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Friday 29 April 2022
Undocumented Individual Indicted on Illegal Firearm Possession, Methamphetamine Trafficking and Illegal Re-Entry ChargesRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala – A federal grand jury this week charged an undocumented individual with drug and gun crimes and illegal re-entry into the United States after deportation announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Katrina Berger.
A 17-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Juan Jose Maldonado-Arce, 36, with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine hydrochloride, three counts of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride, one count of distribution cocaine hydrochloride, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of being an undocumented individual in possession of a firearm, two counts of carrying or possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and one count of illegal re-entry after deportation.
According to the indictment, between May 2021 and February 2022, in Madison and Limestone Counties, Maldonado-Arce possessed and sold methamphetamine and cocaine hydrochloride, and he possessed a Taurus 9mm pistol, a Smith & Wesson .32 caliber revolver, and a Hi-Point 9mm pistol.
Maldonado-Arce re-entered the United States in July 2012, July 2016, and June 2020 after he was previously deported to Mexico on March 24, 2011.
The penalty for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine hydrochloride and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams of methamphetamine is 10 years to life in prison. The maximum penalty for distribution of five or more grams of methamphetamine is 40 years in prison. The maximum penalty for distribution of a substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine hydrochloride is 20 years in prison. The maximum penalty for illegal re-entry after deportation and being a felon and/or undocumented individual in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison. The minimum penalty for possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime is five years in prison, which must run consecutive to any other sentence.
DEA and HSI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Stuart Burrell is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE/ALEXANDRIA/LAKE CHARLES/MONROE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown joins the Department of Justice and communities nationwide in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week which has been observed during this week of April 24-30, 2022. This year’s theme is “Rights, Access, and Equity for all Victims.” This week is all about honoring victims, survivors, and the people and organizations throughout the United States who support and serve them.
“There are many people in our community who know first-hand what it feels like to have been a victim of crime,” stated U.S. Attorney Brown. “When it happens to you, it affects you for a lifetime and we never forget the events that caused us to be a victim. Our office is committed to protecting the rights of those who are crime victims. We will continue to work with both state and local agencies to bring those who commit those crimes to justice and by providing support to the crime victims throughout the judicial process.”
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is an opportunity to remember not only victims who we are currently serving, but also those who have lost their lives as the result of senseless acts of terrorism such as the Oklahoma City Bombing on April 19, 1995, the attacks on September 11, 2001 in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania, and the bombing at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013. Not only are there victims of crime in other cities, but also right here in the Western District of Louisiana where our office has prosecuted numerous cases and justice was served for many victims. Some significant cases involving victims which our office has prosecuted are as follows:
- In US v. Thomas Steven Sanders, the victims, a mother and daughter, were both kidnapped from Las Vegas and killed by Sanders. A jury in Alexandria, Louisiana, convicted Sanders and he was sentenced to death and is currently on death row.
- In US v. Dillon Merritt, a jury in Shreveport, Louisiana convicted Merritt of kidnapping the victim and brutally beating, raping and torturing her for nearly a week, but she survived and was able to tell her story about the awful things he did to her. Merritt was sentenced to life in prison.
- In US v. Kirbyjon Caldwell and Gregory Smith, both defendants pleaded guilty to defrauding investors out of over $3.5 million. Most of the victims were friends and clients of Smith, who was a financial advisor in Shreveport, Louisiana, and Caldwell, who was the pastor of a mega church in Houston, Texas. Caldwell and Smith were sentenced to six years in prison and ordered to pay $3,588,500 in restitution to the victims in this case.
- In US v. Mehmood Patel, a jury in Lafayette, Louisiana, convicted Patel, who was a cardiologist in Lafayette. Patel was found guilty of health care fraud as a result of his performing heart catheterizations, stents, and angiograms on patients and many of these procedures were found to be medically unnecessary. Patel was sentenced to ten years in prison and was ordered to pay $387,511.56 in restitution to his many victims.
- In US v. David D. DeBerardinis, he pleaded guilty to defrauding numerous victims who were his friends and business associates out of millions of dollars. DeBerardinis, who was a businessman in Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay $51,462,909.66 in restitution to his victims.
“These are just a few examples of victims we have sought and obtained justice for,” stated U.S. Attorney Brown. “However, we know our job is never done. This office will continue to work hard to ensure that the rights of victims are protected, and the laws are upheld in the Western District of Louisiana.”
During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, many organizations who work with victims everyday rally together to bring awareness of victims’ rights and services. The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is part of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs and supports more than 7,000 local victim assistance programs and victim compensation programs in every state in the United States. Funding for these programs comes from the Crime Victims Fund, which is obtained by the collection of federal criminal fines, penalties and bond forfeitures. Many of our state and local non-governmental agencies receive grants and funding from these sources in order to provide victim services here locally.
The OVC leads the nation in the observance of this week and groups across the nation join in to bring awareness to the need for rights and services to be provided to victims of crime. The annual Awards Ceremony will be held today in Washington, D.C. If you would like to observe the event, click on this link to register: www.ovc.ojp.gov/live.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
FARGO – Interim United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase announced that on April 29, 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota recognized individuals from across the state who provide outstanding services to victims.
Victim assistance awards were presented to the following individuals:
• Assistant United States Attorney Victim Assistance Award – Lori Conroy, Assistant U.S Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Fargo.
• Support Staff Victim Assistance Award – Susan Spivey, Forensic Interviewer, Red River Children’s Advocacy Center, Grand Forks, ND.
• Victim Witness Advocate Assistance Award – Melandie Deplazes, Safe Alternatives for Abused Families, Devils Lake, ND.
• Special Agent Victim Assistance Award – Jarrod Birchler, Special Agent, FBI, Grand Forks, ND.
• Crime Victim Service Legacy Assistance Award – Geig & Linda Schneider.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) leads communities throughout the country in their annual observances of the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. This year’s theme - Rights, access, equity, for all victims - underscores the importance of helping crime survivors find their justice by enforcing victims’ rights, expanding access to services, and ensuring equity and inclusion for all.
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U.S. Attorney Announces Extradition of Colombian National for Narco-Terrorism, Firearms, and Drug-Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Anne Milgram, the Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced today the extradition of CARLOS FERNANDO MELO, for narco-terrorism, firearms, and drug-trafficking offenses. MELO, a Colombian national, was taken into custody by Colombian authorities on April 20, 2021 at the request of the United States, extradited to the United States, and arrived in the Southern District of New York yesterday from Colombia. MELO is expected to be presented later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge James L. Cott. The case is assigned to United States District Court Judge Sidney H. Stein.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Carlos Fernando Melo attempted to broker deals for machine guns with known narco-terrorist organizations, with the stated mission of murdering a DEA agent abroad as a ‘trophy.’ Unbeknownst to him, the individuals Melo believed to be arms traffickers were, in actuality, DEA confidential sources. Melo’s extradition today ensures that he’ll be held accountable on U.S. soil for allegedly targeting DEA Special Agents committed to fighting the illicit drug trade.”
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: “DEA’s central mission is targeting the most dangerous, most ruthless drug-traffickers who threaten our communities for their own profit. Carlos Fernando Melo is alleged to have not only supported and participated in violent narco-terrorism, but also sought to have a DEA agent murdered. DEA will relentlessly pursue narco-terrorists and drug traffickers who threaten the safety and health of Americans.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint and Indictment charging the defendant, which were unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
Between approximately September 2019 and December 2019, MELO attempted to purchase explosives and firearms, including machine guns, from individuals MELO understood to be arms traffickers for use by two organizations then designated by the Department of State as Foreign Terrorist Organizations: the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (“FARC”) and the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (“ELN”). Unbeknownst to MELO, the arms traffickers with whom he was negotiating were, in actuality, DEA confidential sources.
During these meetings, a confidential source posing as a weapons broker introduced MELO to two other confidential sources who claimed to be weapons dealers. These confidential sources, in turn, introduced MELO to an undercover law enforcement officer who purported to be a member of the terrorist organization Hizballah with access to explosive material and firearms. In the meetings, MELO reiterated that he was seeking to broker weapons deals for the FARC and ELN, which he claimed to have done in the past. MELO provided the sources with a coded list of weapons that the FARC and ELN wanted to purchase. MELO also represented that he had spoken with leadership in the FARC and ELN regarding their interest in acquiring weapons and explosive material. Ultimately, MELO requested more than 300 machine guns for the FARC as well as explosive material and mercury for the ELN. While MELO initially suggested that the FARC would pay for their weapons in cocaine, MELO later told the confidential sources that the FARC would pay cash for their arms, and that MELO had another contact who would sell cocaine to the confidential sources for importation into the United States.
MELO also explained during these meetings that he sought to purchase the firearms and explosives because the FARC and ELN wanted to conduct attacks in Colombia. He detailed particulars of these planned attacks, which included the possible kidnapping and murder of a DEA agent in Colombia and the bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia. MELO said that killing a DEA agent would be a “trophy” for the FARC or ELN and that he had a particular assassin in mind who could carry out the murder.
In furtherance of these plans, MELO enlisted a co-conspirator to take photographs of the U.S. Embassy in Bogota. When this co-conspirator called MELO expressing concern about the security at the Embassy, MELO instructed the co-conspirator to take the photographs on a single day so as to not arouse any suspicion.
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MELO, 58, a Colombian national, is charged with: (1) participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy, which carries a 20-year mandatory minimum sentence and a maximum of life in prison; (2) conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, which carries a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence and a maximum of life in prison; and (3) conspiring to possess machine guns and destructive devices during and in relation to the narco-terrorism and cocaine importation conspiracies, which carries a maximum of life in prison.
The potential mandatory minimum and maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit. Mr. Williams also thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, Judicial Attachés in Bogotá, Colombia, and the Counterterrorism Section.
The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jason A. Richman, Kyle A. Wirshba, and Kaylan E. Lasky are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint and Indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the Complaint, and the description of the Indictment and the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Two Men Indicted on Drug Trafficking Related OffencesRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging two men with various drug trafficking related offenses.
Jose Rodriguez-Cardenas, 46, and Felix Rodriguez-Flores, 42, of Wichita, are both charged with one count of heroin conspiracy, one count of fentanyl conspiracy, and one count of possession of heroin with intent to distribute.
Rodriguez-Cardenas is also charged with four counts of distribution of a controlled substance, one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and one count of possession of fentanyl with intention to distribute.
Rodriguez-Flores is charged with six counts of distribution of a controlled substance and one count of possession of fentanyl with intention to distribute.
The FBI and the Wichita Police Department are investigating the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Men Indicted in Multi-State Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOISE - Two men, working together across the Oregon and Idaho border were indicted on federal charges on Tuesday April 26, 2022.
