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Tuesday 3 May 2022
Cumberland County Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Commit Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, and Tax Evasion in Connection with Romance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Cumberland County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 168 months in prison for conspiring to commit wire and money laundering, and tax evasion, in connection with a romance fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Rubbin Sarpong, 38, of Millville, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to an information charging him with conspiring to commit wire fraud, conspiring to commit money laundering and tax evasion. Judge Bumb imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From January 2016 to Sept. 3, 2019, Sarpong and his conspirators, several of whom reside in Ghana, allegedly participated in an online romance scheme, defrauding victims in New Jersey and elsewhere. Sarpong and the conspirators set up dating profiles on various dating websites, using fictitious or stolen identities and posing as United States military personnel who were stationed overseas. They contacted victims through the dating websites and then pretended to strike up a romantic relationship with them. After establishing virtual romantic relationships with victims on the online dating platforms and via email, the conspirators asked them for money, often for the purported purpose of paying to ship gold bars to the United States. Although the stories varied, most often Sarpong and the conspirators claimed to be military personnel stationed in Syria who received, recovered, or were awarded gold bars. The conspirators told many victims that their money would be returned once the gold bars were received in the United States.
Sarpong and the conspirators used several email accounts and Voice Over Internet Protocol phone numbers to communicate with victims and instruct them on where to wire money, including recipient names, addresses, financial institutions, and account numbers. At least 40 identified victims wired money to Sarpong and others in the United States, including to 13 bank accounts controlled by Sarpong, some of which were in the names of his friends, relatives, and a fictitious business entity, Rubbin Sarpong Autosales. Occasionally, victims also mailed personal checks or cashier’s checks to the conspirators and also transferred money to the conspirators via money transfer services, such as Western Union and MoneyGram. The funds were not used for the purposes claimed by the conspirators – that is, to transport non-existent gold bars to the United States – but were instead withdrawn in cash, wired to other domestic bank accounts, and wired to other conspirators in Ghana.
While engaged in this fraud, Sarpong purchased property in Ghana and posted photographs of himself on social media showing him with large amounts of cash, high-end cars, designer clothing and expensive jewelry. Despite having received approximately $1.14 million in taxable income from the scheme during tax years 2016 through 2018, Sarpong filed no income tax returns and paid no income tax, resulting in a tax loss of $387,923.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced Sarpong to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $3.08 million to 36 victims, $387,923 to IRS, $4,096 to the New Jersey Department of Health and Human Services and $6,903 to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Messenger in Newark; special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina in Newark; special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Vondra Carrig of the U.S Attorney’s Office in Camden.
Connecticut Man Sentenced for Federal Ammunition ChargeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Norwich, Conn. man was sentenced today for illegal possession of ammunition.
Paul Marino, 57, formerly of New Bedford, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On Jan. 21, 2021, Marino pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition.
On various dates in September 2019, Marino attempted to purchase a handgun and silencer from an undercover agent. During a search of Marino’s home in New Bedford on Sept. 26, 2019, agents seized three 9mm handgun magazines and 277 rounds of 9mm ammunition from a closet in Marino’s bedroom. The ammunition was in a FedEx box addressed to “Vincent Amoroso” in Rhode Island, bearing a return address in Tennessee. Counterfeit Virginia identification documents were also seized in the aliases of Vincent Amoroso and Christian Bennington, each of which bore Marino’s photograph, and an American Express card in the name of Christian Bennington.
Due to a prior federal conviction for wire fraud, Marino is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Additionally, after pleading guilty, Marino submitted several letters to the court that were purported to be from others in support of a lesser sentence for the defendant but were in fact altered and fraudulent – including letters with forged signatures and a letter purported to be from an individual who was deceased at the time.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. The New Bedford Police Department provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Abely, Chief of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Columbia Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —Tavius Cortez Wiggins, a/k/a “Black,” 30, of Columbia was sentenced to nine years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Evidence presented in court showed that on July 30, 2019, an officer with the South Carolina Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle for speeding on Interstate 95 in Florence County. Upon contact, the trooper noticed a strong odor of marijuana emanating from within the vehicle and determined the driver did not have a valid driver’s license. Wiggins was a passenger. The trooper separated the three occupants of the vehicle, and responses to the trooper’s questions led the officer to believe there was evidence of criminal conduct in the vehicle.
A search of the vehicle produced cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and three firearms, one of which was stolen, plus ammunition and extended ammunition magazines. The firearms included a loaded .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine, a loaded 9mm handgun, and a .22LR caliber firearm with a 125-round drum magazine attached.
FBI received information that Wiggins was facilitating the commercial sexual exploitation of a female passenger in the vehicle, that he supplied her with drugs, and that prior to the traffic stop he pointed a firearm at her head multiple times. The government presented other evidence at sentencing that Wiggins was involved in human trafficking: witnesses disclosed to the FBI that Wiggins prostituted women at hotels in the Columbia area, and that he did so by using physical violence, pointing firearms, and by withholding drugs causing “dope sickness.” At sentencing, Wiggins contested that evidence but conceded that the Government had enough evidence to support a sentencing enhancement based on that conduct.
Wiggins was prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition based on numerous prior felony convictions, including trafficking crack cocaine, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, two burglary convictions related to home invasions, escape from custody, identity fraud, and resisting arrest. Wiggins’s convictions began in 2008 and they also include multiple drug possession convictions.
United States District Court Judge J. Michelle Childs sentenced Wiggins to 9 years in prison on a charge that carried a maximum of 10 years in prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the South Carolina Highway Patrol, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Elliott B. Daniels prosecuted the case.
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Columbia Man Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison on Fentanyl ChargeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- Jordan Davis Williams, 31, of Columbia, has been sentenced to 4 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl.
Evidence presented to the court showed that on December 17, 2020, an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made a controlled purchase of 27.687 grams of fentanyl from Williams at a location in Columbia.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Williams to 48 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by ATF and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Hummel prosecuted the case.
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Colchester Woman Faces Federal Charge for Knife Point Robbery of Church Street Store in BurlingtonRead the Press Release
UPDATE
The Press Release has been updated to reflect the correct hometown in the body of the release.
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Sabrina Kingsbury, 40, of Colchester, Vermont has been charged under the federal Hobbs Act with obstructing commerce by robbery. Kingsbury appeared today in U.S. District Court in Burlington for an initial appearance. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle granted the government’s motion for detention and ordered Kingsbury detained until trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to court records, the government alleges that on April 18, 2022 at approximately 4:00 p.m., Kingsbury entered the Black Diamond store at 17 Church Street and gathered about $1,200 worth of merchandise, including clothing, a backpack, and a headlamp. Kingsbury then attempted to leave the store without paying for these items. After store employees confronted her, she threatened to stab one of them. Soon after, officers from the Burlington Police Department arrested Kingsbury with the merchandise near the bus stop located at St. Paul and Pearl Streets. At the time of her arrest, Kingsbury possessed a Gerber Leatherman knife on her person.
The complaint is an accusation only and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, Kingsbury faces a maximum sentence of twenty years imprisonment and three years of supervised release, which would follow any sentence of imprisonment. Any actual sentence will be determined with reference to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Burlington Police Department are investigating this case. The United States is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Perella. Kingsbury is represented by Sara Puls, Esq. of the Federal Public Defenders Office.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime https://www.justice.gov/psn
Clarksburg man indicted on firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Erik J. Wilson, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was indicted today on a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Wilson, 35, was indicted today on one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Wilson, a person prohibited from having firearms because of a prior firearms conviction, is accused of having a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol in January 2022 in Harrison County.
Wilson faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 Christopher L. Bauer is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. ATF and the Clarksburg Police Department investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Chatham County illegal alien sentenced to prison for luring teen into sexual activityRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: An illegal alien has been sentenced to a decade in federal prison after pleading guilty to luring a teen into participating in sexual activity.
Alejandro Pedroza-Romero, a/k/a “Zuleyka Luna,” a/k/a “Alex Luna,” 37, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States who resided in Garden City, Ga., was sentenced to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty to Coercion and Enticement, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his prison term Pedroza-Romero will be subject to deportation.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Alejandro Pedroza-Romero flaunted the sovereignty of the United States by illegally entering, and then preyed on vulnerable victims on American soil,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Putting him behind bars automatically protects children from this predator.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Pedroza-Romero came to the attention of the Thunderbolt, Ga., Police Department in January 2021 when a minor victim reported Pedroza-Romero paid the victim for sexual acts. FBI agents later interviewed and arrested Pedroza-Romero after analyzing multiple electronic communications between Pedroza-Romero and the minor victim.
“This case is a perfect example of how partnerships between the FBI and our local law enforcement agencies are vital in protecting our citizens and in particular, children, our most vulnerable citizens,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The severity of this sentence is the greatest message we can send to anyone who would seek to take advantage of a child in this way.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Thunderbolt Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer J. Kirkland and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Tara M. Lyons, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Noah J. Abrams.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.
Charleston Man Sentenced for Firearm and Fentanyl CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of ammunition and for possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Dana Stevenson, 31, illegally possessed 9mm caliber ammunition on July 5, 2021. The ammunition was recovered at the scene of a daytime shooting at Central and Glenwood avenues on Charleston’s West Side.
Approximately five weeks after this incident, on August 12, 2021, South Charleston Police officers attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Stevenson, who fled at a high rate of speed. Stevenson was eventually apprehended and officers recovered approximately 38 grams of fentanyl and drug paraphernalia from the vehicle. The quantity of fentanyl and the presence of certain paraphernalia established that Stevenson intended to distribute the drug.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Stevenson knew he was prohibited from possessing ammunition because of his 2018 federal felony convictions in the Southern District of West Virginia for the distribution of heroin within 1,000 feet of a school and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nowles Heinrich and Stephanie S. Taylor 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-161.
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Camden Man Sentenced to 140 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Large Amounts of Heroin, Cocaine and CrackRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden man was sentenced to 140 months in prison for conspiring to distribute large amounts of heroin, cocaine, and crack in Camden, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Jose Diaz, 30, of Camden, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute one hundred grams or more of heroin as well as quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine. Judge Bumb imposed the sentence on April 28, 2022, in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Nineteen defendants were arrested in late 2018 on drug-trafficking charges based on the FBI’s investigation of a drug-trafficking organization that ran the open-air narcotics trade on the 400-500 block of Pine Street in Camden for several months in 2018. The organization included street-level sellers who were supervised by shift managers, who in turn were supervised by higher-level “runners.” Diaz admitted that he had a supervisory role as a shift manager, in the drug trafficking organization. The shift managers and runners supplied the sellers pre-packaged heroin, some of which was mixed with fentanyl, as well as cocaine and crack cocaine. The runners also collected drug proceeds from the shift managers and provided those proceeds to higher-level members of the conspiracy.
