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23 June 2022
Nurse Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Jennifer Hansen to two years in prison for filing false tax returns for the years 2016, 2017, and 2018. She had pleaded guilty on March 22, 2022.
According to court documents, Hansen, a registered nurse, was employed by a medical examination company to evaluate individuals who were seeking life insurance policies. In that role, Hansen earned hundreds of thousands of dollars in income during the years 2016, 2017, and 2018, all of which she intentionally omitted from her federal income tax returns. Through her false returns, Hansen caused a tax loss to the United States of $257,830.44. The Court ordered her to make full restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in that amount.
During the investigation into Hansen’s tax crimes, investigators also learned that a substantial portion of Hansen’s unreported income was illegitimately earned. In that regard, Hansen generated income by submitting false records to her employer claiming that she had examined a real patient, when, in fact, she had not. The Court ordered Hansen to pay over $1,000,000 in restitution to her former employer.
"For three years, Ms. Hansen cheated her employer, insurance policy holders, and the American people to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars for herself," said Brian Payne, special agent in charge of IRS-CI's Tampa Field Office. "Cheaters don't win, and Ms. Hansen must now face consequences for her actions."
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.
Northumberland County Man Charged with Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Alex Santiago, age 40, of Mt. Carmel, Pennsylvania, was charged by a federal grand jury for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on June 15, 2022, Santiago was in possession of a loaded Smith & Wesson .40 caliber firearm loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition, in Mount Carmel. As a previously convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Northumberland County Drug Task Force, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Bloomsburg Police Department, the Sunbury Police Department, the Shamokin Police Department, and the Coal Township Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney George J. Rocktashel is prosecuting the case.
This case is also being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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North Tonawanda Man Arrested, Charged with Possession and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Michael Angstenberger, 46, of North Tonawanda, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession and receipt of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in March 2022, the FBI received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children stating that in late November 2021, a Snapchat user, later identified as Angstenberger, shared or sent two videos containing child pornography. On April 7, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant at Angstenberger’s residence and seized a Samsung smart phone and Samsung tablet. A review of the phone and tablet recovered approximately 189 images and 13 videos containing child pornography.
Angstenberger made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan W. Feldman and was released on conditions, including home detention with location monitoring.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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North Georgia business owner pleads guilty to dumping hazardous wasteRead the Press Release
ROME, Ga. - Amin Ali, who directed the dumping of over 100 drums and other containers of chemicals, including hazardous waste, has pleaded guilty to a charge of disposal of hazardous waste without a permit.
“Ali disregarded the health and safety of citizens by trying to conceal his illegal dumping,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “He also broke the law regarding the proper handling of hazardous materials. Our office takes protection of the environment very seriously and will continue to prosecute those who seek to destroy our precious natural resources.”
“The defendant illegally disposed of numerous drums containing hazardous waste in violation of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Carfagno of EPA-CID’s Southeast Area Branch. “This guilty plea demonstrates that EPA will hold accountable for such criminal behavior and that EPA and DOJ will continue to vigorously prosecute those that choose to violate our environmental statutes.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) addresses the problem of hazardous waste transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal and is designed to protect human health and the environment by requiring the proper and safe management of hazardous waste from the time it is created until the time it is disposed of properly. RCRA prohibits the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste without a permit issued under the statute. RCRA also prohibits the transportation of hazardous waste to a facility that lacks a permit to accept hazardous waste.
The defendant, Amin Ali, owned and controlled Goldstar Investment Group LLC, 7 Days Property Management Inc., and Rock Springs Farming LLC. Through these entities, he owned the property in Dalton, Georgia (a warehouse formerly owned by a chemical company), and in Rock Springs, Georgia (a farming property containing several old chicken houses).
In August 2021, Ali had over 100 drums and other containers of chemicals, including many containing hazardous waste, moved from the Goldstar property to the Rock Springs property. The drums were left in one of the old chicken houses, with some of the drums left in an open trench to be buried. Some of the contents of the drums spilled and leaked into the surrounding soil.
Subsequent testing of the drums and soil revealed the presence of benzene, lead, and chromium. In addition, the contents of the drums were reactive and ignitable.
Sentencing for Amin Ali, 56, of Dalton, Georgia, is scheduled for September 20, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May. Ali pleaded guilty on June 22, 2022.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Huber, Deputy Chief of the Complex Frauds Section, is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Non-Citizen Charged with Hindering Removal to Trinidad and TobagoRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Brent Anthony Benito, age 38, was indicted by a federal grand jury for hindering removal.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Benito is a removable alien, with a valid order of removal. The indictment alleges that Benito knowingly took steps to prevent his own removal.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin.
Benito faces a maximum penalty of ten years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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New Orleans Woman Charged with Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, announced that, ERIKA JAMES (“JAMES”), age 48, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged on June 21, 2022 with one count of health care fraud.
According to the bill of information, JAMES was a Denial Specialist at Crescent Care, a Federally Qualified Health Center and AIDS Service Organization. Crescent Care provides HIV medical care, other health care, and social services in the New Orleans area.
From March 2020 through April 2021, JAMES created fraudulent invoices with falsified supporting documents, such as explanation of benefits documents from insurance companies. JAMES endorsed checks that were issued to patients that were in higher amounts than the usual range of the refund amount. JAMES made claims in the system that made it appear that patients came into Crescent Care and paid out of pocket for services. JAMES would then have the Finance Department issue the patient refund check, and JAMES would then deposit the refund check into her personal bank account. JAMES filed additional claims with the Louisiana Health Access Program (“LAHAP”) in December 2020 and told LAHAP to mail the checks to her residence. The checks that were sent to JAMES’s residence were made out to Crescent Care. JAMES then proceeded to deposit those checks into her personal bank account.
If convicted, JAMES faces a possible maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee per count.
The United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Louisiana stated that the bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being investigated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Ryan McLaren and Kathryn McHugh.
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New York Man Sentenced to Probation and Fined for Marijuana TraffickingRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Christopher Dunn, 49, of Queens, New York, was sentenced to four years of probation by Chief District Court Judge Robert Molloy on his conviction of possession with intent to distribute 1.37 kilograms of marijuana. Judge Molloy also ordered Dunn to pay a $2,000.00 fine, and a $100.00 special assessment.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on February 11, 2021, Dunn arrived at the Cyril E. King airport a flight from JFK New York. While conducting flight inspections, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers discovered a green leafy substance in Dunn’s carry-on luggage. CBP officers then escorted Dunn to secondary inspection where they conducted a thorough search of Dunn’s carry-on bags and discovered three vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana weighing approximately 1.37 kilograms.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and CBP investigated, and Assistant United States Attorney Natasha Baker prosecuted this case.
Motocross coach indicted for child exploitation crimesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Ryan Meyung, a motocross instructor who traveled the country building motocross tracks and mentoring children has been indicted for multiple child exploitation offenses.
“Meyung allegedly produced, transported, and possessed child pornography while working with children as a motocross coach,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Victimizing children is heinous and horrific. With the help of our law enforcement partners, we will relentlessly pursue these types of sexual predators.”
“There is no place in our society for those who prey on innocent children and individuals who use their position of trust to gain access to children are particularly heinous,” said HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Jerry C. Templet. “We are thankful to our special agents and our law enforcement partners who do the difficult but important work of investigating these crimes and safeguarding our nation’s children.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Ryan Meyung allegedly engaged six different minor victims in sexually explicit conduct to produce images of child sexual abuse, and transported and possessed visual images of child sexual abuse. The alleged crimes occurred between 2019 and 2021. He was arrested on state charges in December 2021 and has remained in custody.
Meyung was known to frequent states including Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.
Ryan Meyung, 30, was charged with six counts of producing child pornography, one count of transporting child pornography, and one count of possessing child pornography. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Chattanooga jointly with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office (Tennessee), the Chattanooga Police Department, and HSI field offices throughout the country.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin N. Spritzer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, and the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are prosecuting the case.
Investigators believe Meyung may have victimized additional children. If you have information related to Meyung that could further law enforcement’s investigation, or if you suspect that a particular child may have been one of his victims, you are encouraged to call the HSI Tip-line at 866-347-2423 or https://www.ice.gov/tipline.
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.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Monroe County Man Charged with Child Exploitation CrimeRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jesse Diaz, age 53, of Sciota, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, was charged in a criminal information with a child exploitation crime involving accessing and viewing child pornography.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the information alleges that Diaz used his Kik messenger account to access a private chat group dedicated to the distribution and sharing of child pornography with the intent to view minors, including a minor under the age of 12 years old, engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Portland, Oregon Divisions. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski.
The maximum penalty under federal law is 20 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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 justice.gov/psc.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Milwaukee Man Sentenced to 14 ½ years in Prison for Carjackings and RobberyRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on June 23, 2022, Chief United States District Judge Pamela Pepper sentenced 24-year-old Trayvon Taylor to 14 ½ years in federal prison after Mr. Taylor pled guilty to two armed carjackings in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, and an armed robbery of a convenience store in Clarksville, Tennessee.
According to court filings, on March 4, 2020, Mr. Taylor and two co-actors attempted to carjack a 79-year-old male victim in the parking lot of the Walgreens across from Mayfair Mall. After that attempt, Mr. Taylor and his two co-actors crossed Mayfair Road and carjacked a 31-year-old female victim in the parking lot of the Equitable Bank. Mr. Taylor was the gunman in both carjackings. Two days later, Mr. Taylor and one of the co-actors fled to Tennessee in the second carjacking victim’s car and committed an armed robbery of the Circle K convenience store in Clarksville, Tennessee.
”In just a 3-day period, Mr. Taylor committed three different violent offenses with a firearm,” stated U.S. Attorney Frohling. “He and his co-actors traumatized their victims and shattered their sense of safety and security. The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to working with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners to bring violent offenders to justice and to trying to make our communities safer places in which to live and work.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Milwaukee Area Violent Crimes Task Force and the Wauwatosa Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abbey M. Marzick.