According to court records, Daniel DeLafuente Sosa III, 39, of Ontario, Oregon, and Nicholas Franklin Perkins, 37, of Weiser, Idaho, were charged with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl between February 23, 2022, and April 26, 2022.
If convicted, they each face a sentence of at least five and up to 40 years in federal prison; a fine of up to $5,000,000.00; and a period of supervised release of at least four years.
U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Nampa Police Department, Caldwell Police Department, Boise Police Department, Ada County Sheriff’s Office, Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, Malheur County Sheriff’s Office, Weiser Police Department, Ontario Police Department, and the Oregon State Police, which led to the charges.
This case is being prosecuted by the Special Assistant United States Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is part of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. It provides assistance to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. Idaho is part of the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA. The Idaho HIDTA is a collaboration of local, multi-jurisdictional law enforcement drug task forces, and prosecuting agencies dedicated to addressing regional drug trafficking organizations that operate in Ada, Canyon, Bannock, Kootenai, and Malheur Counties.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Luzerne County Men Sentenced for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced Kearon Brinson, age 42, formerly of West Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, to 41 months of imprisonment, and Lamont Hubbard, age 51, formerly of Plymouth, Pennsylvania, to a time served sentence of approximately 26 months of imprisonment. Both men were incarcerated on the offenses while pending their sentencings.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Brinson and Hubbard previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to traffic between 40 grams and 160 grams of fentanyl between January 2019 and February 2020. That quantity of fentanyl is the equivalent of approximately 20,000 to 80,000 potentially lethal individual doses of fentanyl. The defendants also forfeited assorted ammunition and over $3,500 seized by law enforcement during the investigation.
In addition to Brinson and Hubbard, five other Luzerne County men have been charged and convicted in the broader investigation, for various fentanyl, cocaine, and tramadol trafficking offenses, including fentanyl trafficking that resulted in death:
- James Tindol, Jr., age 38, of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 120 months of imprisonment after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl that resulted in death;
- James Garris, Jr., age 52, formerly of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 168 months of imprisonment after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl that resulted in death;
- Emilio Tejeda, age 33, formerly of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 57 months of imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute between 400 grams and 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl;
- Edwin Tejeda, age 31, formerly of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, which resulted in death, and awaits sentencing; and
- Jose Raymer Tejeda, age 37, formerly of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, which resulted in death, and awaits sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Luzerne Country Drug Task Force, and the Kingston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo is prosecuting the case.
This case was also part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case also was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Two Las Cruces men face federal firearms chargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Ruben Martha, 40, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, appeared in federal court today facing a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Pablo Vargas, 50, of Las Cruces made an initial appearance on April 28 facing the same charge. Vargas and Martha will remain in custody pending arraignment and detention hearings.
A federal grand jury indicted Vargas and Martha on April 20. According to the indictment and other court records, on April 17, 2021, Vargas was hosting a party at a home on Nevada Street in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Martha, who lives down the street, was returning to his home along with his girlfriend and his adult daughter, who were in separate cars and slowed down as they navigated their way through the busy street. An angry exchange allegedly occurred during which an object was thrown at Martha’s car and a bottle was thrown through the open window of the car Martha’s daughter was driving. The daughter allegedly was struck by the bottle.
After Martha reached his home, he received a call from a friend, whom Martha told what was happening. The friend arrived on the scene and gunfire allegedly erupted. The friend was struck and fled the scene. Martha allegedly retrieved a shotgun from a trashcan on his property as Vargas and others allegedly fired toward Martha’s residence. Martha allegedly chambered a round of ammunition in the shotgun, but was struck in the chest. Officers estimate that twenty to thirty rounds were fired during the confrontation.
In 1997, Vargas was convicted of shooting at or from a motor vehicle. Martha was convicted in 2000 of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal damage to property, and in 2007 of shooting at a dwelling, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and felon in possession. As previously convicted felons, neither Vargas nor Martha can legally possess firearms or ammunition.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Vargas and Martha face up to 10 years in prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Armijo and Christopher McNair are prosecuting the case.
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Two Fugitives Arrested in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK— Two Little Rock men were arrested Wednesday on federal drug conspiracy charges. Richard Smith, 48, and Enrique Salazar-Pacheco, 22, were charged by a grand jury in an indictment handed down on December 8, 2021.
In November 2021, two federal officers were conducting surveillance as part of an ongoing investigation into a methamphetamine trafficking organization that involved Smith and Salazar-Pacheco. As the agents were attempting to leave the rural area, a male later identified as Jackie Davidson, 50, of Woodson, exited the wood line and fired multiple shots at the law enforcement officers, striking their vehicle several times.
Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the indictment, which charges Smith, Salazar-Pacheco, and three others with various methamphetamine and firearms charges. Smith, Salazar-Pacheco, and Abelardo Gonzalez, 46, of Woodson, are charged with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture. Smith and Salazar-Pacheco are also individually charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and Gonzalez is charged with being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm. Salazar-Pacheco is also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Davidson is charged with using a firearm to assault two federal agents; one Task Force Officer from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and one Special Agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Davidson is also charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence as well as attempted murder of federal officers. Jose Alonso Mena Moreno, 43, of Woodson, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm as well as being illegally present in the United States.
“During this investigation, arrests were made at the local level, but we and our federal partners did not stop there,” said Searcy Police Chief Steve Hernandez. “Criminals do not follow city limit boundaries, so we identified the source of these narcotics in Southwest Little Rock, where those who were supplying narcotics to citizens of Searcy were taken off the streets.”
“These arrests show the level of our officers’ commitment to continually work to bring justice to those folks that would do harm in our communities,” said White County Sheriff Phillip Miller. “I am grateful for their service.”
This investigation is part of Operation Central Sweep. Since July 2020, members of DEA, ATF, and Central Arkansas Drug Task Force, Searcy Police Department and White County Sheriff’s Office have seized a total of 308.04 pounds of methamphetamine including 5.7 pounds fentanyl, 2 1/2 pounds of cocaine, 24,000 counterfeit Oxycodone pills (Blue M-30s laced with fentanyl) and 84 firearms. Little Rock Police Department has assisted in numerous arrests. Additionally, a total of 66 state and federal arrests have been made, including arrests of Gangster Disciples and members of the CJNG Cartel.
An indictment only contains allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Tuscaloosa Man Indicted on COVID-19 Program Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala – A federal grand jury this week indicted a Tuscaloosa man for defrauding the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr.
A two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Quincy T. Doss, 41, with wire fraud.
According to the indictment, between April 2021 and November 2021, Doss submitted false and fraudulent PPP loan applications and received two separate PPP loans totaling more than $220,000. In the loan applications, the defendant allegedly misrepresented that his business was in operation and had employees for whom it paid salaries, that the funds would be used to retain workers, and that the information provided in the loan applications was true and accurate.
The maximum penalty for wire fraud is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan “Jack” Harrington is prosecuting the case.
Criminals worldwide exploit COVID-19 through a variety of fraud schemes. For more information about these scams visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud .
Anyone who thinks they are a victim of a fraud or attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Tulare County Man Sentenced to over 7 Years in Prison for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Deliveries, Co Conspirator Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Renato Aguilera, 30, of Porterville, was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Another member of the conspiracy, Maria Delgado, 31, of Porterville, pleaded guilty today to participating in the drug conspiracy.
According to court documents, acting at the direction of his brother-in-law, Pedro Delgado-Montenegro, 42, a native and citizen of Mexico formerly residing in Porterville, Aguilera delivered 800 fentanyl pills to an undercover officer in exchange for $4,250. Aguilera also transported several thousand fentanyl pills from Los Angeles to Porterville. In addition, at Delgado-Montenegro’s direction, Aguilera delivered over a pound of methamphetamine in two separate transactions to co-defendant Robert Cox, 58, of Porterville, and a third party sent by Cox.
In pleading guilty to the drug conspiracy, Delgado-Montenegro’s niece Maria Delgado admitted that she delivered fentanyl pills to an undercover officer, on behalf of Delgado-Montenegro, on three separate occasions. She also admitted that, at Delgado-Montenegro’s direction, she retrieved 2.2 pounds of heroin from the Los Angeles area that had been smuggled into the United States from Mexico.
Aguilera and Maria Delgado are two of nine defendants, including Delgado-Montenegro, charged in the case. Delgado-Montenegro is a fugitive. Maria Delgado is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of five years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. On April 22, 2022, Roberto Cavazos, 43, of Porterville, was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. Charges are pending against the remaining defendants. The charges are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Porterville Police Department, the Coalinga Police Department, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Thermo Fisher Scientific Chemicals Acknowledges Recordkeeping Violations of the Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Thermo Fisher Scientific Chemicals, Inc., an affiliate of the Waltham-based Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (Thermo Fisher), has agreed to pay $25,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the Controlled Substances Act, by improperly purchasing and distributing chemicals regulated by the Act. Thermo Fisher self-disclosed these violations to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The Controlled Substances Act regulates the manufacturing, purchasing and distribution of certain chemicals that can be used to manufacture scheduled controlled substances. The Act allows only DEA registrants to engage in certain activities relative to listed chemicals and requires DEA registrants to, among other things, inform the DEA of sales of listed chemicals to foreign entities. These provisions are designed to ensure that only appropriate entities handle listed chemicals that can be used to manufacture scheduled controlled substances.
Under the settlement agreement, Thermo Fisher acknowledges that it failed to file export declarations when distributing listed chemicals to foreign customers; distributed listed chemicals to a Thermo Fisher location that did not have appropriate DEA registrations; and purchased listed chemicals from suppliers that did not have appropriate DEA registrations.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Panich of Rollins’ Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the case.
Texas Pharmacist Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Liberty, Texas woman pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey A. Breen of the Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General, South Central Field Office.
According to court documents, Jada Gilbert, 51, a Texas pharmacist, was charged by criminal Information with conspiring with others to participate in a scheme whereby Gilbert, as pharmacist-in-charge at Blue Ribbon Pharmacy, in Harris County, Texas, submitted or caused to be submitted fraudulent claims for high-adjudication pharmaceutical products that were not ordered or dispensed by her pharmacy to health care benefit programs and facilitated, together with others, the fraudulent concealment of these false claims by submitting fraudulent purchase documentation to pharmacy benefit managers as part of an audit to prevent the claw back of at least $330,000.00 paid due to the fraudulent submissions.
Gilbert is scheduled to be sentenced on August 1, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, VA-OIG, and FDA-OCI are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn R. Van Buskirk and Trial Attorney Sara Porter of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
Terrebonne Man Indicted for Trafficking Fentanyl and Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOSHUA PICOU, age 30, of Houma, Louisiana, was charged on April 28, 2022 in a seven-count indictment by a federal grand jury for violations of the Federal Gun Control Act and Federal Controlled Substances Act. Specifically, he is charged with distributing a substance containing fentanyl and cocaine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). He is further charged with possessing fentanyl, cocaine base (“crack”), and cocaine with the intent to distribute in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C). Additionally, he is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 922(g)(9), and 924(c)(1)(A)(i), respectively.
