Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Wednesday 11 May 2022
Jury convicts Louisiana man for smuggling 52 in trailerRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A federal jury in Laredo has convicted a 47-year-old for conspiring to transport and transporting undocumented aliens within the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
The jury deliberated for over three hours before convicting Roderick DeWayne Chisley, of Monroe, Louisiana, following a three-day trial.
The jury heard that on Dec. 17, 2021, authorities stopped Chisley shortly after he passed through the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint on I-35.
Authorities discovered the tractor trailer he was driving was stolen. Upon further inspection, law enforcement found 52 undocumented individuals in the trailer. They were later determined to be illegally present in the country.
Chisley admitted he was going to be paid $50,000 to transport the tractor trailer from Laredo to San Antonio.
At trial, law enforcement testimony explained the laws governing the commercial trucking industry and about standard practices of truck drivers.
The defense attempted to convince the jury that Chisley had no knowledge of the 52 aliens in his trailer.
However, the jury heard additional testimony from two of the undocumented aliens. They described how the vehicle began moving almost immediately after they entered the trailer. It did not stop until they reached the checkpoint.
The jury did not believe the defense story and found Chisley guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña presided over trial and will set sentencing at a future date. At that time, Chisley faces up to 10 years of imprisonment and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Chisley will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Fawcett and Aaron Petters are prosecuting the case.
Jury Finds Ocala Convicted Felon Guilty of Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Nathanael Santiago (29, Ocala) guilty of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a previously convicted felon. Santiago faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Santiago had been indicted on July 21, 2021.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office encountered Santiago behind the driver’s seat of an idling vehicle in Marion Oaks. Deputies approached Santiago and saw a marijuana “blunt” in the ashtray, which Santiago admitted to smoking. When Santiago stepped out of the vehicle, deputies discovered a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol partially concealed under his right leg. Santiago had previously been convicted of three felony offenses and never had his civil rights restored by executive clemency.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys William S. Hamilton and Hannah Nowalk.
Jury Convicts Kansas City Man of Stealing and Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was convicted by a federal trial jury today of stealing and illegally possessing a firearm.
Larry D. Bradley, 53, was found guilty of four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, stealing a firearm, possessing a stolen firearm, and receiving a firearm while under indictment for a felony. Bradley has been in federal custody since his arrest on July 9, 2021.
On March 20, 2020, officers with the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department were dispatched to a residence on a reported shooting. Upon arrival, officers located the victim who was suffering from an apparent gunshot wound on the floor of the residence. Officers learned that Bradley had discharged the firearm and fled from the residence with the firearm. With the assistance of a canine, they were able to find Bradley hiding inside a trailer. Bradley no longer had the firearm, so officers asked him where the firearm was located. Bradley led the officers to a tire where he had hidden the firearm. Bradley later admitted that he had taken the firearm from the victim a couple days before the shooting.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm. Bradley has prior felony convictions for first-degree robbery and second-degree robbery. It is also illegal for anyone who is under indictment for a felony to receive a firearm. At the time he stole the firearm, he was under indictment for the felony possession of methamphetamine.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., returned the guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, ending a trial that began on May 9, 2022.
Under federal statutes, Bradley is subject to a sentence of up to 35 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Jefferson County man sentenced for failing to registerRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Patrick Allen Darlington, of Charles Town, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 12 months and one day of incarceration for a failure to register charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Darlington, 43, pleaded guilty in February 2022 to one count of “Failure to Register.” Darlington, a person required to register as a sex offender because of a prior conviction, has admitted to traveling across state lines without updating his sex offender registration from August 2020 to March 2021 in Jefferson County and elsewhere.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor F. Hurney prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The U.S. Marshals Service investigated.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Jason M. Frierson Sworn in as United States Attorney for the District of NevadaRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – Jason M. Frierson was sworn in today as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada. Chief U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du administered the oath of office at the Lloyd D. George U.S. Courthouse, attended by judicial officers, agency partners, and Mr. Frierson’s family, friends, and colleagues.
Mr. Frierson is the first African American to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada. He was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden on November 15, 2021, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 27, 2022.
“I am humbled and honored for the opportunity to serve as our district’s U.S. Attorney,” said Mr. Frierson. “I’m also grateful for my family’s support throughout the nomination and confirmation process. Throughout my career, keeping our communities safe has been a top priority. I look forward to fulfilling the Department of Justice’s mission alongside our dedicated, talented Assistant U.S. Attorneys, staff professionals, and law enforcement and community partners. We share a steadfast commitment to upholding the rule of law, preventing violent crime in our neighborhoods, protecting the civil rights of citizens, and seeking justice for victims.”
As the District of Nevada’s chief federal law enforcement officer, Mr. Frierson will lead a team of over 100 prosecutors and staff professionals with offices located in Las Vegas and Reno.
Prior to his appointment as U.S. Attorney, Mr. Frierson most recently served as both the Speaker of the Nevada State Assembly and an Assistant Public Defender in the Clark County Public Defender’s Office. From 2012 to 2014 and from 2017 to 2019, he served as a Chief Deputy District Attorney in the Clark County District Attorney’s Office. Mr. Frierson was a partner at Surratt Law Practice in Las Vegas from 2014 to 2017.
Mr. Frierson earned his J.D. from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law in 2001, and his B.S. from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1996. After graduating from law school, Mr. Frierson served as a law clerk for Justice Myron E. Leavitt on the Supreme Court of Nevada from 2001 to 2002.
###
Jamaican Nationals Sentenced to Federal Prison for Their Roles in Lottery Scam Targeting Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA — Four Jamaican nationals who resided in Myrtle Beach have been sentenced for their roles in a bogus lottery scam that targeted elderly victims around the country. Specifically, Fabian Gray, a/k/a “Mike Taylor,” 30, and Romaine Gordon, 30, were each sentenced to more than five years in federal prison; Avia Reid, 30, was sentenced to more than four years in federal prison; and Khalelah Powell, 20, was sentenced to more than two years in federal prison.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) began this case with an investigation into individuals in the Myrtle Beach area who were operating a lottery telemarketing scam with domestic and international connections. According to evidence presented to the Court, as part of the scam, the Defendants would contact elderly victims via phone and mail, and falsely inform the victims they had won a sweepstakes. The supposed prizes in these sweepstakes usually consisted of millions of dollars, a new vehicle, or other valuable items. The Defendants told the victims they had to pay taxes and fees in order to receive their winnings.
Victims throughout the case mailed the Defendants prepaid cards, Postal Service money orders, bank money orders, cash, and personal checks to pay the phony taxes and fees. Victims also made deposits into the Defendants’ bank accounts and sent wire transfers to the Defendants. The Defendants received more than $300,000 from their targets. The funds were ultimately withdrawn by, or transferred to, co-conspirators in Jamaica, and the Defendants retained a 25% cut of the scamming proceeds. At least 67 victims, who were mostly elderly, suffered a loss as part of the scheme. Twenty-five of those victims were more than 80 years old, and several victims were targeted multiple times.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Gray to 63 months, Gordon to 63 months, Reid to 51 months, and Powell to 33 months. The Defendants were each sentenced to three years of court-ordered supervision to follow their federal prison sentences in the event they are not deported upon release. There is no parole in the federal system. The Defendants were also ordered to pay $349,433.75 in restitution to their victims.
This case was investigated by HSI and USPIS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek A. Shoemake prosecuted the case.
###
Indictment Charges Two with Violating Federal Drug LawsRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - Two former residents of Erie, Pennsylvania have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of violating federal drug laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The four-count Superseding Indictment named Jose Anibal Martinez, Jr., 34 and David Michael Sullivan, 43, as defendants.
According to the Superseding Indictment presented to the court, on or about November 5, 2021, Martinez and Sullivan conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute more than fifty grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. In addition, on or about July 16, 2021, Martinez possessed with intent to distribute and distributed more than fifty grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. On March 16, 2022, Martinez possessed with intent to distribute more than forty grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and more than one hundred grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 120 years in prison, a fine of $15,000,000, or both for Martinez and a maximum total sentence of 80 years in prison, a fine of $10,000,000, or both for Sullivan. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Erie Area Gang Law Enforcement (EAGLE) task force, which is comprised of members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Erie Bureau of Police, the Oil City Police Department, the Franklin Police Department, and the Titusville Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment in this case.
A Superseding Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Hudson County Felon Convicted of Possessing Three Firearms and Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A federal jury has convicted a Hudson County, New Jersey, man of possessing three firearms and ammunition and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Justin A. Rodriguez, 29, of West New York, was convicted following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler on one count of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
On July 2, 2020, while conducting surveillance, law enforcement observed an unknown individual place what appeared to be a handgun into Rodriguez’s vehicle. A search of Rodriguez’s vehicle pursuant to a search warrant yielded one 9-millimeter handgun loaded with nine rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition; one .45-caliber handgun loaded with eight rounds of .45-caliber ammunition; one .38-caliber revolver; one clear plastic bag containing cocaine; and four bags containing marijuana.
The firearm charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The cocaine trafficking charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited members of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura: deputy marshals with the U.S. Marshals Service in the District of New Jersey, under the supervision of U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos Jr.; special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the leadership of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews; and special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson, with the investigation leading to the conviction.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah A. Sulkowski and Benjamin Levin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
Honduran Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to 20 Years in U.S. PrisonRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – A federal district judge in South Florida has sentenced Honduran national Fredy Donaldo Marmol Vallejo, 40, to 240 months in prison for his role in an international drug trafficking conspiracy.