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For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer [email protected]
414-297-1700
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Military contractors indicted for $7 million procurement fraud schemeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - A federal grand jury has indicted a company and three individuals in an alleged fraud scheme involving military contracts totaling over $7 million. The three-count indictment charges Envistacom LLC, its President Alan Carson, a vice president Valerie Hayes, and the owner of another company, Philip Flores, each with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and two counts of major fraud.
“The United States relies upon its contractors to be honest and forthright in their dealings,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “When they allegedly provide false information to obtain contracts, they harm the American taxpayer and the integrity of the system. We will diligently work to bring such companies and their executives to justice.”
“Collusion and fraud undermine competition in the procurement process to the detriment of U.S. taxpayers,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Investigating and prosecuting criminal activity remains a top priority for the Department of Justice and all members of the Procurement Collusion Strike Force.”
“The indictment of these individuals demonstrates the resolve and dedication of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and our investigative partners in protecting the integrity of the Department of Defense contracting system,” said Special Agent in Charge Cynthia A. Bruce, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “Contractors who circumvent the contracting process for their own personal gain will be thoroughly investigated and held accountable for their fraudulent actions.”
“Such alleged activity by government contractors who provide services to the Army will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge L. Scott Moreland of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division’s (Army CID) Major Procurement Fraud Field Office. “We will continue to investigate allegations of this nature and do everything in our power to see that persons responsible are held accountable and brought to justice.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan and the indictment: From at least September 2014 through at least November 2016, the defendants and others conspired by preparing and procuring purported “competitive quotes” from other companies, which were sham quotes that were intentionally higher than the proposal prices and/or price quotes from Envistacom and Flores’ company to ensure the sole-source awards.
The conspirators also concealed that the defendants prepared the independent government cost estimates and other procurement documents for the award of these contracts and made false statements, representations and material omissions to federal government contracting officials regarding these estimates being legitimate independent cost estimates and the sham quotes being “competitive.”
Alan Carson, 51, of Atlanta, Georgia, Valerie Hayes, 56, of Callaway, Maryland, and Philip Flores, 51, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, were indicted on May 25, 2022. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Huber for the Northern District of Georgia, and the DOJ Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal II Section are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Military Contractors Indicted for $7 Million Procurement Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia returned an indictment charging military contractors with an alleged fraud scheme involving government contracts totaling over $7 million.
The three-count indictment charges Envistacom LLC, its President Alan Carson and a vice president Valerie Hayes, and the owner of another company, Philip Flores, each with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and two counts of major fraud.
“Collusion and fraud undermine competition in the procurement process to the detriment of U.S. taxpayers,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Investigating and prosecuting criminal activity remains a top priority for the Department of Justice and all members of the Procurement Collusion Strike Force.”
“The United States relies upon its contractors to be honest and forthright in their dealings,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia. “When they allegedly provide false information to obtain contracts, they harm the American taxpayer and the integrity of the system. We will diligently work to bring such companies and their executives to justice.”
“The indictment of these individuals demonstrates the resolve and dedication of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and our investigative partners in protecting the integrity of the Department of Defense contracting system,” said Special Agent in Charge Cynthia A. Bruce, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “Contractors who circumvent the contracting process for their own personal gain will be thoroughly investigated and held accountable for their fraudulent actions.”
“Such alleged activity by government contractors who provide services to the Army will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge L. Scott Moreland of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division’s (Army CID) Major Procurement Fraud Field Office. “We will continue to investigate allegations of this nature and do everything in our power to see that persons responsible are held accountable and brought to justice.”
According to the indictment, from at least September 2014 through at least November 2016, the defendants and others conspired by preparing and procuring purported “competitive quotes” from other companies, which were sham quotes that were intentionally higher than the proposal prices and/or price quotes from Envistacom and Flores’ company to ensure the sole-source awards. The conspirators also concealed that the defendants prepared the independent government cost estimates and other procurement documents for the award of these contracts and made false statements, representations and material omissions to federal government contracting officials regarding these estimates being legitimate independent cost estimates and the sham quotes being “competitive.”
The maximum penalty for conspiracy to defraud the United States is five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The maximum penalty for major fraud is 10 years in prison and a fine of $1 million, or, if the gross loss to the government or the gross gain to a defendant is $500,000 or greater, a fine of $5 million. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant factors.
The charges are the result of a federal investigation conducted by the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal II Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, Army CID and DCIS.
Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.
In November 2019, the Department of Justice created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant, and program funding at all levels of government – federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on market allocation, price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct related to defense-related spending, go to https://www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mexican Man Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that a federal grand jury in Williamsport charged Mario Hernandez-Gonzaga, age 40, with illegal re-entry into the United States by a previously deported alien.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Hernandez-Gonzaga was previously deported from the United States to Mexico on May 11, 2009. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States again sometime before November 5, 2021. He was found in the United States in Snyder County, Pennsylvania, on May 12, 2022, by Deportation Officers after failing to appear for court on DUI charges pending in Northumberland County.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George J. Rocktashel.
Hernandez-Gonzaga faces a maximum penalty of 2 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Louisville Pediatrician Federally Indicted in Murder-for-Hire PlotRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY– A federal grand jury in Louisville returned a one count indictment on June 15, 2022, charging a Louisville physician with her role in a murder-for-hire scheme to kill her former husband.
According to court documents, Dr. Stephanie M. Russell, 51, used facilities in interstate commerce, specifically telephones, to call and text a person Russell believed she was paying to kill her former husband. In fact, the person Russell was plotting with is employed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was working in an undercover capacity while communicating with Russell.
Russell is charged with the use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. The defendant was detained pending trial following a hearing before a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Kentucky, and at her arraignment on the single count indictment on June 16, 2022, she entered a plea of not guilty. The case is scheduled for a jury trial before a U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky on August 22, 2022. If convicted, Russell faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa J. Ford is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Logan County Woman Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan County woman was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Pamela Sue Gillman, 52, sold fentanyl and heroin to an undercover informant on three occasions in October and November 2020. Gillman also admitted that in September 2021, she possessed 8 grams of fentanyl and 1.8 grams of heroin that she intended to distribute.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans 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. 2:21-cr-168.
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Local felon admits to possessing loaded pistol and ammunitionRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 32-year-old man has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Chad Everett Williams Jr., Corpus Christi, admitted to possessing a loaded Diamondback Firearms pistol and 18 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
On Oct. 27, 2021, law enforcement pulled Williams over to conduct a traffic stop. At that time, they noticed the odor of marijuana. He admitted to smoking in the car earlier in the day. Upon questioning, he also admitted he had a weapon in his vehicle. Soon after, authorities conducted a search and discovered the pistol along with the ammunition.
Williams has been previously convicted for aggravated robbery. As a felon, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos will impose sentencing Sept. 21. At that time, Williams faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations conducted investigation with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Marin is prosecuting the case.
Kentucky State Trooper Indicted for Conspiracy and ObstructionRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky.- A Kentucky State Police Trooper, from London, Ky., has been indicted for conspiracy as well as engaging in misleading conduct with the intent to prevent communication to a federal official or commission of a federal offense.
A federal grand jury sitting in London returned the indictment charging 32-year-old Michael L. Howell with conspiracy to obstruct a criminal investigation and for engaging in misleading conduct with the intent to prevent communication of information to federal law enforcement relating to the commission or possible commission of a federal offense.
The indictment alleges that Howell, along with another KSP Trooper, conspired with others to conceal the true nature of force used by KSP troopers, and the circumstances under which they used that force, to detain an arrestee. The indictment alleges that Howell and the others failed to disclose the use of force upon the victim, by developing a fictious story about what happened, which matched “the closest thing to what the video would show,” in order to conceal the true events and mislead his investigating supervisor.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, announced the indictment.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the FBI. The indictment was presented to the grand jury by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Dembo and Emily Greenfield.
A date for Howell to appear in court is scheduled for July 8 at 1:30 p.m. He faces up to 20 years in prison for each charge. However, any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
This indictment is part of an ongoing investigation.
Any indictment is an accusation only. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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KC Man Sentenced for Robbing Family, Business at GunpointRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man who was charged in two separate federal indictments has been sentenced in federal court for the armed robberies of a local business and a family in their residence.
Chase M. Murphy, 21, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Wednesday, June 22, to 12 years and three months in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 17, 2021, Murphy pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence.
Murphy admitted that he used a firearm to rob the Taco Bell at 5925 Independence Ave., Kansas City, Mo., on May 28, 2019. A brick was thrown through the drive-through window of the Taco Bell, shattering the glass. Murphy and another person, both carrying handguns, entered the restaurant through the broken window. They pointed their guns at two employees and ordered one to open the cash register. Murphy hit an employee in the back of the head with a firearm, then held a gun against his neck. They took $300 from the register and fled through the broken window.
Murphy also admitted, in a separate and unrelated case, that he robbed a family in their home at gunpoint with co-defendant Cameron E. Scott, 20, of Kansas City, Mo. Scott was sentenced on March 8, 2022, to seven years and three months in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to one count of robbery and one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence.
Murphy and Scott (along with an unidentified third man) robbed a group of three juveniles (including a 10-year-old child) and four adults at gunpoint on March 22, 2020. The three men forced their way into a residence in the 8100 block of Wayne Avenue in Kansas City, Mo., and pointed firearms at multiple victims (mostly members of the same family). They held one of the victims at gunpoint while demanding money and marijuana.
The three men stole $450, marijuana, a rifle and a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol then left the residence. Officers saw a car matching the description a witness gave of the robbers’ vehicle. Three men got out of the vehicle and ran into a residence in the 9200 block of Indiana Avenue in Kansas City, Mo. Soon afterward, the driver of the vehicle returned to the car and left. Officers attempted to follow the vehicle but lost sight of it. Murphy and Scott were seen leaving from the back of the residence. When officers announced themselves, they fled into a wooded area. A short time later, Murphy and Scott were seen walking in the tree line near 93rd Street and Grandview Road. Officers tried to approach them, but they fled on foot again. Officers gave chase and ultimately found them hiding in a creek bed.