According to court documents, PICOU distributed a substance containing fentanyl and cocaine on May 27, June 2, and June 22, 2021. Later, on June 24, 2021, he is alleged to have been in possession of forty (40) grams or more of fentanyl, twenty-eight (28) grams or more of cocaine base, and a quantity of cocaine, with the intent to distribute the substances. On that same date, he is accused of being in possession of two firearms, a Glock Model 17 handgun and a Springfield Armory XDM-9. The indictment charges PICOU with possessing those firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activity and while prohibited due to his prior criminal convictions.
If convicted of distribution of fentanyl and cocaine as charged in Counts 1 – 3 or possession with intent to distribute cocaine as charged in Count 4, PICOU faces up to a maximum of twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000.00 fine, at least three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee, as to each count. If convicted of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl or cocaine base, he faces a minimum of five (5) years and a maximum of forty (40) years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000.00 fine, at least four (4) years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. If convicted of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, he faces a consecutive minimum of five (5) years and a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to five (5) years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. If convicted of possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a felony offense or misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, he faces up to a maximum of ten (10) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee, as to each count.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Homeland Securities Investigations and the Terrebonne Parish Sherriff’s Office in investigating this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles D. Strauss.
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Stoneham Police Officer and Electrical Contractor Indicted in $36 Million Fraud Scheme Involving Mass Save FundsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Stoneham Police Officer and his brother, an owner of an electrical contracting company, have been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly paying a Mass Save vendor company employee tens of thousands of dollars in weekly cash bribes, kickbacks and other in-kind benefits – including a John Deere tractor, a computer, home bathroom fixtures and free electrical work, among other things – in exchange for the procurement of over $36 million in Mass Save contracts with the vendor company.
Joseph Ponzo, 48, of Stoneham, and Christopher Ponzo, 47, of North Reading, were indicted on one count of wire fraud conspiracy and 12 counts of wire fraud. The defendants were arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston at noon today.
According to the indictment, Joseph Ponzo, a full-time Stoneham Police Officer, and his brother, Christopher Ponzo, an owner of an electrical contracting company, conspired to bribe an associate employed by a Mass Save lead vendor company (Company A) in exchange for the associate’s assistance in procuring Mass Save contracts that netted the Ponzos millions of dollars in Mass Save contracts.
Specifically, from 2013 to 2017, the Ponzos allegedly paid the associate tens of thousands of dollars in cash bribes, kickbacks and other in-kind benefits. According to the indictment, from 2013 to 2017, Christopher Ponzo paid the associate $1,000 in cash on a weekly basis. At times, Christopher Ponzo allegedly paid the associate $5,000 to $10,000 in cash, telling the associate that the extra money was from Joseph Ponzo for his part in the bribery scheme.
In return for these payments, it is alleged that the associate, among other things: helped the Ponzos create companies; assisted in gaining approval for the companies to serve as Mass Save contractors for Company A; assisted in obtaining Mass Save projects for the Ponzo’s companies; and helped the Ponzo’s receive payments from Company A for completed projects. As a result of the scheme, Christopher Ponzo and Joseph Ponzo allegedly collected approximately $29 million and $7 million in fraudulently obtained Mass Save funds, respectively.
In one such instance, according to the indictment, the associate helped Joseph Ponzo set up a company, Air Tight, to do insulation work and get approved as a Company A contractor under the Mass Save program. Joseph Ponzo put his spouse’s name on Air Tight incorporation documents and contracting licenses in order to conceal his involvement in his corrupt side business. It is alleged Joseph Ponzo collected millions of funds under the Mass Save program through this contract, despite having no professional experience in residential insulation work.
“Virtually every Massachusetts resident who uses energy is surcharged and pays for Mass Save. These payments are mandatory and amount to hundreds of millions of dollars. Defrauding the Mass Save program for millions of dollars means we are all left paying the bill,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “As we allege, these defendants, motivated by greed, orchestrated a corrupt scheme to line their pockets with money fraudulently obtained from honest paying energy consumers. These bad actors allegedly took advantage of funds set aside for energy-efficiency projects for their own personal financial gain and, moreover, did so through illegal, preferential treatment. It is corruption at its core and will not be tolerated.”
“Every year, Massachusetts homeowners shell out hundreds of millions of dollars to fund energy conservation projects for consumers—and today we arrested Joseph and Christopher Ponzo for allegedly cheating them by paying a steady stream of bribes and kickbacks to an insider who steered contracts their way,” said Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Boston. “These brothers allegedly raked in millions of dollars and are now accused of going to great lengths to conceal their bold and brazen scheme. We have said this before, and it merits repeating. If you are a victim of, or witness to a public corruption scheme, it’s never too late to do the right thing. The FBI is here, we are doing our job, and we want to hear from you.”
“Mass Save is all about providing consumers, who qualify in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, with low or no-cost energy-efficiency projects for their homes,” said Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston. “The fact that a member of law enforcement who pledged an oath to protect the community allegedly abused this program as a get-rich scheme is particularly reprehensible. Today’s indictment begins the path to ensuring integrity in this program and should serve as a clear warning to those who are attempting to defraud it.”
Massachusetts law requires utility companies to collect an energy efficiency surcharge on all Massachusetts energy consumers. These funds, which amount to hundreds of millions of dollars each year, are to be disbursed by the utility companies to fund energy efficiency programs and initiatives in Massachusetts. Mass Save is a Massachusetts public-private partnership sponsored by various gas and electric utility companies that disburses these energy efficiency funds by funding energy conservation projects for consumers. Under the Mass Save program, utility companies select lead vendors to approve and select contractors to perform energy improvement work for residential customers. This contracting work – performed at no-cost or reduced cost to the customer – is then paid for by the lead vendors with Mass Save funds.
The charges of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, FBI SAC Bonavolonta and IRS SAC Simpson made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elysa Wan and Dustin Chao of Rollins’ Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Slidell Resident Sentenced to 120 Months for Conspiring to Distribute Five Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 280 Grams or More of Crack, and 1.5 Kilograms or More of HeroinRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that on April 28, 2022 U.S. District Court Judge Wendy B. Vitter sentenced KENDRICK DEMOURELLE, age 40, a resident of Slidell, Louisiana, to 120 months of imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and $300 in mandatory special assessment fees for conspiring to distribute cocaine, crack, and heroin, and for the illegal use of phones in furtherance of drug trafficking, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B), 843(b), and 846. DEMOURELLE plead guilty on November 2, 2021.
According to court records, the United States is seeking to forfeit approximately $120,308.00, two vehicles, and two properties acquired by DEMOURELLE with suspected drug proceeds which have been seized in connection with the investigation. DEMOURELLE and four others, Joseph Brown, Lionel Cooley, Kevin Gray, and Blake Monroe, conspired to sell illegal narcotics in New Orleans, including using a broken-down yellow school bus in the ‘Goose’ neighborhood in New Orleans East as a stash house. All five were indicted in February 2020. A seized GMC Sierra pickup truck used by Lionel Cooley contained nearly two kilograms of cocaine and 430 grams of crack.
As part of his guilty plea, DEMOURELLE agreed that he was responsible for at least 5 kilograms of cocaine, at least 280 grams of crack, and at least 1.5 kilograms of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, through his own conduct and the reasonably foreseeable conduct of his co-conspirators.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Hammond Police Department, New Orleans Police Department, and Slidell Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney David Howard Sinkman is in charge of the prosecution.
Shoreline Business Owner Admits Failure to Pay TaxesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that CHRISTOPHER JARDINE, 55, of Guilford, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a federal tax offense stemming from his failure to pay business and personal taxes.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Jardine is a part owner of D&A Construction Management, Inc. (“D&A”), a Branford-based company in the construction business. Jardine was responsible for D&A’s financial affairs, and for collecting and paying over certain federal taxes from D&A’s employees, namely federal income taxes and Federal Insurance Contribution Act (“FICA”) taxes, which include Medicare and social security taxes. He was also responsible for ensuring that D&A, as an employer, paid its own share of FICA taxes.
An investigation revealed that, although Jardine and D&A withheld employees’ federal income and FICA taxes over multiple tax periods between 2016 and 2019 and reported those withholdings to the IRS, they failed to pay over the withheld amounts, totaling approximately $868,000. Jardine also represented to the IRS that D&A lacked the ability to pay, but he used millions of dollars in company funds to pay personal expenses, including purchases of a 52-foot cigarette boat, a Range Rover, high-end clothing, and auto parts, and to make payments on behalf of Straight Jacket USA, LLC, a Guilford business controlled by Jardine.
Jardine pleaded guilty to one count of willful failure to pay over withholding taxes. In pleading guilty, Jardine admitted that he evaded payment of the withheld employee taxes, as well as D&A’s share of FICA taxes, for multiple quarters during the 2016 through 2019 tax years, and he also acknowledged that he evaded the payment of personal income tax liabilities for multiple tax years between 2007 and 2015. Jardine has agreed to pay approximately $2,070,000 in restitution to the IRS, an amount that includes interest and penalties.
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for July 28, at which time Jardine faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
To date, Jardine has paid approximately $1,197,600 of his restitution obligation.
Jardine is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Conor M. Reardon.
Rochester Man Arrested on Multiple Child Pornography Charges, Including ProductionRead 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 Nathan Follett, 35, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production, possession, receipt, and distribution of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in August 2021, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office received a report that Follett was in possession of sexual images of 17 and 14-year-old minors and that Follett also admitted to having sex with a minor without her consent. Subsequent investigation determined that Follett communicated on social media, including Snapchat, with multiple minor girls. Between 2016 and December 2021, Follett is suspected of coercing a total of 11 victims to send naked images to him.
On December 16, 2021, a search warrant was executed at Follett’s residence and several digital devices were seized, including two cell phones and two computers. A bag of suspected cocaine was also seized. A forensic review of the electronic devices recovered approximately 106 images and 47 videos of child pornography.