In October 2021, Marmol was extradited from Honduras to the United States to face charges in the Southern District of Florida. On January 27, Marmol pled guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine with the intent to import it into the United States.
U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of FBI Miami, and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Miami Field Office announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks.
FBI Miami and DEA Miami investigated this case, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection, Miami. U.S. Attorney Gonzalez extends his gratitude to the government of Honduras for its assistance with this matter, as well as the Agencia Técnica de Investigación Criminal (ATIC). He also recognizes the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, which provided substantial assistance in securing Marmol’s arrest and extradition.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Hernandez and Walter Norkin are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster is handling asset forfeiture.
This prosecution is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and other priority transnational criminal organizations that threaten the citizens of the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach to combat transnational organized crime. The OCDETF program facilitates complex, joint operations by focusing its partner agencies on priority targets, by managing and coordinating multi-agency efforts, and by leveraging intelligence across multiple investigative platforms.
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 21-cr-20277.
###
Hartford Man Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Cocaine Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KENDALL HOOKS, 50, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 66 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service into individuals who were receiving shipments of cocaine through the U.S. Mail from Puerto Rico and California, and distributing the drug in and around Hartford. The investigation revealed that Pedro Rivera arranged to have a cocaine source in Puerto Rico send parcels containing kilograms of cocaine to addresses in Hartford. When the cocaine parcels arrived, Jesus Rodriguez, a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier, delivered the cocaine to Rivera. Rodriguez also distributed cocaine to his own drug customers, including Hooks, in the Hartford area. Hooks also facilitated cocaine transactions between Rodriguez and other narcotics traffickers.
On June 4, 2019, a grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging Hooks, Rivera, Rodriguez and 16 others with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and related offenses. Hooks was detained in state custody when the indictment was returned.
On August 20, 2021, Hooks pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Rivera and Rodriguez also pleaded guilty. On April 13, 2022, Rivera was sentenced to 100 months of imprisonment. Rodriguez awaits sentencing.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Hardy County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Jason Lamela Rodriguez, of Moorefield, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Rodriguez, 33, pleaded guilty today to today on one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine-Aiding and Abetting.” Rodriguez admitted to having cocaine in August 2021 in Hardy County.
Rodriguez faces at up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen. D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the United States Postal Inspection Service investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Grants man accused of sending threats to FBI agentRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Matthew James Cerno, 48, of Grants, New Mexico, made an initial appearance in federal court today facing a charge of making threats of violence against a federal law enforcement officer. Cerno will remain in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for May 13.
According to a criminal complaint, on Feb. 23, 2018, Cerno was interviewed by law enforcement officers from the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, as Cerno claimed to have information regarding the West Mesa murders. In early October 2021, Cerno contacted the FBI Albuquerque Field Office by telephone to follow up regarding his prior report and was again interviewed regarding that report.
On Nov. 20, 2021, Cerno once again contacted the FBI Albuquerque Field Office to provide additional information regarding the West Mesa Murders. An agent contacted Cerno from an FBI issued cellphone. Cerno provided statements that were similar to those in his prior interviews. Over the following two-month period, Cerno allegedly made multiple calls to the agent’s cellphone. Each time the Agent directed Cerno to contact the FBI call center rather than contacting the agent directly.
Beginning on Jan. 28, Cerno allegedly left four messages on the agent's voicemail threatening that he would drug, rape, and direct the beating of the agent, and that the agent’s FBI badge would not save him.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Cerno faces up to five years in prison.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Tavo Hall is prosecuting the case.
# # #
Grand Rapids Men Sentenced for Shooting at A Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced today that U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou sentenced Jaquari Trotter, age 21, and Gregory Rogers, age 22, both of Grand Rapids, Michigan, to 60 and 57 months, respectively, for shooting at a member of the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force. Rogers also faced sentencing for separate offenses involving illegal firearm possession and drug trafficking. Judge Jarbou imposed a total combined sentence for Rogers of 177 months in prison.
On February 4, 2020, Trotter and Rogers were outside a residence on Sherman Street SE in Grand Rapids when a member of the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force drove by in an unmarked SUV. When the agent drove by a second time, Trotter and Rogers pulled out in front of the unmarked SUV and sped around a neighboring corner. Trotter had Rogers pull over sharply to the right side of the road and jumped out of the passenger door. Trotter then pulled a loaded 9mm handgun from his waistband and fired 11 shots at the agent’s vehicle before jumping back into the getaway car and speeding away with Rogers. The bullets Trotter fired pierced the agent’s SUV from the front bumper all the way to the rear door panel and also struck a nearby house. Trotter and Rogers each pled guilty to this offense in January 2022 shortly before they were scheduled for trial.
In sentencing Trotter and Rogers, Judge Jarbou emphasized the extremely serious nature of the men’s crimes. She noted that Trotter shot at the agent 11 times in the middle of a residential neighborhood, putting not only the agent’s life in jeopardy but also the lives of innocent civilians. She also focused on both men’s criminal histories and gang affiliations, remarking that, if released today, Trotter and Rogers would likely continue committing crimes.
“This shooting could have cost a law enforcement officer his life,” declared U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Trotter and Rogers acted without regard for the lethal results their actions could cause. These sentences reflect the violent and serious nature of the crimes committed and are an important step in ensuring the safety of our community.”
Kent County District Attorney Chris Becker echoed Totten’s sentiments, remarking that his office is “happy to work hand in hand with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring justice to the victim” of the shooting.
“The use of violence against one law enforcement officer carrying out his sworn duty is an offense against every officer who works selflessly to keep our communities safe,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “When violent perpetrators target those whose duty it is to protect and serve, every resource of the FBI will be used to ensure they are brought to justice.”
“The U.S. Marshals Service is appreciative of the efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and all the investigators involved in this case,” declared Joseph Guzman, Acting Chief Deputy of the U.S. Marshals Service. “This was a serious attack against one of our Officers and we are thankful these individuals have been held accountable.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Grand Rapids Police Department, with important additional assistance provided by the United States Marshals Service and the Michigan State Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Carowan and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Blair Lachman, who also serves as a Deputy Prosecutor in Kent County.
###
Georgia Man Sentenced to 40 Months in Federal Prison for Defrauding Yakima Non-ProfitRead the Press Release
Yakima – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Kentey Ramone Fielder, age 42, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced today in federal court in Yakima, Washington. Chief Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Fielder to 40 months in federal prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Chief Judge Bastian also ordered that Fielder pay restitution of $14,220.17.
In December 2021, Fielder pled guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a fraudulent scheme that he perpetrated concerning a contract with the United States Army’s Yakima Training Center (YTC), which is used by the Army for maneuver training, Land Warrior system testing and as a live fire exercise area. According to court documents, in 2015, Fielder obtained a contract to perform janitorial services at the YTC in the name of his company, Clean Contracting Services, (CCSI). Because Fielder had been disqualified from federal contracting in 2014, neither he nor CCSI were eligible to receive any federal contracts. Fielder obtained the YTC contract by misrepresenting that he was not affiliated with CCSI.
After obtaining the YTC contract, Fielder contacted Yakima Specialties, a Yakima-based nonprofit that employs individuals with disabilities to perform janitorial and other services at federal facilities, according to court documents. Fielder posed as a government contracting official and told Yakima Specialties that it had received the YTC contract. Posing as a government official, Fielder sent Yakima Specialties a fake YTC contract to perform the work, and included the name and signature of a real government contracting official that Fielder stole from a different contract. Believing it had been awarded the contract, Yakima Specialties performed the work, but was unable to obtain payment because it did not have the real YTC contract. Fielder then billed for and received payment for the work under CCSI.
According to court documents, the YTC contract was one of many contracts that CCSI and Fielder received using the fraudulent scheme described above. In July 2020, Fielder was indicted in the Eastern District of Washington for the fraud on the YTC contract. While Fielder was initially released from custody pending trial, in May 2021, he was subsequently ordered detained by the court for perpetrating a similar scheme in Georgia while on pretrial release, and will remain in custody until his sentence is served.
“Mr. Fielder’s fraud was as brazen as it was widespread, involving dozens of government contracts around the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Through our investigation and prosecution here in the Eastern District of Washington, we were able to hold Mr. Fielder accountable and to protect the public from his fraud, which not only stole from public funds, but harmed non-profit entities such as Yakima Specialties, which exists to employ individuals with disabilities and to perform vital services for the public. Fraud devastates our community’s critical resources. My office will continue to work proactively with our law enforcement partners to stop fraudulent schemes, and I commend the exceptional investigative work and collaboration by this talented and hardworking team of case agents.”
“This sentencing is the result of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s commitment to ensuring that Department of Defense programs and missions are protected from fraudulent actions throughout the procurement process,” stated Special Agent in Charge Cynthia A. Bruce, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Southeast Field Office. “Individuals who shamelessly violate the integrity of the defense contracting system for their own personal gain will be thoroughly investigated and brought to justice.”
“We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to uncover such deceitful schemes involving federal contracts,” said Special Agent in Charge Terry Pfeifer of the GSA Office of Inspector General.