Officers searched the residence on Indiana Avenue. In the attic, they found a black suitcase with a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol (which matched the description of the firearm taken during the robbery) and a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol.
These cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner. They were investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Raytown, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Operation LeGend
Operation LeGend is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in Kansas City, Mo., in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Justice Department Statement on Supreme Court Ruling on New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. BruenRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today released the following statement from spokeswoman Dena Iverson following the Supreme Court’s decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc., et al. v. Bruen, Superintendent of New York State Police, et al.:
“We respectfully disagree with the Court’s conclusion that the Second Amendment forbids New York’s reasonable requirement that individuals seeking to carry a concealed handgun must show that they need to do so for self-defense. The Department of Justice remains committed to saving innocent lives by enforcing and defending federal firearms laws, partnering with state, local and tribal authorities and using all legally available tools to tackle the epidemic of gun violence plaguing our communities.”
Justice Department Settles with California-Based IT Recruiter to Resolve Hiring Discrimination ClaimRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced that it signed a settlement agreement with SpringShine Consulting, Inc., an IT staffing company based in California. The settlement resolves claims that SpringShine discriminated against U.S. workers based on their citizenship status when it solicited applications for employment opportunities only from those seeking sponsorship for temporary work visas.
“Employers that discourage applicants based on their citizenship or immigration status, or save certain employment opportunities only for applicants who require sponsorship to work in the United States, violate the law and must be held accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will ensure that workers are protected from such unlawful discrimination.”
The department opened an investigation after an individual complained about an advertisement that SpringShine posted on a recruiting website inviting applications only from experienced IT consultants who required sponsorship for an employment-based temporary work visa. The advertisement was directed exclusively at workers seeking the company’s H-1B visa sponsorship, with no indication that workers with other citizenship statuses, such as U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, asylees or refugees, would also be considered for an employment opportunity. SpringShine claimed that the advertisement was not associated with an offer of employment, but was a recruiting tool to build a pool of qualified consultants to fill its clients’ anticipated future labor needs. Based on its investigation, however, the department concluded that (1) the company offered to sponsor one of the applicants who responded to the posting, (2) the advertisement reflected SpringShine’s preference for H-1B visa workers to fill its staffing needs, and (3) the posting harmed U.S. workers by unlawfully deterring many of them from applying for consideration. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), employers are not generally allowed to discriminate in recruitment or hiring based on citizenship status.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, SpringShine will pay $17,000 in civil penalties to the United States and ensure that its employment advertisements and hiring practices do not include or implement any unlawful preference for applicants with a particular citizenship or immigration status. Additionally, SpringShine will train employees involved in recruitment and hiring on the INA’s anti-discrimination provision.
The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; and retaliation and intimidation.
Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Find more information on how employers can avoid citizenship status discrimination on IER’s website. 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 can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); 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.
Jennings Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Drugs and FirearmsRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. - Morgan Lyons, 43, of Jennings, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. to 137 months (11 years, 5 months) in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for illegal possession of drugs and firearms, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown.
Lyons was convicted by a jury in Lafayette on February 10, 2022 of one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and two counts of felon in possession of a firearm. According to evidence presented at trial, law enforcement officers with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office Combined Anti-Drug Task Force, the Louisiana State Police and the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office, using a cooperating witness, did a controlled delivery of marijuana to a residence in which Morgan Lyons resided. Shortly after the controlled delivery, officers executed a search warrant of the residence and located approximately 43 ounces of cocaine, a ledger book, 4 digital scales, $36,020, an AR-15 assault rifle, a Ruger 9mm firearm, and a large box of assorted ammunition, as well as numerous documents in the name of Morgan Lyons.
Evidence introduced at trial revealed that Lyons has a prior felony conviction for possession of cocaine and a prior conviction for possession of over 400 grams of cocaine, as well as multiple violent felony arrests. As a result of his conviction, he will forfeit the $36,020 which was seized.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana State Police and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Luke Walker and Craig R. Bordelon.
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Jamestown Man Indicted for Selling Drugs That Caused Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Bradley D. Knapp, 43, of Jamestown, NY, with narcotics conspiracy, using and maintaining a drug-involved premises, and distribution of controlled substances causing serious bodily injury. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum of life.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between January 2019, and June 2022, Knapp conspired with others to sell heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. On August 13, 2020, Knapp sold a controlled substance that caused serious bodily injury to an individual identified as M.H. During the conspiracy, Knapp used a 9th Street residence for his drug trafficking activities.
The defendant was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and is detained.The case was brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as part of its Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Jamestown Man Going to Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Travis Sanders, 36, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, was sentenced to serve 96 months in prison and 10 years supervised release by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Higgins, who handled the case, stated that in November 2017, Sanders possessed a laptop that contained 151 images of child pornography, including one image that depicted the sexual abuse or exploitation of an infant or toddler. During a search of the laptop and Sanders’ iPhone, investigators also discovered sexually explicit online contact between Sanders and various victims, who were or appeared to be minors. Sanders admitted that he sometimes told victims that he was a 15-year-old boy. On November 29, 2017, after Homeland Security Investigations informed Sanders that he was under investigation for sending child pornography via Skype, and after requesting to see Sander’s phone, Sanders deleted the Skype application from his iPhone.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
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Iowa Man Sentenced to 30 years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Aaron Allen Tripses, age 33, was sentenced on June 22, 2022, to 360 months in prison for Production of Child Pornography. Following his prison term, Tripses was ordered to serve seven years of supervised release. Tripses will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, law enforcement responded to Tripses’ residence in reference to a welfare check. It was discovered that Tripses had assaulted an adult female. Law enforcement later received information suggesting that Tripses’ phone contained evidence of his sexual abuse of a minor. Multiple search warrants were executed on Tripses’ devices and accounts. Officers located over 1,400 images and videos depicting Tripses engaging in sex acts with a minor, including depictions of acts of violence such as prolonged strangulation. Officers also located dozens of videos of women in public places being filmed without their knowledge. On January 18, 2022, Tripses pleaded guilty to Production of Child Pornography. Tripses had a prior adjudication for sexual assault against a minor as well as other convictions for assaulting a child and woman. As a part of sentencing, the Court found that Tripses had engaged in a pattern of activity involving prohibited sexual conduct.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This matter was investigated by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office; the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Inmate in Federal Prison Indicted for Murdering His CellmateRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a grand jury has returned an indictment charging Romeo Lopez-Hernandez (37, Coleman) with the first-degree premeditated murder of his cellmate while in the Coleman Federal Correctional Institution (FCI). If convicted, Lopez-Hernandez faces a mandatory term of life imprisonment.
According to court records, Lopez-Hernandez was housed in the Special Housing Unit of Coleman FCI in Sumter County when authorities found his cellmate strangled to death. The victim was lying face down and unconscious on his bed with a bedsheet wrapped around his neck and tied to the bedpost. Dark ligature marks were apparent around the victim’s neck, and a medical examiner confirmed that he had died by strangulation.
When interviewed by the FBI, Lopez-Hernandez gave a full confession. He detailed repeatedly strangling the victim in intervals and concealing the body behind a bedsheet so that correctional officers wouldn’t find him until he was sure the victim was dead. According to Lopez-Hernandez, one of his main reasons for killing the victim was to maintain respect from other inmates.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie K. Boyer.
Independence Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Three Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
Holmes robbery of the Bank of OdessaKANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence man was sentenced in federal court today for robbing three banks within a period of about a month in Lee’s Summit, Kansas City, and Odessa.
Hubert J. Holmes, 61, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Holmes was sentenced as a career offender.
On Dec. 20, 2021, Holmes pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery and two counts of bank robbery. Holmes admitted that he robbed three banks in 2019.
Holmes used a firearm to rob Summit Ridge Credit Union, 3485 N.E. Ralph Powell Road in Lee’s Summit on May 21, 2019. Holmes entered the credit union and demanded money from the teller. When the teller hesitated, Holmes displayed a silver handgun and slammed it on the counter. Two bank tellers gave him $13,243 and he left the bank on foot. Surveillance video footage showed that he fled to a blue van, consistent in appearance to a Chrysler Town and Country minivan, which was located in a nearby parking lot. While fleeing the scene of the robbery, Holmes dropped over $7,000 that was later recovered and returned to the credit union. A
Holmes robbery of the Summit Ridge Credit Unionfew days later, investigators received a tip that identified Holmes as the bank robber and provided the license plate number of his minivan.
Holmes robbed Central Bank of the Midwest, 9740 Wornall in Kansas City on June 7, 2019. Holmes, wearing a ski mask, approached a teller and demanded she give him $50 and $100 bills. The teller told Holmes she didn’t have larger bills and he responded, “give me all of them.” She removed $1,094 from her drawer and gave it to Holmes, who fled from the bank of foot. Investigators later matched a fingerprint from the scene of the robbery to Holmes.
Holmes robbed the Bank of Odessa, 201 S. 2nd Street in Odessa on June 20, 2019. Holmes put on a ski mask when he approached a teller’s window and demanded she open her drawer. Holmes reached over the counter and seized $3,099 from the teller’s cash drawer. Holmes then fled from the bank on foot and met an accomplice who was driving his van, which was parked nearby. Holmes, attempting to hurry,
Holmes robbery of the Central Bank of the Midwestdropped money in the alley as he approached the van. Holmes picked up the money he dropped and got into the rear driver’s side of the van, which was being driven by another person.