Seventeen of these defendants pleaded guilty before Judge Bumb to drug conspiracy charges. Two defendants are awaiting trial, which is scheduled for July 18, 2022. The charges and allegations against those two defendants are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced Diaz to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gabriel Rodriguez; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay; the Camden County Sherriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Gilbert L. Wilson; the Cherry Hill Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief of Police Larry Robb; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Department of Homeland Security for their assistance.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Aliabadi and Patrick C. Askin of the U. S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Burlington Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Burlington man, Quanathan Naiji Knox Ivery, age 33, was sentenced on Monday, April 25, 2022, to 110 months in prison for Felon in Possession of Firearms. Ivery was ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison term and immediately pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
In Spring of 2020, law enforcement investigated felons shooting firearms at an indoor shooting range in Burlington. Law enforcement observed Ivery outside of the range and determined he was a felon and was ineligible from possessing firearms. When Ivery left the range, law enforcement stopped his vehicle and located three firearms, including a rifle, and a large amount of ammunition. Law enforcement also located a drum magazine, capable of holding 100 rounds of ammunition. Surveillance video from the range showed Ivery shooting all three of the firearms. On December 20, 2021, Ivery pleaded guilty to the charge.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Black Hawk Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Black Hawk, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on May 2, 2022, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Cole Younger, age 33, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Younger was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 19, 2021, and pleaded guilty on December 3, 2021. The conviction stems from Younger, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, illegally possessing a loaded SCCY Industries, model CPX-2, 9x19mm Luger caliber, semi-automatic pistol, which were found after Younger came into contact with law enforcement in June 2021 in Rapid City.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Younger was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Battle Ground, Washington man sentenced to prison for illegally possessing firearmsRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 44-year-old Battle Ground, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 18 months in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Lynn Manley Cargile was arrested on December 26, 2019, following a six-hour stand-off with police. Cargile was indicted federally in August 2021. At today’s sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez said, “If you want your children to have a different life (than you), it’s up to you to model that for them.”
According to records filed in the case, police were called to Cargile’s home by a 9-1-1 call from his ex-wife, who alleged that Cargile had pushed her on their bed, had refused to allow her to get up, and when she later attempted to flee, had pulled her back into the house by her hair. After a lengthy wait, officers used ‘flash-bang’ devices to get Cargile to leave the house, and he was taken into custody. When officers entered the home to secure it for officer safety, they noted numerous firearms. After obtaining a court authorized search warrant, law enforcement discovered a Smith and Wesson AR-15 style rifle with a swastika on the rifle butt and a Black Rain Ordinance short-barreled rifle. Investigators also found two silencers, one of which was marked with “SS Bolts” markings associated with a Nazi Germany paramilitary organization. Cargile is prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions in Clark County Washington for attempting to elude (2002 and 2003) and illegal firearms possession (1999 and 2002).
Cargile was in state custody until August 2021 serving a 29-month prison sentence for domestic violence stemming from the same incident. The court and prosecutors took into account that state prison term in determining the appropriate federal sentence.
Speaking at sentencing, Cargile said he had renounced his white supremacist views. “For the first time in my life I want to do something different. I want to do gang intervention and give back to the community…. My goal is to be a good dad, serve God and give back to my community.”
Chief Judge Ricardo S. Martinez ordered Cargile to be on supervised release for three years following prison with drug treatment and mental health treatment as appropriate. As he closed the hearing, the Chief Judge noted that he does not usually believe the statements defendants make about how they have changed, but he does believe the actions they take once released from custody.
The case was investigated by the Battle Ground Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Will Dreher and former Assistant United States Attorney Angelica Williams.
Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 110 Months in Federal Prison for Charges Related to Drug Trafficking and Possession of Contraband in PrisonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Reuben Maurice Crawford, age 36, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 110 months in federal prison following his convictions for unlawful use of communications facilities in furtherance of drug trafficking activities and possession of contraband in prison. The Court further sentenced Crawford to serve one year of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, Crawford was involved with a drug trafficking organization that distributed large quantities of controlled substances in the Middle District of Louisiana. On June 7, 2017, Crawford and another member of the organization discussed collection of drug trafficking proceeds from other members of the organization. On June 19, 2017, Crawford called another member and warned him that he was being surveilled by federal agents. Crawford then instructed the member to meet him at a bar so that he could take him to the federal law enforcement office and show him the vehicles used to conduct surveillance.
In June 2021, on two separate occasions, while housed as an inmate at West Baton Rouge Parish Prison, Crawford possessed cellular telephones, which are prohibited objects in prison under federal law.
U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. stated, “This sentence demonstrates that we will use all tools at our disposal to bring to justice those who deal drugs in our community. The combined federal, state, and local efforts that culminated in this conviction once again reflect our unified front against crime in this district. I appreciate the tremendous dedication and hard work by the agents and prosecutors who worked tirelessly on this important matter.”
U.S. Marshal Bill Brown stated, “When prisoners in our custody violate the law, we will seek to hold them accountable.”
This investigation is another effort by the OCDETF Program, which was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack against organized drug traffickers. Today, the OCDETF Program is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, money laundering organizations, and related criminal enterprises. The OCDETF Program operates nationwide and combines the resources and unique expertise of numerous federal, state, and local agencies in a coordinated attack against major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.
These matters were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Kleinpeter and Harley Ferguson.
Barbour County man indicted on firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Andrew Cordel Wagner, of Elkins, West Virginia, was indicted today on a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Wagner, 31, was indicted today on one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Wagner, a person prohibited from having firearms, is accused of having four rifles, one revolver, seven pistols, and four shotguns in November 2021 n Barbour County.
Wagner faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 Christopher L. Bauer is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. ATF investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Another Texan sentenced for dealing drugs on behalf of Texas “Mexikan” MafiaRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 29-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been ordered to federal prison for his role in a large drug conspiracy involving heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine and meth, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Joe Daniel Davila pleaded guilty July 23, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered Davila to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that detailed Davila’s role as a distributor of narcotics at various drug houses located within Corpus Christi and Robstown.
Davila was selling the narcotics at drug premises aka “trap houses” which the Texas “Mexikan” Mafia (TMM) operated. Many of these homes were equipped with electronic security systems and had doors reinforced with braces to make possible law enforcement entry difficult. Authorities also found firearms in some of these “trap houses.” Davila would oversee the selling of drugs at some of these houses and make sure the profits of the sales would go to the leadership of TMM.
The investigation began in Robstown in 2015. Law enforcement was eventually able to discover the TMM was operating these houses in both Robstown and Corpus Christi and maintaining the premises as one of their sources of income.
The TMM has a constitution that governs the enterprise which states that 10% percent of the profits from any member’s business or interest shall be contributed to the organization. TMM collects this fee, referred to as “the dime,” from members, prospective members and sympathizers. These individuals also earn their income by trafficking in illegal drugs on their own which TMM then distributes – to include heroin, meth and cocaine.
Nine others have been convicted as part of the overall conspiracy.
Robert Martinez Hinojosa, 63, Alice; and Matthew John Sayles, 42, Raul Benavides, 48, Juan Lebrado Pena, 31, and Gilberto Saldana Jr., 41, all of Corpus Christi, pleaded guilty to violating the Racketeer Influence Corrupt Organization (RICO) statute. Hinojosa received 268 months, while Sayles, Benavides, Pena and Saldana received respective sentences of 90, 108, 210 and 271 months.
Four others were convicted of conspiring to distribute narcotics - Sergio Pena, 26, Danny Ray Martinez, 32, and Serenity McCracken, 44, all of Corpus Christi; and Raul Valdez, 47, San Antonio. Pena and Martinez each received 120 month-prison terms, while McCracken is serving 36 months. Valdez is pending sentencing.
All have been and remain in custody. Davila is pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Drug Enforcement Administration; FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S Marshals Service; IRS - Criminal Investigation; Texas Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation known as Operation Charco Trece. Also providing assistance were sheriff’s offices in Nueces and Victoria Counties and police departments in Corpus Christi, Ingleside, Aransas Pass, Robstown and Portland.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany L. Jensen and Michael Hess prosecuted the case.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Albuquerque man pleads guilty to bank fraud and submitting false documentsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Rick Benavidez, 47, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty on April 29 in federal court to two counts of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of submitting fraudulent returns, statements or other documents to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Benavidez will remain on release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Benavidez on Feb. 27, 2019. According to the plea agreement and other court records, from April 18, 2013, to May 31, 2013, Benavidez conspired with Damian Maron, and another man to submit fraudulent documentation, including altered pay stubs, to two credit unions to receive automobile loans. The altered pay stubs, which were provided to the applicant by Benavidez, supported a false claim that the applicant’s annual income was $85,000, when in fact it was only approximately $8,000 for 2013. The loan applications at both credit unions used the title for the same car, a 2007 Mercedes S Class, which was not for sale and which none of the men had any intention of purchasing. The funds were disbursed to “Automotive Express, Inc.,” a fictitious car dealership. The conspirators split the money, and the loan went into default.
Benavidez admitted in his plea that the fraudulently obtained loans in the guise of purchasing the Mercedes were part of a larger scheme using multiple straw applicants to obtain similar loans. As a result, defrauded financial institutions disbursed a total of $359,662.97.
Benavidez also acknowledged an additional loan scheme involving another alleged conspirator, Willie Lee Edwards, who is currently wanted by the FBI. The conspirators in this second scheme applied for a total of $1,154,493.42, of which $999,993.42 was disbursed by financial institutions.
After being charged with conspiracy and bank fraud, Benavidez submitted a false document to the IRS purporting to designate the assigned U.S. District Court judge as his fiduciary, knowing that the designation was false because the judge had not agreed to it and was not, nor had he ever been, Benavidez's legal fiduciary.
Maron pleaded guilty on March 10, 2020, to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of bank fraud, and is currently awaiting sentencing. Maron faces up to 30 years in prison.
By the terms of the plea agreement, Benavidez faces between 51 and 63 months in prison.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General. Assistant United States Attorneys Sean J. Sullivan and Taylor F. Hartstein are prosecuting the case.
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"Long Time Coming" Update: Kentucky Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Kentucky man pleaded guilty today to a role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana in Parkersburg and elsewhere.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Robert Sanders, Jr., 30, of Ashland, Kentucky, admitted to supplying Matthew Edward Depew and Carlo Ramsey with methamphetamine that was then re-distributed by Depew and Ramsey in the Parkersburg area between June and September 2021. Depew previously admitted to acquiring several pounds of methamphetamine on consignment from Sanders and distributing it to third-party customers.
Sanders pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 3, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison as well as least five years of supervised release and a $10 million fine.
