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10 June 2022
Jury Convicts Excelsior Estates Man of Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Excelsior Estates, Mo., man has been convicted by a federal trial jury for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Mark A. Whitworth, 65, was found guilty on Thursday, June 9, of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
On Aug. 18, 2019, the Missouri State Highway Patrol executed a search warrant at Whitworth’s residence. They found a safe concealed behind a flag in the master bedroom closet that contained 60 $100 bills, totaling $6,000. They also found a cardboard box in a shed that contained approximately 256 grams of methamphetamine. Also in the shed, officers found two shotguns, shotgun shells, and various items that indicated the methamphetamine was being prepared for distribution (including a digital scale and plastic baggies).
Co-defendant Russell Lee Walker, 56, who shared a residence with Whitworth, pleaded guilty on Nov. 4, 2020, to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
Under federal statutes, Whitworth is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for approximately five hours before returning guilty verdicts on both counts to U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough, ending a three-day trial that began Tuesday, June 7.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Daly and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Cooper. It was investigated by the FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Joplin Man Indicted for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for possessing fentanyl to distribute.
Cody Dalton Romines, 40, was charged in an indictment returned on Tuesday, June 7, with one count of possessing fentanyl to distribute. The federal indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Romines on May 19, 2022.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, a Missouri State Highway Patrol corporal saw Romines, driving a black Kia Optima, speeding on Interstate 44 in Jasper County on May 17, 2022. Officers attempted to stop Romines, who did not immediately stop but drove more than a mile before pulling over. Romines allegedly threw a Ziploc bag, which contained approximately 172 grams of fentanyl, out the passenger window of the vehicle before he pulled over. Officers found the bag when they searched the ditch and shoulder area where they’d seen Romines throw it out.
The charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Beaver. It was investigated by the FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Joint Statement from U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field OfficeRead the Press Release
"The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the FBI’s Washington Field Office are committed to protecting the First Amendment rights of all Americans to express their views peacefully during demonstrations that take place on a regular basis in the nation’s capital, including at the Supreme Court. We also have a responsibility to ensure public safety and the orderly conduct of government business. We will not tolerate violence, destruction, interference with government functions, or trespassing on government property. We are committed to working closely with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to stop any individuals who intend to commit violence or criminal activity under the guise of carrying out a demonstration.”
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 Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on June 8 was:
Hugo Gutierrez Rodriguez, also known as Victor and as Juice, 41, of Yakima, Washington, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Rodriguez faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. Rodriguez was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Tri-Agency Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration, Rocky Boy’s Police Department and Idaho State Police investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-31.
Appearing on June 7 was:
Joshua James Burshia, 41, of Brockton, on charges of aggravated sexual abuse and sexual abuse of a minor. If convicted of the most serious crime, Burshia faces life in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least five years to life of supervised release. Burshia was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Fort Peck Law Enforcement Services investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-39.
Aaron Ramirez Espinoza, 36, of Yakima, Washington, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Espinoza faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Espinoza was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Great Falls Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-40.
Laval John Bigleggins, 36, of Wolf Point, on charges of involuntary manslaughter. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bigleggins faces a maximum of eight years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Bigleggins was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Fort Peck Law Enforcement Services, Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Highway Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-30.
Trevor Birdsbill, 32, of Wolf Point, on charges of aggravated sexual abuse. If convicted of the most serious crime Birdsbill faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Birdsbill was released pending further proceedings. The FBI and Fort Peck Law Enforcement Services investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-38.
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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Goldsboro Woman Sentenced to More Than Six Years for Trafficking Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Goldsboro, North Carolina woman was sentenced to 80 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a quantity of cocaine base (crack).
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, Victoria Christine Taylor, 35, was indicted on August 3, 2021, on the following charges:
- Count One (Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute a quantity of Cocaine Base (crack)), in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 846; and
- Counts Nine and Ten (Distribution of a Quantity of Cocaine Base (crack)), in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 841(a)(1)).
On March 8, 2022, Taylor entered a plea of guilty to the first charge.