Holmes was arrested on June 20, 2019, following the robbery of the Bank of Odessa. Shortly after the robbery, law enforcement officers began surveillance of Holmes’s residence. Officers saw Holmes driving a Chrysler Town and Country van, pulled him over, and arrested both Holmes and a passenger. Holmes had a large sum of money in his right front jeans pocket, including bait bills taken during the bank robbery. Bait bills are currency bills with known serial numbers that banks use to assist law enforcement officials in their efforts to trace currency to a bank robbery. The passenger, who matched the description of the get-away driver in the Bank of Odessa robbery, had $404 in his pockets. When officers searched the van, they found a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun under the front passenger seat.
Holmes’s plea agreement also refers to the robbery of Country Club Bank, 401 Armour Rd. in North Kansas City, Mo., on Dec. 26, 2018. Two men wore facial coverings and hooded sweatshirts when they walked into the bank. One of them walked directly to the teller counter, went behind the counter, and removed $16,000 from the teller drawers. He attempted to carry the cash in his sweatshirt, however, he dropped some of the cash as he walked out of the bank. The other thief remained at the door of the bank and gave verbal commands to all of the occupants of the bank. When they left the bank, they got into Holmes’s Chrysler Town and Country van and drove away. Holmes, who did not plead guilty to the indictment’s charge for this bank robbery, denies being involved. However, the surveillance video of the Chrysler Town and Country van, which belongs to Holmes, became an investigative lead later in this case.
Holmes was on federal supervised release at the time of these offenses following a prior felony conviction for bank robbery. Holmes has multiple prior convictions for robbery, armed criminal action, bank robbery, possession of a deadly weapon, disorderly conduct, burglary, resisting an officer, providing false information to a police officer, and multiple convictions for possession and delivery of a controlled substance in a correctional center.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Illegal Possession of Firearms Leads to Time in Federal Prison for Two Men from Lake Charles AreaRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the sentencing of two defendants for illegally possessing firearms in the Western District of Louisiana.
Brian Damar Paul, 35, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, was sentenced to 33 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On December 31, 2020, investigators with the Lake Charles Police Department were dispatched to a residence in Lake Charles. Prior to their arrival, investigators learned that the Paul was in the residence with a firearm and was refusing to leave. Upon their arrival, Paul was asked to step outside the residence and when he emerged, they observed him place a handgun in the trashcan near the front door. The firearm was seized and after being advised of his Miranda rights, Paul consented to an interview. Paul stated that he had stolen the firearm from a female friend while at her house and then brought it to his residence. When he saw investigators arrive, he threw the firearm in the trashcan. Paul has a previous felony conviction for armed robbery in 2008 and was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Lake Charles Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danny Siefker prosecuted the case.
Miguel Morales-Duran, 33, a citizen of Mexico, has been sentenced by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. to 1 year and 1 day in prison, followed by 1 year of supervised release. Morales-Duran was indicted by a federal grand jury for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. He pleaded guilty to the charge on March 30, 2022. Officers with the Broussard Police Department responded to a call of shots fired in Broussard, Louisiana on December 25, 2021. The complainant stated that shots were heard coming from a residence nearby. When officers made contact with one of the males at that residence, they stated that Morales-Duran had fired the shots in the backyard. A Glock, Model 22, .40 caliber handgun was found in the residence and Morales-Duran was arrested. He admitted to police officers that he had fired the handgun and knew that he was an alien illegally and unlawfully present in the United States.
This case was investigated by the ATF and Broussard Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo.
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Honduran National Sentenced to Eight Years for Conspiracy to Import MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Tuesday, Sergio Geovany Cruz-Sabillon, 32, of Rio Lindo, Honduras, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins to 96 months in prison, followed by 60 months of supervised release. Cruz-Sabillon previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico.
On October 1, 2019, Cruz-Sabillon orchestrated the importation of 13 kilograms (28.6 pounds) of pure methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico through the DeConcini Port of Entry in Nogales, Arizona. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted and arrested the driver transporting the drugs before she could travel further into the country.
The evidence showed that Cruz-Sabillon managed and directed this smuggling incident and had encouraged the driver of the narcotics to bring along her young children. Cruz-Sabillon himself had illegally entered the United States a few months before the offense and had set up residence in Tucson, Arizona.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael R. Lizano, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00286-RCC (EJM)
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Home Health Care Provider Is Sentenced to Prison for Stealing More Than $1 Million from Two Elderly ClientsRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Chief U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger sentenced Lindsey Allison Kerns, 39, of Mars Hill, N.C., to 45 months in prison today, for stealing more than $1 million from two elderly clients in her care, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, Judge Reidinger ordered Kerns to serve three years under court supervision and to pay $1,088,554.99 as restitution.
Robert R. Wells, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
“Most home health care providers are reputable and committed to providing quality services to older adults entrusted in their care. Kerns is not one of them,” said U.S. Attorney King. “This defendant took advantage of two vulnerable seniors, exploited their trust, and swindled them out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. As a community, it is our responsibility to take care of our elders. And as law enforcement, it is our duty to put those who harm them behind bars.”
“Lindsey Kerns was hired to provide daily care to two elderly people. She overcharged them by a million dollars and bought trucks, ATVs, expensive clothing and went on lavish vacations. This is a case of greed and abuse of trust. The FBI will continue to work with our partners to ensure anyone who commits crimes against the elderly will face the consequences,” said Special Agent in Charge Wells.
“Senior citizens and those who care about them need to be on alert for various scams targeting elder Americans. The IRS recognizes the pervasiveness of fraud targeting older Americans, and we will work with our law enforcement partners to combat these crimes and hold the responsible parties accountable for their actions,” said Brian Thomas, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of IRS-CI in Charlotte.
According to information contained in court documents and court proceedings, from December 2018 to April 2020, Kerns owned and operated Home Care Coordinators, LLC, a business that provided home health care in Buncombe and Madison Counties. Beginning in December 2018, Kerns arranged to provide home health care services to two elderly clients, identified in court documents as S.A. and P.R., who were 86 and 90 years old, respectively. The two elderly clients lived in Asheville and were close friends. P.R. also suffered from dementia and was not capable of handling his affairs. S.A. served as P.R.’s power of attorney and managed and controlled P.R.’s finances.
According to court documents, Kerns provided home health care services to S.A. and P.R. all of 2019 and into 2020. During that time, Kerns did not provide S.A. or P.R. with detailed invoices of her home health care services. Instead, Kerns orally informed S.A. on a weekly basis how much money Kerns claimed she was owed for services rendered, and S.A. wrote checks in those amounts from P.R.’s bank accounts. Over the course of the scheme, Kerns defrauded the elderly victims in a number of ways, including by overbilling them for services that were inflated or never provided; double-billing them for other services such as cleaning and moving that were either not provided or were provided by caregivers during hours already billed; and by billing at a higher rate than what Kerns and the victims had agreed upon.
According to court documents, from December 2018 through April 2020, Kerns directed S.A. to pay, and did receive, $1,465,546.99 for home health care and other services allegedly rendered by Kerns to the victims. The actual fair market value of the services provided to the victims by Kerns was $376,992. Kerns thereby overcharged S.A. and P.R. $1,088,554.99 for services that were never provided.
Kerns used the money she swindled from the victims to purchase vehicles and ATVs, to buy luxury retail items, and to pay for hotel stays and vacation rentals.
According to court records, when Kerns learned she was being investigated by the FBI and IRS, she made a number of false statements to federal agents related to her business activities. For example, Kerns lied about issuing IRS Form 1099s to her employees, lied about purchases she made using the victims’ money, and lied about additional income she received from another client. In addition, after Kerns was served with a grand jury subpoena requiring her to produce certain business records, Kerns fabricated such records and generated false invoices based on the amounts she believed she had received from S.A. and P.R. rather than providing invoices for actual services rendered.
On February 9, 2022, Kerns pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. She is currently released on bond and will be ordered to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the FBI and IRS-CI for their investigation of this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville handled the prosecution.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 10am-6pm Eastern Time, Monday-Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
Hendersonville Man Is Sentenced to Prison for Violating the Clean Air Act by Selling Thousands of Illegal Devices That Defeat Required Vehicle Emissions Control SystemsRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Today, Chief U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger sentenced Matthew Sidney Geouge, 35, of Hendersonville, N.C., to one year and one day in prison for conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act by selling more than 14,000 illegal devices that defeat required vehicle emissions control systems, also known as “defeat devices,” announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Geouge was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release, six months of which will be in home confinement, and to pay a civil penalty of $1.3 million to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and $1.2 million in restitution to the IRS. In addition to the Clean Air Act violation, Geouge was also sentenced for tax evasion.
Charles Carfagno, Special Agent in Charge of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID) and Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
Geouge’s co-conspirators were previously sentenced for their roles in the scheme after pleading guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act:
- John A. Slagel, 52, of Fairbury, Illinois, was sentenced to three years of probation, to include six months of home confinement, and was ordered to perform 100 hours of community service and to pay a $150,000 fine.
- Joshua L. Davis, 43, of Metamora, Illinois, was sentenced to three years of probation, to include six months of home confinement, and was ordered to perform 80 hours of community service and to pay a $50,000 fine.
- Spade Kaosu Bailly, 50, of Hendersonville, was sentenced to three years of probation, to include six months of home confinement, and was ordered to perform 100 hours of community service and to pay a $10,000 fine.
“Tuners” are devices capable of defeating vehicles’ computerized emissions controls, in violation of the Clean Air Act. In 2008, Geouge approached a company that manufactured tuners and he tailored software programs for the tuners known as “tunes,” designed to maximize the engine power of particular vehicles resulting in significant increases in harmful air emissions. Beginning in 2012, Slagel worked for and eventually owned the company that manufactured the tuners. Davis and Bailly conspired with Geouge and created other companies that sold tuners manufactured by Slagel’s company with Geouge’s tunes installed on them. In total, the co-conspirators sold far in excess of 14,000 illegal tuners, worth millions of dollars.
