Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
1 July 2022
St. Louis man admits committing two carjackingsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS - A St. Louis man on Friday admitted committing two separate armed carjackings, including one that victimized a woman in her 70s.
Andre Whitfield, 32, stole a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix at gunpoint on April 21, 2020, from a woman who had given him a ride.
On May 13, 2020, Whitfield took a 2010 Toyota Corolla from a woman in her 70s. The woman’s purse, which contained $700, was in the vehicle when it was stolen. Police later spotted the car, and Whitfield crashed after a high-speed chase.
Police found an AR-15 rifle and a .45-caliber pistol in the car.
Whitfield pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of carjacking and two counts of possession and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. At his sentencing, scheduled for Oct. 7, he faces at least 14 years in prison, as each gun charge carries a mandatory seven-year sentence consecutive to his other crimes. The carjacking charges are punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
At the time of the carjackings, Whitfield was on supervised release from a 2011 gun case.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department and the Hillsdale Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassandra Wiemken is prosecuting the case.
Springdale Man Sentenced to over 27 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – A Springdale man was sentenced yesterday to 330 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $10,000.00 in fines on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
“The increase in violent crime in the Western District of Arkansas is directly tied to dangerous drug traffickers who use firearms in furtherance of their drug distribution,” said United States Attorney David Clay Fowlkes. “Our office is determined to reduce violent crime in the Western District of Arkansas by using Project Safe Neighborhoods and OCDETF to target violent drug traffickers with lengthy criminal records. We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute these dangerous criminals who distribute drugs in our communities and who use firearms and threaten violence to advance their distribution activities.”
According to court documents, In October 2018, the FBI initiated an investigation into Antonio Hernandez, age 36, while he was incarcerated in the Arkansas Department of Correction, Varner Supermax. The investigation revealed that Hernandez was utilizing a contraband cell phone to operate a drug trafficking organization, which was distributing large amounts of methamphetamine into Northwest Arkansas from the Mexican border. Hernandez was released from the Department of Correction in September of 2021.
On October 18, 2021, while conducting surveillance, detectives with the Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force observed a known vehicle frequently used by Hernandez leave an apartment complex near his residence. Detectives visually confirmed Hernandez to be the driver of the vehicle. Detectives followed and made contact with Hernandez as he exited the vehicle. Detectives approached and identified themselves as police. During the contact with Hernandez, he was asked if he had any weapons on his person. Hernandez advised he had a gun in his waistband. As one of the detectives was removing the firearm, Hernandez stated, "I've got something else in my pocket." As the detective reached into his pocket to remove some flex-cuffs, Hernandez darted to his left and attempted to flee. He broke free momentarily, but detectives were able to quickly regain control. Hernandez was detained in handcuffs and subsequently searched.
A search of Hernandez's vehicle was conducted. During the search detectives located a backpack containing a box of ammunition and two baggies containing a distribution amount of methamphetamine. In addition, a second loaded magazine for the firearm Hernandez had on his person was found under the driver's seat. In a post-Miranda interview Hernandez advised the detective he had the firearm "for protection."
Hernandez was arrested and taken to the Washington County Detention Center where he has been detained. According to court documents, Hernandez continued to operate his drug trafficking organization from the detention center by using the jail’s phone system.
In addition to the firearm, the United States District Court also held Hernandez accountable for the distribution of 30 kilograms of methamphetamine.
The Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force and the FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This effort is also 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.
South Georgia physician admits participating in conspiracy to illegally distribute drugsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Coffee County physician and two of his employees have admitted participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed massive amounts of addictive controlled substances from a pain management clinic.
Dr. Wallace Steven Anderson, 68, of Douglas, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Unlawfully Distribute and Dispense Schedule IV Controlled Substances, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The plea subjects Anderson to up to five years in prison followed by at least one year of supervised release and substantial financial penalties.
“Our office remains committed to fighting the opioid crisis that has afflicted far too many people in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to bring to justice those like Dr. Anderson who use their positions as medical professionals to illegally distribute dangerous and addictive drugs.”
Anderson is the owner of Steve Anderson, PC, and Steve Anderson Behavioral Health, both located in Douglas, Ga. In pleading guilty, Anderson admits that from Feb. 1, 2016, to Sept. 30, 2020, his nominal pain management and addiction facilities distributed alprazolam, temazepam, and clonazepam “not for legitimate medical purpose and not in the usual course of professional practice” by providing pre-signed refill prescriptions prior to patient examinations.
Two employees at the clinics, Bridgett Stephanie Taylor, 55, of Broxton, Ga., a Nurse Practitioner who worked under Anderson, and Wandle Keith Butler, 57, of Douglas, a Physician Assistant who worked under Anderson, also await sentencing after previously pleading guilty in the conspiracy.
“Americans rely on physicians and other healthcare providers to help their patients and to ‘do no harm.’ This pill-peddling physician and his co-conspirators violated the law and betrayed the responsibilities of their profession by unlawfully dispensing highly-addictive controlled substances,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The law enforcement community is committed to stopping unscrupulous medical professionals from harming patients.”
The case was investigated under the 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.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Savannah Resident Office; the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations; the Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General; and the Jeff Davis County Sheriff's Office; and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew A. Josephson and Bradford C. Patrick.
Selma Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Converted MachinegunRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Selma man was sentenced to seven years in prison for being a convicted felon in illegal possession of a pistol equipped with a machinegun-conversion device.
According to court documents, Danny Jermaine Walker, 32, was arrested in August 2019 after leading Selma police on a high-speed chase on U.S. Highway 80 East. Police had clocked Walker’s car traveling 98 mph in a 55-mph zone. Officers attempted to pull Walker over for speeding, but he refused to stop. During the ensuing chase, Walker swerved and sideswiped another car, causing it to crash. Walker eventually stopped his car and officers approached to arrest him. Walker appeared to be under the influence, was slow to obey verbal commands, and did not get out of his car when ordered to do so. Officers eventually pulled Walker out of the car and took him into custody.
On the driver’s-side floorboard of Walker’s car, officers recovered a loaded Glock pistol equipped with an extended magazine and a machinegun-conversion device called a Glock “switch.” Police also found a clear bag containing 29.8 grams of suspected ecstasy pills and a box of .40-caliber ammunition in the car. Federal agents test-fired the pistol and determined that with the “switch” installed, the pistol was an illegal automatic machinegun under federal law.
Walker was previously convicted of felony manslaughter, second-degree assault, discharging a gun into an occupied building, and attempted burglary. His prior felony convictions rendered his possession of the pistol illegal under federal law. Walker was released on parole in 2019 and was on parole at the time of his arrest in August 2019.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Selma Police Department investigated the case.Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
San Antonio Man Sentenced to over 19 Years in Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Yesterday, a San Antonio man was sentenced to 230 months in prison for receipt of child pornography by U.S. District Judge Jason Pulliam.
According to court documents, on September 21, 2020, a search warrant was executed at the residence of Louis Anthony Soucie, 59. During the search, digital devices were recovered that contained 48 videos and 580 images of prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
“At sentencing, Soucie never mentioned remorse for his actions, commenting instead on the new start he would get in prison,” said Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy Callahan. “Judge Pulliam rightfully reminded everyone that Soucie’s victims don’t get a chance for a new start. It is my hope that his sentence will bring some semblance of justice to his victims.”
“This sentence is fitting of the heinous crime that is child exploitation,” said Craig S. Larrabee, Acting Special Agent in Charge for HSI, San Antonio. “HSI will continue to work relentlessly with our law enforcement partners to ensure that these predators feel the full weight of the law.”
On March 22, 2022, Soucie pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography. In addition to the prison sentence, Soucie will be on a lifetime of supervision once he completes his prison term.
HSI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
###
Rutland Woman Charged with Making False Statements to a Firearms DealerRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Morgan Gates, 27, of Rutland, Vermont, was arrested yesterday after making false statements to a federal firearms dealer in connection with the purchase of a firearm. Gates is scheduled to make her first court appearance on July 5, 2022 before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle.
According to documents in the case, including the criminal complaint charging Gates, on June 29, 2022, Gates attempted to purchase a firearm at a Rutland dealer with a federal firearms license (“the FFL”). The FFL had reason to believe that Gates was an active drug user, delayed her purchase, and contacted the Rutland Police Department. While law enforcement investigated the attempted purchase, Rutland Police detectives learned that Gates had successfully purchased a Glock Model 45 9x19mm handgun from a different FFL located in Rutland on June 29, 2022. In coordination with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations, Rutland Police detectives located Gates and detained her. A search of Gates’s residence in Rutland did not recover the Glock firearm but did result in the seizure of ammunition of multiple calibers and an empty box of 9x19mm ammunition. The Glock Model 45 9x19mm handgun purchased by Gates has not yet been recovered.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office notes that the criminal complaint is an accusation only and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 10 years of imprisonment on the current charge. Any sentence in the case will be advised by the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas Kerest credited the Rutland Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations for its quick and collaborative work in addressing this illicit gun transaction. U.S. Attorney Nikolas Kerest added, “Federally licensed firearms dealers are the first line of defense in stopping unlawful firearms sales and ensuring only those who pass federal background checks are allowed to purchase firearms. FFLs who work closely with law enforcement play a vital role in keeping our communities safe.”
AUSA Jonathan Ophardt represents the government. Gates is represented by Katina Ready, Esq.
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. Please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn for more information.
Rochester Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing HandgunRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Alexander Dehoyos, 40, of Rochester, New York, was charged by a felony indictment yesterday with one count of illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, 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).