“Today’s sentencing should serve as a stark reminder that our agents, and those of our partner law enforcement agencies, are unrelenting in their pursuit of those who choose to victimize government contractors through deceit and defrauding the US Army and its Soldiers of full, open, and secure competition within its procurement efforts,” said Special Agent in Charge L. Scott Moreland, Major Procurement Fraud Field Office, US Army Criminal Investigation Division.
The settlement was the result of a joint investigation conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington; the Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division; the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General; the General Services Administration Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General; the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General; the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General; the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General; the Department of State Office of Inspector General; the Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General; and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division.
Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Tyler H.L. Tornabene of the Eastern District of Washington handled this matter on behalf of the United States.
Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Key Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization Operating in Kanawha CountyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Georgia man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 500 or more grams of methamphetamine as part of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Kanawha County.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2020 until at least September 28, 2021, Ramon David Alston, 42, of Decatur, Georgia, sold 1-pound and multi-pound quantities of methamphetamine from his Georgia residence to individuals including co-defendants from Charleston, West Virginia, as part of the DTO. Alston admitted that he knew these customers intended to distribute methamphetamine in the Southern District of West Virginia.
Alston further admitted that two of his West Virginia customers visited his residence separately on July 19, 2021, and that he sold one of them a kilogram of methamphetamine. That customer was later stopped by police and arrested after being found in possession of the methamphetamine. Alston admitted to learning of the arrest, and of knowing that the other customer had purchased approximately 6 pounds of methamphetamine from him over the course of the DTO conspiracy.
Alston is scheduled to be sentenced on August 8, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, as well as at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the United States Marshals Service, the Charleston Police Department, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-172.
###
Gainesville Man Sentenced to 292 Months in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA –Travonta Deangelo Rivers, 34, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison following his conviction on two counts of receipt of child pornography. Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentenced.
Rivers was convicted by a federal jury in July 2021. Evidence introduced at trial revealed that a search warrant at Rivers’ residence in May 2020, resulted in the seizure of computers which Rivers used to receive and share numerous videos of child pornography. Rivers was located and arrested in December 2020, and again found in possession of a computer which he had used to receive and share child pornography.
“This sentence is yet another example of the unwavering commitment to the protection of our most vulnerable and should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would attempt to harm them,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who prey upon our children.”
“Crimes against children will always be a primary focus for HSI and our law enforcement partners,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. "Law enforcement partnerships, such as with the Gainesville Police Department, and targeted predator operations will continue to make our communities safer for everyone."
Rivers’ prison sentence will be followed by 20 years of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to sex offender conditions.
“We will continue to work together to keep our children safe from victimization,” said Alachua County Sheriff Clovis Watson, Jr. “We’ve been effective in our collaboration and will continue to be. We are better together.”
This conviction was a result from the collaborative investigation of Homeland Security Investigations, the Gainesville Police Department, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, and the St. John’s County Sheriff’s Office as part of the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Frank Williams prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Gillette Felon Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that PRESTON RAY WISENBAKER, age 31, of Gillette, Wyoming was sentenced for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime on April 21, 2021, in front of Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson. Wisenbaker was ordered to 120 months’ imprisonment followed by four years of supervised release and to pay a $100 special assessment.
In June 2021, agents with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation learned that Wisenbaker was distributing controlled substances in the Gillette, Wyoming area. In the investigation of Wisenbaker, DCI agents learned Wisenbaker was a convicted felon and was prohibited from possessing firearms. On June 3, 2021, agents obtained a search warrant for Wisenbaker’s residence in Gillette and discovered several firearms and large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
This crime was investigated by the Gillette Police Department, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Forwood.
Case Number 0:21-cr-00085-ABJ
Former United States Golf Association Employee Sentenced to over One Year in Prison for Embezzling more $3.3 Million Worth of U.S. Open TicketsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Robert Fryer, 40, of Perkasie, PA, was sentenced today to 14 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $3,364,622 in restitution to the USGA and forfeit the $1,150,000 in profits he amassed by United States District Judge Michael M. Baylson for participating in a conspiracy to steal and sell more than $3.3 million worth of U.S. Open Golf tournament tickets from Fryer’s former employer, the United States Golf Association (“USGA”).
In October 2021, the defendant pleaded guilty and admitted that he sold the tickets for roughly $1.2 million to two different Philadelphia-area ticket brokers, Jeremi Michael Conaway, 46, of West Chester, PA (who owns and operates Eagle Eye Ticketing Management) and James Bell, 70, of Glen Mills, PA (who owns and operates Sherry’s Theater Ticket Agency), both of whom were previously sentenced to prison for their roles in the conspiracy.
Beginning in 2013 in connection with the U.S. Open held at the Merion Golf Club, while working for the USGA in their admissions office, Fryer realized that he could exploit a weakness in the USGA’s ticket tracking protocol and steal tickets to the U.S. Open without the knowledge of the USGA. Rather than notify his employer of this flaw, Fryer admitted that he stole thousands of U.S. Open tickets in connection with the U.S. Open at Merion and arranged to sell the stolen tickets to Conaway, who at the time worked for another ticket brokerage in the area. Fryer continued to steal and sell tickets to Conaway for every subsequent U.S. Open through 2019, and he would have stolen tickets to the 2020 U.S. Open except it was held without fans that year due to the pandemic. Further, in connection with the 2017 U.S. Open, the defendant also sold stolen U.S. Open tickets to Bell, who operated another local area ticket brokerage. All told, Fryer admitted to stealing more than $3 million worth of U.S. Open tickets and selling them for approximately $1.2 million to his two co-conspirators, who themselves sold the tickets for a profit.
“This defendant stole revenue from an American institution and legitimate business that pays taxes, employs many, supports a non-profit organization, and brings excitement and income to our district with U.S. Open events at courses like the Merion Golf Club,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Criminals that conduct ticket schemes like this prey on the excitement surrounding big events; fans should remember that any item with a low price that seems ‘too good to be true’ should be cause for caution and concern.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael S. Lowe.
Former South Burlington Resident Sentenced to 20 Years for Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated Cory Johnson, formerly of South Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Court Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford to 20 years of imprisonment with 15 years of supervised release to follow for producing child sexual abuse materials, also known as child pornography. Johnson previously pleaded guilty to a single count of child pornography production, admitting that, in or about September 2016, he video recorded sexually explicit content involving a minor. At sentencing, the government sought a 30-year sentence, the maximum allowed by law, for Johnson’s videotaped abuse of a toddler.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas Kerest stated, “The conviction in this case is the product of years of tireless and dedicated work by the prosecutors and their agent partners. Our office will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse by investigating and prosecuting those who victimize the most vulnerable.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, for the agency’s work on the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eugenia A. P. Cowles and Jonathan A. Ophardt represented the government. Frank Twarog, Esq. represented Johnson.
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 Child Exploitation Obscenity Section, Criminal Division (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.
Former Scott County Coroner Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – The former Scott County Coroner, John Goble, 68, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, before U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove, to conspiracy to commit theft of weapons and ammunition belonging to Kentucky State Police.
According to Goble’s plea agreement, from 2014-2018, Goble agreed with Mike Crawford to store ammunition belonging to Kentucky State Police, in the basement of his office. This ammunition was misappropriated by the KSP armorer, Mitch Harris, and then given to Crawford and Goble. Over the total conspiracy, the total value of the misappropriated ammunition had a value of approximately $40,000.
Goble was indicted in April 2022.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ken Taylor and Kate Smith.
Goble is scheduled to be sentenced on August 12, 2022. He faces up five years in prison and a maximum of a $250,000 fine. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
— END —
Former Labor Union Secretary-Treasurer Pleads Guilty to EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – An Emporia man pleaded guilty today to embezzlement and theft of labor union assets.
According to court documents, from April 2013 through April 2019, Anthony Jordan, 55, worked as the Secretary-Treasurer of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, Division 26. Throughout the scheme, Jordan used his position and employment at Division 26 in order to steal money at the expense of the labor union. While serving as Division 26’s Secretary-Treasurer, a salaried position, Jordan embezzled funds from the union by writing unauthorized checks to himself from Division 26’s checking account, and by making unauthorized direct debits, ATM withdrawals, and cash back transactions from Division 26’s checking account.
In total, Jordan embezzled $30,519.76 from the union. He used the union’s funds to pay for personal expenses, such as for veterinary services, utilities, cell phone service, internet and cable, groceries, personal tax returns, convenience store transactions, and more.
Jordan is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8. He faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and potential financial penalties. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the plea.
The Department of Labor, Office of Labor Management, investigated this case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-049.
Former DEA Supervisory Agent Sentenced to 135 Months in Prison for Accepting Bribes from Drug KingpinRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—A former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent was sentenced today for accepting bribes from a drug trafficker. Nathan Koen, 45, now of Auburn, Illinois, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller.
Koen was charged by a federal grand jury in November 2019 with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, and one count of bribery of a public official. In August 2021, he pleaded guilty to bribery in exchange for dismissal of the drug-related charge.
During the sentencing hearing, which took place over two days and concluded today, Judge Miller found that Koen accepted bribes from a known, large-scale drug trafficker for the purpose of helping facilitate a drug conspiracy, and that the conspiracy involved at least 15 to 45 kilograms of methamphetamine. The drug trafficker testified during the hearing and explained that he believed Koen provided was providing sensitive, law-enforcement information, which helped the trafficker avoid detection by law enforcement and run his drug organization. The drug trafficker, who is in federal custody, stated that his organization was responsible for distributing kilogram quantities of methamphetamine cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana.