Depew, Carlo Ramsey, Floyd Dermonta Ramsey, Era Dawn Corder, and Ambera Roberts previously pleaded guilty to felony charges in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, as a result of a nearly year-long investigation dubbed “Long Time Coming.” All defendants are awaiting sentencing. The investigation also resulted in more than a dozen arrests on state criminal complaints in Wood County.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force (PNTF), the Parkersburg Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Vienna Police Department, the Williamstown Police Department, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Boyd County, Kentucky, Sheriff’s Department, the Russell, Kentucky, Police Department and the Raceland, Kentucky, Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-163.
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Monday 2 May 2022
“Suicide Squad” admits to trafficking drugs worth over $1.6MRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – Three individuals have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import heroin and fentanyl into the United States from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Today, Liz Jomayra Diaz-Colon, 23, and Elias Herrera, 30, both admitted to their roles in the conspiracy. Their co-conspirator, Jonathan Guemez, 30, pleaded guilty Dec. 17, 2021. All are from Nashville, Tennessee.
In 2021, Diaz-Colon, Herrera and Guemez began working with Mexican drug traffickers to coordinate transportation of multiple drug loads into the United States.
On Aug. 20, 2021, Diaz-Colon attempted to pass through a Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint. A K-9 alerted to her vehicle which resulted in the discovery of 4.66 kilograms of heroin concealed in the battery of her Jeep Cherokee.
The following day, Herrera attempted to enter the United States. Authorities also discovered narcotics in his vehicle - 4.76 kilograms of fentanyl in the car’s battery.
Guemez also attempted to bring drugs into the country. Law enforcement was able to seize 3.94 kilograms of heroin from his vehicle.
The investigation connected all three people. It revealed they had been communicating with each other through WhatsApp, referring to themselves as the “Suicide Squad.”
At the time of their pleas, they admitted that they had conspired together to import a total of 8.6 kilograms of heroin and 4.76 kilograms of fentanyl into the United States. The drugs have an estimated street value of approximately $1,622,880.
U.S. District Judge Randy Crane will sentence Diaz-Colon July 12, along with Herrera. Guemez will be sentenced May 3. At those times, each faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life with a possible $10 million maximum fine.
All three have been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliza Carmen Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.
Williston Man Sentenced to 58 Months in Prison for Unlawfully Possessing Firearms and Trafficking over 3 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Gregory Lewis, 26, of Williston, Vermont, was sentenced today to serve 58 months in prison after his convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm and distribution of cocaine base. United States District Judge Christina Reiss also ordered Lewis to serve a three-year term of supervised release after his incarceration.
According to court records, in early 2021, investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Burlington Police Department conducted multiple controlled purchases of cocaine base from Lewis. On March 29, 2021, multiple law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant at Lewis’s residence in Williston. During the search, agents seized a stolen Glock Model 45 9mm pistol from Lewis’s bedroom and a privately manufactured AR-style firearm (commonly called a “ghost gun”), along with numerous tools of the drug trafficking trade, including packaging materials, digital scales, and a money counter. Agents also seized $43,135 of U.S. currency, and a collection of jewelry that appraised at over $70,000. Agents noted cocaine residue on the toilet seat in Lewis’s bathroom, after which Lewis admitted to having flushed approximately 750 grams of cocaine down the toilet as agents entered the residence. According to witness statements, Lewis’s admissions, and assets seized, Lewis is responsible for selling over 3 kilograms of cocaine in Chittenden County over a 16-month period.
Lewis’s federal sentence was ordered to run concurrent to his sentence imposed in Sarpy County, Nebraska, stemming from Lewis’s September 2019 arrest on Interstate 80 while in possession of 13 ounces of cocaine, bulk marijuana, and THC cartridges.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Burlington Police Department, as well as the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt handled the prosecution. Lewis was represented by Mark Kaplan, Esq.
This case was 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 works 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. For more information, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn
White Supremacist Gang Leader and Members and Associates Convicted on Racketeering and Murder ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Five members and associates of a violent white supremacist gang, the 1488s, were convicted today in Alaska by a federal jury of RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping, and assault.
Evidence presented at trial showed that the 1488s are a violent prison-based gang operating inside and outside of state prisons throughout Alaska. The 1488s use Nazi-derived symbols to identify themselves and their affiliation with the gang, including a 1488 “patch” tattoo which depicts an Iron Cross superimposed over a swastika. The tattoo can only be worn by “made” members who generally gained full membership by committing acts of violence on behalf of the gang. The gang has written rules and a code of conduct, including the creed that “the only currency we recognize is violence and unquestionable loyalty.”
Evidence presented at trial showed that Filthy Fuhrer, formerly known as Timothy Lobdell, 45, founded and led the 1488 gang from inside Alaska’s maximum-security prison, where he is serving a 19-year sentence for the attempted murder of an Alaska State Trooper. Fuhrer ordered members of the gang to commit violent kidnappings and assaults in the “free world” outside of prison. Trying to impose greater organization and structure with non-incarcerated members, Fuhrer believed that some members were defying the 1488 code of conduct and diminishing the power and influence of the gang. Fuhrer sent out a trusted lieutenant with a list of directives, these directives culminated in the kidnapping and assault of two low-level gang members on April 2, 2017, and July 20, 2017, and the kidnapping, assault, and murder of Michael Staton on Aug. 3, 2017.
According to evidence presented at trial, 1488 members Roy Naughton, aka Thumper, 43; Glen Baldwin, aka Glen Dog, 40; and Colter O’Dell, 29, worked with Craig King, aka Oakie, 56, who was a member of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, to kidnap and murder one of the victims, who had previously stolen from both King and the 1488s. King lined a room with plastic, where he and the 1488 defendants beat and tortured the victim. Baldwin and O’Dell then took the victim out to the woods, shot him, and burned his body. O’Dell earned his membership patch into the 1488s by committing the murder of Staton.
“The guilty verdicts today strike a significant blow to the highest levels of the 1488 gang,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners remain committed to combating and dismantling violent white supremacist gangs.”
“Violent gangs, especially those based upon racial hatred, are a plague to our society. As this case demonstrates, the crimes of organized prison gangs often go beyond the prison walls bringing violence into our communities,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Today’s convictions are a major disruption to the operation of the 1488 prison gang and hold accountable those who order or commit brutal and heinous crimes. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate and prosecute violent gang crimes regardless of where they take place. There is no higher priority than keeping our communities and the citizens of Alaska safe.”
“Today’s verdict demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to investigating and dismantling violent gangs, regardless of where they are being operated and who is leading them,” said FBI Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the Criminal Investigative Division. “In collaboration with our federal, state, local and international partners, we will aggressively target and pursue violent offenders. This verdict sends a clear signal to others who engage in gang violence that we will hold them accountable and bring them to justice.”
“The inhumanity shown by members of the 1488 criminal enterprise, to include the kidnapping, torture, and murder of Michael Staton, is a gruesome example of why we must identify and dismantle violent criminal organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The morally despicable extremist prison gang has been seriously undermined thanks to the robust and effective, coordinated law enforcement and prosecution efforts shown throughout this case. These convictions will certainly make our community a safer place.”
Fuhrer was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping resulting in death, three counts of kidnapping conspiracy, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of assault in aid of racketeering. Naughton was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping resulting in death, three counts of kidnapping conspiracy, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of assault in aid of racketeering. Baldwin, O’Dell, and King were convicted of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping resulting in death, and kidnapping conspiracy. All five defendants face a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole for the murder.
The FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, and the Alaska State Troopers, Alaska Bureau of Investigation, investigated the case in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska and the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section (OCGS). Investigative assistance was provided by the IRS Criminal Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Anchorage Police Department (APD), and the State of Alaska’s Department of Corrections.
Trial Attorney Jeremy Franker of the Criminal Division’s OCGS and Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Taylor, James Klugman and Chris Schroeder are prosecuting the case.
White Supremacist Gang Leader and Members and Associates Convicted on Racketeering and Murder ChargesRead the Press Release
Five members and associates of a violent white supremacist gang, the 1488s, were convicted today in Alaska by a federal jury of RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping, and assault.
Evidence presented at trial showed that the 1488s are a violent prison-based gang operating inside and outside of state prisons throughout Alaska. The 1488s use Nazi-derived symbols to identify themselves and their affiliation with the gang, including a 1488 “patch” tattoo which depicts an Iron Cross superimposed over a swastika. The tattoo can only be worn by “made” members who generally gained full membership by committing acts of violence on behalf of the gang. The gang has written rules and a code of conduct, including the creed that “the only currency we recognize is violence and unquestionable loyalty.”
Evidence presented at trial showed that Filthy Fuhrer, formerly known as Timothy Lobdell, 45, founded and led the 1488 gang from inside Alaska’s maximum-security prison, where he is serving a 19-year sentence for the attempted murder of an Alaska State Trooper. Fuhrer ordered members of the gang to commit violent kidnappings and assaults in the “free world” outside of prison. Trying to impose greater organization and structure with non-incarcerated members, Fuhrer believed that some members were defying the 1488 code of conduct and diminishing the power and influence of the gang. Fuhrer sent out a trusted lieutenant with a list of directives, these directives culminated in the kidnapping and assault of two low-level gang members on April 2, 2017, and July 20, 2017, and the kidnapping, assault, and murder of Michael Staton on Aug. 3, 2017.
According to evidence presented at trial, 1488 members Roy Naughton, aka Thumper, 43; Glen Baldwin, aka Glen Dog, 40; and Colter O’Dell, 29, worked with Craig King, aka Oakie, 56, who was a member of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, to kidnap and murder one of the victims, who had previously stolen from both King and the 1488s. King lined a room with plastic, where he and the 1488 defendants beat and tortured the victim. Baldwin and O’Dell then took the victim out to the woods, shot him, and burned his body. O’Dell earned his membership patch into the 1488s by committing the murder of Staton.
“The guilty verdicts today strike a significant blow to the highest levels of the 1488 gang,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners remain committed to combating and dismantling violent white supremacist gangs.”
“Violent gangs, especially those based upon racial hatred, are a plague to our society,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “As this case demonstrates, the crimes of organized prison gangs often go beyond the prison walls bringing violence into our communities. Today’s convictions are a major disruption to the operation of the 1488 prison gang and hold accountable those who order or commit brutal and heinous crimes. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate and prosecute violent gang crimes regardless of where they take place. There is no higher priority than keeping our communities and the citizens of Alaska safe.”
“Today’s verdict demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to investigating and dismantling violent gangs, regardless of where they are being operated and who is leading them,” said FBI Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the Criminal Investigative Division. “In collaboration with our federal, state, local and international partners, we will aggressively target and pursue violent offenders. This verdict sends a clear signal to others who engage in gang violence that we will hold them accountable and bring them to justice.”
“The inhumanity shown by members of the 1488 criminal enterprise, to include the kidnapping, torture, and murder of Michael Staton, is a gruesome example of why we must identify and dismantle violent criminal organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The morally despicable extremist prison gang has been seriously undermined thanks to the robust and effective, coordinated law enforcement and prosecution efforts shown throughout this case. These convictions will certainly make our community a safer place.”