The indictment alleges that Dehoyos possessed a Glock firearm in Onondaga County, New York, on June 5, 2022, after having previously been convicted of a felony. The charge filed against Dehoyos carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The charge in the indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the FBI with assistance from the New York State Police, the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, and the Solvay Police Department, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Perry.
Reno Man Arrested and Charged for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A Reno resident made his initial court appearance yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carla L. Baldwin for allegedly robbing a bank.
Jerry Michael Fambro (66) is charged by a criminal complaint with one count of bank robbery. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for July 15, 2022.
According to allegations contained in the complaint, on June 29, 2022, Fambro approached a bank teller and said, “If you don’t give me all the hundreds in the drawer, I will start shooting up the branch.” He grabbed the cash and fled the bank. Law enforcement arrested Fambro approximately 5 ½ hours later outside of a casino in downtown Reno. He allegedly stole $2,769 from the bank.
If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the Northern Nevada Safe Streets Task Force which is comprised of members from the FBI, Nevada Gaming Control Board, Reno Police Department, Nevada Parole and Probation, Carson City Sheriff’s Office, Nevada Department of Corrections, Nevada Highway Patrol, and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Rachow is prosecuting the case.
A complaint contains merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
###
Readout of First Site Visit of Critical Incident Review Team of the Law Enforcement Response to the Mass Shooting in Uvalde, TexasRead the Press Release
As part of the work that began several weeks ago and is ongoing, the Department of Justice’s Critical Incident Review Team examining the mass shooting at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, conducted its first site visit the week of June 27. Justice Department staff were joined by subject matter experts in conducting meetings and gathering pertinent information. This site visit, and all subsequent site visits, are just one piece of what will be a thorough and comprehensive review. We anticipate the cooperation of all the agencies involved in the response, as the department is committed to moving forward with a full, fair and complete accounting. The goal of the review is to provide an independent account of law enforcement actions and responses; identify lessons learned and best practices to help first responders prepare for and respond to active shooter events; and provide a roadmap for community safety before, during and after such incidents. The department will make its full findings and recommendations publicly available at the completion of the review.
Readout of Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco’s Meeting with the Retail Industry Leaders AssociationRead the Press Release
Yesterday, Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Lisa O. Monaco met with a group of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) at the Retail Industry Leaders Association’s annual Washington, D.C., summit to discuss a host of issues impacting the industry nationwide — including cybersecurity as well as violent crime and gun violence.
On cybersecurity, the DAG cautioned the CEOs to be mindful of what the Justice Department continues to see as the “blended threat” of sophisticated cyber-criminal groups and nation-state actors forming alliances of convenience, of opportunity, and by design. She encouraged retailers to bolster their cyber defensives and proactively develop a relationship with their local FBI.
In discussing how the Justice Department is combating violent crime and gun violence, the DAG also addressed organized retail crime, in particular, the federal charges U.S. Attorneys across the country are bringing in instances of aggravated retail theft. The DAG also highlighted the federal resources and expertise that the Department’s law enforcement components are providing to our state and local partners, including as members of retail theft task forces.
Lastly, the DAG took the opportunity to reiterate that corporate criminal enforcement is a priority for the Justice Department and stressed to the CEOs the importance of fostering a strong culture of corporate compliance.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo announced today that ROY MOORE, 56, who resided on the Wind River Reservation at the time of offenses, was sentenced for sexual abuse of a minor and the commission of a felony sex offense by a registered sex offender on June 28, 2022, by Chief Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl. Moore was sentenced to 120 months and one day in prison, plus 15 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $200 special assessment.
Due to a conviction in Louisiana, Moore has been required to register as a sex offender since 2000. Between 2009 and 2015, he was residing on the Wind River Reservation when he committed the instant felony sex offense against a minor.
“We commend the efforts of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Federal Bureau of Investigation which led to the successful prosecution of this case,” said Acting United States Attorney Nick Vassallo.
“Child sex offenders prey on the most vulnerable victims. In this case, a registered sex offender was again found guilty of sexually abusing a child and will spend the next 10 years in prison,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider. “The FBI is committed to protecting children from sexual exploitation.”
This crime was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson prosecuted the case.
Case No. 20-CR-00181-SWS
Previously Convicted Felon Who Led Police on High-Speed Chase Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years in Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Brenton Preston, 25, was sentenced late yesterday to 57 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on May 8, 2021, Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputies attempted to stop Preston after they observed him driving 80 miles-per-hour in a 55 miles-per-hour zone in Westfield, Indiana. Preston fled from the deputies and led them on a high-speed chase reaching speeds of approximately 100 miles-per-hour, until Preston lost control of his car and crashed into a field. Preston continued to flee on foot but was eventually apprehended. Deputies arrested Preston, who appeared to be intoxicated, and recovered a loaded handgun and a liquor bottle from the front passenger floorboard of the car. Preston’s DNA was later found on the firearm.
Evidence presented at sentencing showed that Preston was on probation for a prior armed robbery conviction at the time of this incident and that he had recently been arrested in Marion County, Indiana, for illegally possessing another firearm and firing shots inside a girlfriend’s home. Preston was on pretrial supervision with GPS monitoring in the Marion County case at the time of the high-speed chase and his arrest.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Chief Ed Gebhart, Fishers Police Department, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Columbus Field Division made the announcement.
The Indiana Crime Guns Task Force investigated the case. The Fishers Police Department, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives provided valuable assistance. U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney imposed the sentence following Preston’s guilty plea. As part of the sentence, Judge Sweeney ordered that Preston be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Massa who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force (ICGTF). ICGTF is a partnership of law enforcement officers and analysts from several central Indiana law enforcement agencies in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, Johnson, and Shelby counties. In cooperation with state, local, and federal partners, ICGTF collaborates to address violent crime through a comprehensive strategy including innovative approaches to locating suspects and evidence related to violent crimes and illegal possession of firearms.
Additionally, this case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Polk Alternative Education Center Mental Health Therapist Sentenced to over a Decade in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A former mental health therapist and licensed independent social worker who was employed by Polk Alternative Education Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who pursued a romantic relationship with a fourteen-year-old student from 2019 to 2020, was sentenced today to more than eleven years in federal prison.
Miranda Breeden, age 46, from Monticello, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 13, 2021 guilty plea to one count of enticement of a minor.
At the guilty plea, Breeden admitted that between November 2019 and January 2020, she knowingly enticed a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
At the sentencing hearing, evidence was presented that messages between Breeden and the fourteen-year-old victim began in November 2019. In December 2019, Breeden agreed to purchase a firearm for the teenager and did purchase a firearm at Theisen’s. Also in December 2019, Breeden took the victim and his minor friend to her parent’s residence in Scotch Grove, Iowa, for an overnight stay where they used a hot tub, smoked marijuana, and discharged firearms. In January 2020, Breeden checked into at least two hotel rooms with the victim and his minor friends in the Cedar Rapids area, and attempted to check into a third hotel room at the Isle of Capri casino in Davenport, Iowa. During this same time period, Breeden also rented and stayed in another hotel room with the minor’s brother, and his minor friend. The investigation revealed that Breeden had sex with the minor victim while in hotel rooms, inside her personal vehicle, and during school hours in her locked office. During the above described time period, Breeden was employed as the victim’s mental health therapist at the Polk Alternative Education Center in Cedar Rapids.
At the sentencing hearing, the judge called Breeden’s behavior “horribly egregious” and stated that providing a deadly weapon to a child was both reckless and dangerous.
Breeden was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Breeden was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment and fined $100. She must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison erm. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.”
Breeden is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Liz Dupuich and Ashley Corkery and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-65.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Peoria Man Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison for 2021 Burglary of Pinnacle Gun and AmmoRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois, man, Corey A. Brooks, 30, of the 600 block of SW Adams Street, was sentenced on June 29, 2022, to 63 months in prison for burglarizing a gun store and possessing firearms as a felon. Brooks will also serve three years of supervised release upon his release from prison.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that early in the morning of July 7, 2021, Brooks shattered a window at a federal firearms licensee known as Pinnacle Gun and Ammo, located in the 700 block of Main Street in Peoria. Brooks then climbed into the business through the window and stole 18 handguns and two shotguns, leaving through the back door of the business and fleeing from the scene on foot. Surveillance footage and drops of blood left behind by Brooks enabled the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Peoria Police to trail and identify Brooks and locate the two shotguns, which had been abandoned in a wooded area. A photograph was released to the public, and Brooks was identified and arrested the same day. At the time of his arrest, Brooks was in possession of one of the stolen handguns. The gun was loaded with ammunition. Brooks was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to his four prior felony convictions.
In a post-arrest interview, Brooks admitted that financial gain was the motive for the burglary. He refused to provide information about the location of the 17 stolen weapons. Brooks stated that he was not troubled by the potential for the weapons to be used in further crimes against members of the community.
Also at the sentencing hearing, the government stated that law enforcement recovered three of the stolen guns in a garage in Peoria on July 8, 2021, and, later that day, 11 more guns were located by a young child in a pillowcase in an alley in a residential part of the city. Finally, another one of the stolen guns was recovered during a traffic stop in Peoria in December 2021. At the time it was recovered, the firearm was loaded and equipped with an extended high-capacity magazine and was in the possession of a documented gang member with a prior felony conviction. In total, law enforcement has recovered 18 of the 20 guns stolen by Brooks from Pinnacle on July 7, 2021.
Brooks was indicted in July 2021 and entered a plea of guilty in March of this year.
“Stolen guns are crime guns. They fuel illicit trafficking and are used by violent criminals to terrorize our communities,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney, Ronald L. Hanna. “Individuals who burglarize federal firearms licensees will face federal prosecution.”