“This defendant’s actions are a disgrace to the thousands of dedicated law enforcement officers who work with integrity every day to protect and serve our communities,” stated United States Attorney Jonathan D. Ross. “His greed and deception have no place in law enforcement, and we are pleased to see this case come to its rightful conclusion.”
In 2018, the FBI began investigating Koen, who had been working for DEA since 2002 and had transferred in 2016 to work as a Group Supervisor in the Little Rock DEA office from Jacksonville, Florida. FBI agents interviewed the drug trafficker who told law enforcement he had paid Koen cash for information and protection related to his drug-trafficking activities.
The drug trafficker told FBI agents he had been in custody on federal drug charges in 2013-2014 when another inmate told him he should contact Koen and offer to work as an informant, which he did. After his case was resolved, the informant resumed distributing large amounts of heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana, and cocaine in Florida, California, Arkansas, and elsewhere, while making payments to Koen for protection. The informant paid approximately $31,500 to Koen before he began cooperating with the FBI.
The informant began working with FBI, and he agreed to set up a controlled delivery of a bribe payment to Koen. Koen and the informant agreed to meet in Las Vegas on December 3, 2018. FBI agents equipped the informant with $9,000 cash and multiple audio recording devices. Koen and the informant met on the sidewalk across from the Bellagio hotel and walked together to the Paris Las Vegas hotel, where they went inside a bathroom away from casino cameras. Once inside, the informant placed the cash in Koen’s backpack, and they left the hotel, each going in different directions.
Recordings of the encounter revealed that Koen asked the informant, “Did you make this worth it?” The informant responded, “Come on, man, you know I always make it worth it for you.” Koen responded, “I know.” Koen also advised the informant that he should get rid of all his phones and change his address because he expected a search warrant to be executed at his home soon. Koen was arrested when he returned to Arkansas later that day, and he admitted to accepting bribes from the informant.
“By protecting a drug trafficking organization and accepting bribes from a drug kingpin, former Group Supervisor Nathan Koen deceived and betrayed his brothers and sisters in the DEA,” FBI Little Rock Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson said. “His disgraceful and corrupt conduct only strengthens our resolve to continue attacking corruption at all levels. We’re grateful for the strong, ongoing partnerships we share with both the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Attorney's Office.”
“Today’s sentencing reflects DEA’s commitment to hold accountable any DEA employee who abuses the trust of the American people by violating their oath as a federal law enforcement officer,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “Nathan Koen put himself ahead of the principles he swore to protect. I commend our federal law enforcement partners who investigated this case and the U.S. Attorneys who prosecuted it.”
“Koen turned his back on his duty to protect the public. As a DEA Agent, Koen was tasked with investigating drug traffickers. Instead, he accepted a cash bribe and provided a known drug trafficker with sensitive law enforcement information. The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General will continue to investigate those who engage in this kind of conduct,” said Cloey C. Pierce, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Dallas Field Office.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Miller also sentenced Koen to two years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Benecia Moore and Chris Givens.
# # #
This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Former Corsica Official Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding the Borough of More than $300,000Read the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh to 21 months’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release on her conviction of wire fraud, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Nora Berry Fischer imposed the sentence on Tammy Laird, 49, of Corsica, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, from January 2009 through August 2017, while Laird was employed as the Secretary and Treasurer of Corsica Borough, she defrauded the borough of more than $300,000 by issuing checks from the borough’s bank accounts to her father, her husband, and herself, by extracting funds from the borough’s bank accounts to pay personal expenses and credit card bills, and by making personal purchases on the borough’s business account at Staples. To hide her activity, Laird supplied the Corsica Borough Council and state auditors with altered bank statements and other falsified financial documentation. In 2020, Laird entered a guilty plea to all 26 counts of wire fraud charged.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Fischer stated that although Laird had demonstrated remorse and post-conviction rehabilitation efforts, she had perpetrated a multi-year fraud upon the borough, a small community with very limited operating funds, and as such, she deserved a sentence of imprisonment commensurate with the significant financial harm caused. Judge Fischer further ordered Laird to pay restitution to Corsica Borough in the amount of $265,200.79.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Laird.
Former Chief of Honduran National Police Extradited to the United States on Drug Trafficking and Weapons OffensesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Anne Milgram, the Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced today the extradition of JUAN CARLOS BONILLA VALLADARES, a/k/a “El Tigre,” on charges of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and related weapons offenses involving the use and possession of machine guns and destructive devices. BONILLA VALLADARES arrived from Honduras in the Southern District of New York yesterday, and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Rather than use his high-powered position as the Chief of Honduran Police to combat drug trafficking, Juan Carlos Bonilla Valladares, a/k/a ‘El Tigre,’ corruptly exploited his position to protect and assist the drug trafficking organizations he was obligated to disrupt. With his support and protection, Bonilla Valladares’s associates became a critical pipeline for the Central American drug trade to the United States. His extradition demonstrates that no one is exempt by virtue of their title or position of authority – even foreign Presidents and police chiefs – from criminal prosecution for contributing to the flood of illegal narcotics into this country that causes so much harm.”
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: “Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez would not have risen to power and successfully benefited from massive drug proceeds had it not been for his expansive network of corrupt associates. These associates, including Bonilla Valladares, likewise exploited their positions to traffic cocaine to the United States and violently protect other politically connected drug traffickers, all for their own personal gains. Bonilla Valladares further betrayed the Honduran people by using his law enforcement badge to cover for his crimes. Bonilla Valladares’s extradition shows the world once again that corrupt officials cannot hide behind their positions. DEA, in coordination with our U.S. and international partners, will stop at nothing to bring to justice anyone who threatens the safety and health of Americans.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint charging BONILLA VALLADARES, evidence presented at the October 2019 trial of Juan Antonio Hernandez Alvarado (“Hernandez Alvarado”) in the Southern District of New York, and statements in open court during the prosecution of Hernandez Alvarado[1]:
Between approximately 2003 and 2020, multiple drug-trafficking organizations in Honduras and elsewhere worked together, and with support from certain prominent public and private individuals, including Honduran politicians and law enforcement officials, to receive multi-ton loads of cocaine sent to Honduras from, among other places, Colombia and Venezuela via air and maritime routes, and to transport the drugs westward in Honduras toward the border with Guatemala and eventually to the United States. For protection from law enforcement interference, and in order to facilitate the safe passage through Honduras of multi-ton loads of cocaine, drug traffickers paid bribes to public officials, including certain presidents, members of the National Congress of Honduras, and personnel from the Honduran National Police, including BONILLA VALLADARES.
BONILLA VALLADARES was a member of the Honduran National Police between approximately 1998 and approximately 2016. During his tenure, he held high-ranking positions, including Regional Police Chief with authority over locations in western Honduras that were strategically important to drug traffickers, and Chief of the Honduran National Police for all of Honduras between approximately 2012 and approximately 2013. BONILLA VALLADARES corruptly exploited these official positions to facilitate cocaine trafficking, and used violence, including murder, to protect the particular cell of politically connected drug traffickers he aligned with, including former Honduran congressman Hernandez Alvarado and former president of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernandez (“Hernandez”), who is referred to in the Complaint charging BONILLA VALLADARES as “CC-4.”
For example, in exchange for bribes paid in drug proceeds, BONILLA VALLADARES directed members of the Honduran National Police, who were armed with machine guns, to let cocaine shipments pass through police checkpoints without being inspected or seized. BONILLA VALLADARES, in coordination with Hernandez Alvarado and others, also provided members of their conspiracy with sensitive law enforcement information to facilitate cocaine shipments, including information regarding aerial and maritime interdiction operations.
In or about 2010, Hernandez Alvarado told a cooperating witness (“CW-1”) that Hernandez Alvarado and Hernandez helped BONILLA VALLADARES advance his position within the Honduran National Police, and that BONILLA VALLADARES protected their drug-trafficking activities in return. Hernandez Alvarado also told CW-1 that BONILLA VALLADARES was very violent, and that Hernandez Alvarado and Hernandez trusted BONILLA VALLADARES with special assignments, including murder. For example, in or about July 2011, BONILLA VALLADARES participated in the murder of a rival drug trafficker at the request of Hernandez Alvarado and others because the rival trafficker had attempted to prevent Hernandez Alvarado and other members of the conspiracy from transporting cocaine through a region of western Honduras near the border with Guatemala.
* * *
The Complaint charges BONILLA VALLADARES, 62, with: (1) conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, (2) using and carrying machine guns and destructive devices during and in relation to, and possessing machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy; and (3) conspiring to use and carry machine guns and destructive devices during and in relation to, and to possess machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the cocaine-importation conspiracy. If convicted, BONILLA VALLADARES faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison on Count One, a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison on Count Two, and a maximum term of life in prison on Count Three.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, New York Strike Force, and the Tegucigalpa Country Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in securing BONILLA VALLADARES’s arrest and extradition.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob H. Gutwillig, Michael D. Lockard, Jason A. Richman, and Elinor L. Tarlow are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges in the Complaint are merely accusations, and BONILLA VALLADARES is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Former Bank Teller Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that KAREN FARRELL TIGLER, age 35, of Harvey, Louisiana, pled guilty today to Bank Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344, and Making and Subscribing False Tax Returns in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(1).
