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Thursday 26 May 2022
Brooklyn Park Felon Indicted for Possessing a Firearm, Glock SwitchRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Brooklyn Park man has been indicted for possessing a firearm as a felon and possessing an auto sear, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on March 15, 2022, officers with the Robbinsdale Police Department initiated a traffic stop of a black Chevrolet Suburban. The driver, later identified as Markyse Maurice Wells, 24, ran from the officers after being asked to step out of the vehicle. After a foot chase and a search of the area, officers found Wells hiding in the bathroom of a nearby gas station and was taken into custody. Inside the center console of Wells’s vehicle, officers found a Glock model 27 pistol with an extended magazine and an auto sear, commonly referred to as a “switch.” An auto sear is a device used to convert a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic firearm and is considered a machinegun under federal law.
Wells is charged with illegal possession of a machinegun and possession of a firearm as a felon. Because he has prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, Wells is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
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.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Robbinsdale Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Boston Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Heroin, Fentanyl and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in connection with heroin and fentanyl distribution and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
Anthony Howard, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to eight years in prison and three years of supervised release. On Feb. 2, 2022, Howard pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
This case arose from a series of controlled purchases of heroin and fentanyl from Howard by a cooperating witness. On July 20, 2021, Howard sold a cooperating witness over 32 grams of heroin. A search of Howard’s apartment on Aug. 5, 2021, resulted in the seizure of approximately 24.52 grams of fentanyl, drug distribution paraphernalia and several firearms, including a Glock 9mm handgun loaded with a drum magazine capable of 50 round capacity and containing 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
Federal law prohibits Howard from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to prior felony convictions. Additionally, at the time of the offenses, Howard was on state pre-trial release for a 2014 indictment for murder, armed assault to murder and illegal firearm possession, amongst other charges, in connection with a shooting of multiple victims. On Nov. 15, 2021, Howard was convicted on several charges in this matter and sentenced to 18 to 20 years in state prison.
First United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Dawley of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
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.
Birmingham Man Indicted on Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand yesterday indicted a Birmingham man on gun charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
A two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Fredrick Leonard Temple, Jr., 32, with possession of a machine gun and receipt of an unregistered firearm.
According to the indictment, in January 2022, Temple illegally possessed a Glock 9mm pistol equipped with a “Glock switch” – an after-market device which is designed to illegally convert a semiautomatic Glock pistol into a fully automatic machine gun.
The maximum penalty for possession of a machine gun is 10 years in prison.
The maximum penalty for receipt or possession of an unregistered firearm is 10 years in prison.
ATF investigated the case, along with the Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy Peoples is prosecuting the case.
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 Birmingham Police Department began seeing these small illegal devices about a year ago. ATF confirms the frequency has picked up in the Southeast over the last three months. The conversion of the semiautomatic Glock pistol to a fully automatic machine gun causes the firearm to become inaccurate, spraying bullets everywhere, and increasing danger to innocent bystanders. If you know someone who has a Glock switch, you are asked to call law enforcement. Information about Glock switches can be reported to ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS or 1-888-283-8477.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Bank Ceo Convicted for Taking Bribes in Connection with Loans Guaranteed by the Small Business AdministrationRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the conviction of EDWARD SHIN, then-CEO of a Pennsylvania-based bank (the “Bank”), for taking bribes in connection with the Bank’s issuance of loans that were guaranteed by the United States Small Business Administration (“SBA”). SHIN was arrested in May of 2019 and charged with taking bribes by siphoning off a portion of commissions on SBA-guaranteed loans and causing the Bank to issue SBA-guaranteed and commercial loans to companies in which SHIN had a secret interest. The charges are the culmination of a joint investigation by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General (“FDIC-OIG”), Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the SBA Office of the Inspector General (“SBA-OIG”), and the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (“SIGTARP”). SHIN was convicted on all counts of the indictment in Manhattan federal court before U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan.
According to the allegations in the Criminal Complaint, Indictment, and statements made during trial in Manhattan federal:
The SBA helps Americans start, build, and grow businesses by guaranteeing certain loans made by banks to help those businesses succeed. Between 2009 and 2013, the Bank offered a range of financial products, including SBA-guaranteed loans to small businesses in the New York-New Jersey area, which the Bank could extend only on the condition that all aspects of those loans complied with SBA regulations and SBA’s standard operating procedures. In particular, SBA regulations and procedures prohibited bank officers, including SHIN, from receiving any payments in connection with SBA-backed loans and prohibited banks from extending such loans to any institution in which a bank officer held an interest.
Notwithstanding these regulations, SHIN, then the CEO of the Bank, secretly solicited and received bribe payments in connection with SBA-guaranteed loans issued by the Bank and caused the Bank to extend SBA-guaranteed and commercial loans to companies in which SHIN had secret ownership interests. Specifically, when the Bank issued business loans that did not involve the use of any actual broker, SHIN nonetheless arranged to have his longtime friend, a real estate and loan broker (the “Broker”), inserted unnecessarily into the transaction solely to generate a broker fee that could be shared with SHIN; in fact, the Broker did no actual work to earn a commission on those transactions, but split the “broker’s fee” with SHIN as an illegal kickback.
SHIN also arranged for the Bank to issue SBA-guaranteed loans to businesses in which he secretly retained an ownership interest, in violation of SBA regulations and procedures. For example, in or about June 2010, the Bank issued an SBA-guaranteed loan for approximately $950,000 to a business in New York, New York. Although documents submitted to the Bank for purposes of securing the loan did not mention SHIN’s financial interest, the business was secretly operated as a partnership between SHIN, the Broker, and another individual. The loan ultimately went into default status, ultimately resulting in a loss to the Bank of approximately $591,278.60.
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SHIN, 58, of Ambler, Pennsylvania, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud affecting a financial institution, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 30 years in prison, one count of conspiracy to commit bank bribery, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison, one count of conspiracy to commit loan fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison, another count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 30 years in prison, and one count each of bank bribery, and theft of funds by a bank officer, each of which carries a maximum potential sentence of 30 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case 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 FDIC-OIG, HSI, SBA-OIG, and SIGTARP.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara La Morte, Anden Chow, Jessica Greenwood, and Daniel M. Tracer are in charge of the prosecution.
Atlantic County Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Heroin Trafficking, Unlawful Possession of Firearm and Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 360 months in prison for heroin trafficking, firearms and witness tampering charges, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Sean Figaro, aka “Carlito,” aka “Carlito the don,” 35, was convicted in July 2019 of distribution of heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of his heroin distribution, witness tampering, conspiracy to commit witness tampering, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Figaro was convicted following a one-week trial before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb, who imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
On Jan. 10, 2017, law enforcement officers from the Atlantic City Child Exploitation Task Force executed a state search warrant on Figaro’s hotel room at the Econo Lodge on Pacific Avenue in Atlantic City, where Figaro had been staying off and on for at least a year. Officers recovered Figaro’s cell phone and a safe, containing a Jennings .22 caliber pistol loaded with five rounds, including one in the chamber, 119 individually packaged bags of heroin and various items used for packaging drugs for distribution, including additional bags, a digital scale, razor blades and a straw.
Officers obtained a separate search warrant for Figaro’s phone, which contained additional evidence of Figaro’s drug trafficking and firearm possession, including text messages offering heroin for sale, and also describing how he earned his living: “my occupation is drug dealership;” and “I’m a dealer, not a pimp, not law, a street hustler.”
In order to dissuade a witness from testifying against him, Figaro sent and caused to be sent messages to a potential witness, including labeling the witness as a “rat” and a “snitch” on Facebook, and later attempting to persuade the witness not to testify against him by feigning affection and promising to love and care for the witness.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced Figaro to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents from the FBI, Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Messenger in Newark; the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Cary Shill; the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Eric Scheffler; and the New Jersey Human Services Police, under the direction of Commissioner Sarah Adelman, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diana Vondra Carrig and Kristen M. Harberg.
Armed Felon Sentenced to 42 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Anthony Brooks, 30, Middleton, Wisconsin pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 42 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.
On July 19, 2021, in a hotel parking lot in Madison, Brooks grabbed a gun from his car, pointed it at two hotel security officers and threatened to shoot them. Brooks, who was intoxicated, then fled the scene and was arrested nearby in possession of a loaded firearm. Brooks was previously convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm in Dane County in 2017.
In sentencing Brooks, Judge Peterson highlighted the serious nature of the offense and risk the defendant posed to the public. He further stressed the defendant’s significant criminal history and noncompliance with previous terms of supervision. Lastly, Judge Peterson noted that a significant prison term was warranted to protect the public from Brooks’ aggravated and violent behavior.
The charge against Brooks was the result of an investigation conducted by Madison Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Reinhard prosecuted this case.
14 Arrested after Federal, State and Local Investigation into Waterbury Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery, Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo today announced that the following 14 individuals were arrested yesterday on federal narcotics trafficking charges related to the distribution of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine and oxycodone in and around Waterbury:
JAVIER GONZALEZ, a.k.a. “Jay” and “The Crazy One,” 50, of Waterbury
FRANCISCO GONZALEZ, a.k.a. “Sisco,” 51, of Waterbury
CHRISTOPHER CAMMILLETTI, 30, of Southington
JOHN STEFERAK, a.k.a. “Jack,” 43, of Milford
JOSE DUPREY, a.k.a. “Red” and “Colorado,” 51, of Waterbury
WANDA LORA, a.k.a. “Wanda Lopez,” 47, of Waterbury
ROBERT AMATRUDA, a.k.a. “Bubba” and “Spanky,” 38, of Bristol
VICTOR DURAN-BARRERA, a.k.a. “Mexico,” 41, of Bridgeport
GARRY GEBEAU, 56, of Ansonia
THOMAS SANTOS, a.k.a. “White Boy,” 33, of Waterbury
JOSE RAMOS, 40, of Waterbury
ARMANDO VARELA-PLAZA, 40, of New York
BIANCA RODRIGUEZ-CANCEL, 36, of New York
MICHELE CRUZ, 36, of WaterburyAs alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the DEA New Haven Task Force, Waterbury Police Department and other law enforcement agencies have been conducting a long-term investigation into drug trafficking in and around the city of Waterbury by Javier Gonzalez and his associates, and by Jose Duprey and his associates. The investigation has included court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones, physical surveillance, controlled purchases of narcotics, and motor vehicle stops that resulted in the seizure of drugs and cash proceeds.