In 2019, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in Wilmington, North Carolina received information that Taylor was part of a large-scale drug trafficking organization. The organization operated in Goldsboro, NC, and it distributed significant quantities of crystal methamphetamine, cocaine hydrochloride, and cocaine base (crack). The organization also maintained several “trap houses” or “stash houses” in Goldsboro and employed runners, often times drug users, to hand deliver drugs.
Based upon the investigation, law enforcement learned that Taylor was the girlfriend of the leader of the organization and personally managed a number of individuals distributing crack cocaine from her stash house. Over the course of the conspiracy, Taylor was responsible for assisting in the distribution of at least 131 grams of crack.
Five total defendants have been charged and convicted in this investigation:
- Johnathan Aquavius Heath, a/k/a “Booty” (5:21-CR-314-M-1): pled guilty on June 7, 2022, to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute Fifty (50) Grams or More of Methamphetamine, Five (5) Kilograms or More of Cocaine, and Two Hundred Eighty (280) Grams or More of Cocaine Base (Crack), in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 846; and Distribution of Fifty Grams or more of Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 841(a)(1).
- Aratika Omhaya Anderson, a/k/a “Tika” (5:21-CR-314-M-2): pled guilty on October 19, 2021, to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute Fifty (50) Grams or More of Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 846; and Distribution of Five Grams or more of Methamphetamine, Aiding and Abetting, in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 841(a)(1) and Title 18, United States Code section 2.
- Richard Ronald Harris, III (5:21-CR-314-M-5): pled guilty on October 6, 2021, to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute Fifty (50) Grams or More of Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 846; and Distribution of Five Grams or more of Methamphetamine, Aiding and Abetting, in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 841(a)(1) and Title 18, United States Code section 2.
- Lelia Inez Harris (5:21-CR-314-M-5): pled guilty on November 16, 2021, to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute Five (5) Grams or More of Methamphetamine), in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 846; and Distribution of Five Grams or more of Methamphetamine, Aiding and Abetting, in violation of Title 21, United States Code Section 841(a)(1) and Title 18, United States Code section 2.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in Wilmington, North Carolina and the Goldsboro Police Department, investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Nucci prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. 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 number 5:21-CR-00314-M-3.
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Fresno Business Owner Indicted for Additional Tax and Social Security Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment Thursday against Marcus Asay, 66, of Fresno, charging him with making false tax returns, and concealing a matter with an intent to fraudulently secure Social Security disability benefits, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, from 2016-2018, Asay reported very little taxable income although he knew that his taxable income was more than $50,000. As the chairman of American Labor Alliance (ALA), Asay caused the organization to pay for hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of personal expenses, including over $50,000 to dating and escort websites and $120,000 in rent for Asay’s personal residences.
Asay also received Social Security disability benefits beginning in 2010. The benefits are available for individuals who cannot perform full-time work due to a qualifying disability. In approximately 2015, Asay began working full time as the chairman of ALA. From 2016-2019, Asay worked full time and was not entitled to receive benefits, but he concealed this fact from the Social Security Administration. During this time, the Social Security Administration paid Asay and a dependent over $90,000.
This case is the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation, Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael G. Tierney, Stephanie M. Stokman, and Alexandre M. Dempsey are prosecuting the case.
If convicted of filing a false tax return, Asay faces a maximum statutory penalty of three years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 for each count. If convicted of concealing and failing to disclose a matter related to Social Security Benefits, Asay faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Asay is also charged with fraud and money laundering offenses in a separate case, USA v. Agricultural Contracting Services Association et al., 1:19-cr-003-DAD. That case is set for trial in November 2022. According to court documents, between March 2016 and March 2017, ALA, Asay, and Antonio Gastelum, of Fresno, carried out a scheme to provide workers’ compensation coverage to clients and issued Certificates of Liability to clients that included names of insurers and false policy numbers. ALA allegedly collected at least $2.8 million in workers’ compensation premiums. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Fort Defiance Man Sentenced to Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Carlton Sandoval, 43, of Fort Defiance, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 27 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Sandoval previously pleaded guilty to Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
On January 4, 2020, Navajo Nation police pulled Sandoval over for a traffic violation near Chinle, Arizona and discovered Sandoval had a firearm. Sandoval, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The FBI and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-08027-PCT-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-091_Sandoval# # #
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.Fort Collins Couple Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Selling Unapproved DrugsRead the Press Release
Denver – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Mark Godding and Linda Godding have each been sentenced to six months in federal prison for selling unapproved new and misbranded drugs to treat serious medical conditions through their online business.