Fuhrer was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping resulting in death, three counts of kidnapping conspiracy, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of assault in aid of racketeering. Naughton was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping resulting in death, three counts of kidnapping conspiracy, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of assault in aid of racketeering. Baldwin, O’Dell, and King were convicted of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping resulting in death, and kidnapping conspiracy. All five defendants face a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole for the murder.
The FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Alaska State Troopers, Alaska Bureau of Investigation, investigated the case in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska and the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section (OCGS). Investigative assistance was provided by the IRS Criminal Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Anchorage Police Department (APD), and the State of Alaska’s Department of Corrections.
Trial Attorney Jeremy Franker of the Criminal Division’s OCGS and Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Taylor, James Klugman and Chris Schroeder are prosecuting the case.
Whidbey Island man charged federally in connection with San Juan Island ArsonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 33-year-old Whidbey Island, Washington resident was charged by criminal complaint with arson in connection with the April 6, 2022, fire that destroyed or damaged multiple businesses on San Juan Island, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Dwight Christianson Henline will be brought to federal court in Seattle for his initial appearance on the charge.
“Federal investigators worked carefully and methodically with their state and local counterparts, using video evidence and sales records to identify Mr. Henline as a suspect in this fire,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. “The blaze is estimated to have caused millions of dollars in damage in a very small community. It took a community effort to stop the fire from spreading further. Holding the arsonist accountable is now our priority.”
According to the criminal complaint, arson investigators determined the fire originated on the back deck of the Crystal Seas Kayaking building at 40 Spring Street. They also determined, based on video and other evidence, that the fire was caused by someone lighting an ignitable liquid. A video recording from the adjacent Windermere Real Estate office indicates the fire began at about 10:04 p.m. on April 6, 2022, then died down. It smoldered until it intensified and began to grow again at about 3:15 a.m. on April 7, 2022. A local citizen saw the fire at about 3:43 a.m. and reported it. Although firefighters arrived from throughout the islands, the fire seriously damaged or destroyed the Crystal Seas Kayaking building, the Windermere Real Estate office, and the building housing Crow’s Nest Coffee and Herb’s Tavern before it was extinguished.
ATF personnel and local investigators collected various surveillance videos from San Juan Island businesses to try to determine who set the fire. These videos show Henline in the proximity of the fire’s origin on April 6, 2022. Using these videos, investigators were able to track Henline’s movements in Friday Harbor immediately before and after the fire. Of significance, Henline purchased candy, energy drinks, bleach, and ammonia at King’s Market with a debit or credit card in the early evening. At about 9:53 p.m., Henline used cash to buy lighter fuel at a small convenience store. That nearly empty bottle of lighter fuel was later found with Henline’s belongings at the home where he was staying on Whidbey Island.
After buying the lighter fuel, Henline walked through some alleys in Friday Harbor, then crossed Spring Street in the direction of Crystal Seas Kayaking. One minute after the fire began, Henline walked away from that area towards the harbor, collected a suitcase he had stashed in the lower deck area beneath the Friday Harbor Ice Cream Company, then boarded the ferry bound for Anacortes.
Investigators later obtained a warrant for Henline’s arrest. A Langley Police Department officer located and arrested Henline on that warrant on April 16, 2022, on Whidbey Island.
Initial estimates are that the fire caused millions of dollars of damage to multiple businesses, including Crystal Seas Kayaking; San Juan Property Management; San Juan Excursions; Windermere Real Estate; Crow’s Nest Coffee; and Herb’s Tavern.
Arson is punishable by a mandatory minimum 5 years and up to 20 years in prison.
The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, and San Juan County Fire and Rescue, with assistance from the Langley Police Department and the Island County Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Erin H. Becker and Cecelia Gregson.
henline_complaint.pdfWaterbury Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution and Firearm Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LENWOOD GATLING, 38, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between July and October 2020, a DEA New Haven Task Force investigation revealed that Gatling was using a storage unit he rented at a facility located on Meriden Road in Waterbury to store and distribute narcotics. Gatling was arrested on October 14, 2020. On that date, a court-authorized search of the storage unit revealed nine firearms, three of which were reported stolen; approximately 420 grams of fentanyl packaged in approximately 11,000 individual use bags; approximately 99 grams of heroin; approximately nine grams of cocaine; and approximately $30,000 in cash.
Gatling’s criminal history includes multiple felony offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Gatling pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
Gatling has been detained since his arrest.
The Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, East Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Derby, Middletown, Naugatuck and Waterbury Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Stolfi Collins and Neeraj N. Patel.
Vestal Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Nicholas Donafrio, age 42, of Vestal, New York, pled guilty today before Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy to one count of possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen.
Donafrio’s sentencing is scheduled for September 6, 2022. He faces up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000 on the charge. The Court must also impose a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life, and Donofrio will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
As part of his guilty plea, Donafrio admitted that in September of 2016 an FBI undercover agent using peer-to-peer file sharing software downloaded child pornography from Donafrio’s laptop computer and that in March of 2017 he possessed over 12,000 images and 57 video files depicting child pornography on a thumb drive. Donofrio also admitted that he possessed another 1,500 images and 150 videos on eight other pieces of electronic media, and that the child pornography he collected included prepubescent children and toddlers.
Donafrio’s case was investigated by the FBI Syracuse Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), with assistance from the Vestal Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown as a part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
United States Attorney’s Office Announces 19th Annual Project Safe Neighborhoods Logo Contest WinnersRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA --- United States Attorney Corey F. Ellis announced today the winners of the United States Attorney’s Office’s 19th Annual Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Logo Contest, which was open to all South Carolina grade school students.
The theme of this year’s contest was “Preventing Gun Violence in Our Schools.” Judges sought logos that demonstrated a successful collaboration between schools, communities, and law enforcement to reflect (1) warning signs that students should be looking for related to gun violence; (2) resources to help students who have concerns about gun violence; and (3) general messages to prevent gun violence in South Carolina schools.
“Project Safe Neighborhoods is the Department of Justice’s flagship effort in the fight against gun violence in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Corey F. Ellis. “This contest empowers tomorrow’s leaders to express their ideas and concerns about a troublesome topic that impacts all of society. Thanks to this year’s participants – it was a great competition.”
The overall winning logo will be used in publications distributed statewide and displayed on the United States Attorney’s Office website. The winner from each grade division and overall winner are named below:
Winner K–2nd grade Division
Mason Cordona, Fairfield Magnet School for Math and Science,
Winnsboro, SC
Winner 3rd–5th grade Division/ OVERALL WINNER
Layla McMillan, Fairfield Magnet School for Math and Science,
Winnsboro, SC
Winner 6th–8th grade Division
Jasmine Lucas, William J. Clark Middle School, Orangeburg, SC
Winner 9th–12th grade Division
Laila Saddler, C. A. Johnson High School, Columbia, SC
The winning entries were chosen by a select group of young leaders at the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice who act as role models for the other youth throughout the entire department. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers’ Association and the South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association will provide $50.00 awards to each division winner; and the overall winner, Layla McMillan, will receive an additional $50.00 award. All students who participated will receive a Certificate of Appreciation for their submissions.
The annual logo contest is a long-running part of the district’s PSN program and an important prevention initiative that has proven to be an effective way to engage our students in meaningful conversation about preventing gun crimes amongst our young people and ensuring a safe learning atmosphere for our children. PSN focuses on reducing violent crime in our communities through prevention, enforcement, and reentry initiatives.
View this year’s winning submissions and learn more about the contest at http://www.justice.gov/usao/sc/programs/logowinners.html.
Ulster County Man Sentenced for Child Pornography ConvictionsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Anthony Hadden, age 29, of Modena, New York, was sentenced last week to 121 months in prison for possessing, distributing, receiving and transporting child pornography.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his guilty plea, Hadden admitted that between December 14, 2017 and January 9, 2018, he distributed and received images and videos of child pornography through a group messaging application on his phone. His phone also contained numerous files depicting child pornography. Hadden also admitted that on January 21, 2020, Hadden emailed to himself numerous images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
In imposing sentence on April 29, 2022, United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a 15-year term of supervised release to follow the term of incarceration.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the New York State Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
U.S. Attorney Announces Settlement of Fraud Lawsuit Against Online Pharmacy for Overdispensing InsulinRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Scott J. Lampert, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”) New York Regional Office, announced today that the United States filed and settled a healthcare fraud lawsuit against online retail pharmacy PillPack, LLC (“PillPack”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc. The settlement resolves allegations that PillPack improperly billed Government healthcare programs (“GHPs”), including Medicare and Medicaid, for more insulin pens than patients needed according to their prescriptions and falsely under-reported the days-of-supply of insulin dispensed. Under the settlement, PillPack agreed to pay approximately $5.79 million to the United States and various States that were fraudulently overbilled for insulin. As part of the settlement, PillPack also admitted and accepted responsibility for certain conduct the Government alleged in its Complaint, including that it dispensed insulin pens that exceeded days-of-supply limits imposed by GHPs.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Pharmacies are trusted to provide accurate information to Government healthcare programs and to prevent waste when dispensing medications to patients. PillPack abused this trust by dispensing insulin refills long before patients needed them and by falsely reporting the days-of-supply of insulin actually dispensed to prevent its claims for reimbursement from being denied. This Office will continue to hold pharmacies accountable when they submit false information and waste taxpayer dollars.”
Insulin pens (hard plastic pen-shaped cases containing syringes filled with insulin solution) are a common way for diabetic patients to self-administer insulin. Manufacturers most frequently distribute insulin pens in five-pen cartons with each pen containing 300 units (3 mL) of insulin solution. Pharmacies can dispense such pens to patients only with valid prescriptions from licensed prescribers. Valid insulin prescriptions must set forth the “directions for use,” which typically designate both how much insulin to administer and the frequency and/or timing of when to administer it.
When PillPack sought reimbursement from GHPs for insulin pens, it was required to report, among other data, the quantity dispensed and the days-of-supply. The “quantity dispensed” specifies the amount of medication being dispensed to a patient when the pharmacy fills the prescription, and the “days-of-supply” refers to the number of days that the dispensed medication should last if the patient uses it according to the directions for use in the prescription. Typically, to calculate days-of-supply, a pharmacist divides the total quantity of medication being dispensed to a particular patient by that patient’s “daily dose,” i.e., the amount of medication that the prescriber directs the patient to use each day.
GHPs impose dispensing limits for prescription drugs, including insulin pens, in terms of quantity and days-of-supply and will deny a claim if the reported days-of-supply exceeds those limits, unless an override is obtained. GHPs typically calculate the date on which a prescription refill would be needed (the “refill due date”) based on the date when a patient last filled a prescription and the days-of-supply reported by the pharmacy for that prior fill. GHPs also typically establish automated processes to deny claims for reimbursement for refills that are submitted too far in advance of the refill due dates. The reliability of these processes depends on the accuracy of the days-of-supply reported by pharmacies.