In association with yesterday’s arrests, investigators executed 11 search warrants and seized more than 18 kilograms of narcotics, approximately $290,000 in cash, and approximately $400,000 in jewelry. Specifically, a search of a business location on Straits Turnpike in Middlebury, which, as alleged, Duprey used as a stash location for narcotics and other items, revealed approximately 12 kilograms of a mixture containing suspected fentanyl, one kilogram of suspected heroin, one kilogram of suspected black tar heroin, and $40,000 in cash. A search of Francisco Gonzalez’s residence on Geddes Terrace in Waterbury revealed approximately two kilograms of a mixture of suspected cocaine and fentanyl, two kilograms of suspected heroin, and $200,000 in cash. A search of Javier Gonzalez’s residence on Enoch Street in Waterbury revealed approximately one kilogram of marijuana, $30,000 in cash, and $400,000 in jewelry. Quantities of cocaine and heroin, and approximately $20,000 in cash, were seized from other locations.
Each defendant is charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, narcotics, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Certain defendants face stronger penalties, including mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment, based on the type and quantity of drug attributable to them. Javier Gonzalez and his brother, Francisco Gonzalez, are also charged with bulk cash smuggling, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
“As too many Connecticut residents continue to lose their battle with drug addiction, and too many families and communities are impacted by the resulting trauma that addiction causes, we in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are steadfast in our commitment to stop the flow of these deadly drugs into and around our state, and we will prosecute those involved to the full extent of federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “I thank the DEA and their task force members, notably the Waterbury Police, for their work in identifying and apprehending these individuals, and seizing such a significant quantity of narcotics and drug proceeds. Their efforts have unquestionably saved lives.”
“Fentanyl, heroin and cocaine are causing great damage to our communities and DEA’s top priority is to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes this poison in order to profit and destroy lives,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Let these arrests and seizures be a warning to those traffickers who are distributing drugs to the people of Connecticut. The DEA and its local, state and federal partners will do everything in our power to bring you to justice.”
“We are thankful that our ongoing work with the DEA and the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to thwart drug trafficking in Waterbury and remove those involved from our community,” said Chief Spagnolo. “We look forward to continuing this important work with our federal partners.”
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and the Waterbury Police Department, with the assistance of DEA offices in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Connecticut State Police; Connecticut Department of Correction; Connecticut State Parole; and the Naugatuck, Ansonia, West Haven, Meriden and East Haven Police Departments.
U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this matter.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick F. Caruso and Brendan Keefe through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
"Long Time Coming" Update: Chicago Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Chicago man was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a multi-state conspiracy responsible for distributing methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, and other controlled substances in the Parkersburg area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Carlo Lee Ramsey, 56, supplied co-defendants Era Dawn Corder and Ambera Roberts with methamphetamine that they re-distributed between June and September 2021. Ramsey was supplied with methamphetamine by Robert Sanders, Jr., and was supplied with cocaine, marijuana, and other controlled substances by Floyd Dermonta Ramsey. Carlo Ramsey supplied all these substances to several customers in the Parkersburg area for several months.
Carlo Ramsey previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Co-defendants Corder, Roberts, Sanders, Floyd Ramsey, and Matthew Edward Depew previously pleaded guilty to felony charges in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia as a result of a nearly year-long investigation dubbed “Long Time Coming.” Depew was sentenced to five years in prison, Floyd Ramsey and Corder were each sentenced to three years in prison, and Roberts was sentenced to one year and six months in prison. Sanders is awaiting sentencing. The investigation also resulted in more than a dozen arrests on state criminal complaints in Wood County.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force (PNTF), the Parkersburg Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Vienna Police Department, the Williamstown Police Department, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Boyd County, Kentucky, Sheriff’s Department, the Russell, Kentucky, Police Department and the Raceland, Kentucky, Police Department
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-163.
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Wednesday 25 May 2022
Winter Park Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Producing and Distributing Sexually Explicit Photos of Young ChildrenRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger today sentenced Kelly Brown (41, Winter Park) to 25 years in federal prison for producing sexually explicit images of children and distributing these images over the internet. The court also ordered Brown to serve a life term of supervised release, register as a sex offender, and forfeit electronic devices that were used to commit his criminal offenses. Brown had pleaded guilty on October 19, 2021.
According to court documents, between June and July 2021, Brown produced several sexually explicit images depicting two young children. On July 19, 2021, Brown distributed some of these images over the internet using a web-based chat application. The next day, FBI agents approached Brown near his residence. During an interview with agents, Brown admitted that he had taken the contraband images of the two children using his smart phone at his residence during June and July 2021, and further, that he distributed them over the internet. Subsequent forensic analysis of Brown’s smart phone and data card revealed that it contained 151 videos and 67 images depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants.
This case was investigated by the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Daniels.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Winner Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Winner, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for three counts of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Glenford Old Lodge, a/k/a Glenford Old Lodge, Jr., age 32, was indicted on March 8, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on May 19, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to ten years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that Old Lodge, a person required to register as a sex offender by reason of conviction under federal law, knowingly failed to register and update his registration. The allegations include various dates beginning on or about April 22, 2021, and ending on or about September 5, 2021, while living in the District of South Dakota.
The charges are merely accusations and Old Lodge is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler is prosecuting the case.
Old Lodge was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Wilmington Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Distributing Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, and Heroin While Armed with Multiple FirearmsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Wilmington man was sentenced today to 180 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine, over 40 grams of fentanyl, and over 100 grams of heroin, all while using firearms to protect his drug dealing. On November 16, 2021, Edward Neal Huffman plead guilty to the charges.
Edward Huffman, 39, sold methamphetamine and heroin to a confidential source on five separate occasions in 2020. For each buy, multiple firearms were present and visible while the drug deal occurred. Ultimately, law enforcement executed a search warrant for a Wilmington hotel room that Huffman was staying in and seized 146 grams of methamphetamine, 80 grams of fentanyl, materials for distributing drugs, and a loaded handgun that was stolen. A subsequent search of Huffman’s residence led to the seizure of additional drugs and 8 more firearms.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Drug Enforcement Administration and New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons 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-00099-BO.
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West Warwick Man Sentenced for Trafficking Thousands of Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A West Warwick man who arranged for the sale of substantial quantities of fentanyl-laced counterfeit OxyContin to an undercover member of the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force was sentenced today to four years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Richard Delsanto, 29, pleaded guilty in February to distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to the court documents, in April and May 2021, a member of the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force engaged in a series of text messages with Richard Delsanto, 29, to arrange for the purchase of 1,000 counterfeit OxyContin pills known to contain fentanyl. Delsanto delivered the pills on May 4, in exchange for $5,000. Nine days later, the undercover DEA Task Force officer arranged for a second delivery. As Delsanto arrived at an agreed-upon meeting location, members of the DEA Drug Task Force stopped Delsanto’s vehicle and seized approximately 3,000 pills containing fentanyl. Additionally, 700 fentanyl additional pills were seized from Delsanto’s residence during a court-authorized search that followed his arrest.
Delsanto pleaded guilty on February 16, 2022, to distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 48 months in federal prison to be followed by 5 years of federal supervised release.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Michael Seaman.
The Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force is comprised of personnel from the DEA; United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General; Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation; Rhode Island State Police; the East Providence, Cranston, Coventry, Newport, North Kingstown, Pawtucket, Providence, South Kingstown, Warwick, West Warwick, and Woonsocket Police Departments; and Amtrak Police Department.
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Vermont Man Sentenced to 46 Months for Traveling to New York to Engage in Sexual Activity with a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Robert McAdam, age 49, of Rutland, Vermont, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his previously entered guilty plea, McAdam admitted that, between February 7, 2019 and June 16, 2020, he exchanged text messages with someone he believed to be the adult father of a 15-year-old girl. In these exchanges, McAdam discussed his interest in having sex with the girl. Then, McAdam traveled to New York in early June 2020 to meet with the person he believed to be the father of the girl. After this in-person meeting, McAdam arranged to have sex with the minor in a hotel room in Queensbury, New York, to take place on June 16, 2020. On this date, McAdam traveled from Vermont to a hotel room in Queensbury, where he was encountered by law enforcement and arrested. McAdam brought alcohol that he intended to supply to the minor, as well as condoms.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a 15-year term of supervised release, which will start after McAdam is released from prison. As a result of his conviction, McAdam will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from incarceration.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, including investigators with the New York State Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Williams.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Valley resident sentenced for smuggling cocaine worth $2MRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 29-year-old man residing in Mission has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of possession with the intent to distribute drugs, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Reynaldo Perez Jr. pleaded guilty Oct. 5, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton ordered Perez Jr. to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by 5 years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that detailed two prior successful narcotic smuggling attempts made by Perez.
On June 26, 2021, Perez was a passenger on a Tornado Bus that arrived at the Falfurrias Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint. There, a K-9 alerted authorities to Perez’s luggage located in the cargo area of the bus.
Authorities conducted a search and discovered 21 bundles of a white-powdery substance concealed inside the luggage. It was later determined to be 21 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of $2 million.
Perez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roland Swanson prosecuted the case.
United States Attorney Chris Kavanaugh Announces $3,000,000 Settlement in False Claims Act Case Against HEYtex USARead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. HEYtex USA, located in Pulaski, Virginia, has agreed to pay $3 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2018 when it knowingly sold fabrics to the United States military that failed to meet certain required specifications. HEYtex has also entered into an agreement with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to ensure that HEYtex remains in compliance with testing requirements going forward.
HEYtex USA is a worldwide manufacturer of various technical textiles and materials, and its North American headquarters in Southwest Virginia specializes in fabrics and materials produced for the United States military.