According to documents filed in federal court, from January 1, 2013, to November 14, 2016, TIGLER was employed as a multi-service banker with the Hancock Whitney Bank. TIGLER worked at a Whitney branch in New Orleans, LA. Client A was in her mid-80s in 2015 and 2016 and was a banking customer of Whitney.
From February 9, 2015, to October 28, 2016, TIGLER used her position with the bank to embezzle approximately $349,556 from Client A’s account by using 100 counter checks to debit funds from Client A’s account. TIGLER used her position with the bank to access personal information from other legitimate banking transactions to create the fraudulent counter checks. TIGLER forged the signatures of Client A and various others on the counter checks to conceal her embezzlement scheme. TIGLER accessed or utilized legitimate checks drawn on Client A’s account to prepare fraudulent counter checks. TIGLER cashed 21 counter checks totaling $73,924 that were supposedly for “roofing,” “market/garden work,” “light fixtures/cleaning,” “extras plumbing,” “misc. work,” “renovations,” and “maintenance.” TIGLER cashed the other 79 counter checks totaling approximately $275,632 payable to another individual that were supposedly for “house,” “maintenance,” and for “happy birthday.”
In addition, TIGLER failed to report $134,429 on her 2015 tax return and $215,127 on her 2016 return. TIGLER reported W-2 income from the bank of $21,290 for the tax year 2015 and $19,256 for 2016. TIGLER spread the deposits of cash of embezzled funds into her various accounts. TIGLER also failed to report gambling winnings of $32,180 on her 2015 tax return. When confronted by a relative of Client A, TIGLER falsely implicated another individual in an effort to conceal her embezzlement of funds from Client A’s account.
For her plea of guilty to Bank Fraud, TIGLER faces a maximum penalty of thirty (30) years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $1,000,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person under Title 18, United States Code, Section 3571. She also faces up to _ years of supervised release. As to her plea of guilty to Making and Subscribing False Tax Returns, TIGLER faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three (3) years and/or a fine of $100,000.00 plus cost of prosecution as well as up to _years of supervised release. For each charge to which she has pled guilty, she must also pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee
Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 1-877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office of Victims of Crime at www.ovc.gov. Additional elder justice resources, training, and outreach materials can be found at the Elder Justice Website at www.elderjustice.gov.
Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for August 3, 2022, before United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Hancock Whitney Bank with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni.
Former Archdiocese of Baltimore Roman Catholic Priest Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor Who He Met Through a ChurchRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Fernando Cristancho, age 65, of Bel Air, Maryland, to 22 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for coercion and enticement of a minor who he met through the church to engage in illegal sexual activity. Cristancho also admitted that he produced nude images of four other minor victims. Judge Hollander also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Cristancho must register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge Selwyn Smith of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler; and Harford County State’s Attorney Albert Peisinger, Jr.
“Cristancho is finally being held accountable for his horrific crimes. Let this sentence serve as a deterrent to anyone that seeks to sexually abuse children, especially those in trusted positions intended to be a safe place and haven for children.” said United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron. “The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland will relentlessly pursue and prosecute predators that exploit the trust of children and families.”
According to his guilty plea, Cristancho was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest in Colombia, South America, in 1985 and moved to Alexandria, Virginia, where he worked as an assistant priest. In approximately 1999, Cristancho was granted faculties to work as a priest in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, and worked as a priest in Baltimore County, and at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Harford County. In 2002, the Archdiocese of Baltimore revoked Cristancho’s faculties to work as a priest in the Archdiocese.
As stated in his plea agreement, John Doe was 11, 12, and 13 years old at the time of the offenses against him. John Doe’s family were members of St. Ignatius. Soon after Cristancho arrived at St. Ignatius in 1999, he began to spend time with John Doe’s family outside of church, including meals at restaurants and the family’s home, and at family gatherings. John Doe also became a lector at the church, with Cristancho working with him and coaching him in that process.
Beginning when John Doe was 11, Cristancho asked John Doe for back rubs; offered John Doe alcohol; took John Doe to dinner, kissed John Doe, told John Does that he loved him; and acted as if they were in a romantic relationship. Cristancho also showed John Doe pornography and suggested they do the same sexual activities.
After Cristancho was no longer working at the church, he arranged to hold religious services in the home of a parishioner, with John Doe performing as a lector or altar server. Additionally, in the summer of 2002, Cristancho invited himself to attend John Doe’s family’s camping trip and arranged to sleep next to John Doe in a tent. Following the camping trip, Cristancho arranged for John Doe to assist around Cristancho’s house, including with his infant children. Eventually, Cristancho arranged to have John Doe spend the weekend at Cristancho’s house which John Doe did on a regular basis well into 2003. It was during these weekends that Cristancho sexually abused John Doe. Cristancho sexually abused John Doe from 2002 through at least Fall 2003.
In September 2017, Cristancho went to a retail pharmacy to use the store’s photo printing equipment. When a store employee assisted Cristancho, they observed several photos of naked children and an image of what appeared to be a bite mark on a young boy’s buttocks on Cristancho’s smartphone. The employee subsequently made a report.
Law enforcement initiated an investigation, and a search warrant was executed at Cristancho’s residence on September 19, 2017. During the search warrant, investigators seized various digital devices including a smartphone. A subsequent forensic examination of the phone resulted in the discovery of nude photos and videos of four other minor victims, with most of the images being recorded when the victims were less than five years old.
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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, the Maryland State Police, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution and thanked the Harford County Child Advocacy Center for its assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Budlow and Colleen E. McGuinn, who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Federal Murder, Attempted Robbery, Firearms Charges Filed in Shooting Death of Oconee County, Georgia, RaceTrac EmployeeRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A federal grand jury today returned a four-count indictment charging a Philadelphia resident with murder, attempted robbery and firearms charges. A co-defendant is accused of illegally purchasing the alleged murder weapon.
Ahkil Nasir Crumpton aka Crump, 24, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is charged with interference with commerce by attempted robbery (Count One), use and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence (Count Two), murder with a firearm during a crime of violence (Count Three) and false statement during the purchase of a firearm (Count Four). James Armstrong, 34, of Commerce, Georgia, is charged with false statement during the purchase of a firearm (Count Four). The statutory maximum sentence for Count One is 20 years imprisonment; the statutory maximum sentence for Count Two and Count Three is life imprisonment; and the statutory maximum sentence for Count Four is ten years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
The indictment alleges that Crumpton brandished a Glock 9mm pistol during an attempted robbery of the RaceTrac gas station and convenience store on Macon Highway in Watkinsville, Georgia, on March 19, 2021, before shooting and killing store clerk Elijah Wood. The indictment alleges that Armstrong illegally purchased the firearm for Crumpton on Feb. 8, 2021, at the Franklin Gun Shop in Athens, Georgia, by falsely claiming to be the buyer on the Firearms Transaction Record-Form 4473 when Crumpton was the actual buyer. It is a federal offense to lie on Form 4473.
The case was investigated by the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), FBI, GBI, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and the Philadelphia Police Department, with assistance from U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Law Enforcement Focuses on Violent Crime in TuscaloosaRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), along with state and local law enforcement, have increased their focus on prosecuting violent crime in Tuscaloosa. The initiative was made possible, in part, by focusing on crimes that drive the violence. U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and ATF Special Agent in Charge Mickey French made the announcement.
“These efforts signify what can be accomplished when federal, state, and local law enforcement partners work together and combine every resource available to combat violent crime,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “But our work is not done. We expect additional prosecutions in the near future as we continue to focus on the scourge of violent crime. We are committed to working with our state and local partners in Tuscaloosa to make our communities safer.”
“The individuals who knowingly and unlawfully possess firearms, distribute narcotics, and use illegal substances while possessing firearms are a huge concern for law enforcement,” SAC French said. “The ATF works collaboratively with our law enforcement partners to swiftly remove violent criminals from the streets. The ATF’s primary mission is to combat violent crime in our communities, and we will work tirelessly to keep the communities that we serve safe.”
In April 2022, a federal grand jury indicted multiple defendants with firearm offenses, including:
Stanley Darnelius Wilder, 26, Tuscaloosa, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Wilder illegally possessed a Diamondback 9mm pistol.
Antawn Devonte Marshall, 25, Eutaw, was charged with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Marshall illegally possessed a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol, approximately 29 rounds of Wolf 7.6x39mm ammunition and a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol.
Johnny Dewayne Wells, 31, Tuscaloosa, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Wells illegally possessed a Cobra .380 caliber pistol.
Charles Anthony Leatherwood, Jr., 20, Tuscaloosa, was charged with possession of a stolen firearm and with being an unlawful and addicted user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm. Leatherwood received a stolen Glock .40 caliber pistol.
On April 28, 2022, Chief U.S. District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler sentenced Donovan Logan Crawley, 32, of Tuscaloosa, to 15 years in prison for illegal possession of a firearm. Crawley pleaded guilty in December 2021 to the charge. Crawley is prohibited from having a firearm because of multiple prior felony convictions.