Follett made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson and was detained.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Barry Chase.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Rochester Cocaine Dealer Going to PrisonRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Ernest Gamble, 20, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and crack cocaine, was sentenced to serve 63 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. McGrath, who handled the case, stated that Gamble was a member of a drug trafficking organization that distributed large quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine out of a drug house on Glenwood Avenue in Rochester. On May 19, 2021, a search warrant was executed at the Glenwood Avenue residence, during which investigators seized cocaine, drug paraphernalia and counter surveillance devices. Gamble was present during the search, and it appeared that he and others were in the process of flushing narcotics down the toilet after law enforcement made entry into the residence. Gamble was taken into custody with over $5,000 in cash in his pockets.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Interim Police Chief David Smith, the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
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Rhode Island Man Arrested for Allegedly Calling in Bomb Threat to Yale New Haven HospitalRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that ALEXANDER BRADLEY, 42, most recently residing in Cranston, Rhode Island, was arrested yesterday on a federal criminal complaint charging him with threatening to bomb the Yale New Haven Hospital.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on May 9, 2021, Bradley called the Yale University Health Clinic, spoke to a nurse and asked if had reached the Yale New Haven Hospital. When informed that he had not, Bradley, who refused to give his name, complained that he had been denied care at the Yale New Haven Hospital and stated that he was going to bomb the hospital. Approximately 30 minutes later, Bradley anonymously called the Yale New Haven Hospital and stated that he had placed a pressure cooker containing a bomb outside of the building.
It is further alleged that the bomb threat disrupted hospital operations and required a significant response from the New Haven Police Department, Yale Police Department and Yale New Haven Protective Service. Investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force subsequently determined that the phone number used to make the threats was linked to Bradley. The investigation revealed that, less than three weeks after he made the bomb threat to Yale New Haven Hospital, he contacted a CVS pharmacy in Cranston, Rhode Island, and said that he was going to “shoot up” and “blow up” a hospital.
Bradley appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and was released on an $25,000 bond into the custody of a third-party custodian. As conditions of his release, Bradley is subject to location monitoring and must attend drug and mental health treatment.
The complaint charges Bradley with conveying false information about explosives, and false information and hoaxes. If convicted of the offenses, Bradley faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.
U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force – WMD and Bomb Squad. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Donovan and Reed Durham.
Raleigh Gang Member Sentenced to 22 Years for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh man was sentenced today to 264 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base (crack) and 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and distribution of crack.
Gregory Warren Daniels, 32, was a member of the Nine Trey Gangster Bloods, a violent street gang that engages in distribution of controlled substances. According to court documents and other information presented in court, Daniels conspired with others to distribute large amounts of crack and cocaine over a two-year period in the Raleigh area. On five separate occasions, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of crack from Daniels. The Court also received evidence regarding violent assaults by Daniels at the direction of other gang members. On February 24, 2021, Daniels plead guilty to the charges.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Federal Bureau of Investigations and Raleigh Police Department investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00355-D-1.
Prairieville Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal Prison for Distribution of HeroinRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Robert Brown, age 28, of Prairieville, Louisiana, to 60 months in federal prison following his conviction of distribution of heroin. The Court further sentenced Brown to three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions made as a part of his guilty plea, on December 1, 2017, Brown made arrangements with a confidential informant to sell the informant one-half of an ounce of heroin for $1,200 at a gas station in Livonia, Louisiana. The informant subsequently met with Brown at the gas station where he sold the heroin to the informant for $1,200 as planned.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William K. Morris.
Postal Worker Pleads Guilty to Mail TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former U.S. Postal Service employee pleaded guilty today in Worcester to stealing packages in Gardner.
Roberta Feliz, 33, of Fitchburg, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Sept. 19, 2022. Feliz was charged by an Information on Feb. 4, 2022.
Feliz was employed as Lead Sales and Services Associate with the Gardner Post Office. Between February and July 2020, Feliz stole over $90,000 in cash deposits that were mailed from a Tractor Supply Company to its bank. Feliz, who was scheduled to work on each day that a cash package was mailed, was observed on surveillance camera removing envelopes from the postal service floor into the employee locker area or the women’s restroom. In August 2020, Feliz was approached by law enforcement after she took a control package containing cash from the postal floor into an office, removed money from the envelope and hid it in an unused desk. Feliz admitted to stealing packages from the Tractor Supply Company and stated that she used the money to pay off debt and sent some to family overseas.
The charge of theft of mail by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Orlando Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Armed CarjackingsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Larry Burrows (26, Orlando) to 27 years in federal prison for carjacking and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Burrows had pleaded guilty on February 7, 2022.
According to court documents, Burrows was the leader of a carjacking crew that had carjacked four victims at gunpoint in Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties during January 2017. Other members of this crew also included Jeffery Noel, Herichie Paul, and Awetu Megersa. One victim, a fast-food delivery driver, was confronted by Burrows, Noel, Paul, and Megersa while attempting to deliver food to an apartment in Orlando. At gunpoint, the carjackers forced the victim into the apartment and removed the victim’s clothing. They took the victim’s cellphone, wallet, and the keys to the victim’s minivan. Three other victims were carjacked by Burrows and his crew at gunpoint during the course of the next week, including a woman who was carjacked while returning from work.
Noel, Paul, and Megersa were previously sentenced for their involvement in the carjackings. Noel was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, Paul was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment, and Megersa was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt.
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.
Orange County Man Sentenced for Cocaine ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK –James Taylor, age 34, of Orange County, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison for possessing and intending to distribute cocaine.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division
As part of his guilty plea, Taylor admitted that on March 2, 2020, he and his co-defendant possessed with the intent to distribute approximately two kilograms of cocaine.
Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a 2-year term of supervised release to follow the term of incarceration.
His co-defendant, Peter Mami, age 44, also of Orange County, also pled guilty to possessing and intending to distribute cocaine, and is pending sentencing.
This case was investigated by the DEA and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Dennis Gilman, 43, of Madison, Ohio, was sentenced this week by U.S. District Judge James A. Soto to 15 years in prison. Gilman previously pleaded guilty to Production of Child Pornography.
Gilman was arrested after an investigation by the FBI revealed he was using an X-Box gaming system to contact minors and request sexually explicit material from them. On May 9, 2018, Gilman was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of producing child pornography involving a child victim. As part of his plea agreement, Gilman also admitted to seeking and obtaining sexually explicit material from a second child victim. Upon release from prison, Gilman will be placed on lifetime supervised release with stringent conditions of supervision. He will be required to register as a sex offender and to complete a sex offender treatment program.
“This case serves as a reminder of the very real threat posed by online predators in the gaming world, a place where our children deserve to feel safe,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to prosecuting these offenders, and we encourage parents to remain vigilant and to remind children that no person should be requesting sexually explicit content from them.”
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 the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Sierra Vista office of the FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carin C. Duryee and Rebecca S. Garvey, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-00809-TUC-JAS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-056_Gilman# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Oconee County, Georgia, Resident Convicted by Federal Jury for Distributing Child Pornography in Project Safe Childhood CaseRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A Watkinsville, Georgia, man who has been the subject of a lengthy investigation for downloading and distributing child pornography, was found guilty by a federal jury for possession and distribution of child pornography.
Eric Paul Krumm, 46, was found guilty of two counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal on April 27. Krumm faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years imprisonment up to a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment on the distribution charges and a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment on the possession charge to be followed by five years to life of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine per count. In addition, Krumm will have to register as a sex offender upon his release from federal prison. There is no parole. Sentencing will occur later this year.
“Children are manipulated, molested and sexually assaulted in the production of child sexual assault material. Every person who downloads, shares and pays to view these horrific images and videos is funding the cycle of child sexual abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office will pursue federal prosecution against people caught downloading and distributing child sexual assault material.”
“The GBI will continue to work tirelessly to protect innocent victims. No child should be subject to online exploitation. As we work with our law enforcement agency partners and prosecutors, we are ensuring that predators like this defendant are held accountable,” said GBI Director Vic Reynolds.
“The exploitation of children by way of pornographic images is abhorrent and will not be tolerated in our community. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to vigorously investigate these vile crimes. ACCPD appreciates the GBI and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for investigating this crime, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia for bringing forth a successful prosecution,” ACCPD Interim Chief of Police Jerry Saulters.
In 2016, Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD) began an investigation into downloads of suspected child pornography that returned to Krumm. Following that initial finding, ACCPD obtained 204 images and two videos of child pornography linking back to Krumm’s IP
address. The child pornography depicted prepubescent girls and included sexual assault and molestation. A search warrant was executed by the GBI at Krumm’s residence on Feb. 15, 2017, and eleven electronics were seized, including laptops and hard drives. 56 images and one movie file found on Krumm’s electronics depicting child pornography and child sexual assault material were submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) for comparison to the Child Recognition and Identification System (CRIS).
Krumm, a systems administrator for a multinational corporation, downloaded and distributed child pornography via a peer-to-peer file sharing network. GBI investigators conducted an extensive forensic examination of Krumm’s electronics which led to the discovery of the evidence of his distribution and possession of child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by Athens-Clarke County Police Department and GBI, with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Criminal Chief Michael Solis is prosecuting the case.
Mexican National Charged with Illegally Using a Social Security Number Belonging to Another IndividualRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOSE GARCIA-NUNEZ, age 33, a citizen of Mexico, was indicted today for illegally using a social security number belonging to another individual, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
JOSE GARCIA-NUNEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than five (5) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens, II is in charge of the prosecution.
Mexican Man Charged with Illegally Using Social Security Number to Obtain EmploymentRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MARIO MATEO TOMAS JOSE, a native of Mexico, was charged today in a one-count bill of information with illegally using a social security number to qualify for employment, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
MARIO MATEO TOMAS JOSE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than five (5) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon M. Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.
Mexican Man Charged with Illegally Using Social Security Number to Obtain EmploymentRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that LIMBER VAZQUEZ-NUNEZ, a native of Mexico, was charged on April 28, 2022 in a one-count bill of information with illegally using a social security number to qualify for employment, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
LIMBER VAZQUEZ-NUNEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than five (5) years, a fine of $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon M. Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.
Mescalero man pleads guilty to domestic assaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Lance Cojo, 36, of Mescalero, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, pleaded guilty on April 26 in federal court to one count of assault of an intimate or dating partner resulting in substantial bodily injury and one count of assault of an intimate or dating partner by strangling. Cojo will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
In his plea agreement, Cojo admitted that on Dec. 31, 2021, on the Mescalero Apache Reservation, in Otero County, Mexico, he assaulted a victim, identified in court records as Jane Doe, by stomping on her foot, hitting her in the head multiple times, biting her cheek, and burning her on her right shoulder with a pipe used for smoking drugs. Cojo also grabbed Jane Doe by the throat to strangle her. The following day, Cojo continued to assault Jane Doe, hitting her in the head and kicking her in the back multiple times and strangling her.
Cojo’s assault resulted in serious injuries to Jane Doe, who is also a member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe. Jane Doe was taken to a medical center for her injuries where she was treated for a collapsed lung, fractured ribs, bruising to both eyes, face, neck and ribs.
By the terms of the plea agreement, Cojo faces two years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matilda McCarthy Villalobos is prosecuting the case.