“When firearms are stolen from Federal Firearms Licensees, they enter the illegal market and most often become crime guns,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Division Kristen deTineo. “This case is an excellent example how not only law enforcement and prosecutors work together hold traffickers accountable, but also how important the community is in assisting to identify those responsible.”
The Peoria Police Department and ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hanna represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Brooks was brought as part of The Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative. The Department’s renewed commitment to Project Safe Neighborhoods establishes four fundamental principles to guide efforts to reduce violent crime: 1) build trust and legitimacy within communities; 2) invest in community-based prevention and intervention programs; 3) target enforcement and priorities to focus resources on identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the most significant drivers of gun violence and other violent crime; and, 4) measure results with the goal to reduce the level of violence in our communities and not to increase the number of arrests and prosecutions as if they were ends in themselves.
Owasso Man Pleads Guilty to Second Degree Murder After Fatal Meth Fueled Auto CollisionRead the Press Release
An Owasso man who drove under the influence of methamphetamine and caused a crash that killed another driver pleaded guilty in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Bradley Wade Wofford, 35, pleaded guilty to second degree felony murder in Indian Country on June 15, 2022.
On June 10, 2019, Wofford was driving a Ford F-150 on U.S. 412 near County Road 4180 when an accident further down the road caused traffic to slow. Wofford failed to follow suit and rear-ended victim Scotty Dilbeck’s Volkswagon, killing him. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol calculated that Wofford had been driving approximately 66 mph when he struck Dilbeck, who was driving 11 mph.
Prior to the collision, Wofford had also been convicted of driving under the influence.
The FBI and Oklahoma Highway Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case.
North Bay Accountant Sentenced to 29 Months in Prison for Bank Fraud, Embezzlement of Credit Union Funds, and Tax Evasion in Connection with Schemes to Defraud Cavallo Point Lodge and Redwood Credit UnionRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Stephanie Simontacchi was sentenced to 29 months in prison for bank fraud, embezzlement of credit union funds, and tax evasion in connection with schemes to use her access as an accountant to enrich herself at the expense of two former employers, announced U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan, and IRS Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Mark H. Pearson. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. William H. Orrick, U.S. District Judge.
According to her plea agreement, Simontacchi, 48, of Petaluma, was employed as a bookkeeper and controller at Cavallo Point Lodge (CPL), a hotel near Sausalito, Calif., from December 2009 through April 2016. While employed at CPL, Simontacchi had access to CPL’s accounting records systems and had signatory authority over CPL’s bank accounts. Simontacchi admitted that between October 2012 and March 2016, she used her skills as an accountant and access to CPL’s accounting systems to steal approximately 81 accounts payable checks issued by CPL and accounts receivable checks intended for CPL. Simontacchi deposited the checks into her personal bank accounts for her own personal gain. Simontacchi acknowledged in her plea agreement that her false representations and statements caused financial institutions to part with approximately $384,363.28 that belonged to CPL.
In addition, Simontacchi admitted that between April 2016 and April 2019, she also was employed as a senior accountant and accounting manager at Redwood Credit Union (RCU), a credit union, where she was responsible for processing voided cashier’s checks and other accounting-related tasks for the credit union. Simontacchi admitted that she used her position to embezzle and misapply approximately 35 checks including voided cashier’s checks returned to RCU by its members, United States Treasury checks, and State of California checks intended for RCU. She deposited the checks into her personal bank and credit card accounts for personal use and used the funds to make payments toward a personal home equity line of credit. Combined, the checks amounted to at least $437,162.24.
Further, Simontacchi admitted that between 2014 and June 2020, she attempted to evade and defeat income tax that she owed. Specifically, she caused to be prepared and filed false tax returns for the calendar years of 2013-2019. Simontacchi acknowledged that the total tax loss from her misconduct was over $100,000.
On June 24, 2021, a federal grand jury indicted Simontacchi charging her with seven counts of bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344(2); seven counts of misapplication and embezzlement of credit union funds, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 657; and four counts of tax evasion, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7201. Pursuant to her plea agreement, Simontacchi pleaded guilty to one count of each crime and has agreed to pay at least $821,525.52 in restitution.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Orrick ordered Simontacchi to serve three years of supervised release to begin after her prison term. Judge Orrick ordered Simontacchi to surrender on or before August 11, 2022 to begin serving her prison term. The court has not yet scheduled a hearing to make final determinations regarding restitution.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amani S. Floyd and Kristina Green are prosecuting this case. The case was investigated by the FBI and IRS-CI.
Nigerian National Extradited and Charged with Stealing Financial Information and Bank FraudRead the Press Release
A Nigerian national made his initial appearance in a federal court in Cleveland today following his extradition from Ghana to the Northern District of Ohio to face charges for his alleged role in a conspiracy that obtained stolen financial information, made fraudulent and unauthorized purchases of retail goods and gift cards and stole funds from victim bank accounts in Northern Ohio and elsewhere.
Blessing Adeleke, 31, of Nigeria, was charged in a 17-count indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and 16 counts of bank fraud.
Ghanian authorities arrested Adeleke on March 14, 2022, in Accra, Ghana. Following judicial proceedings, Ghanaian authorities transferred Adeleke into U.S. custody on June 28, 2022.
During his initial appearance, Adeleke waived his detention hearing and was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
According to court documents, from January 2014 through October 2016, Adeleke served as an administrator for an online marketplace, Shad0w.info, where compromised data, such as credit numbers and personally identifiable information (PII), were sold.
As part of the conspiracy, it is alleged that Adeleke and others obtained stolen credit card information and purchased items, such as retail goods and gift cards for themselves. It is alleged that Adeleke shared this stolen credit card information with others, including co-defendant Kylie Ann Harlow.
The indictment states that Adeleke and Harlow shipped retail goods purchased with the stolen financial information to Harlow and others and, in some instances, returned the goods and gift cards to retail stores to obtain cash. It is alleged that Adeleke and Harlow eventually forwarded the fraudulently obtained goods, gift cards and cash to other members of the conspiracy for their personal enrichment.
Additionally, Adeleke is charged with gaining access to online victim bank accounts in Northern Ohio and elsewhere and transferring thousands of dollars to Harlow and other members of the conspiracy.
Kylie Ann Harlow previously pleaded guilty to her role in the scheme and was sentenced in June 2021.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated by the FBI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Riedl and Brian S. Deckert.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support and assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition from Ghana. The U.S. Department of Justice thanks its Ghanian partners, specifically the Ministry of Interior and the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, for supporting this extradition. The FBI Legal Attaché in Accra and the U.S. Marshals Service also provided significant support and assistance to Adeleke’s extradition.
Nampa Man Sentenced to 10 years for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOISE - A Nampa man was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court records, Gilbert Garza, 27, of Nampa, fled from Idaho Department of Correction Probation and Parole officers who were lawfully visiting his home as part of his parole. With the Meridian Police Department’s Special Weapons and Tactics Team’s assistance, law enforcement officers found Garza in a vacant apartment nearby. After arresting Garza, officers lawfully searched his home and found a stolen handgun, approximately one quarter pound of methamphetamine, 62.9 grams of cocaine, approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills, and $3,360 in cash. Law enforcement officers also found a digital scale and a large quantity of small baggies that are commonly used for weighing and packaging drugs for distribution.
Garza has a criminal history spanning 14 years. His prior state convictions include unlawful possession of a financial transaction card, aggravated assault, delivery of a controlled substance, and petit theft.
U.S. District Judge Billy Roy Wilson, from the Eastern District of Arkansas, sitting by designation, ordered Garza to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Garza pleaded guilty to the charge on March 10, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the investigation by the Idaho Department of Correction and the Meridian City Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant United States Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is part of the Office of National Drug Control Policy created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. It provides assistance to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. Idaho is part of the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA. The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA is a collaboration of local, multi-jurisdictional law enforcement drug task forces, and prosecuting agencies dedicated to addressing regional drug trafficking organizations that operate in Ada, Canyon, Bannock, Kootenai, and Malheur Counties.
###
NY Bagel Company Owner Sentenced to 3 ½ Years in Prison for Scamming Prospective Franchisees Out of over $2 MillionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division announced that Joseph Smith, 57, formerly of Fishkill, New York, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,100,450 in restitution by Unites States District Court Judge Gerald J. Pappert for his scheme to defraud prospective franchisees of more than $2.1 million, collectively.
In February 2022, the defendant. the owner of New York Bagel Enterprises, Inc., (“New York Bagel”), which operated in Pennsylvania and other states, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and tax evasion in connection with this scheme. According to court documents and statements made in court, Smith and Dennis Mason, charged separately, made numerous misrepresentations to individuals interested in buying a New York Bagel franchise. These misrepresentations included: a guarantee that New York Bagel could get financing for the prospective franchisee, the actual costs to open a franchise, the number of franchises that were already open or opening, and the profitability of existing franchises. The defendant and Mason charged prospective franchisees fees ranging between $7,500 and $44,500 to gain rights to open stores. When some prospective franchisees learned of the misrepresentations and demanded their money back, Smith refused to refund these fees. As a result of the fraud, Smith and New York Bagel sold more than 160 franchises and obtained more than $2.1 million in franchise fees.
Further, from 2014 through 2016, Smith deposited more than $1.3 million in franchise fees into New York Bagel bank accounts which he controlled. The defendant spent these funds on personal items unrelated to the business, including rent for his home, travel, car payments for personal vehicles and living expenses. Smith did not file corporate or individual income taxes for these three years or pay the taxes he owed to the IRS.
Mason previously pleaded guilty to related charges and was sentenced to three years in prison in April 2022.