In addition to the above cases, ATF, along with the Tuscaloosa Police Department, partnered in a two-day operation focused on reducing violent crime in Tuscaloosa. The operation resulted in the arrest of 35 individuals. ATF Special Agents and Task Force Officers arrested Devante Deshaun Stewart for a recent federal indictment alleging possession
of two firearms after having been convicted of a felony. Tuscaloosa officers arrested individuals for a broad variety of offenses, including narcotics possession, pistol possession without a permit, distribution of narcotics, assault, outstanding warrants for failing to appear in court, illegal possession of pistols after convictions for certain state offenses, DUI, and leaving the scene of a crash, among other charges. Officers recovered a Jaguar automobile that had been stolen from the Birmingham area. Additionally, local narcotics investigators executed two narcotics search warrants during the operation. Officers also seized nine firearms from individuals who did not have pistol permits or were barred from possessing them because of prior convictions for certain felonies.An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Federal Jury Finds Minneapolis Man Guilty of Lying to a Grand JuryRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury convicted a Minneapolis man of lying to a grand jury, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
Following a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel, Muse Mohamud Mohamed, 30, was convicted yesterday on two counts of false declarations before a grand jury. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
Mohamed was served with a subpoena to provide testimony before a grand jury seated in the District of Minnesota regarding the use of the agent delivery process during Minnesota’s August 11, 2020, primary election. The City of Minneapolis’ election records document that Mohamed delivered ballots as an agent for three voters during that election. The voters, however, testified that they do not know Mohamed and did not ask him to pick up and deliver absentee ballots for them.
As proven at trial, on October 14, 2021, Mohamed provided testimony to the grand jury that he received the absentee ballots from the voters themselves. When Mohamed was confronted with the fact that the voters each gave statements that they do not know him and that they did not ask him or anyone for agent delivery of their ballots for the August 2020 election, Mohamed testified that he received the ballots from the voters.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
This case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly A. Svendsen, Angela M. Munoz, and Allison K. Ethen.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced for Sexual Assault Aboard FlightRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced yesterday to 10 months in prison, 5 years’ supervised release, and a $2,000 fine for sexual contact without consent while on an airplane flying into RDU airport. Ryan Eugene Larned will also have to register as a sex offender. On July 26, 2021, Larned pled guilty to the charge pursuant to a plea agreement.
“Safe air travel is essential to our economy and keeping families connected,” said Michael Easley. “This defendant assaulted a young woman traveling alone, and now he will be spending time behind bars and will be identified as a sex offender in the community. No passenger, flight crew, or flight attendant should have to fly in fear. My office will continue to prosecute crimes that jeopardize the safety of the flying public.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Larned, 38, flew on an American Airlines flight from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport to Raleigh-Durham International Airport where he was seated next to a 17-year-old girl who was flying alone. The female, a high school junior, was in the window seat while Larned was in the middle seat. Without engaging in conversation and without consent, the 6’2’’ 220 pound man proceeded to touch the groin area of the 5’1’’ 100 pound female. He placed his jacket over them and reached his hands inside the pants of the female. The victim immediately reported the assault.
Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. FBI Special Agent Craig Noyes investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad DeVoe prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-CR-141.
###
Erie Convenience Store Owner Sentenced for Food Stamp FraudRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 2 years probation and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $52,236.68 on his conviction of food stamp fraud, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Bader Al-Dhumani, 57, 836 East 11th Street, Erie, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, from in and around January 2015 to in and around April 2020, Al-Dhumani, who is the owner and operator of Palm Tree Market in Erie, committed food stamp fraud by accepting food stamps for cash, store credit, and ineligible items. Al-Dhumani also took possession of customers’ PA Access Cards so that he could use the customers’ food stamp benefits at other stores to purchase inventory for his store.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Al-Dhumani.
District of Columbia Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison on Federal Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Walter Parker, 28, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to nine years in prison on a federal firearms charge, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Parker was found guilty by a jury in February 2022, following a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, of illegal possession of a weapon by a felon. He was sentenced by the Honorable Trevor N. McFadden. Following his prison term, Parker will be placed on three years of supervised release.
On April 10, 2019, at about 6 p.m., an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department observed Parker take a gun out of his waistband and put it inside a dumpster outside of an apartment building in the 3600 block of Hayes Street NE. After discarding the loaded gun, Parker then ran from officers. The firearm was recovered and determined to be a 9-millimeter, semi-automatic pistol, loaded with one round of ammunition in the chamber and 11 in the magazine.
At the time of this offense, Parker was on probation on a Maryland charge of robbery with a dangerous weapon. He also had prior convictions in the District of Columbia for robbery and fleeing a law enforcement officer.
Following his arrest in this case, Parker was placed on pre-trial release. However, he failed to abide by conditions of release and was ordered to surrender in May 2020. He did not surrender or return to Court until he was arrested in August 2020 on unrelated charges. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Berridge and Jeffrey Poulin, Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Teesha Tobias, and Paralegal Specialists Kate Abrey, Alexis Spencer-Anderson, Genevieve de Guzman, Donville Drummond, and Rhonda Richardson.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary L. Dohrmann and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily (Meg) Ariotti, who prosecuted the matter.
District of Columbia Man Sentenced to 74 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Narcotics and Use FirearmsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Victor Davis, 31, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 74 months in federal prison for his role in an ongoing conspiracy to distribute narcotics and a related conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Davis is one of more than a dozen individuals arrested as part of a joint FBI/ATF investigation which resulted in the seizure of more than 34 pounds of marijuana, 16 firearms, and more than $270,000 in cash.
Davis, who utilized the street nickname “Wee,” pleaded guilty on Nov. 5, 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, as well as oxycodone and codeine. As part of his plea agreement, Davis admitted to participating in a separate conspiracy to use, carry, and possess firearms. Davis was sentenced by the Honorable Amy Berman Jackson. Following completion of his prison term, Davis will be placed on four years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, beginning in approximately June 2018, and continuing through April 2021, Davis and his co-conspirators maintained drug dealing territory on Trenton Place SE in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C. – a territory they defended by carrying, and discharging, firearms at perceived rivals. As part of his role in the conspiracy, Davis distributed narcotics in street-level transactions and served as an armed defender of the co-conspirators’ drug dealing territory.
Davis encouraged his co-conspirators to pool their money to buy as many firearms as possible for use in defending their territory and admitted to having participated in shootings in defense of the co-conspirators’ territory. Davis was arrested in relation to another offense on May 4, 2020. He has been detained ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Special Agent in Charge Patterson commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI and ATF. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Genevieve de Guzman, Kim Hall, and Teesha Tobias. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson, who investigated and prosecuted the case, with help from Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Vaillancourt and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Berridge.
Delaware Woman Charged with Tax FraudRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Nari T. Lam, age 29, of Wilmington, Delaware, was charged in a criminal Information on May 10, 2022, with failing to remit employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the Information alleges that from 2016 through 2020, Lam, the owner of Pennsylvania-based temporary staffing company, Penns Independent Staffing, failed to pay approximately $300,000 in employment taxes owed by Penns Independent Staffing to the IRS.
One other individual, Mark Holmes, age 66, of Hughes Springs, Texas, was previously charged in this investigation. Holmes pleaded guilty to accepting, as the General Manager of a Pennsylvania food services company, approximately $400,000 in bribes and kickbacks from two temporary staffing companies, one of which was Penns Independent Staffing, in exchange for hiring their employees. The two temporary staffing companies, in turn, received approximately $7,800,000 from Holmes’s employer.
Holmes also pleaded guilty to failing to remit employment taxes to the IRS for a separate temporary staffing company, Encore Staffing Solutions LLC, that he owned and operated with other coconspirators. From March 2018 through December 2020, Holmes and his coconspirators allegedly failed to pay approximately $135,000 in employment taxes owed by Encore Staffing Solutions LLC to the IRS. Holmes awaits sentencing.
The case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law is five 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.
Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #
Defendants Plead Guilty in Two Unrelated HomicidesRead the Press Release
Two men have pleaded guilty this week in federal court in two unrelated murder cases that occurred in Mayes and Craig Counties, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
On Wednesday, Daren Gilson Puffinbarger, 32, pleaded guilty to second degree murder in Indian Country. Puffinbarger shot Muscogee Nation citizen Lucas Sanders in the head six times while the victim lay in bed then set fire to the victim’s body. The crime occurred on Aug. 18, 2021. Agents located two small propane torch kits in the bedroom, one on the bed and the other sitting upright on the floor next to the bed, which were used to start the fires. The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and Mayes County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case.
In a separate case, Johnny Lee Arnold, 34, pleaded guilty to second degree murder in Indian Country on Tuesday. In a plea agreement, he admitted that on Aug. 19. 2019, he killed Cherokee Nation citizen Christopher Boren by stabbing him 17 times. The victim’s body was found near the vicinity of 350 Road and 4430 Road in Craig County. The FBI, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Mayes County Sheriff’s Office and Craig County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Brasher is prosecuting the case.
“Federal prosecutors, victim specialists and law enforcement are committed to fully investigating violent crimes that occur within Indian Country and to supporting victims and their families as we seek justice on their behalf,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Those individuals committing heinous crimes, such as murder, in the Northern District of Oklahoma will be held accountable.”
Dallas Man Convicted of Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
A Dallas man pleaded guilty yesterday to running a brutal sex trafficking ring for nearly two decades, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Anthony Johnson, 45, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking through force, fraud, and coercion, and sex trafficking on May 10, narrowly avoiding his trial, which was scheduled to begin the same day.