According to the plea agreement, in December of 2016, the couple purchased the business Mighty Stacks, LLC. In January 2017, Mighty Stacks, LLC, did business through Blue Brain Boost and sold products through the website bluebrainboost.com. The business sold products identified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as misbranded and unapproved new drugs, including Tianeptine Sodium Powder, a dangerous unapproved drug that the FDA has warned is linked with risk of abuse, particularly in those with a history of opioid use disorder and overdose. Some people have turned to tianeptine as an opioid alternative, or to self-treat anxiety or depression. The Goddings also illegally sold multiple other unapproved and misbranded drugs, including adrafinil crystalline powder, aniracetam crystalline powder nicotine solution, IDRA-21, methylene blue solution, noopept crystalline powder, oxiracetam, phenibut hydrocholoride crystalline powder, coluracetam chrystalline powder, phenylpiracetam crystalline powder, pramiracetam, and sunifiram. The Blue Brain Boost website identified its products as “nootropics,” a term widely used to market unapproved products as “smart drugs” and “cognitive enhancers.” The defendants purchased these drugs from China and repackaged and distributed them for consumer use.
The defendants fraudulently misled customers by advertising that their products were tested by independent labs and asserted that they were “compulsive” about quality control. In fact, they rarely tested any of their products before selling them to consumers, even after receiving complaints of side effects. One customer wrote to the company: “The batch I just received I am getting multiple reports from my clients that it causes vomiting.” Another customer wrote in, “After administering a single dose, he noticed a rapid heart rate, a pressure in brain and rapid breathing. The customer vomited out the product. He noted the smell and flavor were not quite right.”
The FDA has identified many nootropics as unapproved new drugs and has issued numerous warning letters and online advisory letters emphasizing that such products have not been proven safe and/or effective and could potentially prevent a person from seeking medical help for a serious medical condition.
Mark Godding pleaded guilty on January 26, 2022, before United States District Court Chief Judge Philip A. Brimmer, who sentenced him to six months in federal prison on May 20, 2022. Linda Godding pleaded guilty on January 27, 2022, before Judge Brimmer. He sentenced her to six months in federal prison on June 10, 2022.
“The defendants knowingly, intentionally, and repeatedly placed customers at risk, and they undermined and evaded the extensive regulations put in place to protect those consumers,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “Their sentences should send a message to other businesses that we will hold you accountable if you disregard the law and threaten public health.”
“Prescription drugs that are smuggled from overseas and are outside the secure supply chain can present a serious health risk to those who use them. The drugs may contain unknown or dangerous ingredients and are manufactured under unknown or unregulated conditions,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who traffic in illegal prescription drugs.”
This case was investigated by the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations.
Case Number: 21-cr-000345
Former physician's assistant indicted for health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and illegally prescribing controlled substancesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Theresa Pickering has been arraigned on federal charges of health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and distribution of controlled substances. Pickering was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 7, 2022.
“By posing as a licensed physician's assistant, Pickering placed her own interests above the safety of the patients that entrusted her with their most important asset – their health,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “This office will use every tool at its disposal to combat this type of unprofessional, unsafe, and unlawful behavior.”
“Pickering had a chance to turn her life around after serving time for previous fraud, but instead choose to commit further crimes, proving that she has not learned from her prior convictions,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI and our partners will not tolerate anyone that puts our citizen’s health care at risk, and we remain determined to expose and bring them to justice.”
“This provider took advantage of her access to patient information for financial gain, undermining both patient trust and the integrity of federal health care programs,” said Tamala Miles, Special Agent in Charge with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute such egregious conduct.”