“Individuals seeking to own and operate business franchises are seeking opportunity and financial stability for themselves and their families; they deserve honesty and forthrightness in their business dealings so they can make informed decisions,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Mr. Smith took advantage of his position to swindle millions of dollars from people seeking legitimate business opportunities, and for that crime he will now spend years in prison.”
“While Smith was defrauding investors out of their franchise fees, he also evaded nearly $175,000 in taxes due on that income,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division. “Business owners who pay the IRS their fair share of taxes deserve to compete on a level playing field. Competitors who cut corners and seek to skirt their legal obligations should know they will be investigated and prosecuted.”
“Mr. Smith’s scheme served no purpose other than to mislead and defraud perspective franchisees,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “Furthermore, he took steps to hide his earnings from IRS, thus shirking his tax liability. The sentence he received is a victory for all Americans who play by the rules.”
“Joseph Smith peddled what looked like a great opportunity to potential franchisees,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “But once they signed on the dotted line, they learned he’d been peddling something else instead. Smith treated their franchise fees like found money. It was a clear-cut case of fraud and this sentence puts him behind bars and provides some justice for his victims. The FBI will always fight to hold crooks like this accountable.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Ignall and Trial Attorney Eric B. Powers of the Department of Justice Tax Division.
Mountain Home Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BOISE – A Mountain Home man was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and for unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to statements made in court, on March 15, 2021, James Doud, 60, was stopped by Elmore County Sheriff’s deputies for traffic violations in Mountain Home, Idaho. Deputies suspected that Doud was trafficking methamphetamine. After a trained canine indicated the presence of drugs inside his vehicle, a lawful search revealed approximately 1286 grams of methamphetamine, eight grams of heroin, $4,500 in cash, and a 12-gauge shotgun with associated ammunition. Doud was prohibited from possessing the shotgun due to a previous burglary conviction. Further investigation revealed that, approximately 30 minutes before the stop, Doud had delivered methamphetamine to two other people.
In addition to the prison sentence, Senior U.S. District Judge Bill R. Wilson, from the Eastern District of Arkansas, sitting by designation, ordered Doud to serve five years of supervised release. Doud pleaded guilty to the charges on February 2, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, of the District of Idaho, made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
###
Montgomery Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Robbing a Bank and Discharging a Firearm While Committing the CrimeRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On Thursday, June 30, 2022, John Adam Vinson, Jr., 32, from Montgomery, Alabama, was sentenced to 360 months in prison following convictions for bank robbery and discharging a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart.
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, Vinson entered the Regions Bank branch located near Eastdale Mall in Montgomery on December 14, 2020. Vinson then pulled out a handgun and fired a shot into the desk of an empty teller station. A bank employee came out of her office and into the lobby area upon hearing the shot. Vinson immediately grabbed the employee and moved her to the door that accesses the teller counters. When Vinson realized the employee could not open the door, he jumped over the counter and began opening the teller drawers. Vinson put money from the drawers into a bag, jumped back over the teller counter, and ran out of the bank. A Montgomery police officer spotted Vinson as he fled from the bank. When the officer confronted the fleeing suspect, Vinson fired his gun a second time—this time at the officer. Fortunately, the officer was not injured. When law enforcement officers took Vinson into custody, they seized from him a total of $18,378.00 in United States currency.
Vinson’s 30-year prison sentence will be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. The court also ordered that the proceeds of the robbery be returned to Regions Bank.
This case was investigated by the Montgomery Police Department, the FBI, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Valuable assistance was also provided by the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark E. Andreu prosecuted the case.
Montana Man Sentenced in Derecho Repair SchemeRead the Press Release
A Montana man who cheated a Cedar Rapids derecho victim out of more than $15,000 was sentenced June 30, 2022, in federal court in Iowa. William Allen Hurlbut, Jr., age 57, from Belgrade, Montana, received his sentence after a February 23, 2022 guilty plea to one count of mail fraud.
The derecho was a severe windstorm that swept through Cedar Rapids on August 10, 2020. The derecho caused widespread damage and long-term power outages. In Cedar Rapids alone, over 1,000 housing units were rendered unlivable, while hundreds of additional homes and businesses suffered damage.
In a plea agreement, and at his plea and sentencing hearings, Hurlbut admitted he came to Iowa after the derecho, professing to be a handyman and doing business as “Trinity 321.” Hurlbut lacked a required contractor license but obtained a cell phone number with a local 319 area code to conduct business. Hurlbut has 16 prior adult convictions, including a prior federal felony conviction in Idaho for destruction of government property.
In September 2020, Hurlbut promised his victim, a Cedar Rapids resident, that Hurlbut would fix damage to the victim’s residence as soon as possible if the victim advanced funds to him for that purpose. The derecho had caused more than $10,000 worth of damage to the victim’s residence, including damage to the roof and the siding, fences, and the interior of the home. Hurlbut’s victim was using a wheelchair on account of physical disabilities.
Instead of repairing the derecho damage to the victim’s residence, Hurlbut spent insurance funds advanced to Hurlbut for the repair costs on gambling and personal items and expenses. Hurlbut made false statements to his victim about the status of the project and made purchases at a home improvement store on
the false pretense that he was buying materials to complete the project. Hurlbut then returned the items for a cash refund, which he used for his own purposes. The investigation revealed that, over a two-week period in October 2020, Hurlbut spent at least $22,532.50 gambling at an Iowa casino.
On January 25, 2021, Hurlbut had a tow truck tow the victim’s vehicle from the victim’s backyard to a junkyard without purchasing it from the victim or getting his permission. In February, Hurlbut convinced his victim to loan him $1,000 for lodging and food, which Hurlbut never repaid. Through March 2021, Hurlbut performed little to no work on the project despite the fact that the victim had advanced more than $10,000 to Hurlbut for the repairs.
Hurlbut was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Hurlbut was sentenced to 14 months and 12 days imprisonment, which represented the amount of time he has spent in federal and state custody since his arrest, and up to 180 days in a halfway house upon his release. He was ordered to make $15,892.79 in restitution to his victim. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hurlbut is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he is released to the halfway house.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-16.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Monroe Man Is Charged with Wire Fraud for Operating an Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Monroe, N.C., man charged with wire fraud for operating an investment scheme appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David S. Cayer today, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. A federal criminal indictment was unsealed following the arrest of Christon Jermaine Brewer, 37, who also goes by the names Chris Bozay and Christian Massey.
Robert R. Wells, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations contained in the indictment, from October 2018 to June 2022, Brewer executed a scheme to defraud at least ten victim-investors of more than $150,000. Brewer falsely represented to his victims – generally friends or acquaintances of the defendant – that he would invest their funds in the stock market and in a cannabis store he was opening in Miami, Florida. The indictment alleges that Brewer represented himself to victims as a wealthy and experienced investor, who would take advantage of investment opportunities to invest the victims’ money in a manner that would return profits and yield guaranteed returns. The indictment further alleges that Brewer sometimes provided victim-investors with Promissory Notes, reflecting the amount of their investments and the date upon which they were to be repaid. Relying upon Brewer’s false and fraudulent representations, victim-investors would then send thousands of dollars to the defendant for investment, often in cash or using mobile peer to peer payment methods, like Apple Pay or Cash App. As alleged in the indictment, Brewer did not invest the victims’ money as agreed. Instead, he stole the money, and used it to pay for various personal expenses to support his lifestyle. While he was spending the victims’ money, the indictment alleges that Brewer would lull them into thinking their investments were safe by sending them text messages that provided purported updates on their investments and screenshots purportedly showing the high returns on their investments.
Brewer is currently in federal custody. The wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The charge contained in the indictment is an allegation and the defendant is innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI handled the investigation that led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Vento of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Michigan man was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of heroin.
According to court documents, on February 13, 2020, William Pope, also known as “Shorty,” 47, of Detroit, sold a quantity of heroin to a confidential informant at a trailer where Pope was staying near Beckley. Pope admitted to selling the heroin and to selling what he now knows was fentanyl to a pair of confidential informants during separate transactions on February 6, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement, and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Detroit.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-111.
###
Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Providing Material Support to TerroristsRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Two men were sentenced today for conspiring to provide material support to the designated foreign terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham/Syria (ISIS).
Kristopher Sean Matthews, aka Ali Jibreel, 36, of South Carolina, was sentenced to 240 months in prison and Jaylyn Christopher Molina (aka Abdur Rahim), 24, of Cost, TX, was sentenced to 216 months in prison.
According to court documents, since May 2019, Matthews conspired with Molina to provide services to ISIS by administering an encrypted, members-only chat group for persons who supported ISIS ideology; by collecting, generating, and disseminating pro-ISIS propaganda; and by disseminating firearms training materials and bomb-making instructions.
On November 24, 2020, and January 25, 2021, Matthews and Molina, respectively, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS. In addition, Molina pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography. Both men have remained in federal custody since their arrests on September 21, 2020. Molina was sentenced to 216 months in prison on the terrorism charge and another 216 months in prison on the child pornography charge. Both sentences for Molina were ordered to run concurrently.
“The United States Attorney’s Office will work closely with our law enforcement partners locally, nationally, and internationally to do everything possible under the law to stop terrorists before they can harm our citizens,” said United States Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “Matthews and Molina recruited individuals and provided bomb-making instructions to aid ISIS. In this case, along with our law enforcement partners, we successfully stopped Matthews and Molina before anyone was harmed.”
“This sentencing serves as a reminder that terrorist organizations such as ISIS and their affiliates remain a threat to the United States in the homeland and abroad,” said San Antonio FBI Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. “Addressing this threat continues to be the highest priority of the FBI and our Joint Terrorism Task Force partners.”