As alleged in the Government’s Complaint:
From April 2014 through November 2019 (the “Covered Period”), PillPack’s general practice was to dispense insulin pens to patients using full cartons. PillPack would dispense and bill for the full carton, and falsely under report the days-of-supply to make it appear that the dispensing did not violate the program’s days-of-supply limit.
The practice of under-reporting days-of-supply also led PillPack to dispense premature refills to program beneficiaries. Whenever PillPack recorded in its internal system the inaccurate lower days-of-supply that were submitted to conform with the GHP’s days-of-supply limit, the system would generate a premature refill due date. As a result, PillPack pharmacists frequently dispensed insulin pen refills days or weeks before patients actually needed them according to their prescriptions.
The settlement requires PillPack to pay $5,616,136.85 to the United States, and PillPack has agreed separately to pay $175,522.55 to state governments, for a total of $5,791,659.40. Under the settlement, PillPack admitted, among other things, that:
- During the Covered Period, PillPack’s insulin pen dispensing practice was to supply patients with a full carton of insulin pens. In many instances, this resulted in exceeding the GHP’s applicable days-of-supply limit. Instead of accurately reporting the days-of-supply and contacting the GHP or its agent to attain the requisite override, in many instances PillPack would dispense and bill for the full carton, and reduce the days-of-supply reported to the GHP to conform to the GHP’s days-of-supply limit. As a result, for those claims, PillPack reported days-of-supply data to GHPs that were different from, and lower than, the days-of-supply that should have been reported had PillPack calculated days-of-supply according to the typical pharmacy billing formula of dividing the quantity of insulin dispensed by the daily dose.
- Prior to April 2019, PillPack’s prescription management and dispensing software determined refill dates based on the reported days-of-supply. Thus, during this time period, when PillPack pharmacists reported inaccurate lower days-of-supply data to GHPs and payors working on their behalf, the software used this inaccurate data to generate premature refill due dates, causing PillPack pharmacists to dispense insulin pen refills to patients days or weeks before the patients actually needed them according to their prescriptions.
- During the Covered Period, PillPack received audit reports from pharmacy benefit managers, acting on behalf of GHPs, requesting that PillPack repay the overpayments it had received for insulin pen prescription claims due to inaccurate days-of-supply reporting.
- GHPs and payors working on their behalf approved and paid claims submitted by PillPack for insulin pen refills that they would not have approved if PillPack had accurately reported the days-of-supply for previous fills according to the typical pharmacy billing formula of dividing the quantity dispensed by the daily dose. Specifically, PillPack’s practice of dispensing and submitting reimbursement claims for insulin pen refills using inaccurate lower days-of-supply data prevented GHPs and payors working on their behalf from reliably calculating refill due dates and confirming that refills had not been prematurely dispensed before approving PillPack’s claims for reimbursement.
- In certain instances, over time, patients accumulated multiple extra insulin pens that they did not need according to their prescriptions.
In connection with the filing of the lawsuit and settlement, the Government joined a private whistleblower lawsuit that had previously been filed under seal pursuant to the False Claims Act.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Office of Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services. He also thanked the Medicaid Fraud Control Units for Washington and Texas for their assistance in this case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danielle Levine and Pierre Armand are in charge of the case.
Two West Seneca Women Arrested, Charged with Selling OxycodoneRead 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 Renee Ferrentino, 48, and Kiara Hurd, 20, both of West Seneca, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with the intent to distribute, and to distribute, Oxycodone and conspiracy to distribute Oxycodone. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Misha A. Coulson, who is handling the case, stated that in August 2021, the Drug Enforcement Administration the New York State Police began investigating the narcotic sales and trafficking of defendant Ferrentino who was distributing Oxycodone pills. On two separate dates in April 2022, investigators conducted controlled purchases of Oxycodone/Hydrochloride and Oxycodone/Acetaminophen pills from Ferrentino and Hurd at their Union Road residence. On April 28, 2022, investigators executed a search warrant the residence and seized numerous prescription bottles, which contained amounts of suspected controlled substances including:
• amphetamine and dextroamphetamine;
• Oxymorphone Hydrochloride;
• Oxycodone-Acetaminophen;
• Buprenorphine Hydrochloride;
• Tramadol Hydrochloride;
• alprazolam;
• lorazepam;
• Zolpidem TartrateThe prescription bottles were in multiple names, some of which did not include the defendants. A bag of cash and various drug paraphernalia were also recovered.
The complaint 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, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski, and the West Seneca Police Department, under the direction of Chief Edward Baker.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
# # # #
Two Lebanese Citizens Extradited from Republic of Georgia to Face International Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
Mohamad Yassine and Hassan Rahman, citizens of Lebanon, will be arraigned today on money laundering charges for operating an international money laundering organization. Yassine and Rahman were arrested in September 2021 in Georgia and extradited to the United States on April 30, 2022. The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Sanket J. Bulsara at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Susan A. Gibson, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New Jersey Division announced the extraditions.
“The defendants operated a sophisticated money laundering conspiracy that used the international banking system to move bulk cash by sending wire transfers for criminals throughout the world,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office is committed to working with our international partners to dismantle the money laundering networks upon which drug traffickers and other criminals rely.”
Mr. Peace thanked the Georgian Ministry of Justice, the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia, the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the DEA’s Country Attaché Office in Georgia, and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for their assistance with the arrest and extradition.
“Drug traffickers rely on international money laundering organizations in order to further their criminal operations,” stated Special Agent in Charge Gibson. “The defendants in this investigation have helped to fuel the misery felt by so many affected by illegal drug use. The men and women of DEA will continue to work with our international partners to ensure these criminals are brought to justice.”
According to court filings, between approximately June 2017 and March 2018, Yassine and Rahman participated in a sophisticated Lebanon-based money laundering organization. Yassine led the organization, and Rahman was a member who reported directly to Yassine. The organization collected, laundered, and repatriated illicit funds, including drug proceeds, throughout Europe, the Middle East, South America, Australia, and the United States, in exchange for a percentage-based commission of the amount laundered. The organization typically charged a double-digit commission, as high as 17%. The organization used a network of workers to pick up and deliver bundles of cash, and it used the banking system to launder money through wire transfers. Some of the funds the defendants laundered originated in Australia, were sent to Turkey, and ultimately transferred into a bank account in Brooklyn.
The charges in the superseding indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendants face up to 40 years in prison.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Francisco J. Navarro, Jonathan P. Lax, Nomi D. Berenson and Tara B. McGrath are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
MOHAMAD YASSINE
Age: 51
Majdel Anjar, LebanonHASSAN RAHMAN
Age: 38
Majdel Anjar, LebanonE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-137 (S-1) (EK)
Three Family Members Sentenced in USDA Crop Loan and Bankruptcy Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
Three Northeastern Iowa family members were sentenced recently in federal court for their respective roles in crop loan and bankruptcy fraud schemes.
Aimee Lynn Rosenbaum, formerly known as Aimee Lynn Flatjord, age 53, from Lawler, Iowa, was sentenced to 78 months of imprisonment on April 28, 2022. She was ordered to make $165,592.21 in restitution to the United States Department of Agriculture-Farm Services Agency (“USDA-FSA”) and $4,796 in restitution to a bank, to pay a $5,000 fine, and to repay $7,086.74 in attorney fees for her prior court-appointed counsel. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Aimee Lynn Rosenbaum received the prison term after a June 14, 2021 guilty plea to one count of conversion of property pledged to a farm credit agency and one count of bankruptcy fraud.
Donald Eugene Rosenbaum, age 58, from Cresco, Iowa, was sentenced to two years of probation on May 2, 2022. He was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine. Donald Eugene Rosenbaum received the probation term after a June 10, 2021 guilty plea to one count of bankruptcy fraud.
Marshal Dillion Rosenbaum, age 27, from Fredericksburg, Iowa, was sentenced to three months of imprisonment and three months of home confinement on April 25, 2022. He was also ordered to make $165,592.21 in restitution to the USDA-FSA, jointly and severally with Aimee Lynn Rosenbaum. Marshal Dillion Rosenbaum received the prison term after a June 21, 2021 guilty plea to one count of conversion of property pledged to a farm credit agency. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.
In the family members’ plea agreements, as well as through evidence at a three-day sentencing hearing for Aimee Lynn Rosenbaum, it was established that Aimee Lynn Rosenbaum (“Aimee”) and Donald Eugene Rosenbaum (“Donald”) historically farmed land in Chickasaw County, Iowa. Marshal Dillion Rosenbaum (“Marshal”) is the son of Aimee and Donald. In late 2014, Aimee directed Marshal to apply for a crop loan with the USDA-FSA for the 2015 crop year on the pretense that Marshal would be taking over the farm due to purported health problems of Aimee and Donald. After Marshal obtained over $165,000 in loan proceeds and pledged the farm’s 2015 crop to the USDA-FSA, Aimee applied for and obtained over $1.3 million in loans from a local bank on the representation that Aimee and Donald would continue to farm the land that year. The 2015 crop thus was double-pledged without the knowledge of the USDA or the bank. Aimee applied for the bank loans on Donald’s behalf using a power of attorney she had obtained from Donald.
The Rosenbaums eventually defaulted on both loans and sold the double-pledged crop with little to no repayment. After the bank started foreclosure proceedings on the Rosenbaums’ farm, Aimee and Donald filed five bankruptcy petitions in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Iowa. Aimee and Donald each filed two additional bankruptcy petitions in bad faith and on the eve of scheduled Sheriff’s sales in state court in order to frustrate and delay the bank’s attempts to obtain repayment for its loans to Aimee and Donald. During one telephonic hearing in bankruptcy court in 2019, Aimee pretended to be Donald. The district court also found that Aimee submitted false evidence and testimony to the district court at her sentencing hearing.
The Rosenbaums were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Aimee Lynn Rosenbaum and Marshal Dillion Rosenbaum were released on bonds previously set and are to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on dates yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-2078.
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Tampa Multi-Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Five Years for Possessing A Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Mizelle has sentenced Willard Green Porter (44, Tampa) to five years and three months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Porter was also ordered to forfeit the firearm. He had pleaded guilty on January 18, 2022.
According to facts presented in court, on June 29, 2021, officers from the Tampa Police Department (TPD) observed a speeding vehicle fail to stop at a stop sign shortly before 1:00 a.m. Officers initiated a traffic stop around the corner on Terra Ceia Drive as the car pulled into a residential driveway. When the officers approached the vehicle, one of the officers observed the sole occupant—later identified as Porter—reach into the vehicle’s center console. The officer observed Porter put his hand on a black handgun in the console and the officer immediately alerted his partner. Porter was removed without incident and placed in handcuffs. He admitted to police that he was a convicted felon, that he knew he had the gun in his car, and that he kept the loaded gun “for protection.”