The EPA issued a notice of violation to Geouge in 2015. However, Geouge continued to sell and service illegal devices. Geouge also evaded paying a penalty owed to the EPA, and taxes owed to the IRS, by having another individual receive the income he earned from the sale of the illegal devices.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the EPA-CID and IRS-CI for their coordination and investigation of the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Steven Kaufman, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.
Grand Chute Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on June 22, 2022, Adan Corona-Fuentes (age: 45), formerly of Grand Chute, Wisconsin, was sentenced to a 180-month term of imprisonment for production of child pornography. That term of imprisonment will be followed by an additional 60 months of supervised release.
The information presented at sentencing showed that Corona-Fuentes, an undocumented noncitizen, impersonated a juvenile male on a social media platform and convinced underage females from Texas, Indiana, Illinois, and elsewhere to send him sexually explicit photographs and videos. When Corona-Fuentes’ phone was searched by law enforcement, they located hidden camera footage of naked, underage children that Corona-Fuentes produced in Grand Chute, Wisconsin. In pronouncing sentence, Judge Griesbach emphasized that Corona-Fuentes’ conduct robbed children of their innocence.
This case was investigated by the Grand Chute Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alexander E. Duros.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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For Additional Information Contact:
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Georgia man charged with fraud in seeking millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief fundingRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Georgia man has been indicted on multiple charges alleging his involvement as the leader in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain federal COVID-19 pandemic relief funding.
Bernard Okojie, 40, of McDonough, Ga., is charged in a newly unsealed indictment with Conspiracy to Commit Wire and Bank Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Money Laundering Conspiracy, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charges carry statutory penalties of up to 30 years in prison, along with up to $1 million in financial penalties and up to five years of supervised release after completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Congress provided funding through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act as a vital safety net for small businesses financially struggling during the global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Sadly, the significant amount of available funding also attracted those who sought to tap into those funds from greed rather than need.”
As alleged in the indictment, Okojie is alleged to have used information for non-existent companies to file fraudulent applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for himself and others from May 2020 through January of 2021, seeking millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief funds for himself and others. Okojie is alleged to have either received the funding directly, or was paid by other recipients of the fraudulently obtained funding for his work in submitting the EIDL applications. Okojie is further charged with conspiring to launder the fraudulent proceeds.
Okojie has appeared in U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Georgia for his initial appearance hearing, but will be prosecuted in the Southern District of Georgia.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan A. Porter and Patrick J. Schwedler.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Fugitive Leader of Drug Trafficking Operation Sentenced to Thirty Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Cocaine into Southern IllinoisRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – The ringleader of a Houston-based cocaine trafficking operation has been sentenced in the Southern District of Illinois to federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, bringing to a successful close an investigation and prosecution that spanned several states and more than five years. On Tuesday, June 21, 2022, Samuel Ruben Caraway, 46, was sentenced to 360 months in prison and five years of supervised release for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that resulted in the seizure of $1.2 million dollars in cash, $72,000 in jewelry, and several kilos of cocaine.
Caraway was captured in Texas in July 2021, after being a fugitive for more than three and a half years.
An indictment filed on January 4, 2018, charged that Caraway was the leader of a Houston-based group responsible for distributing more than $4 million dollars’ worth of cocaine throughout Texas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Georgia. Caraway and eight co-defendants were named in the indictment. The United States also seized $1,212,934 in U.S. currency, along with jewelry appraised at $72,000.
All the other defendants previously pleaded guilty, and Caraway was the last member of the group to be sentenced. Each of his co-defendants also received significant prison sentences – Victor
Johnson (188 months), Sammy Monroe (168 months), Rodney Smith (147 months), Dana Bell (87 months), Nahum Shibeshi (48 months), Astin Allison (151 months), Terrance Miles (121 months) and Jamie Green (262 months) – after it was determined that they were responsible for trafficking approximately 120 kilos of cocaine into Southern Illinois.This investigation was conducted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force
(OCDETF). The OCDETF initiative brings federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and resources together to identify, target and dismantle large national and international drug trafficking organizations. The investigation was conducted by agents from the
Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States
Attorneys Steven D. Weinhoeft and David D. Dean.Fresno County Man Indicted for Attempted Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Isidro Zuriel Cruz-Vizcarra, 23, of Sanger, charging him with attempting to illegally traffic fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Cruz-Vizcarra mailed a parcel from a post office in Parlier to a residence in Iowa. The parcel was seized from the mail stream and searched. Inside, postal inspectors found about 1,000 counterfeit oxycodone M30 tablets. Similar to authentic oxycodone M30 tablets, these pills are small, round, and light blue or green in color with “M” stamped on one side and “30” on the other. Instead of oxycodone, however, they contain fentanyl, a potent opioid that can be deadly in small doses.
The case was the result of an investigation by FORT, (a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Laurel J. Montoya are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Cruz-Vizcarra faces a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Four Subjects Arrested in Rocky Mount for Federal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Today, U.S. Attorney Michael Easley announced preliminary results from the Rocky Mount Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP), implemented last month, in collaboration with the Rocky Mount Police Department, the Nash County Sheriff’s Office, the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Prosecutors from the Eighth Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are also engaged in the effort.
“We made a commitment to get illegal guns off the streets in Rocky Mount to stop the wave of gun violence terrorizing the community,” said Easley. “In just a few short weeks, we have identified and arrested four individuals with illegal guns in the Rocky Mount area, and our work will continue. I am proud of the collaborative work of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, in conjunction with the community to investigate and bring those perpetrating violence to swift justice.”
To date, federal charges have been brought against four individuals. If convicted, defendants each face up to ten years in federal prison.
According to court documents, the following individuals were arrested on federal charges for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon:
- Jaquan Raqueze Harris, 27
- Donnell Hikeen Ricks, 31
- Montriel Lee Wilder, 37
- Jaumarous Eugene Moore, 34
VCAP is a three-pronged approach drawing on close partnerships among federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as the community, to combat violence.
- Focused and strategic enforcement bringing state and federal prosecutors together to prioritize the review of gun crime cases and identify and prosecute the most significantly violent repeat offenders and criminal organizations as well as identifying and stopping the sources of guns.
- Inter-Agency coordination and intelligence-led policing to analyze crime data to deploy resources where they are most needed and leveraging federal Task Force officers to bring federal technology to address local gun violence.
- Community engagement including youth education, offender re-entry programs and sustained dialogue with the communities most affected by the violence.
"The Rocky Mount Police Department will continue our efforts to strategically target and arrest individuals committing violent crimes in our city. We value the relationship with our Federal, State, and Local partners as we place more resources on strengthening criminal investigations and prosecutions," stated Chief Robert Hassell.
“The threat of illegal guns on our streets is serious and real,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “But the commitment from our local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to hold those responsible for the violent crime in the community is strong and our efforts are seeing results. ATF is proud to be a part of this multi-faceted strategy to protect public safety.”
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Rocky Mount Police Department are investigating the cases and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aakash Singh is prosecuting the cases.
A copy of this press release is located on our website.
A(n) indictment/criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Four People Charged in Multimillion-Dollar Health Care Fraud Scheme to Defraud AmtrakRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Three men and one woman were arrested today for participating in a health care fraud scheme to defraud Amtrak by bribing Amtrak employees to allow people to submit fraudulent claims to the Amtrak health insurance plan, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Muhammad Mirza, 50, of Cedar Grove, New Jersey; Devon Burt, 49, of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania; and Hallum Gelzer, 43, of East Orange, New Jersey, were charged by complaint with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in Newark federal court. Punson Figueroa, aka “Susie Figueroa,” 55, of Long Island City, New York, was charged in the same complaint with 15 counts of health care fraud. The defendants appeared by videoconference today before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III and were released on $200,000 unsecured bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2019 to the present, Mirza, Figueroa, Gelzer, Burt, and others recruited Amtrak employees – primarily from New Jersey and New York – to participate in the scheme through the offer of cash payments, in exchange for the employees agreeing to allow Mirza, Figueroa, and others to use their patient and insurance information to submit fraudulent claims. Mirza, Figueroa, and others benefitted from this scheme by receiving payments from the Amtrak health care plan for services that were never provided or that were medically unnecessary. Gelzer, Burt, and others benefitted from this scheme by receiving cash payments from providers in return for allowing those providers to use their personal and insurance information to submit fraudulent claims and in return for recruiting others to participate in the scheme.
On June 17, 2021, an undercover law enforcement agent posing as an Amtrak employee met with Figueroa at Figueroa’s office in New York. Figueroa instructed the undercover agent to sign his name about 30 times for services received and instructed the undercover agent not to date the signatures. Figueroa stated to the undercover agent that the undercover agent had good insurance, and that Amtrak has very good benefits. Figueroa submitted or caused to be submitted false claims to Amtrak’s health care plan indicating that the undercover agent had visited providers at least seven times in May 2021, purportedly receiving acupuncture and physical therapy services.
The undercover agent visited Figueroa’s office on only one other occasion, on July 29, 2021. At this meeting, which was recorded on audio and video, Figueroa handed the undercover agent an envelope filled with $1,000. Figueroa continued to use the undercover agent’s personal and insurance information to submit fraudulent claims to the Amtrak health care plan, for a total of 73 claims. As a result of these fraudulent claims, the Amtrak health care plan paid $31,840.
In total, the Amtrak health care plan has paid at least approximately $9 million as a result of claims associated with providers connected to the health care fraud scheme.
The conspiracy and health care fraud charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Waters; special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll; the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley Greenberg; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Postal Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, Philadelphia Division; and the Amtrak Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Samuel Dotson, with the investigation, leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark and Daniel V. Shapiro, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former U.S. Military Pilot Admits Acting as Paid Agent of China and Lying on National Security Background FormsRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorneys Fred Sheppard (619) 546-8237 and John Parmley (619) 546-7957
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – June 23, 2022
SAN DIEGO – A former U.S. Army helicopter pilot-turned-civilian-contractor pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he acted illegally as an agent of China and accepted thousands of dollars from representatives of the Chinese government to provide aviation-related information from his defense-contractor employers. He also pleaded guilty to making related false statements during national security background checks.