“When a provider seeks to practice medicine without a license, it puts patients at great risk,” said Amy K. Parker, Special Agent in Charge, Office of Personnel Management, Office of the Inspector General (OPM-OIG). “The OPM OIG will always prioritize keeping patients safe and holding unscrupulous providers accountable.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: On or about September 24, 2019, Pickering was hired as a licensed physician’s assistant a family practice in Norcross, Georgia. Pickering, however, was not a licensed physician’s assistant in Georgia and has not been a licensed physician’s assistant in any state since March 2014.
After serving a prison sentence for 2015 state and federal fraud and narcotics convictions related to Pickering’s illegal practice as a physician’s assistant in Mississippi, Pickering relocated to Georgia and obtained employment at the family practice in Norcross.
While employed there, Pickering treated patients, diagnoses illnesses, ordered diagnostic tests and lab work, handled sick visits and prescribed drugs to patients, none of which was authorized by law based on her lack of licensure and exclusion from federal health care programs.
Pickering also issued prescriptions, while posing as a physician’s assistant, including prescriptions for controlled substances, in the name of Doctor 1, a physician contracted by the practice, without Doctor 1’s permission. Pickering caused the practice to submit at least approximately $147,000 in fraudulent claims for reimbursement to Medicare and numerous private insurance companies.
Theresa Pickering, 53, of Norcross, Georgia, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Russell G. Vineyard. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and Office of Personnel Management, Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. O'Neal is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former local bakery owner arrested for stealing identity of deceased baby, $1.5M pandemic relief fraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus woman was arrested in Utah on federal charges related to stealing the identity of a baby who died as an infant. The woman allegedly used the infant’s identity to obtain a passport, a student pilot license, a job as a flight attendant, admission into The Ohio State University and pandemic relief loans.
Ava Misseldine, 49, formerly of Columbus, Ohio, was charged by a criminal complaint with passport fraud, Social Security number fraud, aggravated identity theft and fraud in connection with an emergency.
According to court documents, Misseldine stole the identity of a baby who died in 1979 and is buried in a Columbus cemetery.
In 2003, Misseldine allegedly applied for an Ohio ID and later a Social Security card and driver’s license using the stolen identity.
In 2007, Misseldine allegedly posed as the stolen identity to obtain a student pilot certificate and U.S. Passport. Misseldine submitted paperwork claiming she needed the passport to travel internationally in her occupation as a flight attendant for JetSelect. She was employed under the false identity.
Over the next 13 years, Misseldine allegedly continued to obtain identity documents in both her real and fake names. An investigation was launched in 2021 when she tried to renew the fraudulent passport.
Court documents allege Misseldine obtained approximately $1.5 million in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans in 2020 using both her real and fake identities. Her loan applications list her businesses as various bakeries and catering companies, including her former bakeries Sugar Inc. Cupcakes & Tea Salon in Dublin and Koko Tea Salon & Bakery in New Albany and at Easton. She submitted forged documents to support her loan applications.
Misseldine used the pandemic relief loan money to purchase a home for $647,500 adjacent to Zion National Park in Utah and a home for $327,500 in Michigan.
In August and September 2021, Misseldine, after relocating to Utah, allegedly obtained driver’s licenses in both names.
If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum of two years and up to 30 years in prison. She will be transported to the Southern District of Ohio to face her charges in federal court.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the charges and commended the investigation by the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service and Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, assisted by the U.S. Marshals, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Former Teacher and Coach Sentenced to 114 Months in Project Safe Childhood CaseRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 114 months in jail, 15 years of supervised release and $3,000 in restitution on his conviction of violating federal child sexual exploitation laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Gregory Mancini who is currently incarcerated at the Erie County Prison.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that on November 2, 2018, Mancini traveled to Georgia from Erie, Pennsylvania for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a 13-year-old boy. Upon arriving in Georgia, Mancini traveled to meet with the boy and was subsequently taken into custody by the Hall County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office. When interviewed, Mancini admitted that he had engaged in sexual talk with the minor victim and that he had crossed the line. Mancini also admitted that he was a criminal.