The San Antonio FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), with valuable assistance from the San Antonio Police Department, the United States Secret Service, and the Gonzalez County Sheriff’s Office, investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Roomberg, William R. Harris, and Eric Fuchs and DOJ Trial Attorneys George C. Kraehe and Felice J. Viti of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
###
Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to TerroristsRead the Press Release
Two men were sentenced today for conspiring to provide material support to the designated foreign terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham/Syria (ISIS).
Kristopher Sean Matthews, aka Ali Jibreel, 36, of South Carolina, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, and Jaylyn Christopher Molina, aka Abdur Rahim, 24, of Cost, Texas, was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
According to court documents, since May 2019, Matthews conspired with Molina to provide services to ISIS by administering an encrypted, members-only chat group for persons who supported ISIS ideology; by collecting, generating, and disseminating pro-ISIS propaganda; and by disseminating firearms training materials and bomb-making instructions to each other and to other members of the chat group and others.
On Nov. 24, 2020, and Jan. 25, 2021, Matthews and Molina, respectively, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS. In addition, Molina pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography. At today’s sentencing, Molina received another 216 months, to run concurrently, for the child pornography charge. Both men have remained in federal custody since their arrests on Sept. 21, 2020.
The San Antonio FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), with valuable assistance from the San Antonio Police Department, the U.S. Secret Service and the Gonzalez County Sheriff’s Office, investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Roomberg, William R. Harris and Eric Fuchs for the Western District of Texas and Trial Attorney George C. Kraehe and former Trial Attorney Felice J. Viti of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
MCS Advantage Agrees to Pay 4.2 Million Dollars to Resolve Allegations that it Violated the False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback StatuteRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On July 1st, 2022, the United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS- OIG) announced that MCS Advantage, Inc. (MCS Advantage) has agreed to pay $4,200,000 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that it implemented a gift card incentive program in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute.
According to the settlement agreement, the United States asserted that MCS Advantage submitted or caused to be submitted claims for payment to the Medicare Program relating to a gift card incentive program implemented by MCS during the period of November 2019 to December 2020, which the Government alleges resulted in violations of the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute. As a result of the incentive program, MCS distributed 1,703 gift cards to administrative assistants of providers at an aggregate cost of $42,575 to induce the assistants to refer, recommend, or arrange for enrollment of 1,646 new Medicare beneficiaries to an MCS Medicare Advantage plan. Those new Medicare beneficiaries resulted in associated premium payments received by MCS Advantage for the new members.
This agreement underscores the commitment of the Justice Department and HHS- OIG to deterring fraud, waste, and abuse of federal benefit programs, as well as the benefits of cooperation with federal investigations. The negotiated settlement with MCS Advantage took into consideration the company’s voluntary termination of the gift card program in December 2020, the disclosure of relevant facts concerning the program, and the implementation of controls and revisions to its internal policies to promote and help ensure future compliance.
“Investigating healthcare fraud remains a high priority in the Department of Justice and the United States Attorney’s Office and we will aggressively pursue those that violate the healthcare laws of the United States”, said United States Attorney Muldrow. “In this case, we appreciate MCS Advantage’s willingness to promptly negotiate a resolution in this matter.”
Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General New York Region said, “HHS-OIG will continue to investigate any conduct by Medicare Advantage plans that may result in violation of federal law and will work jointly with our law enforcement partners to ensure that entities that conduct business with federal health care programs do so in an honest manner.”
The settled civil claims are allegations only and MCS Advantage did not admit liability as part of this settlement agreement. Further, there has been no determination of civil liability.
This matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rafael J. López Rivera, Civil Health Care Fraud Coordinator, at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Louisiana Man Indicted for Dog Fighting VenturesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in New Orleans, Louisiana, returned an indictment charging a Louisiana man with seven counts of Possession of Animals in an Animal Fighting Venture.
According to court documents, David Guidry III, 47, possessed and received dogs for the purpose of having the dogs participate in animal fighting ventures.
On or around Oct. 24, 2017, a federal law enforcement team consisting of agents from the Department of Agriculture, the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service and other agencies executed a search warrant on Guidry’s residence. The physical evidence from the search along with court-authorized wiretaps established that Guidry violated the federal anti-animal-fighting statute.
If convicted, Guidry faces up to five years in prison for each count of conviction. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Trial Attorney Matthew D. Evans of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan L. Shih for the Eastern District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Louisiana Man Indicted for Dog Fighting VenturesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury in New Orleans, Louisiana, returned an indictment charging a Louisiana man with seven counts of Possession of Animals in an Animal Fighting Venture.
According to court documents, David Guidry III, 47, possessed and received dogs for the purpose of having the dogs participate in animal fighting ventures.
On or around Oct. 24, 2017, a federal law enforcement team consisting of agents from the Department of Agriculture, the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service, and other agencies executed a search warrant on Guidry’s residence. The physical evidence from the search along with court-authorized wiretaps established that Guidry violated the federal anti-animal-fighting statute.
If convicted, Guidry faces up to five years in prison for each count of conviction. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Trial Attorney Matthew D. Evans of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, Environmental Crimes Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan L. Shih for the Eastern District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Livingston County Man Sentenced to 210 Months in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Campus, Illinois, man, Dakota Flint, 23, of the 200 block of Sheldon Avenue, was sentenced today to 17.5 years, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge James Shadid ordered that the federal sentence run concurrently with Livingston County, Illinois, Circuit Court cases 20-CF-162 and 21-CF-6 where Flint was convicted of aggravated criminal sexual assault and predatory criminal sexual assault, respectively. Flint also must register as a sex offender.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Flint was operating on the dark web under the username “acidman”. Flint used websites he accessed to distribute child pornography and to discuss engaging in hands-on sex offenses. Flint also inquired about how to sedate children and bragged about assaults he committed or planned to commit. After Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) located Flint, his electronic devices were confiscated, and a forensic analysis was conducted, revealing he was responsible for more than 4,000 images of child pornography. The analysis further revealed images and videos taken by Flint of minor juvenile females. The ensuing investigation resulted in Flint’s conviction in three sexual assault cases in Livingston County. At least one image and one video produced and distributed by Flint on the “dark web” has been in the possession of persons under investigation or charged in other districts.
Also at the hearing, Judge James Shadid found that Flint’s possession and distribution of images of child sex abuse had contributed to psychological harm and trauma experienced by child victims whose images are trafficked online. Judge Shadid stated that Flint’s use of the dark net in an attempt to conceal his activities and identity online was a factor that he considered in imposing the sentence.
Flint was originally indicted in June 2020 and pleaded guilty to the charge in January 2022. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals since indictment.
The statutory penalties for possession of child pornography are up to 20 years imprisonment and up to a lifetime of supervised release.
HSI investigated the case, along with the Livingston County, Illinois, Sheriff’s Office; Will County, Illinois, Sherriff’s Office; Coal City, Illinois, Police Department; and Dwight, Illinois, Police Department. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the HSI Cyber Crimes Center assisted the investigation as well. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ronald L. Hanna and Paul B. Morris represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Flint was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
Lawrence Man Previously Arrested with Multiple Pill Press Machines Charged with Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man has been charged for allegedly distributing counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl, made using multiple pill press machines.
Miguel Angel Fajardo, 32, was charged by an Information with one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Fajardo was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on March 25, 2022 and has remained in custody since.
According to the charging documents, law enforcement allegedly seized approximately 7.3 kilograms worth of fentanyl pills, an industrial pill press and “M” and “30” pill stamps consistent with markings on pharmaceutical-grade Oxycodone pills in Fajardo’s apartment. Pill stamps are commonly used to make counterfeit pills appear to be legitimate pharmaceutical-grade pills. Also inside Fajardo’s apartment, law enforcement allegedly found approximately 1.4 kilograms of fentanyl powder, two individual finger presses, 50 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition concealed in a microwave, four kilograms of cutting agent and two air purifying respirators – which are commonly used when working with fentanyl powder. It is further alleged that investigators located two one-kilogram pill press machines and another large pill press in the landing outside the apartment.
“The opioid crisis remains a clear and present danger to our community, claiming over two thousand lives in Massachusetts in 2021 alone,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Mr. Fajardo allegedly possessed a staggering quantity of fentanyl – almost nine kilograms – and a clandestine laboratory outfitted with all the tools and materials necessary to press fentanyl into counterfeit pills. By seizing nearly 48,000 such pills along with the tools we believe Mr. Fajardo used to make them, our law enforcement partners likely saved countless lives.”
“Fentanyl is causing great damage to our communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Those who distribute this lethal drug are endangering the safety of the citizens of Massachusetts. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative local, county and state law enforcement efforts in Massachusetts and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, DEA SAC Boyle and Lawrence Police Chief Roy P. Vasque made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Estes of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Latin Kings Associate Sentenced for Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An associate of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for firearm and ammunition charges.
Derek Southworth, 34, of Fitchburg, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to time served (approximately 15 days in prison). The government recommended a sentence of 20 months in prison. On Feb. 8, 2022, Southworth pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On April 18, 2017, Southworth provided an AK-47 style rifle and approximately 49 rounds of ammunition to a cooperating witness. The transaction was captured on audio-video recording. Due to a prior conviction, Southworth is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against dozens of leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Southworth is the 52nd defendant to be sentenced in the case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department Settles with IT Recruiter to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination ClaimsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a settlement agreement with Technology Hub Inc., an IT staffing and recruiting company based in Virginia. The settlement resolves claims that Technology Hub discriminated against both U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens with permission to work in the United States, based on their citizenship or immigration status during its recruitment process.
“Neither employers nor staffing agencies can exclude job applicants by advertising or implementing unlawful preferences based upon citizenship or immigration status,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division is committed to enforcing the law to ensure that those who are looking for jobs are protected from unlawful discrimination.”