“Like Tremont Blakemore, a north Texas trafficker who pleaded guilty just two weeks ago, Anthony Johnson systematically tormented his victims, convincing them they had no choice but to bend to his will,” said U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “It’s difficult to fathom that human trafficking happens on the streets of Dallas, but it does, every day. If you or someone you know is being victimized, reach out for help. As impossible as it may seem in the moment, there is a way out.”
“Those attempting to profit from commercial sex through the viciousness of human trafficking are causing significant harm in our communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Dallas Christopher Miller. “This defendant’s guilty plea moves one step closer to finding justice for the victims he brutalized and manipulated.”
In plea papers, Mr. Johnson, aka “Macc Bucc,” admitted he forced numerous women to engage in commercial sex acts and turn the proceeds over to him. He set “quotas,” compelled the women to work for hours on end, and brutally beat them with an extension cord when they came up short, “disrespected” him, or did not follow his rules. He also required the women to steal from commercial sex customers, instructing them to rifle through customers’ pockets for cash or jewelry and check their cars for valuables.
One woman, identified in court documents as “Adult Victim 7,” endured his abuse for several years. The night he recruited AV7, Mr. Johnson directed his second-in-command, Demetrice Deckard, to take her to Harry Hines and teach her how to solicit commercial sex customers. She engaged in commercial sex with her first customer just a few days later. Throughout her time in his trafficking organization, AV7 was forced to travel cross-country to engage in commercial sex and was routinely beaten when she tried to leave the organization.
In a pretrial filing, prosecutors indicated they were prepared to introduce into evidence a 911 call placed by a different victim’s mother after her daughter called her in tears from a passerby’s phone.
“She said, ‘mamma, I wanna come home, they won’t let me come home,’ she said, ‘they got everything I got,’” the woman told the dispatcher. “‘Mamma, he got me by gunpoint, he’s got these girls following me, he beat me up real bad.’”
In another pretrial filing, prosecutors indicated that they were also prepared to introduce evidence that Mr. Johnson obtained a contraband cell phone while in jail awaiting trial and used the phone to continue running his organization. According to prosecutors, text messages obtained from the cell phone showed that Mr. Johnson continued to instruct women where to work, which hotels to use, how to steal from customers, and when they could finish work for the night. Mr. Johnson also directed women to send him videos of themselves having sex with commercial sex customers. In plea papers, Mr. Johnson admitted that he also ran his trafficking organization from behind bars from 2014 to 2019, following a conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Mr. Johnson now faces up to life in federal prison.
Ms. Deckard pleaded guilty in April to conspiracy to engage in trafficking through force, fraud, and coercion and faces up to life in federal prison. Another co-defendant, Ashley Neice, pled guilty to conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and admitted to conspiring with Mr. Johnson to contact a victim in the criminal case in order to tell her not to cooperate with law enforcement. Ms. Neice faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Dallas Police Department, Miami Police Department, and the Miami Office of Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanie Smith and Renee Hunter prosecuted the case with the help of appellate liaison Brian McKay.
If you believe you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, call local law enforcement or the 24/7 confidential National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
Cryptocurrency Trader Sentenced to 42 MonthsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that defendant JEREMY SPENCE, a/k/a “Coin Signals,” was sentenced to 42 months in prison for defrauding more than 170 victims in connection with various cryptocurrency funds that he operated. SPENCE previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, who imposed today’s sentence.
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and the Complaint, court filings, and statements made in court:
From November 2017 through April 2019, SPENCE solicited investors in various cryptocurrency investment pools that SPENCE had created and managed (the “Funds”). SPENCE solicited investments for several Funds, the largest and most active of which were the Coin Signals Bitmex Fund, a/k/a the “CS Mex Fund,” the Coin Signals Alternative Fund, a/k/a the “CS Alt Fund,” and the Coin Signals Long Term Fund. Investors who wanted to participate in a Fund would transfer cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, to SPENCE in order for SPENCE to invest it.
SPENCE solicited more than $5 million through false representations, including that SPENCE’s crypto trading had been extremely profitable when, in fact, SPENCE’s trading had been consistently unprofitable. For example, on January 28, 2018, SPENCE posted a message in an online chat group falsely claiming that his trading of investor funds over the past month had generated a return of more than 148%. As a result of this misrepresentation, investors transferred additional funds to SPENCE. In fact, over that same period of approximately one month, SPENCE’s trading resulted in net losses in the accounts in which he traded investor funds.
To forestall redemptions by investors, and to continue to raise money from investors to fund his scheme, SPENCE generated fictitious account balances, which he made available to investors online. Instead of accurately reporting the trading losses SPENCE was incurring, the account balances falsely indicated to investors that they were making money by investing with SPENCE. To hide his trading losses, SPENCE used new investor funds to pay back other investors in a Ponzi-like fashion. In total, SPENCE distributed cryptocurrency worth approximately $2 million to investors substantially from funds previously deposited by other investors.
* * *
In addition to his prison term, SPENCE, 25, of Bristol, Rhode Island, was sentenced to three years of supervised released and restitution in the amount of $2,847,743.00.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and thanked the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which brought a separate civil action.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine I. Magdo is in charge of the prosecution.
Chicago Insurance Executive Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Embezzling Nearly $6 Million from His EmployerRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The former controller of a Chicago-based insurance company has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for embezzling nearly $6 million in company funds.
From October 2018 to June 2020, KEVIN J. MIX authorized approximately 42 wire transfers totaling more than $5.8 million from Insureon to his personal bank accounts and the accounts of shell companies that he created. At the time, Mix was Insureon’s controller and responsible for managing the company’s accounting operations. Mix attempted to conceal the fraudulent transfers by making false entries in the company’s records, creating fake emails, and making false statements to company representatives and the company’s bank.
Mix used the stolen money to purchase, among other things, several real estate parcels in the Chicago area and Ohio, Mercedes-Benz and Audi automobiles, multiple diamonds and gold bars, and membership for a private charter jet service.
Mix, 43, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to a federal wire fraud charge. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow on Tuesday ordered Mix to pay $5,845,427 in restitution.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider.
Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to six years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Curtis Givens, 52, admitted to selling several grams of fentanyl as well as two firearms, including a .32-caliber handgun, to a confidential informant on November 10, 2020. Givens admitted that he sold the confidential informant an additional 14 grams of fentanyl on November 18, 2020. Both transactions occurred at Givens’ residence on Charleston’s West Side.
Givens also brandished a firearm on July 7, 2021, while arguing with another person in view of a Charleston police officer who then immediately arrested Givens.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney L. Alexander Hamner prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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-166.
###
California Man Sentenced to over 17 Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ALLEN EDGERSON, age 44, of Moreno Valley, California, was sentenced to over 17 years today for methamphetamine trafficking.
EDGERSON pled guilty on July 7, 2021, to conspiring to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846. According to court documents, EDGERSON sold methamphetamine in large quantities, quoting customers prices for up to 20 pounds of methamphetamine at a time. Law enforcement agents caught EDGERSON and his codefendant, Rachel Cesario, sending packages with multiple pounds of methamphetamine at a time to codefendant Sheon Copprue in New Orleans.
The Honorable Sarah S. Vance sentenced EDGERSON to a term of imprisonment of 210 months, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment of $100. EDGERSON’s codefendants, Sheon Copprue, Rachel Cesario, and Tonya Calvin, have already pled guilty in this case and are awaiting sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Louisiana State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas D. Moses is in charge of the prosecution.
Buffalo Man Going to Prison for Selling Heroin and FentanylRead 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 Moralles Mendez, 44, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, was sentenced to serve 90 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan E. Leydecker and Charles E. Watkins, Jr., who are handling the case, stated that in August and September 2019, investigators conducted two controlled purchases of heroin and fentanyl from Mendez. On September 25, 2019, another controlled purchase was arranged and when Mendez arrived at the pre-determined location, he was arrested with a quantity of heroin and fentanyl on the front passenger seat of his vehicle. Law enforcement also executed a search warrant at Mendez’s residence and recovered five cellphones and two digital scales.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division.
# # # #
Brooklyn High School Paraprofessional Charged with Production of Child Pornography and Sextortion SchemeRead the Press Release
An 11-count indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Brian Quinones, a paraprofessional at Midwood High School, with sexual exploitation of a child, distribution of child of pornography, cyberstalking, and related offenses. The charges relate to sexually explicit videos of a child that the defendant allegedly requested and received from a boy he met over the Internet, as well as other sexually explicit images and videos that the defendant possessed and distributed. Quinones was arrested today and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrest and charges.
“As alleged, Quinones was a prolific trader of child pornography who posed as a woman in order to solicit sexually explicit videos from a minor boy, then blackmailed the victim with cruel threats to post the material on the Internet,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office is working diligently with our law enforcement partners to address the online exploitation of minors and protect our children from predators like Quinones. Today’s prosecution should also serve as a reminder to parents and caregivers to remain vigilant about your children’s communications over the Internet and the importance of educating our children about the dangers of communicating online with strangers.”
Mr. Peace thanked the FBI/NYPD Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force for its investigative work on the case.