The investigation uncovered that Mancini had groomed the victim for months, discussing his intention to engage in sex acts with the minor. He told the victim to keep quiet about their contact and that he loved the victim who was thirteen years of age at the time. After Mancini told the victim that he was coming to visit him on November 2, 2018, the victim became upset and ultimately the Hall County Sheriff’s Office was contacted. They then assumed the victim’s identity online and Mancini began communicating with an undercover detective whom he thought was the victim. During his communication with the undercover detective, Mancini, thinking he was communicating with the minor victim, stated “i want u, I love u.” Shortly before his arrest, Mancini again thinking he was communicating with the minor victim, texted “I want to hug u … kiss u … love u.”
After Mancini’s arrest, federal authorities in Georgia transferred the case to Erie for further investigation. That inquiry ultimately uncovered that Mancini was using the dark web to obtain child sexual abuse material. The execution of a federal search warrant at Mancini’s residence in Erie County on January 9, 2020, resulted in the seizure of two computers and a thumb drive belonging to Mancini. A forensic examination of those items revealed hundreds of items of child sexual abuse material depicting children as young as two being raped and abused by adults. Also uncovered was a journal Mancini had written wherein he admitted that he was attracted to younger boys.
In imposing sentence, Judge Baxter noted her grave concern that Mancini was a teacher while committing these offenses. Judge Baxter also noted the extreme nature of the child sexual abuse material Mancini had obtained.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations and the Hall County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Mancini.
Former TSA Officer Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charge for Attempting to Smuggle Methamphetamine Through LAXRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge for smuggling what he believed was methamphetamine through Los Angeles International Airport in exchange for a total of $8,000 in cash.
Michael Williams, 39, of Hawthorne, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted distribution of methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, authorities in 2020 conducted undercover operations involving Williams, whom they suspected of helping smuggle narcotics past security checkpoints at LAX. During the operations, Williams met several times with a drug source to receive what he thought was methamphetamine.
As a TSA employee with unscreened access to LAX, Williams agreed to deliver the “methamphetamine” in a backpack to the drug source’s accomplice in the men’s restroom past the airport terminal’s security checkpoint.
After taking possession of what he believed was real narcotics, Williams transported an unscreened package containing the fake methamphetamine beyond the TSA screening area and delivered the package to another individual. This individual, whom Williams did not know was a federal agent, on both occasions exchanged $4,000 in cash in the stalls of the men’s restroom in the airport’s secure area.
United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha scheduled a November 4 sentencing hearing, at which time Williams will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this matter as part of the Los Angeles High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky and Jeremiah Levine of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
Former Spring Lake Finance Director Arrested on Charges of Embezzlement, Bank Fraud, Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Fayetteville woman was arrested today on charges of Embezzlement, Bank Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft.
The Indictment alleges that Gay Cameron Tucker, 63, of Fayetteville, embezzled more than $500,000 from the Town of Spring Lake during her tenure as finance director and accounting technician for the Town. The Indictment further alleges that Tucker carried out the embezzlement through fraudulent checks containing forged signatures of the mayor and town manager.
United States Attorney Michael Easley stated, “City government officials are entrusted to spend taxpayer funds on public needs – not their own. Our prosecutors and law enforcement partners are committed to vigorously investigating all allegations of public corruption.”
Tucker is charged with one count of Embezzlement from a Local Government Receiving Federal Funds, four counts of Bank Fraud, and two counts of Aggravated Identity Theft. The maximum punishment for Embezzlement is 10 years in prison. The maximum punishment for Bank Fraud is 30 years in prison. The maximum punishment for Aggravated Identity Theft is not less than, nor more than 2 years in prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Gilmore is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No 5:22-CR-00118.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Former Prison Inmate from Georgia Sentenced for Defrauding Victims Out of over $9,700Read the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Andre Deaveon Reese, 32, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Donald E. Walter to 33 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. Reese was also ordered to pay restitution to the victims in this case in the amount of $9,797.95.
According to evidence presented to the court, while serving time in the Autry State Prison (Autry) in Georgia in 2015, and continuing through July 2020, Reese participated in a scheme to defraud victims by telling them they had failed to appear for jury duty and a warrant had been issued for their arrest. To carry out this scheme, inmates used contraband cellular telephones from inside Autry to access internet websites to identify the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of potential fraud victims. Using the cellular telephones, inmates called the victims who name, and number had been obtained and made certain false misrepresentations to the victims. The inmates told the victims that they were law enforcement officials and that the victim had unlawfully failed to appear for jury duty. In addition, the victims were told that because they had failed to appear for jury duty, warrants had been issued for their arrest and the victim had a choice of being arrested on the warrant or pay a fine to have the arrest warrant dismissed.