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Member of Georgia Chapter of Oath Keepers Pleads Guilty to Seditious Conspiracy and Obstruction of Congress for Efforts to Stop Transfer of Power Following 2020 Presidential ElectionRead the Press Release
A member of the Oath Keepers pleaded guilty today to seditious conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding for his actions before, during and after the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His and others’ actions disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
Brian Ulrich, 44, of Guyton, Georgia, pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy in connection with the Capitol breach. As part of the plea agreement, Ulrich has agreed to cooperate with the government’s ongoing investigation.
Ulrich is the second Oath Keepers member to plead guilty to seditious conspiracy and obstruction charges. Joshua James, 34, of Arab, Alabama, pleaded guilty on March 2, 2022.
As described in court documents, Ulrich was a member of the Georgia chapter of the Oath Keepers. The Oath Keepers are a large but loosely organized collection of individuals, some of whom are associated with militias. Though the Oath Keepers will accept anyone as a member, they explicitly focus on recruiting current and former military, law enforcement and first-responder personnel.
In his guilty plea, Ulrich admitted that, from November 2020 through January 2021, he conspired with other Oath Keepers members and affiliates to use force to prevent, hinder and delay the execution of the laws of the United States governing the transfer of presidential power. He and others used encrypted and private communications, equipped themselves with a variety of weapons, donned combat and tactical gear, and were prepared to use force to stop the transfer of power.
In the weeks leading to Jan. 6, 2021, Ulrich and others used an application called “Signal” to prepare for the actions that would take place that day. Ulrich encouraged others in a group called “Oath Keepers of Georgia” to join him in Washington. In one chat, on Dec. 5, 2020, he messaged the group, “I seriously wonder what it would take just to get ever patriot marching around the capital armed? Just to show our government how powerless they are!” On Dec. 11, 2020, Ulrich messaged the group chat that “Civil War” may be necessary if Joseph R. Biden became President of the United States, adding, “I made my peace with God before I joined.” Another individual later messaged, “Remember, it is not over until January 20th.” Ulrich responded, “And if there’s a Civil War then there’s a Civil War.”
Ulrich also purchased tactical gear and other items, including two-way radio receivers, a recon backpack, a tactical holster, a medical tourniquet, and a half skull motorcycle helmet. Ulrich was told by another co-conspirator that others would be available with firearms. On Jan. 4, he traveled with other Oath Keepers to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, staying in a downtown hotel with others.
On Jan. 6, after learning the Capitol had been breached, Ulrich and others traveled to the Capitol on golf carts, driving around multiple barricades, including marked law enforcement vehicles. Ulrich was wearing a tactical vest, radio equipment, a body-worn camera, goggles, a camouflage tactical backpack, a black neck gaiter, and an Oath Keepers hat.
He and others weaved through the restricted area in a military “stack” formation with hands on shoulders and gear. Ulrich marched in a line up the stairs on the east side of the Capitol. He entered the building at 3:22 p.m., maneuvering himself toward the entrance to the Rotunda as law enforcement officers were attempting to clear the area. After officers deployed chemical-irritant spray, Ulrich left the Capitol and gathered with other co-conspirators approximately 100 feet from the building. In the aftermath of Jan. 6, Ulrich continued to communicate with co-conspirators on Signal, including one message urging them to “stay below the radar.”
Ulrich was arrested on Aug. 9, 2021, in Guyton, Georgia. He was among 11 defendants indicted on Jan. 12, 2022, in the District of Columbia on seditious conspiracy and other charges; co-defendant Joshua James pleaded guilty, and the remaining nine defendants have pleaded not guilty, including Elmer Stewart Rhodes III, 57, the founder and leader of the Oath Keepers.
Ulrich faces up to 20 years in prison for seditious conspiracy and up to 20 years for obstruction of an official proceeding, along with potential financial penalties. No sentencing date was set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office, including its Macon, Georgia Resident Agency.
In the 15 months since Jan. 6, 2021, nearly 800 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 250 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Member of Georgia Chapter of Oath Keepers Pleads Guilty to Seditious Conspiracy and Obstruction of Congress for Efforts to Stop Transfer of Power Following 2020 Presidential ElectionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A member of the Oath Keepers pleaded guilty today to seditious conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding for his actions before, during, and after the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His and others’ actions disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
Brian Ulrich, 44, of Guyton, Georgia pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy in connection with the Capitol breach. As part of the plea agreement, Ulrich has agreed to cooperate with the government’s ongoing investigation.
Ulrich is the second Oath Keepers member to plead guilty to seditious conspiracy and obstruction charges. Joshua James, 34, of Arab, Alabama, pleaded guilty on March 2, 2022.
As described in court documents, Ulrich was a member of the Georgia chapter of the Oath Keepers. The Oath Keepers are a large but loosely organized collection of individuals, some of whom are associated with militias. Though the Oath Keepers will accept anyone as members, they explicitly focus on recruiting current and former military, law enforcement, and first-responder personnel.
In his guilty plea, Ulrich admitted that, from November 2020 through January 2021, he conspired with other Oath Keeper members and affiliates to use force to prevent, hinder and delay the execution of the laws of the United States governing the transfer of presidential power. He and others used encrypted and private communications, equipped themselves with a variety of weapons, donned combat and tactical gear, and were prepared to use force to stop the transfer of power.
In the weeks leading to Jan. 6, 2021, Ulrich and others used an application called “Signal” to prepare for the actions that would take place that day. Ulrich encouraged others in a group called “Oath Keepers of Georgia” to join him in Washington. In one chat, on Dec. 5, 2020, he messaged the group, “I seriously wonder what it would take just to get ever patriot marching around the capital armed? Just to show our government how powerless they are!’ On Dec. 11, 2020, Ulrich messaged the group chat that “Civil War” may be necessary if Joseph R. Biden became President of the United States, adding “I made my peace with God before I joined.” Another individual later messaged, “remember, it is not over until January 20th.” Ulrich responded, “And if there’s a Civil War then there’s a Civil War.”
Ulrich also purchased tactical gear and other items, including two-way radio receivers, a recon backpack, a tactical holster, a medical tourniquet, and a half skull motorcycle helmet. Ulrich was told by another co-conspirator that others would be available with firearms. On Jan. 4, he traveled with other Oath Keepers to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, staying in a downtown hotel with others.
On Jan. 6, after learning the Capitol had been breached, Ulrich and others traveled to the Capitol on golf carts, driving around multiple barricades, including marked law enforcement vehicles. Ulrich was wearing a tactical vest, radio equipment, a body-worn camera, goggles, a camouflage tactical backpack, a black neck gaiter, and an Oath Keepers hat.
He and others weaved through the restricted area in a military “stack” formation with hands on shoulders and gear. Ulrich marched in a line up the stairs on the east side of the Capitol. He entered the building at 3:22 p.m., maneuvering himself toward the entrance to the Rotunda as law enforcement officers were attempting to clear the area. After officers deployed chemical-irritant spray, Ulrich left the Capitol and gathered with other co-conspirators approximately 100 feet from the building. In the aftermath of Jan. 6, Ulrich continued to communicate with co-conspirators on Signal, including one message urging them to “stay below the radar.”
Ulrich was arrested on Aug. 9, 2021, in Guyton, Georgia. He was among 11 defendants indicted on Jan. 12, 2022, in the District of Columbia on seditious conspiracy and other charges; co-defendant Joshua James pleaded guilty, and the remaining nine defendants have pleaded not guilty, including Elmer Stewart Rhodes III, 57, the founder and leader of the Oath Keepers.
Ulrich faces up to 20 years in prison for seditious conspiracy and up to 20 years for obstruction of an official proceeding, along with potential financial penalties. No sentencing date was set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office, including its Macon, Georgia Resident Agency.
In the 15 months since Jan. 6, 2021, nearly 800 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 250 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Maryland United States Attorney’s and Drug Enforcement Administration Highlight Efforts in Fight Against Opioid Abuse Amidst Increased Overdose TrendsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office are teaming up to publicize the Drug Enforcement Administration’s 21st National Prescription Drug Take Back Day being held at various sites across Maryland and the country on Saturday, April 30, 2022.
National Drug Take Back Day is a nationwide event in which citizens can safely and anonymously dispose of unused prescriptions at DEA drop off location sites for free. The nationwide effort aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible method of disposing of prescription drugs and educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. Maryland has approximately 100 available sites. The public can find a nearby collection site at www.DEATakeBack.com or by calling 800-882-9539.
Maryland U.S. Attorney Erek Barron will be participating in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day with the DEA as well as other federal, state, and local law enforcement officials at 5305 Village Center Dr, Columbia, MD from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is sponsored by HC DrugFree and the Howard County Police Department.
“Over the course of the last year, the state of Maryland has seen a significant increase in drug overdoses and crimes that exploit the opioid epidemic. For example, fentanyl, a drug that can be consumed safely when prescribed by a physician, can be severely addictive and has plagued countless Maryland families. Thanks to the DEA’s efforts and the abundance of collection sites, individuals can safely dispose of unused medications that could lead to prescription drug abuse” said United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron. “I encourage all Marylanders to dispose of unused and unneeded prescription drugs in their homes by participating in DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday or by visiting https://takebackday.dea.gov/ to find a collection site near them”.
DEA and our state and local partners throughout the area will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms. DEA will also accept vape pens or other e-cigarette devices from individual consumers, only after the batteries are removed from the devices. If the battery cannot be removed, individual consumers can check with large electronic chain stores who may accept the vape pen or e-cigarette devices for proper disposal. Liquids, including intravenous solutions, syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs cannot be dropped off. This service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
Collection sites will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations in order to maintain the safety of all participants and local law enforcement.
Given the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, DEA wants to ensure that the public is aware of other ways they can dispose of unwanted prescription drugs without having to leave their homes. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency have tips on how to safely dispose of drugs at home. Go to https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/where-and-how-dispose-unused-medicines or https://www.epa.gov/hwgenerators/collecting-and-disposing-unwanted-medicines.
In addition to DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, prescription drugs can be disposed of at any of the 11,000 DEA authorized collectors at any time throughout the year, and at many local law enforcement agency sites.
Recent Federal Prosecution of Opioid Cases:
United States v. Rodney Mondell Coby: On April 13, 2022, Rodney Mondell Coby, a/k/a “Cuz,” age 33, of Waldorf, Maryland, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. According to the evidence presented at trial, Coby distributed kilograms of fentanyl to resale and personal use customers of the course of several years. On at least two occasions, Coby and others distributed fentanyl to two individuals who later died as a result of the consumed fentanyl. During an executed search warrant at Coby’s apartment, law enforcement recovered 5 firearms, 159 rounds of ammunition, 121 individual baggies of fentanyl, and $22,000 in cash amongst other items.