Based on its investigation, the department concluded that on at least four occasions Technology Hub sought and screened job applicants based on preferences the company and its clients had for workers with particular citizenship or immigration statuses. The company’s practices harmed workers who fell outside those preferences by deterring them from applying. For example, the investigation revealed that at least three times Technology Hub excluded asylees, refugees and U.S. nationals when advertising vacancies for only U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. The department further concluded that on at least one occasion Technology Hub discriminated against U.S. workers when it advertised a job seeking only H-1B visa workers.
The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) protects U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, refugees, asylees and recent lawful permanent residents from workplace discrimination based on citizenship or immigration status. The INA generally prohibits employers and recruiters from limiting jobs based on citizenship or immigration status unless required by a law, regulation, executive order or government contract. Under the INA, employers and other entities that recruit or refer for a fee can only limit jobs based on citizenship or immigration status if required by a law, regulation, executive order or government contract. Employers and their recruiters violate the INA if they implement a client’s unlawful discriminatory preferences.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Technology Hub will pay $12,000 in civil penalties to the United States, revise its policies and procedures, train relevant employees and agents on the INA’s anti-discrimination provision and be subject to monitoring for a three-year period to ensure compliance.
The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, this law prohibits discrimination based on citizenship or immigration status, and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation; and intimidation. IER’s website has more information about how to avoid citizenship status discrimination in hiring and recruiting.
Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public also can contact IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688; call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email [email protected]; sign up for a free webinar; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe to GovDelivery to receive updates from IER.
View the Spanish translation of this press release here.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on June 28 was:
Jesse Littlebuck Dickinson, 40, a transient, on charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. If convicted of the most serious crime, Dickinson faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the bank fraud crime and a mandatory minimum two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised released on the aggravated identity theft crime. Dickinson was detained pending further proceedings. The Billings Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-67.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on June 28 was:
Jassie Laydell Westerman, 39, of Great Falls, on charges of possession of firearm by unlawful user of controlled substances and receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment. If convicted of the most serious crime, Westerman faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Westerman was detained pending further proceedings. Homeland Security Investigations, the Great Falls Police Department, the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-28.
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on June 30 was:
Mark Ernest Spani, 64, of Butte, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, prohibited person in possession of a firearm and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted of the most serious crime, Spani faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the conspiracy crime and a mandatory minimum five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Spani was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-24.
Bernard Roy McKinney, 43, of Butte, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, McKinney faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. McKinney was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-24.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
XXX
Iowa Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute 48 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo announced today that NATHAN RUSSELL CATES, age 41, of Missouri Valley, Iowa was sentenced for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Cates appeared for a sentencing hearing on June 21, 2022, before United States District Court Nancy D. Freudenthal. He was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $500 in community restitution and a $100 special assessment.
On May 11, 2021, Cates, a resident of Iowa, was stopped for speeding by Wyoming Highway Patrol. A search of his car led to the recovery, among other things, of 48 pounds of methamphetamines.
“This case serves as an excellent example of cooperation between federal and state law enforcement to jointly combat the ongoing threat of methamphetamine in our communities,” said Acting United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo. “We remain dedicated to disrupting illegal drug trafficking whether the drugs are bound for Wyoming or are simply passing through on our interstates.”
This crime was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Wyoming Highway Patrol and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Margaret M. Vierbuchen prosecuted the case.
Case No. 21-cr-00101-NDF
Honduran National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Enin Noe Marquez-Cruz, 30, of Honduras, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Burlington on a charge of illegally reentering the United States. Marquez-Cruz is to be arraigned on the indictment on July 6, 2022.
According to court documents, on June 18, 2022, a United States Border Patrol Agent encountered Marquez-Cruz walking in the breakdown lane of Interstate 89 South, approximately one-quarter mile south of the Highgate Springs international border crossing. Marquez-Cruz has been removed from the United States on five previous occasions and has been convicted in federal district court three times before on immigration-related offenses.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office notes that the charge against Marquez-Cruz is an accusation only and that Marquez-Cruz is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, Marquez-Cruz faces up to 2 years of imprisonment. Any sentence in the case will be advised by the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Ang is the prosecutor. The Office of the Federal Public Defender represents Marquez-Cruz.
Guatemalan National Convicted of Smuggling Unaccompanied Child into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Following a seven-day trial, a federal jury today found defendant Julio Ruiz Chuta, 35, guilty of smuggling an unaccompanied child into the United States for financial gain. The jury found Chuta not guilty of forced labor and confiscating the child’s passport and other immigration documents.
According to the evidence presented in court, the defendant was familiar with the child victim and his family since they were from the same village in Guatemala. Because of the limited opportunities in Guatemala and because the defendant had lived in the United States, the family turned to the defendant for help. Based on the defendant’s promise to care for the minor, the boy’s parents allowed him to travel to the United States and permitted the defendant to act as his guardian in the United States. The defendant imposed a debt upon the boy and his family, charged them interest and pressured them to pay, causing the boy to work instead of attending school. The defendant also caused the family to hand over the deed to property they held in Guatemala as collateral for the outstanding debt.
“This defendant used a false promise of a better life in the United States to defraud a Guatemalan child and his family, and then callously caused the child to work long hours for his own financial gain,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice is firmly committed to prosecuting perpetrators who lure unaccompanied minors into the United States only to turn around and exploit them for their own profit.”
“This is one of those cases that we constantly warn people about, the dangers of placing the life of a loved one into the hands of a human smuggler,” said Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami. “The school age victim came here with hopes of living the American dream which quickly turned into a nightmare when Chuta forced the minor to work instead of attending school. HSI will continue to target organizations and individuals that exploit and profit off of innocent people.”
Sentencing has not yet been scheduled in this matter. The defendant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
This case was investigated by HSI and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Kate Hill of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org.
Former Union Officer Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement Scheme That Generated More Than $500,000Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former union officer pleaded guilty today to conspiring to steal more than $500,000 from the labor organization, using the money for parties, trips, furniture, and other personal expenses.
Attia Little, 43, of Temple Hills, Maryland, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of conspiracy and one count of theft from a labor organization. She is to be sentenced on Nov. 4, 2022, by the Honorable Amit P. Mehta. Under federal sentencing, she faces a likely range of 30 to 37 months in prison and potential financial penalties. The plea agreement calls for Little to pay restitution.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Troy W. Springer, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, and Mark Wheeler, District Director, Washington District Office, Office of Labor-Management Standards.
Little was the operations manager of the Property Services Division of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), headquartered in Washington, D.C. As part of her duties, she managed administrative support, booked reservations for SEIU employees, and paid vendor invoices for union-related purchases. She had a work-issued credit card and access to third-party discount travel booking platforms that were to be used for union business only.
A co-defendant, Melba Norris, was a close associate of Little’s, and had no affiliation with the union. According to plea documents, between November 2015 and October 2017, Little used her access to the credit card and travel booking platforms to embezzle approximately $503,600 from SEIU. In total, she kept approximately $460,900 in SEIU funds for herself, and Norris kept approximately $42,700.
Among other things, Little used the SEIU credit card to purchase personal items, including purchases for a baby, personal parties hosted at her residence, personal travel, furniture, watches, clothing, and video games. She also used the credit card to purchase gift cards for personal use. Little also used the credit card to pay funds to a company that she created and companies created and controlled by Norris, even though no work was performed.
Norris, 36, of Powder Springs, Georgia, pleaded guilty in May 2022 to charges of conspiracy and theft from a labor organization. She is to be sentenced on Oct. 7, 2022.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge Springer, and District Director Wheeler commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Labor Department’s Office of the Inspector General and Office of Labor-Management Standards. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Financial Analyst Bryan Snitselaar, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ahmed M. Baset, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
Former Tennessee Department of Corrections Officers Indicted for Federal Offenses Following Assault on Inmate and False Cover-up ReportRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced that Javian Griffin, 36, and Sebron Hollands, 32, two former tactical officers with the Strike Force for the Tennessee Department of Corrections, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Memphis, Tennessee. Griffin is charged with using unlawful force against an inmate at Northwest Correctional Complex. Griffin and Hollands are both charged with obstruction of justice for writing false reports about Griffin’s assault.
The count charging Griffin with unlawful use of force carries a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment. The counts charging Griffin and Hollands with writing a false report carry a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr. for the Western District of Tennessee and Special Agent in Charge Douglas Korneski of the FBI’s Memphis Field Office made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Memphis Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pritchard for the Western District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Former Tennessee Department of Corrections Officers Indicted for Federal Civil Rights Offenses Following Assault on Inmate and False Cover-up ReportRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – The Department of Justice announced that Javian Griffin, 36, and Sebron
Hollands, 32, two former tactical officers with the Strike Force for the Tennessee Department of
Corrections, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Memphis, Tennessee. Griffin is charged with using unlawful force against an inmate at Northwest Correctional Complex. Griffin and Hollands are both charged with obstruction of justice for writing false reports about Griffin’s assault.The count charging Griffin with unlawful use of force carries a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment. The counts charging Griffin and Hollands with writing a false report carry a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights
Division, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee Joseph C. Murphy Jr. and Special
Agent in Charge Douglas Korneski of the FBI Memphis Field Office made the announcement.This case was investigated by the FBI Memphis Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant
U.S. Attorney David Pritchard for the Western District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
###
Former Rancho Mirage Resident Sentenced to More Than 8 Years in Prison for $44 Million Fraud that Illegally Billed Insurers for Cosmetic SurgeriesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Coachella Valley resident whom Israel deported after she and her then-doctor husband fled there to escape criminal prosecution was sentenced today to 97 months in federal prison for her role in a conspiracy in which insurers were fraudulently billed $44 million for unnecessary cosmetic surgeries.
