell also took steps to conceal the thefts. For instance, she sent a victim a falsified account statement showing a balance of approximately $148,000, when in fact the account had a balance of only $93. In another instance, Campbell took funds from a client and transferred the funds to the bank account of one of a previous victim, who believed that the funds she received were a distribution from her account.
In addition, Campbell diverted emails received by firm principals from anti-money laundering and financial crimes personnel at the firm’s broker-dealer, who had begun to raise questions about some of the transactions that Campbell had engaged in. To put off these inquiries, Campbell sent several emails using the email account of a firm principal making false statements and submitted fake documentation in an effort to make the transactions appear legitimate.
The defendant was arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was released on conditions.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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