United States v. Dwight Antonio Pitts: On March 1, 2022, Dwight Antonio Pitts, age 47, of Hanover, Maryland, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his participation in a drug distribution conspiracy involving large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana, shipped through the U.S. Mail from California to Maryland. Pitts admitted that during his participation in the conspiracy, it was foreseeable that he and the other conspirators distributed approximately 8.5 kilograms of fentanyl; approximately 150 kilograms of cocaine; and approximately 50 kilograms of marijuana.
United States v. Justina Aburime: On January 11, 2022, Justina Aburime, age 53, of Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and dispense oxycodone and one count of distribution and dispensing of oxycodone. From February 2017 to February 2020, Aburime conspired with others, including Thomas Charles Johnson, to distribute and dispense oxycodone outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose at Personal Touch Medical Spa, LLP (PTMS), a Largo, Maryland pain management clinic. During her employment with PTMS, Aburime also allowed an unauthorized person to write oxycodone prescriptions using her medical credentials. Specifically, Aburime allowed PTMS’s owner—who was not authorized to prescribe controlled substances—to prescribe oxycodone to individuals using pre-signed blank prescriptions bearing Aburime’s name and DEA registration number. Aburime faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release for each count.
For more information on opioid abuse and where you can find help, please visit /media/1138691/dl?inline.
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Maryland Man Found Guilty of Murder for Hire, Robbery and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kevin Coles, age 36, of New York, NY and Hagerstown, Maryland, was found guilty yesterday of multiple crimes, including murder for hire, robbery, and drug trafficking after a three-week trial before United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner. The jurors deliberated for approximately three hours before rendering a guilty verdict on all counts.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the charges against Coles were the result of a six-year investigation into three murders that occurred on June 25, 2016, on a property along Welsh Run Road in Mercersburg, Franklin County. When Pennsylvania State Police officers were called to the scene, they found Wendy Ann Chaney, 39, Hagerstown, Md, Brandon Cole, 47, Fayetteville, PA, and Phillip Matthew Jackson, 36, Mercersburg, PA, all to have been shot in a barn on victim Jackson’s property. The three victims had their hands zipped-tied behind their backs and had been set on fire. Jackson and Cole were shot once in the head. Chaney was shot twice, once in the back and one in the head. Wendy Chaney and Brandon Cole were already dead when the police responded to the scene. Phillip Jackson was transported to York Hospital where he died shortly after arrival.
The evidence presented at trial established that Wendy Chaney was in a relationship with Coles and had been previously assisting him with his drug distribution operation. Coles learned that Chaney was cooperating with federal authorities and contracted for her to be murdered. Intermediaries recruited members of a Baltimore based gang known as the Black Guerilla Family and others from Baltimore to travel to the Jackson property to kill Wendy Chaney. The killers were promised that they could take as payment $20,000 that was to be in a safe in the barn and any drugs and firearms that they could locate on the Jackson property. Once there, the killers encountered not only Wendy Chaney but also Brandon Cole and Phillip Jackson. All were murdered to prevent them from cooperating and from being witnesses to the crimes of violence that were committed at that time. The killers never found any money on the property.
The evidence also established that Coles was involved in trafficking significant amounts of heroin and crack cocaine in Chambersburg, PA, Hagerstown, MD and elsewhere. The jury found that two individuals to whom Coles distributed heroin suffered serious bodily injury when they overdosed on the heroin Coles supplied and had to be resuscitated by the administration of Narcan. Finally, the jury found Coles guilty of using, brandishing and discharging a firearm during and in relation to his drug trafficking activities.
“This is one of the most disturbing and violent cases in this Division’s history. The fact that all three victims were shot in the head with their hands restrained and then set on fire shows how utterly deplorable these murders were,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “Coles was the one who contracted for these murders to occur due to Chaney’s cooperation with the DEA. Let me be clear; anyone who attempts to intimidate, harm, or murder a witness will feel the full wrath and weight of a federal criminal prosecution.”
“We would like to thank all of the personnel within the department and our local, state and federal partners who worked tirelessly on this case,” said Pennsylvania State Police, Troop H Captain Mark Magyar. “The total team effort is a testament to what is needed to successfully investigate and prosecute a case of this magnitude.”
Initially, Coles, along with other individuals, were charged in connection with the investigation:
- Devin Dickerson, age 31, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and crack cocaine and is awaiting sentencing;
- Kenyatta Corbett, age 38, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing;
- Michael Buck, age 30, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing;
- Nicholas Preddy, age 29, Baltimore, pleaded guilty to attempting to kill a witness and is awaiting sentencing;
- Johnnie Jenkins-Armstrong, age 22, Baltimore, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing;
- Terrance Lawson, age 31, Baltimore, sentenced to time served for attempting to intimidate a witness;
- Tyrone Armstrong, age 30, Baltimore, sentenced to time served for attempting to intimidate a witness; and
- Christopher Johnson, age 31, Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty to multiple counts including murder for hire and is awaiting sentencing.
Joshua Davis, age 30, previously pled guilty to participating in the conspiracy to locate and kill an individual believed to be cooperating with federal authorities in the investigation of the triple murders. Davis was sentenced to serve 100 months’ imprisonment.
Two other individuals, Torey White, age 30, of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, and Jerell Adgebesan, age 32, of Baltimore, Maryland, are charged in connection with the investigation and are awaiting trial.
The following federal, state and local law enforcement agencies participated in the investigation: Drug Enforcement Administration Harrisburg Resident Office; Pennsylvania State Police, Chambersburg; Pennsylvania State Police, Troop H; Franklin County Drug Task Force; Franklin County Adult Probation; Pennsylvania State Probation and Parole; Hagerstown Police Department, Criminal Investigation Division; Drug Enforcement Administration, Hagerstown Resident Office; Washington County Narcotics Task Force; Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office, Strike Force Group 1; Maryland State Police Homicide Unit; Baltimore Police Department Narcotics, Fugitive And Homicide Units; Baltimore County Police Department Narcotics and Gang Unit; Federal Bureau of Investigation Evidence Management Unit, Quantico, VA; US Marshal’s Service Harrisburg, PA and Phoenix, AZ; Franklin County District Attorney’s Office; United States Attorney’s Office, District Of Maryland; and the Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney William A. Behe, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, and Senior Litigation Counsel Michael Consiglio are prosecuting the case.
This case was part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This prosecution is also part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) identified as “Retribution for Welsh Run”. OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
The penalty under federal law for several of these offenses is mandatory life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Mary R. Jensen Appointed as Acting U.S. Trustee for the Judicial Districts Established for the States of Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota and South DakotaRead the Press Release
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has appointed Mary R. Jensen as the Acting U.S. Trustee for the judicial districts established for the States of Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota effective May 7, 2022, the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees (EOUST) announced today. She will replace James L. Snyder, who is retiring after more than 32 years of government service.
Ms. Jensen has been with the U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) for 13 years, first as a Trial Attorney in the Madison, Wisconsin, office before being appointed as its Assistant U.S. Trustee in 2014. She received her law degree summa cum laude from Duquesne University and holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology magna cum laude from the University of Dallas and a master’s degree in professional writing with a concentration in management from Carnegie Mellon University.
“Ms. Jensen is an established leader within the USTP who will bring great focus and energy to this broader role,” said EOUST Acting Director Ramona D. Elliott. “I extend my best wishes and sincere thanks to Mr. Snyder for his immeasurable contributions to the Program and Region 12 over his long tenure with us.”
The U.S. Trustee Program is the component of the Justice Department that protects the integrity of the bankruptcy system by overseeing case administration and litigating to enforce the bankruptcy laws. The USTP has 21 regions and 90 field office locations. Region 12 has offices in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines, Iowa, and Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Mary R. Jensen Appointed as Acting U.S. Trustee for the Judicial Districts Established for the States of Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota and South DakotaRead the Press Release
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has appointed Mary R. Jensen as the Acting U.S. Trustee for the judicial districts established for the States of Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota effective May 7, 2022, the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees (EOUST) announced today. She will replace James L. Snyder, who is retiring after more than 32 years of government service.
Ms. Jensen has been with the U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) for 13 years, first as a Trial Attorney in the Madison, Wisconsin, office before being appointed as its Assistant U.S. Trustee in 2014. She received her law degree summa cum laude from Duquesne University and holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology magna cum laude from the University of Dallas and a master’s degree in professional writing with a concentration in management from Carnegie Mellon University.
“Ms. Jensen is an established leader within the USTP who will bring great focus and energy to this broader role,” said EOUST Acting Director Ramona D. Elliott. “I extend my best wishes and sincere thanks to Mr. Snyder for his immeasurable contributions to the Program and Region 12 over his long tenure with us.”
The U.S. Trustee Program is the component of the Justice Department that protects the integrity of the bankruptcy system by overseeing case administration and litigating to enforce the bankruptcy laws. The USTP has 21 regions and 90 field office locations. Region 12 has offices in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines, Iowa, and Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Marshalltown Man Sentenced to over 20 Years in Prison for His Role in Importing Methamphetamine Iowa from MexicoRead the Press Release
A Marshalltown man, who was involved in the importation and distribution of thousands of kilograms of methamphetamine, was sentenced today, April 29, 2022, to over 20 years in federal prison.
Genaro Aguilar Lemus, age 23, from Marshalltown, Iowa, received the prison sentence after a May 6, 2021, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that, beginning in 2017, law enforcement investigated a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking organization operating out of Mexico. The head of the organization, Mario Hernandez, was based in Mexico and worked with others, including Aguilar Lemus, to transport kilogram quantities of methamphetamine into Iowa. Aguilar Lemus was intercepted on a wiretap investigation speaking with Mario Hernandez. He was also intercepted on the wiretap investigation speaking with Travis Werkmeister, a high-ranking member of the organization based out of Waterloo, Iowa. Aguilar Lemus arranged shipments of methamphetamine into Iowa and the transport of currency back to Mexico. Aguilar Lemus would receive pound to kilogram quantities of methamphetamine at a time and would redistribute to others involved in the conspiracy, who would in turn sell to others.
Aguilar Lemus was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Aguilar Lemus was sentenced to 243 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term and pay a $100 special assessment fee. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery. This case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Mid-Iowa Task Force (Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Tama County Sheriff’s Office, Marshalltown Police Department), Iowa National Guard and Counter Drug Program, Tri-County Task Force (Cedar Falls Police Department, Waterloo Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 20-CR-2034.