Linda Morrow, 70, formerly of Rancho Mirage, was sentenced by United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton, who also ordered her to pay $14,025,904 in restitution. At today’s hearing, Judge Staton remarked that Morrow’s “greed knew no bounds.”
Morrow, who has been in federal custody since July 2019, pleaded guilty on February 4 to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of contempt of court.
Morrow’s husband, 77-year-old David M. Morrow, was extradited by Israel in January 2020 and is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence. David Morrow pleaded guilty in 2016 and was free on bond awaiting sentencing when the couple fled to Israel. Judge Staton imposed the 20-year sentence while the Morrows were living as fugitives, finding that the intended loss from the scheme was more than $44 million. David Morrow was a doctor whose medical license was revoked in January 2018.
Linda Morrow helped her husband run the fraudulent billing scheme out of The Morrow Institute (TMI) in Rancho Mirage and was TMI’s executive director. The Morrows schemed to defraud health insurance companies by submitting bills for procedures performed at TMI that were billed as “medically necessary” – but in fact were cosmetic procedures such as “tummy tucks,” “nose jobs,” breast augmentations, and vaginal rejuvenations.
The victims included Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California and Cigna Health Insurance. The scheme also defrauded Staples, Inc. and a self-insured group of public entities that included school districts.
“[Linda Morrow] was not simply the ‘doctor’s wife’ to a doctor who happened to commit a crime,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. “To the contrary, [she] was an equal partner in their fraudulent scheme, and she participated and ran multiple parts of it.”
In 2017, Linda Morrow fled the United States with her husband to avoid prosecution and failed to appear in court as ordered. In addition to helping move $4 million from domestic bank accounts to accounts in Israel, Morrow used a fraudulent Mexican passport to enter Israel and a fraudulent Guatemalan passport while living there. While living as a fugitive in Israel, Morrow applied for Israeli citizenship using a fraudulent identity.
Israel deported her in 2019.
The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation and the California Department of Insurance conducted the investigation into the Morrows and TMI. The FBI’s Legal Attachés in Jerusalem, Mexico City, and Guatemala; the Israeli National Police; the United States Marshals Service; the United States Border Patrol’s Northern Border Coordination Center; and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided considerable assistance in tracking down and capturing the Morrows.
Assistant United States Attorney Charles E. Pell of the Santa Ana Branch Office prosecuted this case. Assistant United States Attorney Robert I. Lester of the Civil Division’s Financial Litigation Section is enforcing restitution orders in this matter.
Former Monroe, Louisiana, Police Department Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Charge for Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
Jared Preston Desadier, 44, of Monroe, Louisiana, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to a charge of deprivation of rights under color of law, announced Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown of the Western District of Louisiana; and Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams of the FBI New Orleans Field Office.
According to evidence presented to the court, on or about the evening of April 21, 2020, Desadier, who was at the time a uniformed officer with the Monroe Police Department (MPD), used unreasonable force by kicking an arrestee in the face. The incident occurred shortly after midnight, when MPD officers overheard an alarm system activate, and Desadier and other officers detained a man for questioning. When officers discovered drug paraphernalia on the man, the man ran from the scene and officers gave chase. Approximately a block away, a patrolling MPD officer caught up to the man and ordered him to the ground. The man complied, by lying flat on his stomach and putting his hands behind his back. As that officer approached and prepared to handcuff the man, Desadier ran up to the scene and kicked the man in the face as he lay face-down on the ground with both hands behind his back.
Desadier admitted in court that his assault on the victim was without justification, as the man did not present a threat to any officer or other person on the scene. Desadier also admitted that he knew, at the time, that his actions were unjustified and unreasonable under the circumstances.
“Instead of lawfully carrying out his sworn duties as a law enforcement officer, Desadier abused his authority by assaulting and injuring an arrestee who was not a threat,” said Assistant Attorney General Clarke. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute any officer who abuses the public trust by using excessive force without basis.”
“I applaud our local, law-abiding police officers for their service to our respective communities,” said U.S. Attorney Brown. “Unfortunately, there are a few police officers who cannot be described as law-abiding. When police officers commit crimes in violation of federal criminal civil rights statutes that can be proved beyond a reasonable doubt in a federal court of law, we will prosecute those officers zealously and without hesitation. The actions of this officer are inexcusable, violate public trust in law enforcement and he must be held accountable. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to enforcing the rule of law and protecting the civil rights of all persons present within the Western District of Louisiana, with a goal of restoring and building the public’s trust in local, state and federal law enforcement.”
“The preservation of civil rights and the investigation of color of law violations are of utmost priority for the FBI,” said Special Agent in Charge Williams Jr. “Today's guilty plea sends a clear message that individuals like Jared Preston Desadier will be held responsible and no one is above the law. We thank our partners at the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Louisiana and Department of Justice Civil Rights Division for their strong partnership and dedication to protecting the civil rights of every citizen.”
Desadier faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. His sentencing has been set for Nov. 21.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian C. Flanagan and Mary J. Mudrick, and Trial Attorney Thomas Johnson of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Former Monroe Police Department Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Charge for Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. - Jared Preston Desadier, 44, of Monroe, Louisiana, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to a charge of deprivation of rights under color of law, announced Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown of the Western District of Louisiana; and Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams of the FBI New Orleans Field Office.
According to evidence presented to the court, on or about the evening of April 21, 2020, Desadier, who was at the time a uniformed officer with the Monroe Police Department (MPD), used unreasonable force by kicking an arrestee in the face. The incident occurred shortly after midnight, when MPD officers overheard an alarm system activate, and Desadier and other officers detained a man for questioning. When officers discovered drug paraphernalia on the man, the man ran from the scene and officers gave chase. Approximately a block away, a patrolling MPD officer caught up to the man and ordered him to the ground. The man complied, by lying flat on his stomach and putting his hands behind his back. As that officer approached and prepared to handcuff the man, Desadier ran up to the scene and kicked the man in the face as he lay face-down on the ground with both hands behind his back.
Desadier admitted in court that his assault on the victim was without justification, as the man did not present a threat to any officer or other person on the scene. Desadier also admitted that he knew, at the time, that his actions were unjustified and unreasonable under the circumstances.
“Instead of lawfully carrying out his sworn duties as a law enforcement officer, Desadier abused his authority by assaulting and injuring an arrestee who was not a threat,” said Assistant Attorney General Clarke. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute any officer who abuses the public trust by using excessive force without basis.”
“I applaud our local, law-abiding police officers for their service to our respective communities,” said U.S. Attorney Brown. “Unfortunately, there are a few police officers who cannot be described as law-abiding. When police officers commit crimes in violation of federal criminal civil rights statutes that can be proved beyond a reasonable doubt in a federal court of law, we will prosecute those officers zealously and without hesitation. The actions of this officer are inexcusable, violate public trust in law enforcement, and he must be held accountable. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to enforcing the rule of law and protecting the civil rights of all persons present within the Western District of Louisiana, with a goal of restoring and building the public’s trust in local, state and federal law enforcement.”
“The preservation of civil rights and the investigation of color of law violations are of utmost priority for the FBI. Today's guilty plea sends a clear message that individuals like Jared Preston Desadier will be held responsible and no one is above the law,” said Special Agent in Charge Williams Jr. “We thank our partners at the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Louisiana and Department of Justice Civil Rights Division for their strong partnership and dedication to protecting the civil rights of every citizen.”
Desadier faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. His sentencing has been set for November 21, 2022.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian C. Flanagan and Mary J. Mudrick, and Trial Attorney Thomas Johnson of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
# # #
Former Head of Anaheim Chamber of Commerce Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud, False Statement and Criminal Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The former president and CEO of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for defrauding a cannabis company, fraudulently obtaining a COVID-relief business loan worth nearly $62,000, lying to a bank while seeking a loan for a $1.5 million second home, and cheating on his taxes.
Todd Ament, 57, of Orange, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud, one count of making a false statement to a financial institution, and one count of subscribing to a false tax return.
According to his plea agreement, in 2019, Ament served as president and CEO of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce. During that time, Ament and a political consultant who was a partner at a national public relations firm, devised a scheme to divert proceeds intended for the Chamber through the PR firm and into Ament’s personal bank account.
Ament and the political consultant schemed to defraud a cannabis company that had retained the political consultant to lobby for favorable cannabis-related legislation in Anaheim. The cannabis company paid $225,000 to the Chamber with the understanding that it would have access to a task force that crafted such legislation, but at least $41,000 of that money was paid directly to Ament without those payments being disclosed to the client.
In April 2020, Ament applied to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) on behalf of his company, TA Consulting LLC, a sole proprietorship based in Big Bear City that had no substantial operations or employees. In May 2020, the SBA wired Ament $61,900 as EIDL proceeds for his business. Ament used the money to pay for various personal expenses, including at clothing stores, boat dealers and on property taxes on his home.
In December 2020, Ament lied to JPMorgan Chase by submitting a letter falsely representing that three deposits from the PR firm to Ament-controlled bank accounts – totaling $205,000 – were earned income based on services provided by TA Consulting LLC on the PR firm’s behalf. In fact, Ament knew the $205,000 represented a loan to himself and was not earned income.
Finally, Ament admitted in his plea agreement that for the tax years 2017, 2018 and 2019 he knowingly and willfully caused false tax returns to be signed and filed that did not report income he had received from various sources. For example, in July 2019, Ament signed and filed a federal tax return that reported that his gross receipts for the tax year 2018 was $0, when in fact his actual gross receipts for that year were $179,336.