“Sexual predators often prey on the terror children experience when they are coerced and manipulated into creating explicit photos and videos,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll. “We allege Quinones threatened to expose the images his victim created if the child didn't continue to send him more. Children often fear going to an adult to report what's happened because they're humiliated, and they believe the threats. The FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force believes Quinones may have more victims, and we ask anyone with information to contact us at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov so we can hold him fully accountable for his actions.”
“Any kind of sexual exploitation of a minor is absolutely detestable behavior,” stated NYPD Commissioner Sewell. “But when the suspect has also been entrusted with our communities’ children, it is especially disturbing. Decades ago, predators would go to a playground or a park to find young victims. Now, there’s an entire virtual world full of potential targets. These types of crimes have devastating effects on children and their families, and I commend and thank all of the investigators at the NYPD, FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District who are dedicated to identifying and bringing to justice those who commit such offenses.”
As set forth in court filings, between September 2019 and January 2020, Quinones used an instant messaging mobile application to trade dozens of videos and images depicting child pornography with another individual who has since been charged with child pornography-related offenses. Following a court-authorized search of Quinones’s residence and the seizure of his electronic devices, FBI Special Agents discovered a series of sexually explicit messages between Quinones, who was impersonating a woman, and a minor male victim (John Doe), who Quinones lured into creating and sending sexually explicit videos. Quinones then threatened to post the victim’s material on the Internet unless the victim agreed to make additional sexually explicit content. The defendant stated in a WhatsApp message: “I got everything you sent,” adding that he would “ruin” John Doe. The defendant directed John Doe to do “[e]verything I tell u to do” and to “behave.” He then wrote, “Get on your hands and knees.” When John Doe declined to do so, the defendant threatened, “I’m ready to make u famous[.] Any last words?’
If convicted of sexual exploitation of a child, Quinones faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric Silverberg.
The Defendant:
BRIAN QUINONES
Age: 30
Sheepshead Bay, BrooklynE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-218 (HG)
Bronx Man Sentenced to over Four Years in Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Bronx, N.Y., man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.
Eric Encarnacion Medina, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 51 months in prison and two years of supervised release. In November 2021, Encarnacion Medina pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
In January 2021, Encarnacion Medina was identified as working with a drug trafficker based in the Dominican Republic who shipped multiple kilograms of fentanyl to a location in Pennsylvania. Encarnacion Medina would then transport the fentanyl from Pennsylvania to Massachusetts. On Jan. 28, 2021, Encarnacion Medina sold one kilogram of fentanyl to a cooperating witness in Boston and discussed future drug sales before going back to New York. On Feb. 11, 2021, Encarnacion agreed to sell the cooperating witness 400 fentanyl pills and drive to Boston again from New York for the transaction. Encarnacion Medina also discussed future deals and the potential for transactions involving high quantities of fentanyl pills and methamphetamine. Encarnacion Medina was arrested upon his arrival in Boston on Feb. 12, 2021.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
Avilla Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison and Ordered to Pay $251,948.59 in RestitutionRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE- Adam N. Bock, age 43 of Avilla, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady, on his plea of guilty to removing, obliterating, tampering or altering a vehicle identification number of a motor vehicle, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Bock was sentenced to 30 months in prison, 2 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $251,948.59 in restitution to victims of the offense.
According to documents in this case, in 2017 and 2018, Bock and an accomplice stole 25 travel trailers from businesses in Indiana and Michigan. They then replaced the VIN numbers and rebranded the trailers in Bock’s company name. Thereafter, Bock and his accomplice sold many of the rebranded trailers to innocent third-party purchasers.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Indiana State Police with the assistance of the Michigan State Police, the LaGrange County Sheriff’s Office and the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
Australian Citizen Sentenced for Visa FraudRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Paul J. Carter, also known as Paul Hamilton, and formerly known as Paul Cristallo, was sentenced today to time served (6 days in jail), and to pay a $5,000 fine, for making false statements in a 2018 U.S. visa application.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Carter, age 55, an Australian citizen residing in Watervliet, New York, admitted to lying about his criminal history when he sought to renew his E-2 visa in 2018. E-2 visas admit certain foreign nationals who have invested a substantial amount of money in a U.S. business. Carter obtained an E-2 visa, and began residing in the United States, in 2014. The U.S. government denied Carter’s visa renewal application in 2018, and Carter has been residing in the United States without status since May 2020.
This case was investigated by HSI, with assistance from the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Honors Nation’s Law Enforcement During National Police WeekRead the Press Release
In honor of National Police Week, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, territorial, and Tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Wednesday, May 11 through Tuesday, May 17, 2022.
“This week, we gather to pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives in service to our country,” said Attorney General Garland. “We remember the courage with which they worked and lived. And we recommit ourselves to the mission to which they dedicated their lives. On behalf of a grateful Justice Department and a grateful nation, I extend my sincerest thanks and gratitude to the entire law enforcement community.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), over 67% of the law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2021 succumbed to COVID-19.
Additionally, according to 2021 statistics reported by the FBI through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 73 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2021 were killed as a result of felonious acts, whereas 56 died in accidents. Deaths resulting from felonious acts increased in 2021, rising more than 58% from the previous year. In 2021, unprovoked attacks[1] were the cause of 24 deaths, significantly outpacing all other line of duty deaths resulting from felony acts and reaching the highest annual total in over 30 years of reporting. Additional LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website for the LEOKA program.
The names of the 619 fallen officers added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Friday, May 13, 2022, during a Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C., starting at 8:00 p.m. ET. Those who wish to view the vigil live online can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/TheNLEOMF. The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website.
[1] An unprovoked attack is defined as an attack on an officer not prompted by official contact at the time of the incident between the officer and the offender. Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program.
Arizona man faces charge for attempting to entice a minorRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Jonathan John James, 58, of Tsaile, Arizona, appeared in federal court today for a preliminary and detention hearing where he was charged with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. James will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to a criminal complaint, on April 20 James allegedly followed a child as she shopped with a grandparent at a Home Depot in Gallup, New Mexico. James allegedly approached the victim, told her she was attractive and gave her his telephone number, written on a wet wipe package, in hopes they would communicate. On April 20, James allegedly began exchanging sexually explicit messages with someone he thought was the victim.
The messages were reported to the FBI on April 27. James continued exchanging messages with a person he thought was the victim. On April 28, James allegedly sent 24 images of obscene material depicting adults engaged in sexual activities, all of which showed nudity, and arranged to meet the victim. On May 5, James traveled from Arizona to a park in Gallup to meet the victim. He was detained by the FBI upon arrival.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, James faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
The FBI Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force investigated this case with assistance from the Gallup Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
# # #
Allen County Man Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned an indictment today charging an Allen County, KY man with possessing with the intent to distribute more than 5 grams of methamphetamine on three separate occasions and possessing a firearm on two of those occasions as a convicted felon and in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
According to court documents, Timothy Harrison, 40, of Scottsville, KY, possessed with the intent to distribute, 5 grams or more of methamphetamine on March 25, 2021, in Allen County, on May 12, 2021, in Warren County, and on November 17, 2021, in Allen County. On March 25, 2021, Harrison, a convicted felon for possession of a controlled substance, also possessed a Ruger, model Wrangler, .22 caliber revolver, and ammunition, in furtherance of his drug trafficking. On May 12, 2021, Harrison possessed a Taurus, model PT 24/7 G2, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol, and ammunition, in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
Harrison is charged with three counts of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The defendant is scheduled for his initial court appearance on May 25, 2022, before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Brent Brennenstuhl of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Harrison faces a mandatory minimum of 15 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 J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Louisville Division, made the announcement.
The DEA, the Allen County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kentucky State Police are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Albuquerque man pleads guilty to assaulting a federal officerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Derick Martin Garcia Pacheco, 33, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty on May 10 in federal court to one count of assault on a federal officer using a deadly or dangerous weapon and inflicting bodily injury and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Garcia will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on Dec. 11, 2020, FBI agents executing a search warrant knocked at the door of Garcia’s residence and announced themselves as federal officers. Garcia armed himself with a .357 revolver and fired through the door, striking one of the agents. The agent was seriously injured, requiring surgery and hospitalization.
After Garcia shot the agent, other officers secured the scene and the FBI Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit responded to assist in executing the warrant, and Garcia was detained.
In his plea, Garcia acknowledge that he knew at the time of the incident that as a previously convicted felon he cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Garcia faces up to 20 years in prison for the assault charge and up to 10 years in prison for possessing firearms and ammunition.
The FBI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Holland S. Kastrin and Sarah J. Mease are prosecuting the case.
# # #
Albuquerque man charged with bank robberyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Uriah Davis, 40, of Albuquerque, appeared in federal court today for a preliminary and detention hearing where he was charged with bank robbery. Davis will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to a criminal complaint, on May 2, Davis allegedly robbed the Wells Fargo bank on Central Avenue SE in Albuquerque. Davis allegedly entered the bank, approached a teller and made a verbal demand for money, repeatedly urging the teller to hurray. The teller complied and Davis allegedly fled the bank on foot.
On May 2, the FBI received a tip through the National Threat Operation Center that led agents to Davis’ location. On May 4, the FBI executed a federal search warrant on a room at the Tewa Lodge motel in Albuquerque, where Davis was found and taken into custody.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Davis faces up to 20 years in prison.
The FBI’s Albuquerque Violent Crimes Task Force investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Letitia Carroll Simms is prosecuting the case.
# # #