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Major Seafood Dealer and Eight Individuals Indicted for International Wildlife TraffickingRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, Environmental Crimes Section, unsealed an indictment charging a major seafood distributor and eight of its employees and associates with smuggling, Lacey Act violations and conspiracy to violate the Endangered Species Act, stemming from their trafficking in large volumes of highly imperiled eels. The defendants facing these felony charges are:
- American Eel Depot Corporation of Totowa, New Jersey
- Yi Rui Huang, aka Ricky, 47, of Oakland Gardens, New York
- Fen Liu, aka Emily, 45, of Oakland Gardens, New York
- Chao Jin Shi, aka Kevin, 49, of Flushing, New York
- Guo Tuan Zhou, aka Jason, 45, of Woodhaven, New York
- Liang Chen, aka Jackie, 33, of Fujian, China
- Yundong Wei, 42, of Fuzhou, China
- Xiajuan Huang Zhouyi, 46, of Changle, China
- Hong Lee, aka John, 75, of Yuen Long, Hong Kong
American Eel Depot is the largest importer and wholesale distributor of eel meat in the United States. Eel poaching and smuggling is one of the world’s biggest wildlife trafficking problems, based on both the number of animals and the amount of money that changes hands in the black market.
Following a crackdown on the poaching and smuggling of American eels, eel traffickers, including the defendants in this case, shifted their efforts to European eels, a species facing an even greater threat of extinction. It has been illegal since 2010 to export European eels out of any European Union country. European eels are also protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) wildlife protection treaty, which is enforced in the United States through the Endangered Species Act.
Despite this ban, the indictment alleges, the defendants conspired to unlawfully smuggle large quantities of live baby European eels out of Europe, to their eel-rearing factory in China. After rearing the baby eels to maturity, defendants’ Chinese facility would then slaughter and process the eels for shipping to the United States, to be sold as sushi products.
The indictment alleges that, over a four-year period, the defendants imported approximately 138 ocean containers full of eel meat into the United States, with a market value exceeding $160 million. The indictment focuses on six containers, seized by the government, which were determined to contain all or mostly European eel, mislabeled as American eel to avoid law enforcement detection. American eel fishing is highly regulated but still lawful in limited quantities in some areas. As alleged in the indictment, the defendants knew the eels’ true species, knew what they were doing was unlawful, and intentionally lied to U.S. authorities to conceal the illegalities and avoid detection.
“This case demonstrates the effectiveness and importance of the Endangered Species Act in cracking down on the international trafficking of protected wildlife,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We will not allow United States-based businesses and their executives and associates to cause – and profit off of – the systemic decline of the world’s protected aquatic species.”
“This investigation highlights the global trade pressures facing freshwater eels, and the Service's commitment to stand as a united front with our international partners in protecting both foreign and domestic species,” said Assistant Director Edward Grace of the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Office of Law Enforcement. “This indictment sends a clear message to individuals and corporations that if they unlawfully profit and decimate wildlife, domestically or abroad, investigators will work tirelessly to seek justice.”
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, USFWS and Customs and Border Protection. Trial Attorneys Mathew D. Evans and Ethan Eddy of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 (for individual defendants) or $500,000 (for business organizations), or twice the financial gain to the defendant or twice the financial loss to another, whichever is greater. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
LSD Dealer Sentenced to Almost Five Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Bartonville, Illinois, man, Derick Meyers, 24, of the 1000 block of Collins Court, was sentenced on April 28, 2022, to 57 months in prison for distribution of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD), to be followed by three years of supervised release.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that in June 2020 the Pekin Police Department began an investigation after two individuals were hospitalized after using LSD in Pekin. Meyers was determined to be the primary source of the LSD and was known to sell LSD, MDMA (commonly referred to as “molly”), and ketamine. Meyers subsequently sold LSD and MDMA on three different occasions in July and August 2020, including selling two and half vials of liquid LSD for $1000.
Meyers was indicted on the LSD distribution charge in October 2020 and pleaded guilty in December 2021. Meyers has been out on bond since his detention hearing in early November 2020.
The statutory penalties for distribution of LSD are no more than 20 years of imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and three years to life of supervised release.
The investigation was a joint collaboration between the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pekin Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine G. Legge represented the government in the prosecution.
Kansas City Man Guilty of Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal jury convicted a Kansas man of one count of bank robbery and one count of use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to court documents, and evidence presented at trial, Davonte Chaney, 30, of Kansas City was found guilty of robbing Truity Credit Union, 2221 West 31st Street, in Lawrence. In September 2021, Chaney entered the bank, pointed a semi-automatic gun at the employees, and instructed them to get down on the ground.
“Chaney’s criminal actions in order to get money subjected people who were making an honest living to a violent, terrifying ordeal,” said Duston Slinkard, U.S. Attorney. “The strong evidence collected by law enforcement investigators along with the convincing arguments prosecutors put before the jury, secured a conviction so that the victims’ suffering will not go unpunished.”
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for August 16.
The Lawrence Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trent Krug and Faiza Alhambra prosecuted the case.
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KCF Technologies, Inc. to Pay $1.2 Million to Resolve Civil Liability for Alleged Violations of the False Claims ActRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG, PA —The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that KCF Technologies, Inc., located in State College, PA, has agreed to pay the United States $1,226,436.14 to resolve civil liability for alleged violations of the False Claims Act.
According to United States Attorney, John C. Gurganus, the investigation arose from KCF’s conduct with respect to various Department of Defense contracts. It is alleged that KCF billed labor time spent on commercial contracts improperly to contracts it had both with the Department of the Navy and the Department of the Army between 2016 and 2019.
"Investigating procurement fraud allegations is a top priority for the DoD Office of the Inspector General's Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS)," stated Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty, DCIS Northeast Field Office. "This settlement reflects our commitment to working with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania to ensure contractors who misuse taxpayer funds are held accountable."
“NCIS and our federal law enforcement partners remain committed to ensuring the good stewardship of taxpayer dollars by rooting out procurement fraud at its source,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office.
In addition to DCIS and NCIS, the case was also investigated by the Major Procurement Fraud Field Office, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) under the leadership of Special Agent in Charge Scott Moreland.
KCF cooperated with the investigation. This Settlement Agreement is neither an admission of liability by KCF, nor is it a concession by the United States that its claims are not well founded.
The investigation was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Tamara Haken, and the Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) Unit within the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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Justice Department Releases Reentry Coordination Council Report Recommending Evidence-Based Approaches to Reduce Barriers to Successful ReentryRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced the release of a report by the Reentry Coordination Council entitled Coordination to Reduce Barriers to Reentry: Lessons Learned from COVID-19 and Beyond. The report summarizes the Council’s interagency collaboration and offers recommendations to Congress to further reduce barriers to successful reentry for those returning from incarceration.
Attorney General Garland first convened the Reentry Coordination Council in October 2021, bringing together representatives from a wide range of federal departments, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Since then, the Council has held several sessions focused on learning from the expertise and experience of a variety of individuals and organizations involved in several aspects of reentry, culminating in today’s report.
“Removing barriers to successful reentry for previously incarcerated individuals is an important part of the Justice Department’s mission to keep our country safe, uphold the rule of law, and pursue equal justice under law,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Whether it is safe, secure housing, employment, or food on the table, supporting formerly incarcerated people in accessing tools to reach their potential makes our communities safer and stronger. I look forward to continued collaboration with our partners across all levels of government and beyond to develop innovative, evidence-based approaches that advance our shared goals of ensuring equal access to justice and economic opportunity for all, including individuals returning from incarceration into our communities.”
Bringing multiple federal agencies together under the Reentry Coordination Council offers an opportunity to break down silos between federal agencies, to understand the broad impact of the justice system, and to pursue a comprehensive approach to reducing recidivism and promoting enhanced public safety. Today’s report provides preliminary recommendations to facilitate successful reentry, particularly addressing needs related to housing, food security, health care, education, and employment. The Council will continue its broader collaboration to identify effective strategies to promote successful reentry.
In conjunction with the release of the Council’s report and to highlight April as Second Chance Month, the Justice Department’s Office for Access to Justice will host a Reentry Simulation for senior officials and staff at RCC member agencies. The goal of the Reentry Simulation is to illustrate, through a two-hour interactive experience and facilitated discussions, the significant obstacles faced by individuals returning from incarceration to the community. This learning experience will aim to encourage and inform continued collaboration across government to mitigate these barriers. The discussions will include perspectives from individuals and organizations with wide-ranging experience and expertise in promoting successful reentry.
Justice Department Recognizes Human Trafficking Survivor and Advocate from Washington with Special Courage AwardRead the Press Release
The Office for Victims of Crime, a component of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs, presented the Special Courage Award to Suamhirs Piraino-Guzman, a human trafficking survivor and advocate residing in Seattle, Washington.
This Special Courage Award category honors a victim or survivor who has shown exceptional perseverance or determination. It may also acknowledge one who hasacted bravely to aid a victim or to prevent victimization.
After enduring a terrifying and traumatic ordeal at a young age, Mr. Piraino-Guzman became a courageous advocate who has used his personal tragedy to help community leaders better understand the atrocities of human trafficking,” said Amy L. Solomon, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for OJP. “Through his experience and advocacy, he has brought international attention to the critical importance of trauma-informed counseling and services at the onset of recovery, taking his message to communities throughout America and to nations across the globe. He is a remarkable man whose courage is an example to all who know him.”
In 2004, Mr. Piraino-Guzman, 14-years-old at the time, was abducted from his native country of Honduras and smuggled into the United States where he was abused, exploited and trafficked in California until he was identified during a police raid. He was held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, then placed in a mental health facility, then a group home and subsequently with a foster family, who took him to a border station and left him with Customs and Border Protection officers to be deported.
When he was identified as a trafficking victim and returned to foster care, he assisted in the prosecution of the traffickers without receiving any trauma-informed medical care or services from a case manager. He survived, but the experience instilled in him a need to help other children, immigrants and trafficking survivors obtain the services he was denied. He has facilitated a series of listening sessions on men and boys for the Office on Trafficking in Persons at the Department of Health and Human Services, and he appeared in the video education series, “The Faces of Human Trafficking,” released by OVC in 2014. He also served on the first U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking, comprised of survivors charged with advising U.S. government agencies on improving responses to trafficking to serve in the United Nations Trust Fund for Contemporary Forms of Slavery Board of Trustees and as the Special Rapporteur on the Labor and Sexual Exploitation of Children, Especially Boys. Currently, Mr. Piraino-Guzman is the Mental Illness and Drug Dependency Partnerships Manager for King County, Washington.
“It is a great privilege to honor a man who has faced the darkest of moments and emerged with such strong reserves of empathy, compassion and love,” said Kristina Rose, director of OVC. “Mr. Piraino-Guzman’s courage lies in his resilience and strength but also in his insistence on a safer, better world. We are proud to recognize him for his extraordinary contributions.”