In the settlement, the United States alleged HEYtex caused false claims to be submitted in connection with fabrics manufactured for military and personal equipment. Specifically, an employee of HEYtex USA, who later came forward as a whistleblower, brought information regarding falsified test results to the attention of former company management, but the whistleblower was initially ignored.
The employee alleged that on over 100 separate occasions, HEYtex falsely certified that its military-grade fabrics met all requisite performance specifications set by the military when, in fact, the fabrics failed those tests.
“We applaud the courageous efforts of whistleblowers, who put their livelihood on the line to do what is right. Whistleblowers are essential to combatting fraud against the government and we aggressively investigate all such allegations,” United States Attorney Chris Kavanaugh said today. “We commend our citizen partners and encourage all who know, or have reason to know, of fraud against the government to come forward and report it.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act against HEYtex USA. Under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the settlement if the government takes over the case and reaches a monetary agreement with the defendant. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Altizer v. Heytex USA, Inc., Civil Action No. 7:20-cv-00170 (W.D.Va.).
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort among the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), and the United States Army Criminal Investigations Division (Army CID).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lugar and the Affirmative Civil Enforcement team for the Western District of Virginia investigated the matter in conjunction with Special Agent in Charge, Christopher W. Dillard of the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, DCIS, and Army CID Special Agent Joshua T. Kimrey.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Union County Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Gun Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for gun trafficking offenses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Mark Hernandez, aka “Skrap,” 26, of Rahway, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to a three-count information charging him with conspiracy to unlawfully deal in firearms, unlawfully dealing in firearms, and possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From December 2019 through June 2020, Hernandez and his conspirators, Clifford Behler, 43, and Francis Zyla, 56, unlawfully distributed more than two dozen firearms – including shotguns, rifles, and firearms capable of accepting large-capacity magazines – in and around Elizabeth, New Jersey. Hernandez unlawfully obtained several of those guns and supplied them to his conspirators for redistribution. Hernandez was previously convicted of unlawful possession of a handgun in New Jersey Superior Court and is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Hernandez to three years of supervised release.
Behler previously pleaded guilty to a three-count information charging him with narcotics and firearms offenses, and was sentenced to a 60-month term of imprisonment in December 2021. The case against Zyla is still pending. The charges against him are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews; special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of William A. Daniel; and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
In July 2021 the U.S. Department of Justice launched five cross-jurisdictional strike forces to help reduce gun violence by disrupting illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country. Leveraging existing resources, the regional strike forces will better ensure sustained and focused coordination across jurisdictions and help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms from source cities, through other communities, and into five key market regions: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area/Sacramento Region and Washington, D.C. According to gun trace data, a significant number of firearms recovered in the New York/northern New Jersey area originate from outside the area. The new strike force will help ensure sustained and focused coordination between law enforcement and prosecutors in the New York/northern New Jersey area with their counterparts in those other locations.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha C. Fasanello and Robert Frazer U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.
U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI Recognize National Missing Children’s Day and Provide Summer Safety Tips for ChildrenRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – On National Missing Children’s Day, U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr. share tips on how to keep children safe both in the online and offline worlds. President Ronald Reagan proclaimed May 25, 1983, the first National Missing Children’s Day in memory of Etan Patz, a 6-year-old boy who disappeared from a New York City street corner on May 25, 1979. National Missing Children’s Day is dedicated to encouraging parents, guardians, caregivers, and others concerned with the well-being of children to make child safety a priority.
“As a parent of young children, I am concerned about providing a safe environment for children. As the U.S. Attorney, I also realize that there are predators who work overtime to take advantage of children’s vulnerabilities,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will do our part to prosecute those who victimize our children, and we urge parents and caregivers to do their part through education and awareness.”
“It’s an unfortunate reality that every year, thousands of children become victims of crime, whether through kidnappings, violent attacks, sexual abuse, or online predators,” SAC Sharp said. “While I want to encourage parents to stay vigilant in protecting their children, the citizens of North Alabama can rest assured knowing that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue those who would take advantage of our most vulnerable population.”
As the school year draws to a close, many parents are planning for their children’s summer activities. Whether a child is spending the summer at home with parents, or away from home at a summer program, the following safety tips will help ensure that children are being cared for under the watchful eyes of trusted and vetted adults.
- Know your childcare providers. Choose babysitters, nannies, and tutors with care. Obtain references from family, friends, and neighbors. Observe the interaction with your children and ask your children how they feel about your childcare provider. Do background screening and reference checks.
- Check out camps and summer programs before enrolling your children. Ask if a background screening check is completed on the individuals working with the children. Talk to your children about safety and encourage them to tell you or another trusted adult if anyone or anything makes them feel sad, scared, or confused. Teach them it is okay to tell you what happened, and they will not be “tattletales” for telling.
Another thing to be mindful of is online safety. During the summer, children will have an increased online presence. The following safety tips will help educate parents and prevent children from becoming victims of child predators and sexual exploitation.
The most important advice for parents is to have open and ongoing conversations about safe and appropriate online behavior. Other advice to consider:
- Educate yourself about the websites, software, games, and apps that your children use.
- Check their social media and gaming profiles and posts. Make sure they use privacy settings to restrict access to their online profiles.
- Monitor your children’s use of the Internet; keep electronic devices in an open, common room of the house.
- Explain to your kids that once images or comments are posted online, they can be shared with anyone and never truly disappear.
- Make sure children know that anyone who asks a child to engage in sexually explicit activity online should be reported to a parent, guardian, or other trusted adult and law enforcement.
- Make it a rule with your kids that they can’t arrange to meet up with someone they met online without your knowledge and supervision.
- The FBI has seen a huge increase in the number of cases involving children and teens being threatened and coerced by adults into sending explicit images online—a crime called sextortion. For more information visit https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/sextortion.
Child Exploitation is a serious federal crime, carrying severe federal penalties. Some cases carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has prosecuted and continues to prosecute child exploitation cases in the Northern District of Alabama.
To help in child abduction recoveries, the FBI has developed the Child ID app, which provides an effective way for parents and guardians to keep their child’s pictures and information on hand in case he or she goes missing. The app also includes safety tips for parents to help keep their kids out of harm’s way. The app is free, and, in the event a child goes missing, parents and guardians can quickly e-mail the photos and information to authorities. No information about you or your child will be collected or stored by the FBI. To download the Child ID app, go to iTunes Apps Store on your iPhone or Play Store on your Android phone.
For more information on the FBI’s guidance on child exploitation and protecting your kids visit https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/protecting-your-kids.
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
U.S. Attorney Ellis Announces Enhanced Federal Violent Crime StrategyRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — U.S. Attorney Corey F. Ellis announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office is enhancing its violent crime reduction efforts and strengthening its coordination with state and local partners to identify and disrupt the drivers of violent crime throughout South Carolina.
“Gun violence erupted across the state again last weekend, continuing an unwelcome upward trend of violent crime in South Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis. “Unfortunately, no place in our state is immune from this violence, whether it be a school, a shopping mall, or a kids’ baseball game. In response, we are adapting our already robust efforts to address violent crime in South Carolina. We will continue to work diligently with our state and local law enforcement agencies and with federal partners to identify and bring to justice those who commit violent acts.”
To that end, U.S. Attorney Ellis met yesterday with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials from 20 agencies throughout the Midlands. This was the first of what will be at least four meetings through June 14 in the Midlands, the Upstate, the Lowcountry, and the Pee Dee Regions. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its federal partners are intensifying collaboration with state and local law enforcement, seeking to pinpoint and disrupt violent offenders in their respective communities.
As part of this effort, U.S. Attorney Ellis also announced that the Office is adapting its violent crime intake strategy to prioritize holding accountable those responsible for violence across the state. Specifically, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will focus its efforts on those offenders who
- have recent violent felony or domestic violence convictions;
- have recently been released from custody or were on state bond for a violent crime;
- have serious drug convictions;
- have ties to gang activity; or
- are engaged in trafficking firearms.
U.S. Attorney Ellis noted this is not an exhaustive list, and the Office will continue its ongoing work with law enforcement partners to focus on those who commit gun violence. The Office’s flurry of recent violent crime and gun-related prosecutions includes having indicted more than two dozen cases in the Pee Dee Region yesterday. In addition to those two dozen cases, the following cases were indicted, pled, or sentenced in the last 30 days alone:
Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Firearms and Drugs to ATF
St. Matthews Man With History of Violence Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for Firearm and Methamphetamine Possession
Wagener Man Indicted on 15 Counts of Firearm Possession and Narcotics Distribution
Columbia Man with Robbery and Drug Trafficking Record Pleads Guilty to Firearm Charge
North Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Florence Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Federal Prison for Narcotics and Firearms Crimes
Horry County Man Indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person
Conway Man Indicted for Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person
North Carolina Man Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Federal Prison for Forcing Minors into Prostitution
Charleston Man Indicted for Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Rock Hill Man Pleads Guilty in Large Drug Trafficking Case
Charleston Man Indicted for Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in the Death, Detained After Contested Bond Hearing
Bennettsville Man Sentenced to More than 18 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms Crime
Spartanburg County Man Sentenced to Prison for Gun Charge
Federal Indictment Returned for Felon in Possession of Firearm
Columbia Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Firearm
Georgetown Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison on Gun Charge
Orangeburg Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charges Detained After Contested Bond Hearing
Federal Indictment Returned for Columbia Man For Possessing a Firearm and Marijuana
Federal Indictment Returned for Columbia Man For Possessing a Firearm
Federal Indictment Returned for Columbia Man For Possessing a Firearm and Marijuana
Federal Indictment Returned for Columbia Man For Possessing a Firearm
Hartsville Man Sentenced to Nearly 8 Years in Federal Prison on Gun Charge
Florence Man Sentenced to Over 5 Years in Federal Prison on Gun Charge
Orangeburg and Columbia Men Who Shot Towards Police Sentenced to Federal Prison
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Members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies joined U.S. Attorney Corey F. Ellis to discuss how the U.S. Attorney’s Office can enhance its violent crime reduction efforts and identify and disrupt the drivers of violent crime throughout South Carolina.Two Sentenced for Issuing Fraudulent Asbestos Training CertificationsRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Today, U.S. Magistrate Judge W. Carleton Metcalf sentenced Ana Yorling Rugama Sanchez, 28, of Memphis, Tennessee, to two years of probation and a fine of $1,500, and Jose Carlos “Victor” Pena Lopez, 51, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to one year of probation and a fine of $1,000, for their roles in creating false asbestos training certifications, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Charles Carfagno, Special Agent in Charge of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID) joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
“Sanchez and Pena Lopez failed in their duty to ensure that workers handling asbestos receive proper training on how to safely and legally dispose of this toxic substance,” said U.S. Attorney King. “We will continue to work closely with the EPA to hold accountable those who skirt our environmental laws and jeopardize public health.”