When Porter was searched, the officers located plastic baggies in his front pocket containing 3 grams of powder cocaine and 2 grams of crack cocaine. An additional 11.6 grams of crack cocaine, several scales, and empty baggies were recovered from inside the car. In addition, a black Springfield Armory .40 pistol was recovered from the center console of the car. The pistol was loaded with 15 rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber.
Law enforcement records showed that Porter had multiple prior felony convictions, including for possession of cocaine (2002); battery on a law enforcement officer (2004); obstructing an officer with violence (2004); possession of cocaine (2004); tampering with evidence (2004); and possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine (2004), for which he was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig Gestring.
This case was 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.
Tampa Man Sentenced for Role in Construction-Related Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced George Garcia (34, Tampa) to 21 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The Court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $126,200, the proceeds of the wire-fraud conspiracy. Garcia had pleaded guilty on January 18, 2022.
According to court documents, Garcia owned and managed a construction company which purported to supply construction services and labor for construction contractors and subcontractors. In order to comply with Florida law, Garcia’s company was required to secure and maintain adequate worker’s compensation insurance coverage. Garcia’s company had agreements with contractors and subcontractors to use workers purported to be Garcia’s employees at construction sites and these workers were often undocumented aliens who were actually working for and under the daily supervision and direction of the contractors. Garcia or others would then regularly receive “payroll checks” from contractors that were cashed at various financial institutions to pay Garcia’s purported “employees” and other related expenses.
During the time period charged, Garcia falsely and fraudulently represented in insurance applications that his company had a very limited payroll and a very limited number of employees who worked on construction jobsites. Garcia also falsely and fraudulently sent wire communications to numerous contractors representing that his company’s employees had full worker’s compensation coverage.
In reality, Garcia’s company received and cashed more than $19 million in checks from various construction contractors for these purported “employees.” This payroll figure far exceeded the very limited payroll figures that Garcia had reported to his worker’s compensation insurance company. As a result, these employees, in reality the employees of other entities, performed work on jobsites without adequate insurance coverage. In addition, the insurers lost premiums they would have charged had they been aware of the true number of workers their policies were thus being manipulated to cover.
As a result of these misrepresentations, Garcia’s company also disclaimed responsibility for ensuring that jobsite workers were legally authorized to work in the United States and that required state and federal payroll taxes were being paid for these workers. The contractors who actually paid these workers’ wages and used their services were thus also able to avoid responsibility for those duties as well.
“Garcia is facing the consequences of his scheme to defraud the insurance company by severely misrepresenting his workers compensation policy,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Dumas, HSI Tampa. “Garcia’s greed jeopardized the health and well-being of hundreds of non-citizen laborers who worked dangerous and difficult jobs without the safety net of proper workman’s compensation insurance.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the State of Florida Department of Financial Services. It is part of an investigation by those agencies into the use of shell companies and “ghost” employees in the construction industry. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Swiss Scientist Convicted by Federal Jury of Conspiracy to Steal Trade Secrets Belonging to GlaxoSmithKlineRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Gongda Xue, 52, formerly a resident of Allschwil, Switzerland, a legal permanent resident of Switzerland and citizen of China, was convicted after trial of charges related to his participation in a conspiracy to steal trade secrets from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) pertaining to biopharmaceutical products under development from January 2010 to January 2016.
During the offense conduct, Gongda Xue worked as a scientist at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (“FMI”) in Switzerland, which is affiliated with Novartis. His sister, Yu Xue, worked as a scientist at GSK in Pennsylvania. Both the defendant and his sister conducted cancer research as part of their employment at these companies. Their research was sensitive and confidential. Consequently, GSK and FMI required Yu Xue and Gongda Xue respectively to sign confidentiality agreements as part of their employment. While the defendant performed basic research for publication in journals, the defendant’s sister performed research relating to GSK’s anti-cancer drugs under development. Evidence presented at trial showed that the defendant knew that GSK’s research could prove incredibly valuable, and that it was proprietary and confidential.
While working for their respective entities, the defendant and his sister betrayed their employers and shared confidential information for their own personal benefit. Gongda Xue created Abba Therapeutics AG in Switzerland and Yu Xue and her associates formed Renopharma, Ltd., in China. Both companies intended to develop their own biopharmaceutical anti-cancer products. Renopharma received direct funding and support from the government of China. Gongda Xue stole FMI research into anti-cancer products and sent that research to Yu Xue. Yu Xue, in turn, stole GSK research into anti-cancer products and sent that to Gongda Xue. Yu Xue also provided hundreds of GSK documents to her associates at Renopharma. Renopharma then attempted to re-brand GSK products under development as Renopharma products and attempted to sell them for billions of dollars. Renopharma’s own internal projections showed that the company could be worth as much as $10 billion based upon the stolen GSK data.
Fortunately, in January 2016, the FBI arrested Yu Xue and her Renopharma associates, seized e-mail accounts containing the stolen GSK data, and seized the funds in a Renopharma bank account in order to prevent Renopharma from achieving its goals and monetizing the stolen GSK information. Gongda Xue was charged in 2018 and extradited from Switzerland to the United States in December 2019.
Two former GSK employees, Yu Xue and Lucy Xi, have pleaded guilty for their roles in sending GSK trade secrets to Renopharma. Yu Xue's sister, Tian Xue, pleaded guilty to a money laundering conspiracy for agreeing to launder the substantial ill-gotten gains which Renopharma expected to receive. One of the directors of Renopharma, Tao Li, also pleaded guilty for his role in conspiring to steal GSK trade secrets. The other director of Renopharma, Yan Mei, is a fugitive who currently resides in China.
“This defendant illegally stole trade secrets to benefit companies controlled by himself and his sister, one of which were financed by the Chinese government,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “The lifeblood of companies like GSK is its intellectual property, and when that property is stolen and transferred to a foreign country, it threatens thousands of American jobs and disincentivizes research and development. Such criminal behavior must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“When a company like GSK spends billions on research and development to bring new drugs to market, the theft of valuable trade secrets poses a significant operational threat,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “When those secrets are stolen on behalf of a global adversary, it also endangers the security of our nation and the stability of our economy. The FBI will continue to bring all our investigative resources to bear to hold accountable criminals like Xue and his codefendants who steal intellectual property to benefit themselves and the Government of China. Our relationships with private sector partners like GSK are critical to disrupting such costly activity and bringing those responsible to justice.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. Livermore and J. Jeanette Kang. Extradition assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs. The U.S. Attorney would also like to thank GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis for their extraordinary cooperation on this important investigation.
St. Louis man sentenced for unlawful possession of a firearm after domestic disputeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States District Court Judge Matthew T. Schelp sentenced Marlin Tobius, Jr., to 65 months in federal prison today. Tobius previously pleaded guilty for unlawfully possessing firearms, which police uncovered while responding to a domestic-violence incident.
According to the plea agreement, on October 21, 2020, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department ("SLMPD") received a domestic-disturbance call from a woman who reported that her boyfriend had pointed a gun at her and threatened to kill her. The officers entered the home as Tobius exited the upstairs bathroom, and he was taken into custody. Officers then searched the bathroom and found a loaded 9mm Glock 17 GEN5 handgun with a large-capacity magazine. Additionally, officers recovered a similar 9mm Glock 17 GEN4 handgun, also loaded with a large-capacity magazine, on top of a dresser near the top of the stairs. Tobius was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Tobius also admitted to obstructing justice by repeatedly calling the victim and pressuring to recant while he was in jail.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Bluestone.
South Bay Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in a Multimillion-Dollar Real Estate Scam Involving Fake Open Houses at Not-for-Sale HomesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A South Bay man pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge for participating with his sister in a $6 million real estate scam that involved listing homes without the owners’ consent and collecting money from multiple would-be buyers for each of the not-for-sale homes.
Adolfo Schoneke, 44, of Torrance, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner has scheduled an August 8 sentencing hearing, at which time Schoneke will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
On April 4, Schoneke’s sister, Bianca Gonzalez, 39, a.k.a. Blanca Schoneke, pleaded guilty to the same criminal charge. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 3.
According to court papers, from November 2013 to December 2016, Schoneke and Gonzalez, along with co-conspirators, operated real estate and escrow companies based in Cerritos, La Palma and Long Beach under a variety of names, including MCR and West Coast Realty Services. Schoneke, Gonzalez and other co-conspirators found properties that they would list for sale – even though they did not intend to sell them to anyone.
The properties were listed on real estate websites such as the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and were marketed as below-market short sales opportunities. In some cases, the homes were marketed through open houses arranged by tricking homeowners into allowing their homes to be used.
Multiple offers were accepted for each of the not-for-sale properties, but the co-conspirators hid this fact from the victims and instead led each victim to believe that his or her offer was the only one accepted. The co-conspirators strung victims along – sometimes for years – by telling them closings were being delayed because lenders needed to approve the purported short sales.
At the co-conspirators’ direction, office workers opened bank accounts to hide the co-conspirators’ involvement in the fraud. Those accounts were used to receive down payments on the homes and other payments from victims who were convinced to transfer the full “purchase price” after receiving forged short sale approval letters. The co-conspirators directed the office workers to withdraw large amounts of cash from these accounts, which made the proceeds harder to trace.
Investigators estimate that several hundred victims collectively lost more than $6 million during the scheme.
A co-conspirator, Mario Gonzalez, 50, was charged in a related case and pleaded guilty in January 2019 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. His sentencing is scheduled for October 3.
The FBI and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General investigated this matter. The investigation was initiated by numerous complaints to the Long Beach Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, both of which provided substantial assistance during the federal investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Kerry L. Quinn of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.
Soldier in training at Fort Gordon admits distributing child pornographyRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A U.S. Army soldier in training at Fort Gordon awaits sentencing after admitting he distributed child pornography.
Joshua Gamble, 29, of Fort Gordon, pled guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The guilty plea subjects Gamble to a statutory minimum penalty of five years in prison, up to 20 years, along with substantial financial penalties and restitution, registration as a sex offender, and a significant period of supervised release after completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Our vigilant law enforcement partners continue to identify and intercept online predators who engage in online exploitation of children,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “We will be unrelenting in pursuing those who would victimize the most vulnerable among us.”
FBI agents investigating illegal distribution of child pornography via an Internet chat application arrested Gamble in in October on a complaint based on activity that took place on Aug. 10 and 11, 2021.
“A child is re-victimized every time pornographic images of that child are shared,” said Philip Wislar, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI is always prepared to do everything in our power, with a sense of urgency, to protect innocent children from being exploited by predators.”
The case is being investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Tara M. Lyons.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.