Shapour Moinian of San Diego served in the Army in the United States, Germany, and South Korea from approximately 1977 through 2000. After his service, Moinian worked for various cleared defense contractors in the United States – including in San Diego - as well as the Department of Defense. “Cleared” is a term that indicates a contractor is permitted to work on projects that involve classified information.
According to his plea agreement, while Moinian was working for a cleared defense contractor, or CDC, on various aviation projects used by the military and U.S. intelligence agencies, he was contacted by an individual in China who claimed to be working for a technical recruiting company. This person offered Moinian the opportunity to consult for the aviation industry in China.
In March of 2017, Moinian travelled to Hong Kong where he met with this purported recruiter and agreed to provide information and materials related to multiple types of aircraft designed and/or manufactured in the United States in exchange for money. Moinian accepted approximately $7,000-$10,000 in United States currency during that meeting. According to his plea agreement, at this meeting and at all subsequent meetings, Moinian knew that these individuals were employed or directed by the government of the People’s Republic of China.
Upon returning to the United States, Moinian began gathering aviation-related materials, which included transferring material from a CDC to a thumb drive. In September 2017, the defendant traveled overseas and, during a stopover at the Shanghai airport, met with Chinese government officials and provided aviation-related materials on a thumb drive, including proprietary information from a CDC. Thereafter, Moinian arranged to be paid for this information through the South Korean bank account of his stepdaughter. Moinian told his stepdaughter that these funds were payment for his consulting work overseas and instructed her to transfer the funds to him in multiple transactions.
Moinian also received a cell phone and other equipment from these individuals to communicate with them and aid in the electronic transfer of materials and information.
At the end of March 2018, Moinian traveled to Bali and met with these same individuals again. Later that year, he began working at another CDC. During this timeframe, the same individuals in China transferred thousands of dollars into the South Korean bank account of Moinian’s stepdaughter, who subsequently wired the funds to Moinian in multiple transactions.
In August 2019, Moinian traveled again to Hong Kong and met with these same individuals where he was again paid approximately $22,000 in cash for his services. Moinian and his wife smuggled this cash back into the United States.
According to his plea agreement, Moinian also admitted that he lied on his government background questionnaires in July 2017 and March 2020, when he falsely stated that did not have any close or continuing contacts with foreign nationals and that no foreign national had offered him a job.
“This defendant took the aviation materials of his American employers and sold them to China,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “This conduct was an outrageous breach of trust by a former member of the U.S. military. The United States will aggressively investigate and prosecute anyone who works at the direction of foreign governments to steal American technology and intellectual property.”
“Moinian was a paid agent of the Chinese government who sold American aviation-related technology,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department of Justice has no tolerance for those who help foreign governments break the law to undermine American competitiveness and innovation.”
“The People’s Republic of China remains determined to acquire our information and technology. In this case, we witnessed a former U.S. Government employee acting as an agent of the Government of China and Chinese intelligence officers’ extensive use of social media to identify willing targets,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI’s of the Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI is committed not only to leveraging risk and consequences upon the defendant, but also to confronting the behavior and policies of the Chinese government that threaten our national security and freedom.”
“The defendant admitted to being an unregistered agent of a foreign power, lying on his background check paperwork to obtain his security clearance, knowingly providing proprietary information to people controlled by the Chinese government, and willingly receiving payments from them. This is another example of how the Chinese government enhances its defense capabilities through the illicit exploitation of U.S. technology,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “When someone holds a security clearance, they know what information should be reported to security officials. In this case, the defendant betrayed his sacred oath, knew his actions were wrong, and subsequently lied about it. The FBI and our partners on the Counterintelligence Task Force will pursue anyone who abuses their placement and access to obtain proprietary information on behalf of a foreign government. I specifically want to thank the Naval Criminal Investigative Service for their continued partnership on this case.”
“Mr. Moinian sold information to the Chinese government, and lied repeatedly to cover up his crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Michelle Kramer of the NCIS Office of Special Projects. “Now he is being held to account for his actions. NCIS and our partners remain unwavering in our commitment to protecting the U.S. military and rooting out criminality that threatens the superiority of the U.S. warfighter.”
Sentencing is scheduled for August 29, 2022, at 11 a.m.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 21CR02927-JM
Shapour Moinian Age: 67 San Diego
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 18, United States Code, Section 951 (Acting as an Agent of a Foreign Government)
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 per count fine
Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001 (Materially False, Fictitious, or Fraudulent Statement or Representation)
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 per count fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Former U.S. Military Pilot Admits Acting as Paid Agent of China and Lying on National Security Background FormsRead the Press Release
A former U.S. Army helicopter pilot-turned-civilian-contractor pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he acted as an unregistered agent of China and accepted thousands of dollars from representatives of the Chinese government to provide aviation-related information from his defense-contractor employers. He also pleaded guilty to making related false statements during national security background checks.
Shapour Moinian, 67, of San Diego, served in the Army in the United States, Germany, and South Korea from approximately 1977 through 2000. After his service, Moinian worked for various cleared defense contractors in the United States – including in San Diego – as well as the Department of Defense. “Cleared” is a term that indicates a contractor is permitted to work on projects that involve classified information.
According to his plea agreement, while Moinian was working for a cleared defense contractor, or CDC, on various aviation projects used by the U.S. military and U.S. intelligence agencies, he was contacted by an individual in China who claimed to be working for a technical recruiting company. This person offered Moinian the opportunity to consult for the aviation industry in China.
“Moinian was a paid agent of the Chinese government who sold American aviation-related technology,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department of Justice has no tolerance for those who help foreign governments break the law to undermine American competitiveness and innovation.”
“This defendant took the aviation materials of his American employers and sold them to China,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman for the Southern District of California. “This conduct was an outrageous breach of trust by a former member of the U.S. military. The United States will aggressively investigate and prosecute anyone who works at the direction of foreign governments to steal American technology and intellectual property.”
“The People’s Republic of China remains determined to acquire our information and technology. In this case, we witnessed a former U.S. Government employee acting as an agent of the government of China and Chinese intelligence officers’ extensive use of social media to identify willing targets,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI’s of the Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI is committed not only to leveraging risk and consequences upon the defendant, but also to confronting the behavior and policies of the Chinese government that threaten our national security and freedom.”
“The defendant admitted to being an unregistered agent of a foreign power, lying on his background check paperwork to obtain his security clearance, knowingly providing proprietary information to people controlled by the Chinese government, and willingly receiving payments from them. This is another example of how the Chinese government enhances its defense capabilities through the illicit exploitation of U.S. technology,” said Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy of the FBI’s San Diego Field Office. “When someone holds a security clearance, they know what information should be reported to security officials. In this case, the defendant betrayed his sacred oath, knew his actions were wrong, and subsequently lied about it. The FBI and our partners on the Counterintelligence Task Force will pursue anyone who abuses their placement and access to obtain proprietary information on behalf of a foreign government. I specifically want to thank the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) for their continued partnership on this case.”
“Mr. Moinian sold information to the Chinese government, and lied repeatedly to cover up his crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Michelle Kramer of the NCIS Office of Special Projects. “Now he is being held to account for his actions. NCIS and our partners remain unwavering in our commitment to protecting the U.S. military and rooting out criminality that threatens the superiority of the U.S. warfighter.”
In March of 2017, Moinian travelled to Hong Kong where he met with this purported recruiter and agreed to provide information and materials related to multiple types of aircraft designed and/or manufactured in the United States in exchange for money. Moinian accepted approximately $7,000-$10,000 in United States currency during that meeting. According to his plea agreement, at this meeting and at all subsequent meetings, Moinian knew that these individuals were employed by or directed by the government of the People’s Republic of China.
Upon returning to the United States, Moinian began gathering aviation-related materials, which included transferring material from a CDC to a thumb drive. In September 2017, the defendant traveled overseas and, during a stopover at the Shanghai airport, met with Chinese government officials and provided aviation-related materials on a thumb drive, including proprietary information from a CDC. Thereafter, Moinian arranged for payment for this information through the South Korean bank account of his stepdaughter. Moinian told his stepdaughter that these funds were payment for his consulting work overseas and instructed her to transfer the funds to him in multiple transactions.
Moinian also received a cell phone and other equipment from these individuals to communicate with them and aid in the electronic transfer of materials and information.
At the end of March 2018, Moinian traveled to Bali and met with these same individuals again. Later that year, he began working at another CDC. During this timeframe, the same individuals in China transferred thousands of dollars into the South Korean bank account of Moinian’s stepdaughter, who subsequently wired the funds to Moinian in multiple transactions.
In August 2019, Moinian traveled again to Hong Kong and met with these same individuals where he was again paid approximately $22,000 in cash for his services. Moinian and his wife smuggled this cash back into the United States.
According to his plea agreement, Moinian also admitted that he lied on his government background questionnaires in July 2017 and March 2020, when he falsely stated that did not have any close or continuing contacts with foreign nationals and that no foreign national had offered him a job.
At sentencing, Moinian faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and fine up to $250,000 for acting as an agent of a foreign government, and up to five years and a $250,000 fine for the false statements count. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 29.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the NCIS and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
Former Springside Chestnut Hill Academy Teacher and NY Accomplice Plead Guilty to Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Andrew Wolf, 42, of Philadelphia, PA, and Kray Strange, 20, of Carthage, NY, both pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney to multiple child exploitation offenses in connection with their scheme to manipulate and catfish children online, including Wolf’s own middle school students.
In February 2022, the defendants were indicted on charges of conspiracy to manufacture child pornography, along with several counts of manufacture and attempted manufacture of child pornography. These charges, to which they pleaded guilty today, stem from conduct which occurred over a period of one year. Between May 2020 and October 2021, Wolf and Strange developed and carried out an elaborate online child exploitation catfishing scheme, in which they impersonated minor girls to entice their child victims to self-produce and send them sexually explicit images. As part of their scheme, Wolf provided identifying information for his own middle school students to Strange so that Strange could target them online.