“The failure to properly train asbestos workers and then to issue them false asbestos training certificates places the worker and the general public at an increased risk of asbestos exposure. Today’s sentencing demonstrates that anyone who intentionally violates the law and puts the public at risk will be held responsible for their actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Carfagno.
According to filed documents and court proceedings, the Toxic Substances Control Act regulates asbestos and other toxic substances, as well as the training and certification of professionals who handle such substances. Sanchez was employed with NovaCor Consulting Group, LLC (NovaCor) as an asbestos training coordinator at the company’s Concord, North Carolina location. Pena Lopez also worked for NovaCor as an asbestos abatement supervisor and an asbestos worker trainer accredited in the State of North Carolina. Court documents show that in June 2018, at Sanchez’s direction, Pena Lopez signed certificates of course completion for asbestos worker refresher training for individuals he did not instruct and that did not fulfill the required training. The certificates were submitted to regulators in obtaining asbestos worker licenses. Court documents also show that in July 2018, Sanchez also certified training for attendees at a course that did not meet the requirements for certification.
On March 14, 2022, both Pena Lopez and Sanchez entered their guilty pleas to violations of the Toxic Substances Control Act.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the EPA-CID and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Health Hazards Control Unit, for their coordination and investigation of the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Steven Kaufman, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.
Two More Defendants Plead Guilty in a Nationwide Racketeering Conspiracy Targeting the ElderlyRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Oleksandra “Sasha” Johnson (619) 546-9769
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 25, 2022
SAN DIEGO – Two more members of a nationwide “grandparent scam” network have pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act known as RICO.
Joaquin Lopez of Hollywood, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court today; Anajah Gifford of North Hollywood, California, pleaded guilty on May 5, 2022. They are the third and fourth of eight defendants to plead guilty; two are pending trial and two are fugitives.
According to court documents, the defendants were members and associates of a criminal enterprise that engaged in extortion and fraud to swindle more than $2 million from 70-plus elderly victims across the nation. At least 10 elderly victims who resided in San Diego County lost over $300,000 to the fraud. From approximately November 1, 2019, until October 14, 2020, the members of the criminal enterprise targeted elderly Americans, contacting them by phone and feeding them phony stories that their grandchildren were in legal trouble and needed money to pay for bail, pay medical expenses for car accident victims, or prevent additional charges from being filed. Members and associates obtained money from victims through in-person cash pick-ups, by mail or commercial carriers, or via wire transfers. Conspirators laundered the proceeds by transferring the funds or converting from fiat currency to cryptocurrency.
According to defendant Joaquin Lopez’s plea agreement, Lopez used bank accounts under his control to funnel victim proceeds for codefendant Tracy Knowles. As part of the guilty plea, Lopez agreed to forfeit $62,700 in proceeds from the offense. Lopez will also be subject to an order of restitution to the victims of the offense in the amount of at least $136,500.
According to defendant Anajah Gifford’s plea agreement, Gifford conducted cash pick-ups from victims under codefendant Timothy Ingram’s direction, and helped Ingram pay unlawful proceeds to codefendant Knowles. She also recruited others to obtain additional bank accounts to receive money transfers from victims. As part of her guilty plea, Gifford agreed to forfeit $52,750 in proceeds she personally received from the offense and pay at least $1,235,406.93 to the victims in restitution.
“These defendants were part of a sophisticated criminal organization that exploited the tremendous love a grandparent has for a grandchild,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “The victims were financially and emotionally devastated by callous people who thought only of enriching themselves. Because of the diligence of our prosecution team and law enforcement partners, these defendants have been brought to justice.”
“The FBI is proud to work with our local, state, and federal partners on San Diego’s Elder Justice Task Force to protect our elderly population with cases such as this,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “Our senior citizens deserve better than to be targeted by these criminal organizations and we are committed to pursuing them regardless of where they are located.”
This case was investigated by the San Diego Elder Justice Task Force, which is a collaboration between the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the District Attorney’s Office and all San Diego County law enforcement agencies. The Elder Justice Task Force was established in February 2021 and is believed to be the first comprehensive law enforcement effort for this purpose anywhere in the country. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 21cr2216-CAB
Tracy Adrine Knowles 30 Orlando, Florida
Fugitive
Adonis Alexis Butler Wong 30 Northbay Village, Florida
Fugitive
Timothy Ingram, AKA Bleezy 29 North Hollywood, California
In custody. Sentencing set for July 29, 2022.
Anajah Gifford 23 North Hollywood, California
In custody. Sentencing set for August 26, 2022.
Lyda Harris 74 Laveen, Arizona
Released on bond. Pending trial.
Joaquin Lopez 46 Hollywood, Florida
Released on bond. Sentencing set for August 19, 2022.
Jack Owuor 25 Paramount, California
Released on bond. Sentencing set for July 15, 2022.
Tracy Glinton 35 Orlando, Florida
Released on bond. Pending trial.
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 1962(d) – Conspiracy to Conduct or Participate in an Enterprise
Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and a fine of not more than the greater of twice the amount of gain or loss associated with the offense or $250,000
AGENCIES
Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch
San Diego Elder Justice Task Force, which includes:
San Diego FBI
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
San Diego Police Department
San Diego Sheriff’s Department
Carlsbad Police Department
Oceanside Police Department
Escondido Police Department
Chula Vista Police Department
El Cajon Police Department
La Mesa Police Department
National City Police Department
Coronado Police Department
Two Men Charged in Murder-for-Hire Conspiracy Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Serhat Gumrukcu, 39, of Los Angeles, California, and Berk Eratay, 35, of Las Vegas, Nevada, were arrested yesterday after having been charged by a federal grand jury in Vermont with conspiring to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire which resulted in the death of Gregory Davis, a resident of Danville, Vermont.
Gumrukcu is expected to appear later today in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Eratay is expected to appear later today in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada.
According to court records, Jerry Banks, 34, of Fort Garland, Colorado was previously arrested after having been charged with kidnapping Gregory Davis from his Danville home on January 6, 2018. On January 7, 2018, Davis was found dead in a snowbank several miles from his residence. Although Banks is not charged with Davis’s murder, the government has alleged that Banks murdered Davis. Also, Aron Lee Ethridge, 41, of Henderson, Nevada has been arrested on charges of conspiring to kidnap Davis, and Ethridge is alleged to have communicated with Banks before and after the kidnapping and murder.
The indictment charging Gumrukcu and Eratay contains accusations only, and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, Gumrukcu and Eratay face mandatory life in prison or the death penalty.
The prosecutors are Assistant United States Attorneys Paul Van de Graaf and Jonathan Ophardt. Counsel for Gumrukcu and Eratay have not yet been appointed or entered formal appearances.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Vermont State Police in their collaborative investigation of Gumrukcu and Eratay.
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
Twitter Agrees with DOJ and FTC to Pay $150 Million Civil Penalty and to Implement Comprehensive Compliance Program to Resolve Alleged Data Privacy ViolationsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), announced a settlement that, if approved by a federal court, will require Twitter Inc. to pay $150 million in civil penalties and implement robust compliance measures to protect users’ data privacy. The settlement will resolve allegations that Twitter violated the FTC Act and an administrative order issued by the FTC in March 2011 by misrepresenting how it would make use of users’ nonpublic contact information.
In a complaint filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the government alleges that Twitter violated the FTC Act and the 2011 order by deceiving users about the extent to which Twitter maintained and protected the security and privacy of users’ nonpublic contact information. Specifically, the complaint alleges that, from May 2013 to September 2019, Twitter told its users that it was collecting their telephone numbers and email addresses for account-security purposes, but failed to disclose that it also would use that information to help companies send targeted advertisements to consumers. The complaint further alleges that Twitter falsely claimed to comply with the European Union-U.S. and Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield Frameworks, which prohibit companies from processing user information in ways that are not compatible with the purposes authorized by the users.
“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the privacy of consumers’ sensitive data,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “The $150 million penalty reflects the seriousness of the allegations against Twitter, and the substantial new compliance measures to be imposed as a result of today’s proposed settlement will help prevent further misleading tactics that threaten users’ privacy.”
“As the complaint notes, Twitter obtained data from users on the pretext of harnessing it for security purposes but then ended up also using the data to target users with ads," said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “This practice affected more than 140 million Twitter users, while boosting Twitter’s primary source of revenue.”
“Consumers who share their private information have a right to know if that information is being used to help advertisers target customers,” said U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds for the Northern District of California. “Social media companies that are not honest with consumers about how their personal information is being used will be held accountable.”
Twitter has agreed to settle the government’s allegations by paying a $150 million civil penalty and implementing significant new compliance measures intended to ensure that Twitter improves its data privacy practices. For instance, Twitter will be required to develop and maintain a comprehensive privacy and information-security program, conduct a privacy review with a written report prior to implementing any new product or service that collects users’ private information, and conduct regular testing of its data privacy safeguards. Twitter also will be required to obtain regular assessments of its data privacy program from an independent assessor, provide annual certifications of compliance from a senior officer, provide reports after any data privacy incidents affecting 250 or more users, and comply with numerous other reporting and record-keeping requirements. The settlement also will require Twitter to notify all U.S. customers who joined Twitter before Sept. 17, 2019, about the settlement and to provide users with options for protecting their privacy and security. Under the settlement terms, the Department of Justice and FTC will each have responsibility for monitoring and enforcing Twitter’s compliance.