Every April, OVC leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. President Ronald W. Reagan proclaimed the first Victims’ Rights Week in 1981, calling for greater sensitivity to the rights and needs of victims. This year’s observance took place from April 24 through April 30, featuring the theme, “Rights, Access, Equity, for All Victims.”
Justice Department Challenges Alabama Law that Criminalizes Medically Necessary Care for Transgender YouthRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today filed a complaint challenging a recently enacted Alabama law, Senate Bill (S.B.) 184, that denies necessary medical care to children based solely on who they are, and that threatens criminal prosecution and jail time to doctors, parents, and anyone else who provides or “causes” that care. The United States’ complaint alleges that the new law’s felony ban on providing certain medically necessary care to transgender minors violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. The department is also asking the court to issue an immediate order to prevent the law from going into effect.
S.B. 184 makes it a felony for any person to “engage in or cause” specified types of medical care for transgender minors. S.B. 184 thus discriminates against transgender youth by denying them access to certain forms of medically necessary care. It further discriminates against transgender youth by barring them from accessing particular procedures while allowing non-transgender minors to access the same or similar procedures. The penalties for violating the law include up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $15,000. S.B. 184 would force parents of transgender minors, medical professionals, and others to choose between forgoing medically necessary procedures and treatments, or facing criminal prosecution. The United States’ complaint alleges that S.B. 184 violates the Equal Protection Clause by discriminating on the basis of sex and transgender status.
Today’s filing is the latest action by the Justice Department to combat discrimination based on gender identity, including unlawful restrictions on medical care for transgender youth. On March 31, 2022, the Civil Rights Division issued a letter to all state attorneys general reminding them of federal constitutional and statutory provisions that protect transgender youth against discrimination.
The complaint in intervention is being handled by Deputy Chief Coty Montag and Trial Attorneys Alyssa Lareau, Kaitlin Toyama, and Renee Williams of the Civil Rights Division’s Federal Coordination and Compliance Section; John Powers, Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights; Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Cheek for the Northern District of Alabama; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Wadsworth for the Middle District of Alabama.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work to uphold and protect the civil and constitutional rights of LGBTQI+ individuals is available on its website at https://www.justice.gov/crt/lgbtqi-working-group. Complaints about discriminatory practices may be reported to the Civil Rights Division through its internet reporting portal at https://civilrights.justice.gov.
Justice Department Announces Settlement in Lawsuit Against Prince George County, Virginia, and the Virginia Retirement System to Enforce Servicemembers’ Employment RightsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement to resolve its complaint filed on behalf of Virginia Army National Guard Major Mark Gunn against Prince George County, Virginia, and the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) to enforce the employment and pension rights guaranteed Major Gunn under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA). As part of the settlement Major Gunn will receive $9,756 in back pension pay, $3,000 in lost benefits, and adjusted pension payments going forward to incorporate two additional years of service time.
“The Department of Justice is committed to enforcing the laws that protect the civilian careers of the brave men and women who serve our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Members of the Reserves are often called away from their civilian jobs to provide the security upon which our nation depends. They should not have to fear losing their jobs and, as here, their pension benefits, when they answer that call.”
“Members of our military Reserves who put their civilian careers and lives on hold to serve our country should not suffer adverse employment effects,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to use all legal remedies to enforce the rights of servicemembers to the correct reemployment positions upon their return from honorably serving our nation.”
In its complaint, the United States alleged that the Prince George County Police Department (PGCPD) violated USERRA when it reemployed Major Gunn, a 14-year PGCPD veteran, as a patrol officer instead of a detective upon his return from active duty service in the Virginia Army National Guard. In violating the statute, PGCPD also denied Major Gunn his proper seniority and employment benefits and forced him to leave his employment with PGCPD and return to active duty in the Virginia Army National Guard. In its settlement with PGCPD and VRS, Major Gunn will receive his lost employment benefits, as well as all of the pension benefits from VRS that he would have accrued but for the alleged USERRA violation.
USERRA protects the rights of uniformed servicemembers to retain their civilian employment following absences due to military service obligations and provides that servicemembers shall not be discriminated against because of their military obligations. USERRA also requires employers to provide pension benefits when their employees are called to active duty. The Justice Department, including the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia gives high priority to the enforcement of servicemembers’ rights under USERRA. Additional information about USERRA can be found on the Justice Department’s websites at www.justice.gov/crt-military/employment-rights-userra and www.justice.gov/servicemembers as well as on the Department of Labor’s (DOL) website at www.dol.gov/vets/programs/userra.
This case stems from a referral by the Department of Labor, at Major Gunn’s request, after an investigation by that agency’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deirdre Brou, Lauren Oberheim and Robert McIntosh for the Eastern District of Virginia; and as a part of the Servicemember and Veterans’ Initiative within the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Trial Attorney Shan Shah in the Employment Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Jamestown and California Men Charged with Operating National Narcotics ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Aaron Miller, 28, of Jamestown, NY, and La D. Huynh a/k/a Paul a/k/a P, 39, of Chula Vista, CA, with narcotics conspiracy. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between July 2019, and October 16, 2020, Miller and Huynh are accused of conspiring with others to import methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl from California to be sold in the Jamestown, NY, area.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The indictment 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 and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Vershaun Lamar Puzie (33, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Puzie faces a minimum mandatory term of imprisonment of ten years, and up to life, in federal prison.
According to the plea agreement, on January 1, 2019, officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) encountered Puzie in the area of 31st Street and Silver Street after Puzie jumped out of a car during a traffic stop. Puzie then fled on foot. As he fled, Puzie ingested an item. A JSO officer who was chasing Puzie tased him and took him into custody on the ground, at which point Puzie was still chewing the item he had ingested. Officers commanded Puzie to spit out the item, which contained rocks of crack cocaine mixed with other material. Upon tracing Puzie’s flight path, officers located a torn baggie with drug residue and a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol in plain view that Puzie had tossed over a fence.
On July 16, 2020, JSO officers were dispatched to the Hometown Inn & Suites located on Mustang Road. An officer arriving on scene observed Puzie in the parking lot; Puzie began to walk quickly into the Hometown Inn & Suites upon the arrival of the officer’s patrol car. The officer pursued Puzie on foot into the hotel lobby and then up an interior stairwell of the hotel while commanding Puzie to stop. While going up the stairs, the officer heard a thud as Puzie discarded a Smith & Wesson 9mm caliber pistol and cell phone on the stairs. Puzie ran across the hotel and down another stairwell and outside, where he was taken into custody by the officer. A second officer recovered the pistol from the stairwell. While fleeing, Puzie again ingested a quantity of cocaine base that he had intended to sell. Puzie entered a state of excited delirium as a result of ingesting the drugs and was transported to a hospital.
Puzie admitted in his plea that he had possessed both pistols to protect himself while he possessed with intent to sell crack cocaine.
Puzie agreed to forfeit both of the pistols that had been recovered by JSO, which were involved in the offense.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.
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.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on April 28 was:
Nicholas James Real Bird, 28, of Billings, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Real Bird faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release. Real Bird was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-46.
Appearing on April 27 was:
Cole Michael Graves, 22, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and receipt of a firearm while under indictment. If convicted of the most serious crime, Graves faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Graves was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-41.
Appearing on April 26 was:
Nathaniel Jay Reed, 35, of Hardin, on charges of failure to register as a sex offender. If convicted of the most serious crime, Reed faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least five years of supervised release. Reed was detained pending further proceedings. The U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-47.
Daniel Thomas Whitby, 36, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Whitby faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Whitby was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-50.
Makyla Shayd Fetter, 27, of Harlem, and Taliah Jeneane Ramirez, 22, of Billings, on charges of robbery affecting commerce, possession of firearm during a crime of violence and possession of a firearm in a school zone. If convicted of the most serious crime, Fetter and Ramirez face a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the robbery charge and a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, consecutive to any other crime, on the charge of possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. Fetter and Ramirez were detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-40.
Keaton Trey Souza, 20, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Souza faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Souza was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-48.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on April 26 was:
Marco Antonio Cruz-Soriano, 38, of Honduras, on charges of illegal reentry of removed alien. If convicted of the most serious crime Cruz-Soriano faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. The U.S. Border Patrol and Toole County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-26.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Hearing Aid Company Eargo Inc. Agrees to Pay $34.37 Million to Settle Common Law and False Claims Act Allegations for Unsupported Diagnosis CodesRead the Press Release
Eargo Inc. (Eargo), a for-profit public corporation headquartered in California that sells and dispenses hearing aid devices directly to customers nationwide, has agreed to pay $34.37 million to resolve allegations that it submitted or caused the submission of claims for hearing aid devices for reimbursement to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) that contained unsupported hearing loss diagnosis codes.
The FEHBP, administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), is the largest employer-sponsored group health insurance program in the world. It provides health benefits through various health insurance carriers and covers over eight million federal employees, retirees, former employees, family members and former spouses. Certain FEHBP health insurance plans elect to offer a hearing aid benefit, which varies from plan to plan. FEHBP carriers that offer a hearing aid benefit require that claims for hearing aid devices include a hearing loss-related diagnosis code. These diagnosis codes must be supported by a hearing loss diagnosis, which is typically based on a hearing test performed by a health care provider.
“The FEHBP plays a vital role in ensuring the health and wellbeing of our nation’s dedicated civil servants and their families,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to the integrity of this program and will pursue appropriate remedies against providers who misuse it.”
“Public servants rely on the FEHBP to keep their families healthy,” said U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham for the Northern District of Texas. “Billing the program for medical devices patients may not need raises costs across the board. We are proud to hold Eargo accountable for its alleged use of unsupported diagnosis codes.”
“Submitting unsupported claims to the FEHBP, knowingly and otherwise, harms the American taxpayer,” said Deputy Inspector General Norbert E. Vint of OPM Office of the Inspector General (OPM-OIG). “I am incredibly grateful to our investigative staff and partners at the Department of Justice for their unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of the FEHBP and preserving the trust fund for the health care of our nation’s dedicated civil servants.”
The United States alleged that, from Jan. 1, 2017, through Jan. 31, 2021, Eargo included unsupported hearing loss-related diagnosis codes on claims for hearing aid devices that Eargo submitted to the FEHBP and on invoices — called superbills — that Eargo provided to FEHBP beneficiaries to obtain reimbursement for such devices from the FEHBP. The United States further alleged that between Feb. 1, 2021, and Sept. 22, 2021, Eargo continued to include these unsupported hearing loss-related diagnosis codes on claims and superbills — even after completing an internal review of its billing and coding practices in January 2021 — resulting in Eargo knowingly submitting or causing the submission of false claims for payment to the FEHBP.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, with assistance from OPM-OIG.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Trial Attorney Samuel Lehman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Coffin for the Northern District of Texas.
The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.