Shasta County Couple Sentenced for Conspiring to Subject Mother and Her Two Daughters to Forced LaborRead the Press Release
Nery A. Martinez Vasquez, 54, and Maura N. Martinez, 54, both of Shasta Lake, California, were both sentenced today for conspiring to subject three victims to forced labor, a crime to which the defendants had previously pleaded guilty. Vasquez was sentenced to six and a half years in prison and Martinez was sentenced to three years in prison. Both defendants were also sentenced to three years of supervised release and a fine of $25,000. The couple was also required to pay $300,000 in restitution to seven total victims. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke and U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert made the announcement.
According to court documents, from September 2016 to February 2018, the defendants — who owned and operated a restaurant and janitorial service — used various coercive means to force their victims into working long hours of physically demanding work, seven days a week, for minimal to no pay. In August 2016, the defendants convinced the victims, a Guatemalan relative and her two minor daughters, ages 15 and 8, to come to the United States by falsely promising the victims a better life and arranging for them to enter the United States and overstay their temporary visitor visas. The defendants then conspired with each other to impose an inflated debt on the victims that they required the victims to pay back through working for them. When the adult victim complained and expressed an interest in leaving, the defendants threatened to have the victims arrested for overstaying their visas unless they continued working the same long hours, seven days a week, for little pay.
Similarly, the defendants kept the two minor victims working at their businesses instead of attending school by telling the victims that immigration authorities would find and arrest them if the minor victims attempted to go to school. The defendants housed the victims in a dilapidated, unheated trailer with no running water, and degraded and humiliated them in front of others. Finally, the defendants used force and threats of force to intimidate the victims. For instance, Nery Martinez Vasquez beat the children with a stick that had the children’s name and nickname written on it along with the phrase “what goes up, must come down.”
“These defendants used the promise of a better life to lure a mother and her children to travel to the United States, only to betray their familial relationship and exploit the victims’ precarious situation to cruelly oppress and degrade them, and to turn a profit off their backs,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Forced labor has no place in our civilized society. This sentencing makes clear our commitment to holding perpetrators accountable and our dedication to eradicating human trafficking.”
“These defendants exploited vulnerable victims, forcing them to work in their businesses, failing to pay wages, and depriving them of basic human rights,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “Now they have been sentenced to years in prison and have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution to their victims. The U.S. Attorney’s Office continues its commitment to protect and defend vulnerable members of our society from human trafficking, and we appreciate the partnerships we have with the Civil Rights Division and the FBI that led to the result in this case.”
“We hope today’s sentencing will offer the victims confidence as they continue to reclaim their lives. Forced labor, a form of human trafficking, is of significant concern for the FBI, but is difficult to identify and investigate without cooperation of fearful victims who believe escape is not an option because of the lies they have been told by their exploiters,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan for the FBI Sacramento Field Division. “This case highlights how such crimes may occur in public view at a legitimate business yet go unnoticed. The FBI is deeply commitment to seeking justice for all victims of human trafficking — regardless of immigration status or background — to ensure victims receive the care and support they need to break free from their exploiters.”
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine T. Lydon and Audrey Hemesath, and Trial Attorney Avner Shapiro of the Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
San Antonio Man Sentenced for Straw Purchase SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Charles Anthony Lecara, aka “Eric,” “Bloodhound,” 43, of San Antonio was sentenced today to 87 months in prison for aiding and abetting false statements in connection with firearm purchases.
According to court documents, between March and June 2018, Lecara conspired with others to purchase firearms by making false statements and representations to firearm dealers. The co-conspirators acted as straw purchasers, claiming the guns were purchased by them for their use. However, Lecara directed the conspirators on which firearms to purchase, focusing on firearms popular with Mexican cartels, and took possession of them shortly after they were purchased. In August 2018, numerous firearms purchased on Lecara’s behalf were recovered in a stash location in San Antonio along with a significant amount of crystal methamphetamine.
On January 13, 2022, Lecara pleaded guilty to three counts of aiding and abetting false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms. Lecara has remained in federal custody since his arrest on July 22, 2021.
“This case illustrates why our office and law enforcement partners are committed to prosecuting those who violate federal firearms laws,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “Lying and buying schemes such as this endanger the public and offenders who sign on the dotted line should expect to do hard time.”
“The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has no greater mission than keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals. This case not only demonstrates the lengths to which criminals will go to acquire firearms, but more importantly, ATF’s expertise and commitment to investigating such violations of federal law,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski. “In partnership with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the United States Attorney’s Office, we will continue to work tirelessly to bring those who disregard the safety of our communities to justice.”
“By putting weapons smugglers behind bars, law enforcement disrupts the supply of firearms before they fall into the hands of violent drug cartels who pose a threat both here and abroad,” said Shane Folden, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, San Antonio. “HSI will continue working with our federal law enforcement partners both domestic and international in this effort.”
The ATF and HSI, along with valuable assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Lo Galbo, Eric Yuen and Karina O’Daniel prosecuted the case.
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.
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Ryan K. Buchanan sworn in as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of GeorgiaRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Ryan K. Buchanan has been sworn in as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr., administered the oath of office in a private ceremony. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., nominated Buchanan to be the U.S. Attorney on November 15, 2021. The U.S. Senate confirmed his nomination on April 27, 2022.
“I am honored to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Buchanan. “I am grateful to President Biden for the opportunity to lead a dynamic and talented team of public servants who are dedicated to the pursuit of justice and ensuring the safety of our community. I am also thankful for the recommendation and support of Senator Ossoff and Senator Warnock during the confirmation process. This office has a long tradition of working closely with our law enforcement and community partners, the defense bar, and the court in serving this district. I look forward to maintaining and strengthening those relationships.”
As the chief federal law enforcement official in the Northern District of Georgia, U.S. Attorney Buchanan oversees the investigation and litigation of all criminal and civil cases brought in the district on behalf of the United States. He leads a team of approximately 250 prosecutors and staff in its mission to enforce federal criminal law, advocate for the victims of crimes, and represent the United States’ interests in federal court.
U.S. Attorney Buchanan joined the Department of Justice in 2010 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Alabama. He has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Georgia since 2013 and has held the positions of National Security and Anti-Terrorism Council Coordinator and Deputy Chief of the Violent Crime and National Security Section.
During his career, U.S. Attorney Buchanan successfully prosecuted cases involving foreign terrorist organizations and attempts by domestic terrorists to acquire weapons of mass destruction. He has also handled cases involving organized crime and racketeering, robbery, kidnapping, carjacking, exploitation of children, and other violent crimes.
Prior to joining the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney Buchanan worked in private practice at McGuireWoods LLP. He also served as a law clerk to the Honorable Inge P. Johnson of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Buchanan received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2005 and his B.S. from Samford University in 2001.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Rewards Offered for Capture and Conviction of Leaders of Honduran Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
Note: To download fugitive reward posters in English and Spanish, click on: Tito Montes Bobadilla, Herlinda Bobadilla, and Juan Carlos Montes Bobadilla.
Today, the U.S. Department of State announced a reward of up to $5 million each for information leading to the arrest and conviction of three Honduran nationals indicted in the Eastern District of Virginia on charges stemming from their roles as leading figures in a drug-trafficking operation.
On Oct. 8, 2015, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Tito Montes-Bobadilla, aka Alejandro Montes-Bobadilla or Pimpi, 32; Herlinda Bobadilla, aka Erlinda Ramos-Bobadilla or Chinda, 61; Juan Carlos Montes-Bobadilla, aka Mono, 35; Noe Montes-Bobadilla aka Ton, 38; and two others with conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. The Department of State is offering $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Tito Montes-Bobadilla, Herlinda Bobadilla, or Juan Carlos Montes Bobadilla. The three Bobadillas are currently fugitives and are believed to be armed and dangerous.
According to court documents and allegations in the indictment, from 2006 until the date of the indictment, Juan Carlos Montes-Bobadilla, his mother Herlinda Bobadilla, and his brother Tito Montes-Bobadilla allegedly were leaders in the Montes-Bobadilla drug-trafficking organization (DTO), or “Los Montes,” one of the largest drug cartels in Honduras. Noe Montes-Bobadilla led the Montes DTO prior to his arrest and extradition to the United States in 2017. Noe Montes-Bobadilla’s brothers, Tito Montes-Bobadilla and Juan Carlos Montes-Bobadilla, allegedly led cells within the DTO with their own supply and distribution networks. Their mother, Herlinda Bobadilla, allegedly assisted her sons in the importation, transportation, and distribution of cocaine. Through these efforts, the Montes DTO allegedly distributed thousands of kilograms of cocaine destined for the United States.
The Montes DTO allegedly had its base of operations around Francia, Honduras, in the Department of Colón. The Montes DTO allegedly received shipments of cocaine via boats, clandestine aircraft, and even submarines by South American suppliers. Individual shipments allegedly carried hundreds of, and sometimes more than a thousand kilograms of cocaine. The Montes DTO allegedly worked closely with other drug-trafficking organizations to import the cocaine in Honduras and transport it north through Central America and Mexico to the United States.
After his extradition, Noe Montes-Bobadilla was convicted, and, in April 2019, sentenced to 37 years’ imprisonment on the drug-trafficking charge.
If you have information regarding this case, please contact the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at +504-9452 4032 or +504-9430 7106, which can accept messages from the social messaging applications WhatsApp and Signal, or by email at [email protected]. If you are located outside of the United States, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If in the United States, please contact the local DEA office in your city.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys James L. Trump, Thomas W. Traxler, and Anthony Aminoff of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Teresita Mutton and Douglas Meisel of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Noe Montes-Bobadilla.
This case is being investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation Harpoon.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Rewards Offered for Capture and Conviction of Leaders of Honduran Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Today the U.S. Department of State announced a reward of up to $5 million each for information leading to the arrest and conviction of three Honduran nationals indicted in the Eastern District of Virginia on charges stemming from their roles as leading figures in a drug-trafficking operation.
On October 8, 2015, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Tito Montes-Bobadilla, aka Alejandro Montes-Bobadilla or Pimpi, 32; Herlinda Bobadilla, aka Erlinda Ramos-Bobadilla or Chinda, 61; Juan Carlos Montes-Bobadilla, aka Mono, 35; Noe Montes-Bobadilla aka Ton, 38; and two others with conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. The Department of State is offering $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Tito Montes-Bobadilla, Herlinda Bobadilla, or Juan Carlos Montes Bobadilla. The three Bobadillas are currently fugitives and are believed to be armed and dangerous.
According to court documents and allegations in the indictment, from 2006 until the date of the indictment, Juan Carlos Montes-Bobadilla, his mother Herlinda Bobadilla, and his brother Tito Montes-Bobadilla allegedly were leaders in the Montes-Bobadilla drug-trafficking organization (DTO), or “Los Montes,” one of the largest drug cartels in Honduras. Noe Montes-Bobadilla led the Montes DTO prior to his arrest and extradition to the United States in 2017. Noe Montes-Bobadilla’s brothers, Tito Montes-Bobadilla and Juan Carlos Montes-Bobadilla, allegedly led cells within the DTO with their own supply and distribution networks. Their mother, Herlinda Bobadilla, allegedly assisted her sons in the importation, transportation, and distribution of cocaine. Through these efforts, the Montes DTO allegedly distributed thousands of kilograms of cocaine destined for the United States.