This matter is being handled by attorneys in the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, including Director Gustav W. Eyler, Assistant Director Lisa K. Hsiao and Trial Attorneys Zachary Cowan and Deborah Sohn; Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet Ong of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California; James Kohm, Reenah Kim and Laura Koss from the FTC’s Division of Enforcement; and Andrea Arias of the FTC’s Division of Privacy and Identity Protection.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the FTC, visit its website at https://www.FTC.gov.
Twitter Agrees with DOJ and FTC to Pay $150 Million Civil Penalty and to Implement Comprehensive Compliance Program to Resolve Alleged Data Privacy ViolationsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – The Department of Justice, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), announced a settlement that, if approved by a federal court, will require Twitter, Inc. to pay $150 million in civil penalties and implement robust compliance measures to protect users’ data privacy. The settlement will resolve allegations that Twitter violated the FTC Act and an administrative order issued by the FTC in March 2011 by misrepresenting how it would make use of users’ nonpublic contact information. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds for the Northern District of California; U.S. Department of Justice Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta; and FTC Chair Lina M. Khan.
In a complaint filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the government alleges that Twitter violated the FTC Act and the 2011 order by deceiving users about the extent to which Twitter maintained and protected the security and privacy of users’ nonpublic contact information. Specifically, the complaint alleges that, from May 2013 to September 2019, Twitter told its users that it was collecting their telephone numbers and email addresses for account-security purposes, but failed to disclose that it also would use that information to help companies send targeted advertisements to consumers. The complaint further alleges that Twitter falsely claimed to comply with the European Union-U.S. and Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield Frameworks, which prohibit companies from processing user information in ways that are not compatible with the purposes authorized by the users.
“Consumers who share their private information have a right to know if that information is being used to help advertisers target customers,” said U.S. Attorney Hinds. “Social media companies that are not honest with consumers about how their personal information is being used will be held accountable.”
“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the privacy of consumers’ sensitive data,” said Associate Attorney General Gupta. “The $150 million penalty reflects the seriousness of the allegations against Twitter, and the substantial new compliance measures to be imposed as a result of today’s proposed settlement will help prevent further misleading tactics that threaten users’ privacy.”
“As the complaint notes, Twitter obtained data from users on the pretext of harnessing it for security purposes but then ended up also using the data to target users with ads," said FTC Chair Khan. “This practice affected more than 140 million Twitter users, while boosting Twitter’s primary source of revenue.”
Twitter has agreed to settle the government’s allegations by paying a $150 million civil penalty and implementing significant new compliance measures intended to ensure that Twitter improves its data privacy practices. For instance, Twitter will be required to develop and maintain a comprehensive privacy and information-security program, conduct a privacy review with a written report prior to implementing any new product or service that collects users’ private information, and conduct regular testing of its data privacy safeguards. Twitter also will be required to obtain regular assessments of its data privacy program from an independent assessor, provide annual certifications of compliance from a senior officer, provide reports after any data privacy incidents affecting 250 or more users, and comply with numerous other reporting and record-keeping requirements. The settlement also will require Twitter to notify all U.S. customers who joined Twitter before Sept. 17, 2019, about the settlement and to provide users with options for protecting their privacy and security. Under the settlement terms, the Department of Justice and FTC will each have responsibility for monitoring and enforcing Twitter’s compliance.
This matter is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet Ong of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California; attorneys in the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, including Director Gustav W. Eyler, Assistant Director Lisa K. Hsiao and Trial Attorneys Zachary Cowan and Deborah Sohn; James Kohm, Reenah Kim and Laura Koss from the FTC’s Division of Enforcement; and Andrea Arias of the FTC’s Division of Privacy and Identity Protection.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the FTC, visit its website at https://www.FTC.gov.
Toledo Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison and Ordered to Pay $119k in Restitution for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler announced that Terry Warejko, 63, of Toledo, Ohio, was sentenced on Monday, May 23, 2022, by U.S. District Judge James G. Carr to fifteen years in prison and ordered to pay $119,000 in restitution after Warejko pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, in December 2014, law enforcement authorities executed a search warrant at Warejko’s Toledo-area residence after obtaining information of suspected file-sharing of child pornography at the address. During the search, authorities obtained several electronic devices, which were later confirmed to contain child pornography that depicted prepubescent minors.
Warejko spoke with authorities and admitted to viewing child pornography for the past 20 years and using file-sharing programs to download and share files. Warejko also admitted to visiting paid sites to view and record live-streaming naked women, some of whom displayed their nude minor children and engaged in sex acts.
This case was investigated by the Toledo FBI and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey B. Tangeman.
Todd County Man Indicted for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a ChildRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Todd County, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child.
Kevin Sharkey, age 45, was indicted on May 10, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on May 23, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in prison and/or a $250,000 fine, five years up to life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between on or about March 1, 2017, and August 31, 2017, in Todd County, Sharkey knowingly engaged in, and attempted to engage in, a sexual act with a child under the age of 12.
The charge is merely an accusation and Sharkey is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.
Sharkey was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Texas Man Charged in Rhode Island with Fraud, Money Laundering, SCAMS ActRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Texas man who allegedly participated in a conspiracy where one member posed as a high-ranking military officer stationed overseas while befriending and gaining the trust of seniors in at least ten states, including Rhode Island, has been charged in federal court in Rhode Island with bilking seniors out of nearly one million dollars, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Fola Alabi, aka Folayemi Alabi, 51, was arrested at his Richmond, Texas, home on Tuesday, and charged by way of a federal criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Providence with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud; wire fraud; mail fraud; conspiracy to commit money laundering; money laundering; Alabi was also charged under the Senior Citizens Against Marketing Scams Act of 1994, which provides for enhanced penalties for telemarketing fraud that targets or victimizes persons over age 55.
An investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service, FBI, United States Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Attorney’s Office determined that Alabi allegedly bilked seniors out of at least $915,301.
It is alleged in charging documents that one member of the conspiracy befriended unsuspecting seniors online, often posing as a General in the U.S. military serving overseas; or, as a family member offering an investment opportunity. It is alleged that this conspirator, feigning to have a personal, and sometimes romantic, interest in his victims, convinced his victims to send substantial sums of money, usually in the form of bank checks or cash, to addresses and companies in Texas controlled by Alabi or an individual associated with him. It is alleged that once received, the money was deposited into one of several bank accounts controlled by Alabi and quickly withdrawn or transferred to other accounts.
It is alleged that among Alabi’s victims is a 78-year-old Rhode Island widow who was persuaded by someone claiming to be “General Miller,” purportedly a four-star General currently overseas, to provide $60,000 to finance shipment of his personal belongings to the United States. At “General Miller’s” direction, a check was made payable to Full Circle Import Exports and mailed to a Texas address that was determined by investigators to be Alabi’s residence. It is further alleged that the victim was prepared to send a second, and significantly larger sum of money to “General Miller,” when it was determined by her bank and the Westerly Police Department that she was likely being defrauded.
The federal criminal complaint filed in this matter is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. In addition to the criminal charges announced today, the government has seized several bank accounts associated with the defendant’s alleged criminal activity and a 2010 Mercedes Benz registered to Alabi.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ly T. Chin.
United States Attorney Cunha thanks the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Elder Abuse Unit; the Westerly, RI, and Prescott Valley, AZ, Police Departments; Texas Department of Public Safety; West Virginia State Police; and the Santa Clara, CA, County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
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Ten People Arrested in Drug Conspiracy Case, Accused of Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Ten people were arrested today following their indictments on federal charges stemming from an ongoing investigation into a drug trafficking organization that distributed Fentanyl and cocaine in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The organization primarily operated in areas near Seventh and O Streets NW and nearby neighborhoods.
The arrests and indictment were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Division Office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
A total of 13 defendants are named in the indictment, which was returned earlier this month and unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Two already were in custody, and one remains at large.
The federal drug conspiracy charges arose from a long-term investigation into drug trafficking and violence associated with a street crew at 7th and O Streets that operates in neighborhoods including Shaw, Truxton, and LeDroit Park in Northwest Washington. The indictment alleges that the organization has operated since at least July 1, 2021.
“This investigation reflects our focus on protecting our community both from the deadly consequences of using drugs like Fentanyl and the violence that such drug markets attract,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Along with our federal law enforcement partners and the MPD, we are committed to investigating, identifying, and prosecuting these networks.”
“The arrests of these individuals this morning represents the culmination of a nearly year-long investigation into a violent drug trafficking organization,” said Special Agent in Charge Jacobs. “This is yet another fine example of the commitment and resolve of the FBI and our partners at MPD’s Violence Reduction Unit and the DEA to remove these criminal elements from the communities we live and work in. The indictment alleges the charged individuals used illegal firearms and other weapons to commit violence while selling dangerous drugs and laundering the proceeds. The FBI will continue to stand with its partners in our work to make our city safer by bringing purveyors of drugs and violence to account for their egregious actions.”
“Communities deserve to thrive without the presence of illegal drug activity and violence, and our operation was successful in removing individuals engaged in these behaviors from District neighborhoods,” said Chief Contee. “While this operation highlights the thorough investigative efforts and effective partnerships between law enforcement, we are optimistic that continued collaboration will further impact our community.”
During the arrests and related searches today, law enforcement recovered eight firearms, as well as significant quantities of Fentanyl and crack cocaine.
Arrested today were Elliott Johnson, 42; Jeremy Young, 35; Daevon Narce, 29; William Proctor, 54; Andre Williams,32; Ako Handy, 48; Keith Gliss, 36; Manuel Brown, 41; Stanley Hood, 26, and Thomas Shelton, 37. Johnson is from Temple Hills, Maryland. The others are from the District of Columbia. Brian Rice, 34, and Tyrone Wade, 29, both of the District of Columbia, already were in custody, and one other defendant is still being sought.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) of MPD’s Violent Crime Suppression Division, the FBI Washington Field Office’s Cross Border Safe Streets Task Force, and the Washington Division of the DEA. The Cross Border Safe Streets Task Force targets the most egregious and violent street crews operating in the District of Columbia.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven B. Wasserman and Solomon Eppel, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
Syracuse Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Conspiracy and DistributionRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Eric F. Jackson, aka “The Mexican,” aka “Pops,” age 48, of Syracuse, pled guilty Wednesday to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and distribution of 50 grams or more methamphetamine.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.