To make the calls seem real, Reese, along with other inmates, created fictitious voicemail greetings on their contraband cellular telephones used by the inmates, identifying themselves as members of legitimate law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Marshal Service. For those victims who wanted to pay a fine, the inmates instructed them to purchase pre-paid cash cards and provide the account number of the cash card or the victim could wire money directly into a pre-paid debit card account held by the inmates or one of the co-conspirators. Based on these false representations, the victims electronically transferred money to the inmates because they believe that the funds would be used to pay the fine.
After a victim provided an inmate with the account number of the pre-paid cash card, the inmates then used their contraband cellular telephones to contact co-conspirators, who were not incarcerated, to have those individuals transfer the money from the cash card purchased by the victims to a pre-paid debit card possessed by the co-conspirators. The co-conspirators would then withdraw the victim’s money via an automated teller machine or at a retail store.
In August of 2016, two individuals, ages 75 and 78, living in the Western District of Louisiana, became victims of Reese’s scheme. The victims believed the callers, who were inmates posing as legitimate law enforcement officers, and followed their instructions to pay them to have the alleged warrants for their arrest for failing to appear for jury duty dismissed. The two victims $9,797.95 to Reese and his co-conspirators.
The case was investigated by the FBI and U.S. Marshal Service and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary J. Mudrick.
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Former Inmate Admits Distributing Fentanyl at Santa Rita Jail That Killed Fellow InmateRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Kameron Patricia Reid pleaded guilty today in federal court to two counts of distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a Santa Rita Jail inmate, announced United States Attorney Stephane M. Hinds, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan, and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Wade R. Shannon.
In a written plea agreement entered today in federal court, Reid, 38, of San Leandro, described the events that led to the death of her fellow inmate on May 16, 2021. Reid was incarcerated at that time at Santa Rita Jail, located in Dublin, Alameda County, and she admitted that while incarcerated she distributed fentanyl to inmates. Reid hid fentanyl from correctional officers by holding it in a body cavity. Reid described that on May 16, 2021, she provided fentanyl to two fellow inmates who are identified in the plea agreement only as “Victim 1” and “Inmate 2.” She had provided the same two inmates with fentanyl on an earlier occasion. Reid admitted that on May 16 she provided fentanyl to the two inmates and watched as both inmates snorted it. They each shortly became visibly intoxicated. Reid observed that Victim 1 lapsed into unconscious and became motionless near her bunk. Reid suspected Victim 1 was overdosing on fentanyl. Reid admitted in her plea agreement that she did not call for assistance because she wanted to avoid getting into trouble. Reid instead went to a toilet and flushed down the rest of the fentanyl she had. After several hours, another inmate called for assistance for Victim 1. Paramedics responded to aid Victim 1, but Victim 1 was unresponsive and eventually pronounced dead. Reid thereafter lied to investigators about her involvement in Victim 1’s death. In her plea agreement today, Reid admitted that the fentanyl she distributed to Victim-1 caused Victim-1’s death.
Reid is next scheduled for a sentencing hearing before United States District Judge Jon S. Tigar in Oakland federal court on October 28, 2022. The parties have agreed that Reid will self-surrender into custody by 5:00 p.m. today.
Reid pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing fentanyl in violation 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). She faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a life term of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine. However, any sentence following a conviction is imposed by a court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly K. Priedeman is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Leeya Kekona. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Investigation, and the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.
One Pill Can Kill: Fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, is a highly potent opioid that can be diluted with cutting agents to create counterfeit pills that purport to mimic the effects of Oxycodone and can typically be obtained at a lower cost than genuine Oxycodone. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills are commonly shaped and colored to resemble Oxycodone pills sold legitimately in the marketplace. Counterfeit pills known as M30s are round tablets that are often light blue, but can vary in color, and have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Small variations in the amount or quality of fentanyl can have significant effects on the potency of the counterfeit pills, drastically raising the danger of overdoses. Fentanyl recently became the leading cause of drug overdose deaths throughout the United States.