The Montes DTO allegedly had its base of operations around Francia, Honduras, in the Department of Colón. The Montes DTO allegedly received shipments of cocaine via boats, clandestine aircraft, and even submarines by South American suppliers. Individual shipments allegedly carried hundreds of, and sometimes more than a thousand kilograms of cocaine. The Montes DTO allegedly worked closely with other drug-trafficking organizations to import the cocaine in Honduras and transport it north through Central America and Mexico to the United States.
After his extradition, Noe Montes-Bobadilla was convicted, and, in April 2019, sentenced to 37 years’ imprisonment on the drug-trafficking charge.
If you have information regarding this case, please contact the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at +504-9452 4032 or +504-9430 7106, which can accept messages from the social messaging applications WhatsApp and Signal, or by email at [email protected]. If you are located outside of the United States, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If in the United States, please contact the local DEA office in your city.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys James L. Trump, Thomas W. Traxler, and Anthony Aminoff of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Teresita Mutton and Douglas Meisel of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Noe Montes-Bobadilla.
This case is being investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation Harpoon. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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. 1:15-cr-290.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on April 28, 2022, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Seth Noll, age 29, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Noll was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 22, 2021, and pleaded guilty on November 12, 2021. The charge stems from Noll, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, illegally possessing a Phoenix Arms, model HP22S, .22 Long Rifle caliber, semi-automatic pistol, a Davis Industries, model DM-22, .22 Long Rifle caliber, over-under derringer, and a Savage Arms Incorporated, .22 Long Rifle caliber, semi-automatic rifle, which were found after Noll came into contact with law enforcement in June 2021 in Rapid City.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Noll was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Charged with Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Stolen Firearm.
Login Cook, age 19, was indicted on April 21, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on April 29, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge stems from Cook knowingly possessing a stolen Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol in December 2021 in Rapid City. The charge is merely an accusation and Cook is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson is prosecuting the case.
Cook was detained pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Randolph County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Richard Scott Connally, of Montrose, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Connally, 33, pleaded guilty today to today on one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute at Least Fifty Grams of Methamphetamine.” Connally admitted to having more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in October 2019 in Randolph County.
As a part of the plea agreement, Connally agreed to forfeit a 9mm pistol, 11 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and $940 cash.
Connally faces at least 10 years and up to life incarceration and a fine of up to $10 million. 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 Mountain Region Drug Task Force and the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Prolific Philadelphia Meth Dealer Convicted at Trial of Multiple Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Arthur Rowland, a/k/a “Bo,” 41, of Philadelphia, PA, was convicted after trial of multiple narcotics offenses, along with his earlier conviction for being a felon-in-possession of a firearm, arising from his participation in a large scale interstate methamphetamine distribution conspiracy.
In December 2018, the defendant was arrested pursuant to an Indictment charging him and four other individuals with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and related charges. Ultimately, a second Superseding Indictment charged Rowland and five others with participating in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy that acquired hundreds of pounds of Mexican methamphetamine in Los Angeles, shipped the illegal narcotics back to the Philadelphia area for distribution here, and in turn transferred many thousands of dollars back to the California-based sellers to pay for that methamphetamine. In addition to the drug conspiracy, Rowland was also charged with possessing with intent to distribute about nine pounds of methamphetamine from packages that he had shipped to multiple Philadelphia-area locations, and with possessing two AK-47 style assault type weapons and a semi-automatic handgun while being a felon, and with using those same weapons in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
“Rowland and his co-conspirators shipped tons of drugs from one end of this country to the other through a large and sophisticated trafficking enterprise,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Today’s conviction demonstrates our Office’s commitment to taking down these types of criminal organizations and cutting off the supply of deadly drugs in order to keep our communities safe.”
“Arthur Rowland was part of a conspiracy that saw vast amounts of meth brought into and sold in the Philadelphia area,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “This conviction is a win for the FBI and all of our partners as we work together to get dangerous drugs and criminals off the street. The ultimate goal here is to eliminate the drug trade and concomitant gun violence plaguing so many communities.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul Shapiro and Timothy Stengel.
Presque Isle Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Presque Isle man was sentenced in federal court today for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Robert Poliero, a/k/a “Charlie,” 58, to 18 years in prison and five years of supervised release.
According to court records, between approximately July 2018 and May 2019, Poliero and others conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Poliero personally traveled to Georgia on at least two occasions to obtain methamphetamine. Once he transported the drugs back to Maine, he and his co-conspirators distributed them in Aroostook County.
On May 19, 2019, Poliero was returning from one such trip to Georgia with another person. Poliero intended to bring a large quantity of methamphetamine back to northern Maine for distribution. The Maine State Police stopped the vehicle in which Poliero was traveling. A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 6,100 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine. While on federal bail for this offense, Poliero was arrested on a new aggravated drug trafficking charge prosecuted by the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Maine State Police investigated these cases with the assistance of multiple state and local law enforcement agencies.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office appreciates the assistance of the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office with these cases.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Ponchatoula Man Sentenced in Federal Court for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Jaime Aaron Sousa, age 28, of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, to 120 months in federal prison following his conviction for attempted enticement of a minor. The Court further sentenced Sousa to serve a period of five years supervised release, which includes sex offender registration requirements, following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions made during his plea, in January 2021, Sousa utilized a social media application to communicate with and sexually pursue an individual whom he believed to be a 13-year-old girl. Throughout his communications, Sousa sent sexually explicit messages and photographs to the purported minor, he pressured the purported minor to send him sexually explicit photographs, and he coerced the purported minor to meet him to engage in sexual activity. Sousa then traveled to a location in Baton Rouge with the intent to engage in sexual activity with the purported minor, where he was ultimately arrested by federal and state law enforcement officials.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations, Louisiana State Police, and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jamie A. Flowers Jr., who also serves as Chief of the Criminal Division.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Ottawa County Man Sentenced for Sexually Abusing of a MinorRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A man who contacted Ottawa County authorities to report that he sexually abused a minor was sentenced Monday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Jeremy Brandon Lawhorn, 39, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for the sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country.
On Aug. 19, 2020, Lawhorn contacted the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office to report that he needed to confess to a crime. After being informed of his Miranda rights, he told officers that on Aug. 14, 2020, he touched a 12-year-old minor in a sexual manner. He told officers that he touched the child under her shirt and sweatpants. He understood the contact was unwanted and said he felt sorry for what he’d done.
“Jeremy Lawhorn violated a child’s trust and innocence. Thankfully, the abuse was stopped and this victim was protected from further harm,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I am grateful for our law enforcement partners and victim advocates who investigate these difficult cases and offer critical support to victims every day in communities across northeastern Oklahoma.”
Lawhorn was originally charged in Ottawa County District Court, but in October 2021, the case was dismissed due to lack of jurisdiction. Lawhorn is a Cherokee Nation citizen, and the crime occurred within the boundaries of the Quapaw Nation reservation. The case was indicted in federal court on Dec. 6, 2021.
The FBI and Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Brasher prosecuted the case.
Newark Landlords Agree to Pay $430,000 to Settle Allegations of Collecting Excess Rent in Sparrow RunRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss announced today that landlords Goodfish Enterprises, LLC; Reliant Property Management Company; and Christopher Lukacs have agreed to pay $430,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act during their participation in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP), commonly known as “Section 8.” The HCVP is the federal government’s primary program for helping low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market.
Goodfish, Reliant, and Lukacs own more than 90 properties in the Sparrow Run housing development in Newark, Delaware, many of which have been leased to low-income residents receiving rental assistance through the HCVP. HCVP regulations require landlords to certify that they are not charging a higher rent to HCVP tenants than they charge to unassisted tenants in comparable housing units. In a lawsuit filed in December 2020, the United States alleged that, going back to at least January 2015, Goodfish, Reliant, and Lukacs had charged HCVP participants higher rents than unassisted tenants. The United States also alleged that Goodfish and Lukacs provided false information on HCVP forms regarding the rents they received from unassisted tenants to justify the inflated rents they sought to charge for HCVP rentals. As part of the settlement agreement, Reliant and Goodfish also agreed to reduce the rents being charged to certain current tenants.
“By illegally charging higher rents to residents receiving housing assistance than to residents who require no assistance, landlords overcharge the federal government and take money that should be used to help additional needy families,” said U.S. Attorney Weiss. “This settlement demonstrates that, together with our agency partners, my office will aggressively pursue those who attempt to profit by ignoring the laws that ensure that public money is not wasted.”
“The Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General is committed to working with the Department of Justice and our law enforcement and housing partners to ensure that federal funds intended to help low-income families are not wasted or misapplied,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Shawn Rice. “HUD OIG also commends the New Castle County Police and the New Castle County Housing Authority who provided assistance in this investigation. Today’s settlement demonstrates the Government’s commitment to protecting the integrity of HUD programs against fraud, waste, or abuse.”
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General. The litigation was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dylan J. Steinberg.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 20-cv-01722-RGA.
New York Man Involved in Burglary Ring Sentenced to 54 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DOUGLAS NOBLE, 28, of New York, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 54 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in the theft of millions of dollars in vehicles, phones, ATMs and other merchandise from numerous locations in Connecticut, New York and elsewhere.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Noble was a member of a theft ring that, between June 2020 and January 2021, primarily burglarized car dealerships and mobile phone stores in Connecticut and New York. From dealerships they stole vehicle key fobs and vehicles, and from mobile phone stores they stole cell phones, electronics and other merchandise. Conspiracy members also stole ATMs from check cashing businesses and burglarized video game stores.
Noble and his co-conspirators often burglarized multiple locations in one night and, on numerous occasions, escaped from police by engaging the police in high-speed chases that had to be terminated for safety reasons. Some of Noble’s co-conspirators also possessed firearms.
Members of the theft ring are suspected to have committed more than 180 burglaries and stolen more than $4 million in property.
On January 3, 2021, Noble was arrested on related state charges on Long Island after Nassau County Police responded to the scene of a burglary in progress. Noble was a passenger in a stolen Chevy Silverado that attempted to flee police and struck two cars before it came to a stop. Investigators found several stolen iPads and iPhones inside the vehicle, and a stolen ATM in the truck bed.
On February 16, 2021, Noble and three co-conspirators were charged in a 13-count superseding indictment. A fourth co-conspirator was subsequently charged.
Noble was arrested on March 22, 2021. On February 7, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of stolen property.
Noble, who was living in the Bronx at time of his arrest and is currently residing in Brooklyn while released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on July 6.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Connecticut State Police, with the assistance of approximately 30 local police departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Ruff and Ray Miller.