“Both of these defendants violated the privacy and innocence of children, but Andrew Wolf also violated the trust of the community in which he taught by victimizing his own students,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Our Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to doing the difficult work of investigating and prosecuting these crimes in order to hold child sexual predators accountable.”
“A teacher facilitating the sexual exploitation of his young students is the stuff of parents’ nightmares — and an instant priority for the FBI,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Andrew Wolf and Kray Strange now admit taking advantage of vulnerable boys for their own vile gratification. Our Crimes Against Children Task Force works around the clock to identify, investigate, and lock up predators like these two — and, sadly, there are many. We’d urge adults to remind the kids in their lives that not everyone is who they say they are online.”
Defendant Wolf faces a maximum possible sentence of 240 years in prison, and defendant Strange faces a maximum possible sentence of 210 years in prison. Both defendants face a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Harrell.
Former Malden Firefighter Pleads Guilty to Possession and Distribution of Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Malden firefighter pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with conspiring to distribute controlled substances including oxycodone, suboxone, Klonopin and Adderall.
Joshua Eisnor, 43, of North Reading, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Oct. 11, 2022. Eisnor was charged on May 26, 2022.
While working as a firefighter at the Malden Fire Department, Eisnor distributed controlled substances to other members of the Malden Fire Department.
“As a firefighter, Mr. Eisnor was responsible for the safety and wellbeing of Malden’s residents. His conduct violated this duty by potentially compromising the security and operations of the fire department and putting residents at risk,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “My office has a zero-tolerance policy for public officials who abuse their positions of trust.”
“Former Malden firefighter Joshua Eisnor admitted today to dealing drugs—while on duty—to his fellow firefighters, putting them, and the community they serve in potential danger," said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “His actions are an affront to the overwhelming majority of firefighters who go to work substance-free and alcohol-free every day and risk their lives to protect ours.”
“Prescription drugs offered illegally have no guarantees of safety or efficacy and hold the potential to harm those who use them,” Bradley E. Greenburg, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who put the health of the public at risk.”
“The VA Office of Inspector General is committed to investigating those who would abuse VA’s programs and services,” said Christopher F. Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their hard work leading to today’s guilty plea.”
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to a $500,000. Sentences in a criminal case 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, FBI SAC Bonavolonta, FDA-CI Acting SAC Greenburg and VA-OIG SAC Algieri made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Merrimack Valley Transnational Organized Crime Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eugenia M. Carris, Deputy Chief of Rollins’ Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit and Howard Locker, of Rollins’ Health Care Fraud Unit, are prosecuting the case.
Former Logan County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Wiretapping ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A former Logan County resident was sentenced today to two years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for prohibited interception of oral communications. Randall Dwight Holden II, 33, was also ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Holden admitted to secretly recording a video of a woman engaged in sexually explicit conduct in her Logan County home on November 25, 2017. The video was later uploaded to the internet without the victim’s knowledge. The video was one of several secretly recorded videos that Holden had created and posted online depicting the victim.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald 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. 2:22-cr-6.
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Former Investment Adviser Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for Investor Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that MARTIN RUIZ, a former investment adviser, was sentenced today to 72 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick. RUIZ pled guilty on November 12, 2021, for his role in a scheme to defraud his investment advisery clients out of their retirement savings.
According to the allegations in the Complaint, the Information to which RUIZ pled guilty, and statements made during court proceedings:
From at least in or about March 2011 through in or about the present, RUIZ induced multiple individual investment advisery clients of Carter Bain Wealth Management (“CBWM”), many of whom are elderly, to retain RUIZ and CBWM to advise them on how they should invest their retirement savings. While ostensibly acting in his fiduciary capacity as their investment adviser, RUIZ instead induced more than a dozen such clients to invest more than $10 million in an investment fund called RAM Fund through the purchase of limited partnership interests. RUIZ did not disclose to those clients that RUIZ controlled RAM Fund and that he planned to misappropriate their funds.
In fact, rather than invest the funds in legitimate investment projects and real estate, as he falsely represented to clients, RUIZ misappropriated more than $8 million of client funds from the RAM Fund, transferred those funds through a series of entities RUIZ also controlled, and spent the vast majority of the funds on personal expenses, including the purchase of a home, rent payments on several apartments, and the payment of his personal credit card bills. In so doing, he violated his fiduciary duty to act in his clients’ best interest and avoid self-dealing. RUIZ also made multiple false statements to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission about his companies and investments in order to hide his fraudulent scheme.
* * *
In addition to his prison sentence, RUIZ, 46, of New York, New York and Santa Fe, New Mexico, was ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $10,925,770.09.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of Homeland Security Investigations. Mr. Williams further thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance and cooperation in this investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kiersten A. Fletcher is in charge of the prosecution.
Former Fort Stewart Soldier Sentenced to Prison for Producing Child Sexual Assault MaterialRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A former soldier who admitted to producing child sexual assault material involving a 13-year-old victim was sentenced to prison for his crime.
Aaron D. Sutherland, 28, formerly of Fort Stewart, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison to be followed by 25 years of supervised release and $250,000 restitution by U.S. District Judge Louis Sands on June 22 after he previously pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. In addition, Sutherland will have to register as a sex offender for life upon his release from federal prison. There is no parole.
“Producing sexual assault material of children is an intolerable crime that will not go unpunished,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Law enforcement at every level will pursue justice when adults sexually entice, abuse or harm a minor.”
“Cases like this underscore the need to be careful when our kids use the internet or social media; Sutherland used the internet to assist him in exploiting an innocent child. Thankfully, he was caught and will no longer be able to hurt children,” said Special Agent in Charge Katrina Berger, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “Protecting our most vulnerable populations from exploitation is one of HSI’s most important missions and we are fortunate to have great working relationships with our law enforcement partners that provide invaluable assistance.”
“This case is another example of the fruitful results that occur when we combine the resources of local, state and federal law enforcement partners to get predators off the street,” said Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk.
According to court documents, Sutherland admitted he began communicating with a 13-year-old female while he was on active duty for the U.S. Army at Fort Stewart in Feb. 2021. Sutherland enticed the victim to send multiple nude images and videos of a sexual nature and asked to meet the child to engage in sexual activity. The minor victim’s mother discovered her child messaging an adult male in April 2021 after she observed her child acting strangely and confiscated her phone. In the messages, Sutherland stated the victim’s age. The mother reported the crime to authorities, and Sutherland was arrested on May 3, 2021. Sutherland provided law enforcement with his secret image vault where he saved all of the pictures and videos of the child.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn Semales prosecuted the case.
Former Financial Advisor Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Close to $6 Million Dollars from Clients and Spending it on Extramarital AffairsRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Yesterday, a federal district judge in Miami sentenced German Nino, a former UBS Financial Advisor, to 78 months in federal prison for stealing millions of dollars from client accounts that he managed.
According to court documents, Nino, a resident of Broward County, was a financial advisor working at a branch office of UBS Financial Services Inc. in Miami. Nino oversaw and managed UBS investment accounts for various customers. From about 2014 to 2020, Nino made 62 unauthorized transfers (totaling close to $6 million) from UBS accounts belonging to three clients. To accomplish the fraud, Nino concealed important facts from the victims, lied to them, and committed other fraudulent acts. For example, Nino misrepresenting the true performance, balance, and rate of return of the accounts he managed. He also forged the signature of his clients on documents purporting to authorize transfers out of the accounts, prepared a fraudulent land purchase contract on which he forged a victim’s signature, removed one of the victim’s e-mail addresses from the UBS client account profile so that the victim would not receive email notifications about unauthorized transfers, and prepared fraudulent UBS account statements that falsely inflated the balance and value of the victims’ accounts.
As set out in court records, Nino spent most of the money he stole from the accounts on funding his own extramarital affairs. Nino agreed to forfeit his interest in a home in Ave Marie, Florida as part of his sentence.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Miami Field Office announced the sentence that U.S. Senior District Judge Donald L. Graham imposed.
FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deric Zacca prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Stone is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-20020.
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Former El Paso Police Officer Sentenced for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
EL PASO – A former El Paso police officer was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for her involvement in a conspiracy to maintain a drug-involved premise.
According to court documents, Monica Garcia, 24, conspired with Fred Saenz, her stepfather and co-defendant, to use Saenz’s residence to distribute cocaine. Agents determined that Saenz was using his residence and a separate stash location to store and distribute cocaine. Garcia used her position as an El Paso police officer to provide information that helped Saenz avoid detection by law enforcement while he distributed cocaine. Her activities included conducting counter-surveillance and running license plate registrations to identify undercover police vehicles near the residence and stash house.
On November 10, 2020, agents seized $14,405 from Saenz’s residence and 1.2 kilograms of cocaine from a stash house he used. During the investigation undercover agents bought quantities of cocaine from Saenz at his residence.
On July 26, 2021, Fred Saenz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine. On November 1, 2021, Saenz was sentenced to 42 months in prison and ordered to forfeit $14,405 derived from the drug conspiracy.
On August 9, 2021, Garcia pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to maintain a drug-involved premise.
“Thanks to the collaboration between the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the El Paso Police Department we were able to see that justice was done in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “This sentence is a message that corruption, at any level, will not be tolerated.”
“Drug traffickers will stop at nothing, including trying to infiltrate law enforcement. But we can't let them,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Greg Millard, El Paso Division. “DEA and its local, state, and federal partners will remain diligent in finding and prosecuting anyone who supports, funds, or aids the cartels.”
“An officer that chooses to violate their oath has no place in law enforcement and this case serves as an example that the El Paso Police Department does not condone and will not tolerate such conduct by any officer of this department,” said El Paso Chief of Police Greg Allen. “I would like to thank the DEA and Special Agent in Charge at the time, Kyle Williamson, for taking the lead in investigating the case. I would also like to thank and commend the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas for the successful prosecution and subsequent sentencing.”