As part of his guilty plea, Jackson admitted that beginning no later than May 2020 through April 2021, he conspired with others to transport methamphetamine from California to locations in the Northern District of New York, including Syracuse, for distribution. Jackson admitted that in furtherance of the conspiracy, in December 2020, a coconspirator drove with approximately 4.6 kilograms of pure methamphetamine from California destined for Syracuse but was intercepted by police and arrested in Oklahoma City. Jackson also admitted that he arranged for methamphetamine to be shipped by a common carrier to addresses in the Syracuse area, which were provided by coconspirators. In addition to participating in the conspiracy, Jackson admitted that he personally distributed more than 50 grams of pure methamphetamine to another individual in Syracuse. Jackson further admitted that at the time of his arrest in April 2021, at a small convenience store on Park Street in Syracuse, New York, he possessed approximately $17,460 in drug proceeds, and more than 350 grams of pure methamphetamine, which he intended to distribute.
At sentencing, on each count, Jackson faces a maximum potential sentence of life imprisonment, a mandatory minimum term of ten years’ imprisonment, a maximum lifetime term of supervised release, a mandatory minimum term of five years’ supervised release, and a maximum fine of $10,000,000. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case is being investigated by DEA, U.S. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York State Police-Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (NYSP-VGNET), Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, Syracuse Police Department, Oklahoma City Police Department, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie.
Syracuse City School District Teachers Pay over $31,000 for Submitting False Timecards to Federally Funded High School Dropout Prevention ProgramRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Syracuse City School District teachers Jason Cecile and Nichole Murray have agreed to pay the United States $31,872.90 to resolve allegations that they submitted false timecards in connection with the School District’s Twilight Program.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, and Terry Harris, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General (ED OIG), Eastern Region.
“The settlement announced today, as well as the related state prosecutions, hold Mr. Cecile and Ms. Murray accountable for stealing money from a federally funded program intended to benefit at-risk high schoolers,” said United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman. “We will not tolerate fraudulent conduct that could undermine an important safety net for struggling students.”
"These individuals shamelessly stole from the very students they were supposed to be helping. My thanks to U.S. Attorney Freedman, and our other partners in law enforcement, for their dedication to ensuring justice is served and that the stolen money is recouped” said Thomas DiNapoli, New York State Comptroller.
“Mr. Cecile and Ms. Murray not only abused their positions of trust for personal gain, but did so at the expense of the very ones they promised to serve – school children. That is unacceptable,” said Terry Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Eastern Regional Office. “The OIG will continue to aggressively pursue those who misappropriate education funds for their own purposes. America’s students and taxpayers deserve nothing less.”
Beginning in the 2015-2016 school year, Syracuse City School District (SCSD) received federal grant funds administered by the U.S. Department of Education to operate a high school dropout-prevention program known as the Twilight Program. SCSD offered the Twilight Program at various high schools after regular school hours, from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Students enrolled in the Twilight Program were given the opportunity to make up classes to accumulate enough credits to earn their high school diplomas. SCSD teachers staffed the Twilight Program and received extra pay for teaching classes to Twilight Program participants.
Jason Cecile was the Twilight Program Coordinator at Henninger High School. Nichole Murray was a teacher in the Henninger Twilight Program. As the coordinator, Cecile controlled the Twilight teaching schedule. He instructed certain Twilight staff members to claim hours on their timecard based on the amount of money that was available in the Twilight budget, not on the number of hours they worked. Cecile admitted he habitually left Twilight early and submitted timecards that overreported the number of hours he worked. Murray admitted that she taught one Twilight class, and generally left Henninger at 5:00 p.m., but submitted timecards attesting that she worked until 6:00 p.m., 6:30 p.m., or 7:00 p.m. Both Murray and Cecile signed their timecards and submitted them for payment, falsely attesting to their accuracy.
As part of the settlement agreements, Cecile will pay $20,754.15. Murray will pay $11,118.75.
This investigation was triggered in part by a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the qui tam provision of the False Claims Act, which allows private persons, known as “relators,” to file civil actions on behalf of the government and share in any recovery. The relator in this case will receive $2,001.37 of the settlement proceeds. The case is docketed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York under number 5:19-cv-1188 (DNH/TWD).
In a related case prosecuted by the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, Jason Cecile pled guilty to Corrupting the Government in the 3rd Degree, a felony, and Nichole Murray pled guilty to Disorderly Conduct. As part of their criminal plea agreements, Murray and Cecile agreed to resign from their employment at SCSD.
This investigation and settlement were the result of a coordinated effort among the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, the New York State Comptroller’s Office, the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office and the ED OIG. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Moran.
St. Paul Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Armed Robberies of Twin Cities BusinessesRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has pleaded guilty to his role in two armed robberies of Twin Cities businesses, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on June 16, 2020, Devon Dwayne Reginald Glover, 22, and his co-defendant Marshawn Michael Davison, 21, committed an armed robbery at a restaurant in Bloomington. During the course of the robbery, Glover shot the restaurant owner with a pistol. Both Glover and Davison took cash from the register.
According to court documents, on June 23, 2020, Glover committed a second armed robbery at a liquor store in St. Paul. During the course of the robbery, Glover pointed a gun at an employee and stole cash from the register.
On May 25, 2022, Glover pleaded guilty to one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one crime of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Glover is scheduled to be sentenced on September 22, 2022. Davison pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and was sentenced yesterday before Chief Judge John R. Tunheim to 72 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the FBI, the Bloomington Police Department, and the St. Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez is prosecuting the case.
St. Paul Man Charged for Online Sextortion Scheme Targeting More Than 500 Minor VictimsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has been charged in an extensive online sextortion scheme that victimized more than 500 minor girls across the country, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, for approximately five years, Yue Vang, 31, created and used multiple Internet applications and social media services, including Kik, Snapchat, and Skype, to communicate with hundreds of minor girls throughout the United States and elsewhere. Vang created fake female personae to prey on vulnerable minor girls he met online in order to entice and coerce them to create sexually explicit images and videos to send to him. Vang also threatened to disseminate sexually explicit images of the minor victims to their family members, friends, and classmates, unless they created and sent him additional images and videos of themselves nude or engaging in sexually explicit conduct. For example, in June 2016, Vang contacted a 15-year-old girl and threatened to distribute sexually explicit pictures of her to her classmates and parents to “ruin her life” unless she complied with Vang’s demands to send additional sexually explicit images and videos.
To date, at least 500 minor females have been identified, although law enforcement is attempting to confirm the identity of many other victims. Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Vang’s offenses or who has information about this matter is encouraged to visit www.fbi.gov/resources/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victims-in-yue-vang-investigation or www.Justice.gov/usao-mn/child-sextortion-victim-information.
Vang is charged with two counts of production of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of interstate communications with intent to extort. If convicted, Vang faces a minimum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison. He will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court before Judge Eric C. Tostrud at a later date.
This case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Click on the “resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Minneapolis Field Office and multiple FBI Field Offices, the St. Paul Police Department, the Minnesota ICAC Task Force, the Chandler (Arizona) Police Department, the Delhi Township (Ohio) Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea A. Walcker and Miranda E. Dugi are prosecuting the case.
The charges contained in the information are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Francis Man Charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a St. Francis, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Justin Eagle Pipe, age 38, was indicted on April 12, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on May 23, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, followed by three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on January 1, 2022, in Todd County, South Dakota, Eagle Pipe, who had previously been convicted of crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year, and being an unlawful user of a controlled substance, knowingly possessed a firearm, which had been previously shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
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 charge is merely an accusation and Eagle Pipe is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Eagle Pipe was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Springfield Man Indicted for Purchasing Pornographic Images, Videos from Three Child VictimsRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to the sexual exploitation of three minor victims and receiving child pornography.
Jason T. Bernard, 52, was charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo., on Tuesday, May 24. The federal indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Bernard on May 5. Bernard has been detained in federal custody without bond since his arrest on May 5.
The federal indictment charges Bernard with three counts of the sexual exploitation of a child in which he used three different minors to produce child pornography from Sept. 14, 2018, to May 5, 2022. The indictment also charges Bernard with one count of using the internet and a cell phone to attempt to persuade one of those minor victims to engage in illegal sexual activity, and one count of receiving child pornography.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, the investigation began when nine CyberTips were received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on April 7, 2022. The nine CyberTips involved 145 images of child pornography that Bernard allegedly uploaded for storage to the Verizon Cloud.
As investigators identified Bernard as the account holder, the affidavit says, they received information from law enforcement in North Carolina that Bernard was involved in one of their investigations. Bernard allegedly sent funds through Cash App to one of the victims, a 15-year-old identified in court documents as “Jane Doe 1.” In exchange, the child victim sent pornographic images and videos of herself to Bernard. She told investigators that she was 13 years old when she began communicating with Bernard, whom she said paid her $250 a week or more. According to the affidavit, Bernard sent 48 payments to the child victim through Cash App between Oct. 14, 2020, and June 2, 2021, totaling $3,210.
Jane Doe 1 also told investigators that Bernard sent her alcohol and sex toys to use during her video recordings. Bernard offered to pay Jane Doe 1 $10,000 to meet him in person, the affidavit says, but she refused. She told investigators that Bernard sent her $500 to buy a train ticket to come meet him in person, but she kept the money then blocked Bernard from her social media accounts.
On May 5, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bernard’s residence. Bernard, who allegedly purchased sexually explicit images or videos from at least two additional child victims, was arrested at his place of employment.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Beaufort County, North Carolina, Sheriff’s 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."
Sparks Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A Sparks resident was sentenced yesterday to 13 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid.
Jesse Arevalo, aka “Kay,” 31, pleaded guilty in February 2022 to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. In addition to imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks sentenced Arevalo to ten years of supervised release.
“Our office is committed to working alongside the DEA and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners throughout Nevada to hold accountable those who are fueling the opioid epidemic,” said U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada.
“Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is the primary driver behind the exploding number of drug-related deaths nationwide,” said DEA Las Vegas Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to target individuals—from the wholesale distributor or the local street dealer—to bring justice to these victims and their grieving families.”
According to court documents, in January 2020, law enforcement began investigating the deaths of two students at a Reno high school. Several witnesses identified Arevalo as the source of the pills that caused the students’ deaths. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement discovered that Arevalo maintained two apartments for the purpose of storing and distributing large quantities of counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl and cocaine. In April 2021, the DEA seized approximately 6,631 counterfeit M30 pills and multiple bricks of cocaine — weighing 1,852 grams — from a storage unit that Arevalo leased.
This case was investigated by the DEA and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Marshals Service; Lyon County Sheriff’s Office; Douglas County Sheriff’s Office; Nevada Highway Patrol, Regional Gang Unit, Regional Narcotics Unit; and Sparks Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andolyn Johnson prosecuted the case.
Fentanyl is approximately 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. This Schedule II controlled substance is a significant factor in the nationwide overdose epidemic. Two milligrams of fentanyl, equivalent to a few grains of table salt, are enough to cause a fatal overdose. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 107,000 people died in the United States as the result of a drug overdose in the 12-month period ending November 2021. 66 percent of those overdose deaths involved synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.
For more information on the dangers of fentanyl, please visit www.DEA.gov/fentanylawareness.
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Southwest PA Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Cocaine PossessionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of southwestern Pennsylvania has been sentenced in federal court to 10 years’ imprisonment on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Leonard Jackson, age 45, of Washington, PA and Brownsville, PA.
According to information presented to the Court, Jackson possessed with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Yvonne M. Saadi prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Perryopolis Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jackson.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
South Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Illegal SteroidsRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – The owner of a supplement company, who manufactured and shipped unapproved drugs and illegal steroids for use by members of the body building community, pled guilty this week to a pair of federal drug charges.
John Franklin Cochcroft, 37, of Lexington, South Carolina, waived his right to be indicted and pled guilty today to one count of introduction of a new drug into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud and mislead, and one count of illegally manufacturing and distributing anabolic steroids. As part of the plea agreement, Cochcroft forfeited criminal proceeds of over $200,000.
“The FDA plays a crucial role in safeguarding the nation through its process of vetting drugs for efficacy and safety. When individuals bypass that process, they jeopardize the public’s health and must be held accountable,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “My Office is committed to keeping the citizens of the Western District of Virginia safe from individuals and companies that sell potentially hazardous products laced with illegal controlled substances, and I am grateful to the FDA-OCI for their diligent work on this case.”
“Distribution of unapproved prescription drugs masquerading as dietary supplements presents risks to consumers,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge George A. Scavdis, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those whose actions threaten the public’s health.”
Cochcroft admitted that he marketed to the bodybuilding and fitness communities throughout the United States that his “dietary supplements” would increase muscle mass. He further admitted to manufacturing and selling several products containing a type of synthetic steroid known as a Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (“SARM”), including ostarine, which requires FDA approval before being lawfully distributed in interstate commerce. The FDA has long cautioned against the use of SARMs, including stating in a 2017 warning letter that SARMs have been linked to life-threatening reactions like liver toxicity, heart attack, and stroke. Cochcroft took steps to mislead and defraud the government and consumers in making, marketing, and selling these products by using multiple addresses with fictitious business names, working with Chinese suppliers to mislabel drug products as foodstuff items, and intentionally failing to seek FDA approval for the products.
During its investigation, the government also seized various products containing anabolic steroids from Cochcroft’s business. Anabolic steroids are classified as Schedule III controlled substances under the Controlled Substances Act and are linked to life-threatening reactions and side effects.
Cochcroft is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of thirteen years in prison. Senior United States District Court Judge James P. Jones will impose sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Ramseyer and Trial Attorney Speare Hodges of the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina provided valuable assistance.
Sandown Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Related to the COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
CONCORD - George Adyns, 51, of Sandown, pleaded guilty in federal court to wire fraud, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Adyns executed two schemes to defraud government programs that were intended to provide economic assistance related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
New Hampshire Employment Security (NHES) administers the unemployment insurance program in New Hampshire. In March 2020, Congress passed legislation providing additional unemployment benefits to individuals who lost their jobs because of the economic upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic. At this time, Adyns was the Chief Financial Officer of several companies located in Plaistow, including Enviromart and KSC Industrial, that were controlled by his co-defendant. In late-March 2020, Adyns and his co-defendant directed company employees to file for unemployment benefits with NHES while continuing to work. This caused the unemployment system to effectively pay the employees’ salaries. As a result, NHES paid more than $49,000 in fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits.
In response to the pandemic, Congress also passed other economic measures designed to help small businesses, such as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Under that program, businesses could obtain low-interest loans to meet payroll during the first few months of the pandemic. The SBA also opened up its Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program to businesses. Under the program, businesses could obtain loans for working capital and normal operating expenses. Adyns made false representations to lenders to fraudulently obtain a PPP and EIDL loan for KSC Industrial. For example, he certified that KSC Industrial was not engaged in illegal activity. However, when making that certification, he knew that he and his co-defendant were fraudulently using the unemployment benefits system to pay their employees’ salaries. Through this scheme, Adyns fraudulently obtained loans totaling more than $135,000.
Adyns is scheduled to be sentenced on August 31, 2022.
Adyns’s co-defendant has pleaded not guilty. Charges in an indictment are only allegations. All defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of the Inspector General, New Hampshire Employment Security and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office with assistance from the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew T. Hunter and Special Assistant United States Attorney Alexander S. Chen.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Retired VA Employee Sentenced for Stealing from VA & VetsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Dennis Gene Godbolt, 66, of Buckeye, Arizona, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to five years of supervised probation and ordered to pay $95,000 in restitution to the Department of Veteran Affairs. Godbolt previously pleaded guilty to one count of Theft of Government Property, a felony offense.
Godbolt pleaded guilty to stealing property, mostly consisting of home furnishings, that had been donated by Walmart to the Veterans Affairs Phoenix Health Care System (VAPHCS) for use by homeless and destitute veterans. Godbolt typically picked up donated items from the Walmart distribution center in Buckeye, Arizona and transported the donations in a truck belonging to Voluntary Services. On numerous occasions, instead of taking the donations to the VAPHCS facilities in Phoenix, Godbolt stole items and placed them in his personal storage lockers.
The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank T. Galati, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00906-PHX-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-082_Godbolt# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Recidivist Defendant Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Salem man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield for possessing child pornography.
Nicholas Conkey, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 12 years in prison and five years of supervised release. On Nov. 9, 2021, Conkey pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.
On Jan. 18, 2019, Conkey possessed 42 images and one video of child pornography on his phone. These images and video depicted prepubescent children engaged in sex acts or the lascivious display of their genitalia. Conkey also possessed child pornography images in his online email account.
Conkey has a previous military conviction for possession and distribution of child pornography.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine G. Curley of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ offices and DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Drugs and FirearmsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on May 20, 2022, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Jquann Jackson, age 28, was sentenced to four years in federal prison on each charge, sentences to run concurrently, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Jackson was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 22, 2021, and pleaded guilty on January 28, 2022. The charges stem from Jackson distributing cocaine in Rapid City between January and July 2021. During the execution of a search warrant at Jackson’s residence in July 2021, law enforcement discovered Jackson, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, to be in possession of a Mossberg International Incorporated, model 715T, .22 Long Rifle caliber, semi-automatic rifle, and a Sarsilmaz Arms, (SAR), model SAR9, 9x19mm Luger caliber, semi-automatic pistol.
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.
Jackson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Richard Peneaux, age 28, was indicted on May 10, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on May 19, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to ten years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that Peneaux, a person required to register as a sex offender by reason of conviction under federal law, knowingly failed to register and update his registration between February 11, 2022, and April 7, 2022, while living in the District of South Dakota.
The charge is merely an accusation and Peneaux is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler is prosecuting the case.
Peneaux was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Pine Ridge Man Found Guilty of Eight Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Isaac Roubideaux, age 30, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, was found guilty of Discharge and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, three charges of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, and two charges of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person following a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on May 20, 2022.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of up to life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine on each charge, up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund on each charge. Restitution may also be ordered.
Roubideaux was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2021. The assault and firearms charges relate to Roubideaux shooting another man in the back on November 18, 2021, resulting in the victim suffering permanent paralysis below his waistline.
The case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Poppen and Heather Sazama prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date will be set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 2½ Years in Prison following Plea to Interstate Stalking and Harassment ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, has pleaded guilty in Pittsburgh yesterday to a charge of interstate stalking and harassment, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today. Sentencing occurred at the same time as the plea.
In connection with the plea and sentencing, the Court was informed that Dev Rimal, age 24, stalked and harassed his victim, including by travelling from Ohio to Pittsburgh to force the victim into his car. The victim jumped from the moving vehicle. Rimal, while subject to a Pennsylvania Protection from Abuse Order (PFA), also used social media accounts to threaten to kill and harm the victim and her family and friends.
United States District Judge Stephanie Haines sentenced Rimal to 30 months’ imprisonment and 36 months of supervised release, with the firstsix months to be served on home incarceration with electronic monitoring. .
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Whitehall Borough Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the charge against Rimal.
North Carolina Turtle Supplier Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A federal judge in Wilmington, North Carolina, sentenced Jesse James Freeman, 48, of Franklinville, North Carolina, to 18 months in prison and three years of post-release supervision. Freeman will also have to pay a $25,000 fine to the Lacey Act Reward Fund. The judge prohibited Freeman from owning wild-caught wildlife and any wildlife without documentation of origin during the supervisory period. Freeman pleaded guilty on Sept. 30, 2020, to trafficking turtles in violation of the Lacey Act.
In pleading guilty, Freeman admitted that between January 2017 and September 2018, he supplied turtles to middlemen throughout the country so they could smuggle them to Asia. He collected the turtles himself and hired poachers to illegally obtain them throughout North Carolina. Freeman trafficked at least 722 eastern box turtles, 122 spotted turtles and three wood turtles. Freeman personally received at least $121,000 in payment for those turtles. The market value in Asia for those turtles exceeded $1.5 million.