In total, Ament caused a tax loss to the United States government of $249,998 for those three tax years.
United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha scheduled a December 9 sentencing hearing, at which time Ament will face statutory maximum sentences of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count, 30 years in federal prison for the false statement to a financial institution count, and three years’ imprisonment for the tax count.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel H. Ahn, Daniel S. Lim and Melissa S. Rabbani of the Santa Ana Branch Office are prosecuting this case.
Former Head Tennis Coach at Georgetown University Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison in College Admissions CaseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former head coach of men and women’s tennis at Georgetown University was sentenced today in connection with soliciting and accepting bribes to facilitate the admission of prospective Georgetown applicants and failing to report all of the income from the bribes on his federal income taxes.
Gordon Ernst, 55, of Rockville, Md. and Falmouth, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 30 months in prison and two years of supervised release, with the first six months to be served in home confinement. This is the longest prison term imposed in the college admissions case. Ernst was also ordered to forfeit $3,435,053, including more than $1.3 million in assets that the government seized in March 2019. In October 2021, Ernst pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, three counts of federal programs bribery and one count of filing a false tax return.
Ernst conspired with William “Rick” Singer to solicit and receive bribe payments from the families of prospective Georgetown applicants to facilitate their admission to Georgetown as purported student athletes. Specifically, Ernst regularly used at least two, and often as many as five, of the six recruitment slots Georgetown allotted him each year to recruit unqualified students in exchange for bribe payments. For more than 10 years, Ernst facilitated the admission of at least 22 students – at least 19 of which were Singer’s clients – to Georgetown as purported tennis recruits in exchange for a total of nearly $3.5 million in bribe payments. He then failed to report all of the income from those bribe payments on his federal income tax returns.
Case information, including the status of each defendant, is available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Terry Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General Eastern Regional Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Frank, Leslie A. Wright, Kristen A. Kearney and Ian Stearns of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head, Chief of Rollin’s Asset Recovery Unit handled the forfeiture aspects of the case.
Former Gainesville Preschool Teacher Indicted for Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Trevor Alec Hruby, 24, of Gainesville, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with four counts of production of child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. The indictment was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Hruby was remanded to federal custody following his arraignment on the charges.
The indictment alleges that, between December 2020 and September 2021, Hruby produced and possessed material containing child pornography. The pornographic material allegedly found in Hruby’s possession involved minors under the age of 12.
Trial for Hruby is set for August 3, 2022, at 8:30 a.m., at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before the Honorable United States District Judge Allen Winsor.
Hruby is also facing separate, related state charges which are being prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office for 8th Judicial Circuit.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The case was investigated by the Gainesville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney F.T. Williams.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Former Director of Accounting and Human Resources Pleads Guilty to Embezzling from Her EmployerRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced that SUSANA RIVERA, the former Director of Accounting and Human Resources for a kitchen remodeling firm located in Westchester County and Greenwich, Connecticut, pled guilty to wire fraud in connection with her embezzlement of more than $630,000 from her former employer.
According to the allegations contained in the Information:
In October 2019, RIVERA was hired as the Director of Accounting and Human Resources at the victim company, a family owned kitchen design and remodeling business in Mamaroneck, Bedford and Greenwich, Connecticut. Starting in November 2019, RIVERA made hundreds of unauthorized charges in a total amount exceeding $175,000 to the victim company’s credit cards for personal expenses, including jewelry, beauty treatments, laser treatments, travel, pets, cosmetic surgery, clothing and cars, including a partial payment on a $100,000 Corvette. RIVERA also caused the victim company’s payroll company to make unauthorized payments in a net amount of more than $370,000 to a fake vendor that RIVERA created to receive the money. RIVERA also caused unauthorized transfers from the victim company’s bank account in an amount exceeding $2,900 to pay her personal utility bills. To get restrictions on the use of the victim company’s credit cards removed, RIVERA posed as an owner of the victim company in telephone calls with the company’s credit card company. RIVERA also sent the credit card company photographs of the owner’s driver’s license to cause credit card company personnel to believe she was the owner.
* * *
RIVERA, 40, of the Bronx, New York, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentence will be determined by the court.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorney James McMahon is in charge of the prosecution.
Former Correctional Officer at Jessup Correctional Institution Sentenced to Federal Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced former Correctional Dietary Officer Chanel Pierce, age 29, of Pikesville, Maryland, yesterday to 21 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for a racketeering conspiracy in connection with her work at the Jessup Correctional Institution (JCI), a maximum-security prison that housed approximately 1,800 male prisoners. The conspiracy, which included former correctional officers, inmates, and outside “facilitators,” was centered on bribing correctional officers to smuggle contraband, including narcotics, alcohol, tobacco, and cell phones, into the prison.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Secretary Robert L. Green, of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.
According to Pierce’s plea agreement and other court documents, correctional officers (COs) accepted or agreed to accept payments from facilitators and/or inmates or engaged in sexual relations with inmates as consideration for smuggling contraband into JCI. Inmates acted as both wholesalers and retailers of contraband and, in the process, made profits that far exceeded the profits that could be made by selling similar drugs on the street. For example, conspirator inmates could purchase Suboxone strips for approximately $3 each and sell them inside JCI for approximately $50 each, or for a profit of more than 1,000 percent.
As detailed in her plea agreement, Pierce conspired with inmate Darnell Smith, a/k/a Hook, Smith’s outside facilitator, Chaz Chriscoe, and others to smuggle contraband, including controlled dangerous substances, such as Suboxone, into JCI and then distribute the contraband to Smith and other inmates. Pierce regularly met with Chriscoe at her residence and elsewhere to obtain contraband for smuggling. Pierce then concealed the contraband on her person, smuggled it into JCI, and distributed it to JCI inmates. Pierce admitted that she did this regularly while employed at the facility.
In exchange for smuggling the contraband, Pierce received thousands of dollars in bribe payments, which were sent to her by co-conspirators on behalf of JCI inmates. The memo line of the payments would often include the name or nickname of the inmate on whose behalf the bribe was made. For example, on April 12, 2019, Pierce received a $500 bribe payment from co-defendant Vonda Bolden along with the message “for Boosie,” who was Bolden’s son, JCI inmate Marshall Hill. Pierce transferred most of the bribe payments to her personal bank accounts and used the funds for her own benefit.
Early on the morning of May 25, 2019, Pierce met with co-defendant Chriscoe at her home and obtained several balloons filled with controlled substances to smuggle into JCI. Pierce then went to work and was stopped by law enforcement as she entered the facility and searched. Law enforcement recovered a concealed purple balloon from Pierce’s person containing Suboxone. A subsequent search of Pierce’s home revealed several more balloons filled with contraband that she intended to smuggle into JCI.
All fifteen defendants charged in this case have pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy, including another former Correctional Office, co-defendant Dominique Booker. Chaz Michael Chriscoe, age 41, of Owings Mills, Maryland, was sentenced to 39 months in federal prison; Inmates Darnell Smith, a/k/a Hook, age 41 and Marshall Hill, a/k/a Boosie, age 30, were sentenced to 63 months and to four years in federal prison, respectively; Dominique Booker, age 45, of Baltimore, Maryland and Vonda Bolden, age 57, of Baltimore, Maryland, are awaiting sentencing.
The U.S. Attorney expressed appreciation to the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, whose staff initiated the JCI investigation and have been full partners in this investigation.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher M. Rigali, who is prosecuting this case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Federal Jury Convicts Lapwai Man for Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – After a three-day trial, a federal jury sitting in Coeur d’Alene found Qaya Mikel Gordon, 20, guilty of two counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye presided over the trial, which began on June 27. The case was charged and tried in federal court because the Defendant and victims were tribal members and the crime was a felony that occurred on the Nez Perce Indian reservation.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Gordon attacked and injured his mother and her boyfriend with a hammer on November 1, 2021. Gordon initially denied involvement in the crime, telling the police that he was not there. At trial, however, he acknowledged that he was there but claimed that he acted in self-defense. The jury found him guilty.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye set sentencing for September 14, 2022, at 9:00 a.m. at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit attributed the successful investigation and prosecution to the collaborative effort of the Nez Perce Tribal Police and Prosecutor’s Offices, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “We succeed in protecting our citizens and furthering the interests of justice when we work together,” he said.
Hurwit also encourages those experiencing domestic violence or those who know of someone in need of help to reach out to local law enforcement or to the free and confidential National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE, texting “START” to 88788, or visiting their website at www.thehotline.org.
###
Federal Jury Convicts Ada Resident of Murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Tyler Jay Mullins, age 44, of Ada, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of Murder in Indian Country, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1111(a), 1151, and 1153, and Causing the Death and Murder of a Person in the Course of a Violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(j)(1).
The jury trial began with testimony on Monday, June 27, 2022, and concluded on Thursday, June 30, 2022, with the guilty verdict.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that in the early morning hours of April 20, 2002, the defendant severely beat his ex-girlfriend, Rachel Woodall. The defendant wrapped her in a tarp, put her into the trunk of his car, and drove her to a gravel/sand pit in rural Seminole County. The defendant placed the tarp-wrapped victim into a hole, shot her three times, and buried the body in the hole. The Medical Examiner determined Woodall died from the gun shots. After initially denying responsibility for Woodall’s death, on April 21, 2002, the defendant took law enforcement to where her body was located. A search of the scene also revealed 9mm shell casings in close proximity to the victim’s body.
The guilty verdict was the result of an investigation by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the defendant in this case is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crime occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting in Oklahoma City, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Mullins was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending the imposition of sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Flanigan and Dean Burris represented the United States.