The DEA and the El Paso Police Department’s Narcotics Unit and Special Investigations Unit investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Williams and Steven Spitzer prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Former Attica EMT Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting a 16-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Brett Cearing, 30, of Attica, Indiana, was sentenced late yesterday to fifteen years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a 16-year-old minor and possessing child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, Cearing was living with his girlfriend and her 14-year-old daughter in Attica. Beginning on May 4, 2020, and continuing until August 11, 2020, Cearing sexually exploited a 16-year-old child who was visiting his girlfriend’s daughter at Cearing’s residence. Cearing surreptitiously recorded the victim using a hidden camera disguised as a cell phone charger in a bathroom. The camera captured the child as she showered, used the restroom, and undressed. Cearing edited the videos and images to focus on the child’s genitalia and admitted in court that he recorded the child because he had a sexual interest in her. He hid the images and videos he produced of the minor child in a “Hyper Tornado Secret Calculator” application that featured a way to hide images and videos from view unless the user entered a certain key sequence on the calculator. Cearing also attempted to record his girlfriend’s 14-year-old daughter as she showered.
After Cearing was initially charged in August 2020 with child exploitation and voyeurism by the Fountain County Prosecutor’s Office, he posted bond and was released on pretrial supervision. On January 17, 2021, during his pretrial release, Cearing was arrested and charged with public indecency after he allegedly exposed himself and masturbated to a young woman in the Love’s parking lot in Knightstown, Indiana. Cearing was then charged with sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography by federal complaint in the Southern District of Indiana and ordered detained by a federal magistrate judge.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana and Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Violent Crime Task Force investigated the case. The Fountain County Sheriff’s Department also provided valuable assistance. As part of Cearing’s sentence, Judge Barker ordered that he be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 7 years following his release from prison and pay $10,000 in restitution to the victim. Cearing must also register as sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, as required by law.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany J. Preston who prosecuted this case.
In fiscal year 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
Former Armed Forces of Liberia Commanding General Charged with Immigration Fraud and PerjuryRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging Moses Slanger Wright, 69, of Philadelphia, PA, with fraudulently attempting to obtain citizenship, fraud in immigration documents, false statements in relation to naturalization, and perjury in connection with his fraudulent attempt to obtain U.S. citizenship.
During Liberia’s First Civil War, the Armed Forces of Liberia was locked in a brutal campaign for control of the country with various rebel groups, most notably Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia. The Indictment alleges that the defendant, when applying for U.S. citizenship, was not truthful about his activities during Liberia’s First Civil War while he was a member, and ultimately the commanding general of, the Armed Forces of Liberia. According to the Indictment, Wright either personally committed, or ordered Armed Forces of Liberia troops under his command to commit numerous atrocities, including but not limited to, the following list of acts: 1) persecution of civilian noncombatant Gio and Mano tribesmen; 2) murder of civilian noncombatants; 3) assault of civilian noncombatants; 4) false arrest of civilian noncombatants; and 5) false imprisonment of civilian noncombatants.
In May 2013, Wright, who had been granted asylum in the U.S. in 2000 and lawful permanent residency in 2008, applied for U.S. citizenship. In applying for both asylum and lawful permanent residency, the defendant lied about his conduct during Liberia’s First Civil War. During his August 2016, in-person citizenship (naturalization) interview, Wright falsely swore and falsely certified under penalty of perjury that “[his citizenship] application, and the evidence submitted with it, [were] all true and correct.” His application included his false denials that he had: 1) “ever persecuted (either directly or indirectly) any person because of race, religion, national origin, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion;” 2) “ever committed a crime or offense for which [he was] not arrested;” and 3) “ever given false or misleading information to any U.S. Government official while applying for any immigration benefit or to prevent deportation, exclusion, or removal.” Additionally, while under oath, the defendant falsely answered similar queries posed by the examining USCIS officer.
“Wright sought to escape to the United States and start anew, where he lied about his appalling wartime conduct on federal immigration forms and to the faces of U.S. officials. The United States will not be a safe haven for human rights violators and war criminals,” said United States Attorney Romero.
“HSI is committed to upholding the law, both within the United States and abroad. Moses Wright, the former commanding general for the Armed Forces of Liberia, is alleged to have misrepresented his participation in the First Liberian Civil War when he came to the United States, hiding his leadership of forces that committed -- with his participation and under his command -- persecutory atrocities against innocent civilians,” said William S. Walker, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations, Philadelphia. “HSI continues steadfastly in our commitment to ensure the United States will never be a safe haven for those who seek to flee from atrocities they commit abroad.”
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 165 years in prison and a $7,000,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia Field Office with assistance from HSI’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center in Washington D.C., the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and the United States Embassy in Liberia, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Linwood C. Wright, Jr. and First Assistant United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former Adelanto Mayor Pro Tem Found Guilty of Accepting $10,000 Cash Bribe and Attempted Arson of His Own RestaurantRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – The former mayor pro tem of Adelanto has been found guilty by a jury of federal criminal charges for accepting a $10,000 cash bribe and hiring a man to burn down his restaurant so he could fraudulently collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in insurance proceeds, the Justice Department announced today.
Jermaine Wright, 46, of Riverside, was found guilty late Wednesday afternoon of one count of bribery of programs receiving federal funds and one count of attempted arson of a building affecting interstate commerce. Wright was remanded into federal custody following the verdict’s announcement.
United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal scheduled a September 12 sentencing hearing, at which time Wright will face a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison for the attempted arson offense and a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for both crimes.
According to the evidence presented at his six-day trial, in early 2017, federal investigators began a probe into possible corruption in the Adelanto, a city located in San Bernardino County. During the investigation, law enforcement used an informant who introduced Wright to two undercover FBI agents and recorded a series of conversations in which Wright discussed both plots.
In the first scheme, Wright – then an Adelanto city councilman as well as the city’s mayor pro tem – accepted a $10,000 bribe from an undercover FBI agent who told Wright he wanted his assistance in securing votes to expand the marijuana business zone, and for protection from code enforcement related to a supposed marijuana transportation business.
The man who purportedly wanted to relocate his marijuana business to Adelanto was an undercover FBI agent who told Wright that he was interested in using a property outside of the zone designated by the city for marijuana businesses. The agent specifically wanted Wright’s assistance in expanding the area where a marijuana transportation business would be permitted.
Ultimately, the informant told Wright that the undercover agent would rent a property from the informant which was outside of the approved marijuana business zone. Wright told the informant that the undercover agent would need an “exemption” that would allow the undercover operative to operate a marijuana transportation business, and that if the undercover agent wanted the exemption, then Wright wanted his “ten.”
At a meeting with the undercover agent and the informant, which took place in October 2017, Wright took a $10,000 bribe from the undercover agent. After taking the bribe, Wright confirmed that he would assist with code enforcement and votes. Wright also said he could curtail code enforcement activities against the marijuana transportation business, but it would require a “stack” – which Wright identified as $2,000 – each time Wright interceded.
In the second scheme, in August 2017, Wright sought the informant’s assistance in finding someone to burn down Fat Boyz Grill, his restaurant in Adelanto. In late September, Wright asked the informant to pass his cell phone number to the “electrician” – so named because Wright wanted the cause of the fire to appear to be an electrical problem.
Wright met the “electrician” – actually the second undercover FBI agent – on October 3, 2017 and said he wanted the fire on the following Saturday when the sprinkler system would be turned off. After Wright assured the undercover agent that his insurance policy covers everything, the “electrician” agreed to do the job for $1,500. At a meeting three days later, Wright paid the $1,500 after the undercover agent told Wright he needed more time to prepare for the job.
Wright also gave the agent a tour of the restaurant and assisted in the planning of the arson by providing a ladder for the undercover agent and discussing various tactics to ensure the planned arson would be a success.
In October 2017, the FBI executed a search warrant at Fat Boyz Grill and interviewed Wright, who confessed to hiring the undercover agent to burn down the restaurant. The next day, the informant reported to the FBI that Wright had told the informant that the FBI had approached Wright, and that Wright requested the informant’s assistance in making the undercover agent “go away.”
Wright also attempted to hatch a plot with the informant to stage an assault on Wright himself to make the FBI drop the case against him. In November 2017, Wright reported that he had been assaulted. The circumstances of the alleged assault were consistent with the staged assault that Wright discussed with the informant.
The FBI investigated the matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Sean D. Peterson of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
Fire/Rescue Call Leads to Sioux City Man Being Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Handgun as a FelonRead the Press Release
A man who was secretly armed with a loaded gun while arguing with another and falling into a window was sentenced June 22, 2022, to more than a year in federal prison.
James King, age 44, from Sioux City, received the prison term after a guilty plea to one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence in this case revealed on August 1, 2020, King was secretly armed with a loaded handgun while arguing with another. When King fell into a window and injured himself, Sioux City, Iowa Fire/Rescue responded, found King to have a severe cut to his right arm, and to be in possession of the firearm. King had been disarmed by law enforcement in 2018 as well.
King has a lengthy, but dated, criminal history including misdemeanor conviction for aggravated assault and two serious drug offenses.
King was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. King was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
King is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the DEA and the Sioux City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-4050.
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Fentanyl Dealer Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Eddie Wilson, 24, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime before U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer. The charges carry a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. McGrath, who is handling the case, stated that during the summer of 2021, Homeland Security Investigations and the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team began investigating Wilson’s drug trafficking activities after learning that he sold fentanyl to an individual, who then overdosed on the drugs. In October 2021 investigators executed a search warrant at Wilson’s Wolfert Terrace residence in Rochester, which resulted in the seizure of fentanyl and cocaine packaged for street sale, a loaded firearm, drug packaging paraphernalia and U.S. currency.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team, the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Interim Chief David Smith, the Brighton Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Catholdi and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 12, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Larimer.
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