Freeman possessed and sold the turtles in violation of North Carolina laws. The federal Lacey Act is the nation’s oldest wildlife trafficking statute and prohibits, among other things, transporting wildlife in interstate commerce if the wildlife were illegally taken under state laws.
The eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is the North Carolina state reptile and endemic to forested regions of the East Coast and Midwest. The spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata) and wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) are semi-aquatic turtles native to the eastern United States and Great Lakes region. Poaching can have devastating impacts on all three turtle species given the low survival rate of hatchlings and the time it takes to reach sexual maturity. Collectors prize these species in the domestic and foreign pet trade market, where they are resold for thousands of dollars.
All three turtle species are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). CITES provides a mechanism for regulating international trade in species whose survival is considered threatened by trade. The turtles are listed in Appendix II of CITES, which includes wildlife, fish and plant species that are not presently threatened with extinction but may become so if their trade is not regulated. The United States and approximately 183 other nations are signatories to the CITES treaty.
“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting our native species from international trafficking,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Today’s sentence is the latest example that there are severe consequences to those who violate the Lacey Act by exploiting turtles.”
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, considers the illegal collection and commercialization of native reptiles to include eastern box turtles a high priority, and we will continue to work closely with our state partners and the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute these important cases,” said Assistant Director Edward Grace of the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Office of Law Enforcement.
The USFWS Office of Law Enforcement in Raleigh conducted the investigation with assistance from the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission. The operation was a part of ongoing efforts to combat the trafficking of turtles and tortoises native to the United States. The government is represented by Trial Attorneys Banu Rangarajan and Ryan Connors of the Department of Justice’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Toby Lathan for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
New Bern Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A New Bern man was sentenced today to 144 months in prison for committing an armed robbery of the Five Points Gas Station in New Bern, North Carolina. On February 16, 2022, Quamaine Donell Smith, 30, pled guilty to Interference with Commerce by Robbery and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on May 17, 2021, officers with the New Bern Police Department responded to an armed robbery call at the Five Points Gas Station in New Bern, North Carolina. Officers reviewed video surveillance footage from inside the store, which showed Smith and his co-defendant, Francesco Greco Jr., committing the armed robbery. Smith entered the store armed with a handgun, and Greco entered armed with a tire iron. Video showed Smith round the corner and strike the store clerk in the head with his gun. Smith and Greco then emptied the cash register and fled the store in a getaway vehicle. In total, the pair stole roughly $3,000 in cash from the store. New Bern Police located and arrested both Greco and Smith later that night and recovered the firearm used during the robbery.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The New Bern Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aakash Singh 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. 4:21-CR-58-BO.
Nearly 24,000 Pounds of Unused Medications Collected in Pacific Northwest During DEA Drug Take Back DayRead the Press Release
Spokane – United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington Vanessa Waldref and DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Jacob D. Galvan announced the collection of thousands of pounds of unused medications in the Pacific Northwest. In all, close to 24,000 pounds of drugs were collected in the Northwest United States. Of these, over 9,000 pounds were collected at 117 sites in Washington.
On April 30, 2022, U.S. Attorney Waldref, Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl, Spokane Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer, DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mark Haigh, and representatives from their respective offices joined together at the Northtown Mall and other sites in Spokane, where 18 large boxes, weighing hundreds of pounds, of unused medicines were collected.
“Removing unused prescription drugs from our homes is one way to keep our families safe and build stronger communities,” U.S. Attorney Waldref stated. “We are honored to partner with the DEA, Spokane Police, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, and the Spokane Fire Department for this important event. We have all witnessed the ravaging effects of the opioid epidemic in our region, and we are encouraged by the proactive efforts members of our communities are taking to prevent prescription drug misuse and addiction.”
“The DEA Drug Take Back is another important way in which we are working to keep our communities in the Pacific Northwest safe,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jacob D. Galvan, DEA Seattle Field Division. “By collecting nearly 24,000 pounds of unused medications, we protected our vulnerable citizens from misuse and overdose.”
Chief Meidl stated, “We appreciate that community members took advantage of the opportunity to safely dispose of dangerous drugs. This reinforces that our community is aware of the severity of drug addiction and drug-related deaths and is willing to take steps to help keep everyone safe. The Spokane Police Department is committed to furthering the drug battle on another front by continuing to hold those responsible for the manufacture and distribution of illegal drugs accountable, and working with our partners to ensure a safer community.”
Nationwide, the DEA and its partners collected more than 720,000 pounds of unneeded medications at 5,144 collection sites. Since 2010, more than 16 million pounds of unneeded prescription medications have been collected through Drug Take Back events.
In addition to DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, the FDA provides information on how to safely and properly dispose of prescription drugs every day. To find out where year-round disposal sites are located, go to https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/where-and-how-dispose-unused-medicines.
For more information about Annual Prescription Drug Take Back Day, go to www.DEATakeBack.com
Naugatuck Tax Preparer Who Filed False Tax Returns Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANA NUNEZ, also known as Ana Pagoaga, 51, of Naugatuck, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for filing false tax returns for clients of her tax preparation service.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2011 to 2016, Nunez owned and operated Nunez MultiServices, LLC, a tax return preparation service located in Naugatuck. During that time, Nunez filed approximately 6,000 returns for approximately 2,600 different individual taxpayers. On numerous tax returns she prepared for clients, Nunez routinely inflated income or created fictitious income; falsified expenses, including education and childcare expenses, and falsified deductions, such as business mileage.
Judge Shea ordered Nunez to pay $501,933 in restitution to the IRS, and $78,829 to the State of Connecticut.
On December 6, 2018, a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Nunez with multiple counts of filing false tax returns. Nunez subsequently obstructed the prosecution of this matter by creating false invoices to clients, which she provided to the government in an apparent attempt to justify additional monies she took from her clients’ refunds, and by attempting to intimidate a potential witness.
On January 7, 2020, Nunez pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and assisting the filing of a false tax return.
Nunez, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on July 25.
This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, with the assistance of the State of Connecticut’s Department of Revenue Services. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Susan L. Wines and John T. Pierpont, Jr.
Mobile County Woman Who Caused Death of Victim by Injecting Her with Fentanyl Sentenced to 15 Years ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL—A Mobile County woman, Jessica Defloren Tubb, aka “Allie,” 37, was sentenced on May 12, 2022 to 15 years in prison for drug crimes, including actions that caused the overdose death of Kelsey Johnston.
Tubb was charged with 41 others in October 2020 for her involvement with the Crossley Hill drug trafficking organization which operated in Mobile County and elsewhere, distributing various controlled substances, including heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, Xanax, Oxycodone, Opana, and Roxicodone to customers in Southern Alabama and elsewhere. Tubb plead guilty in March, 2021 to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute. Tubb also admitted in her guilty plea that she injected fentanyl into Kelsey Johnston that caused her death. United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer handed down the sentence.
Testimony at the March 2022 jury trial of William Grant Owens, aka “Whip,” established that Tubb operated as the “right-hand man” or “do-girl” for Owens. The testimony established that, among other things, Tubb sold drugs for Owens, held drugs for him, operated as a human tester of the drugs, particularly the heroin and fentanyl, and that she injected Owens’ customers with drugs.
The trial testimony further established that Owens directed Tubb to obtain the fentanyl and bring it to him on October 11, 2018, at the Rode Way Inn, in Tillman’s Corner. Owens prepared the fentanyl on a spoon and had Tubb inject Ms. Johnston at approximately 3:00 to 4:00 AM. Almost instantly, Ms. Johnston lost consciousness and was struggling to breathe. Dr. Cameron Snider, a Forensic Pathologist with the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, testified that fentanyl attacks the lungs causing them to fill with fluid and impairs the respiratory system, which ultimately caused the death of Ms. Johnston’s death in this case. An eyewitness, who was also a drug user, testified that she attempted to assist Johnston and could hear a disturbing gurgling/gasping sound from her lungs. Neither Owens nor Tubb sought any medical assistance for Johnston and they ultimately left her in the hotel room after she overdosed. The body of the deceased Kelsey Johnston was found the next morning at approximately 11:00 when housekeeping personnel came in to clean the room.Owens was convicted at trial and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Moorer on June 30, 2022.
The investigation and prosecution of this case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mobile Police Department and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Baldwin County Drug Task Force, and the Saraland Police Department also provided key investigative support to the investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys George F. May and Luis F. Peral, Lead OCDETF Attorney.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama at http://www.justice.gov/usao-sdal/
Mississippi Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Pascagoula, Mississippi, man convicted of Distribution of Child Pornography was sentenced on May 16, 2022, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Javier Valenzuela, age 46, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Valenzuela was ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100 and $3,000 in restitution. Valenzuela will be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Valenzuela was arrested and federally indicted following two Cybertips from Facebook where images were being distributed. The Cybertips included images of very young children and were found within the contents of Valenzuela’s Facebook account. In an interview, Valenzuela admitted to distributing, receiving, and possessing child pornography.
This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, Homeland Security Investigations, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
Valenzuela was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Minnesota Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Abusive Sexual Contact with ChildrenRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Browns Valley, Minnesota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact was sentenced on May 16, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann.
Ernest Duane Barse, Jr., age 43, was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $200 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Barse was indicted for aggravated sexual abuse of a child and abusive sexual contact by a federal grand jury on August 17, 2020. He pled guilty on September 10, 2021.
Between on or about April 2016 and continuing through April 2019, Barse knowingly engaged in and attempted to engage in sexual contact with Child Victim #1, a child known to Barse. Barse engaged in the sexual abuse by using force against the victim. The sexual abuse of Child Victim #1 occurred when she was under 12 years of age.
Between July 2007 and continuing through July 2008, Barse knowingly engaged in and attempted to engage in sexual contact with Child Victim #2, a child known to Barse. The sexual abuse of Child Victim #2 occurred when she was under 12 years of age, and Barse used threats or placed Child Victim #2 in fear at the time of the sexual contact.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Sioux Tribe’s Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Barse was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his sentence.