Former Bartow County EMT sentenced to prison for distributing child pornographyRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Bryan David Somers has been sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison for the receipt and distribution of child pornography. Prior to his arrest, Somers was an EMT and a substitute teacher at a local elementary school.
“By receiving and distributing these images, Somers participated in the continuing abuse and exploitation of children,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “The pictures and videos document the abuse of real children at the hands of depraved individuals. Distributing those images over the internet means the most horrifying thing in a child’s life is shared around the world, in perpetuity.”
“Stopping predators like Somers, who collect and distribute these horrific images of children being abused, is one of our highest priorities,” said Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure everyone involved in this unconscionable crime faces justice and our children protected.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: In June 2019, a Polk County Police Officer, who is a member of the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children task force, discovered a computer in Cartersville, Georgia was sharing child pornography over the internet. The lead was sent to the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations.
During their investigation, agents learned that the IP address sharing child pornography was assigned to Somers. Agents also learned that Somers was employed as an EMT and a substitute teacher at a local elementary school. HSI agents, with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, and Polk County Police Department, executed a federal search warrant at Somers’s townhouse in July 2019.
Law enforcement seized and searched the computers found in Somers’s bedroom. A forensic analysis resulted in the recovery of a file that contained child pornography and revealed that Somers had downloaded hundreds of files with titles indicating they contained child pornography. Investigators also determined that Somers had attempted to remove these images from his devices to prevent discovery of this evidence. After a trial in March of 2022, a jury of Somers’s peers found him guilty of distributing and receiving child pornography.
Bryan David Somers, 43, of Cartersville, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee to 12 years, six months in prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release for the receipt and distribution of child pornography.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, and the Polk County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine I. Terry and Paul R. Jones prosecuted the case.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Federal Officials Decline to Reopen Investigation into the Death of Bijan GhaisarRead the Press Release
In 2019, the Justice Department announced that it would not pursue federal criminal civil rights charges against the two U.S. Park Police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Bijan Ghaisar during a traffic stop on Nov. 17, 2017. Following an extensive independent investigation, the department determined in 2019 that there was insufficient evidence to establish a willful violation of the applicable federal criminal civil rights statute. Yesterday, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division informed counsel for Ghaisar’s family that the department will not be reopening the federal investigation at this time.
To prevail under the federal civil rights statute, the Justice Department must prove that an officer, acting under color of law, willfully used unreasonable force. To establish willfulness, federal authorities must show that the officer acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids. This is one of the highest standards of intent imposed by law. Mistake, misperception, negligence or poor judgment are not sufficient to establish a federal criminal civil rights violation. Federal officials determined that this legal standard could not be met and closed the investigation in 2019.
After the federal investigation was closed, the Commonwealth of Virginia initiated a criminal prosecution of the two officers involved in Ghaisar’s tragic death, charging them with involuntary manslaughter and reckless use of a firearm. The state prosecution was then transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. On Oct. 22, 2021, after consideration of evidentiary motions and briefs filed by the defendants and the Commonwealth, the U.S. District Court dismissed the Commonwealth’s criminal charges after finding the subject officers’ conduct was “necessary and proper” and “in accordance with federal law.”
Given the totality of the evidence reviewed, including the evidence amassed during the prior federal investigation, material submitted to the District Court, and the District Court’s findings and dismissal, the department does not have an adequate basis to reopen its prior investigation. The Justice Department remains committed to investigating allegations of unreasonable force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources required to ensure that all allegations of civil rights violations are thoroughly examined.
Federal Jury Convicts Pocatello Man for Trafficking Methamphetamine and HeroinRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – After a four-day trial, a federal jury sitting in Pocatello found Adam Lee Vallely 46, of Pocatello, Idaho, guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession with the intent to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr. announced today. Senior U.S. District Judge Billy Roy Wilson, from the Eastern District of Arkansas, sitting by designation, presided over the trial, which began on June 6th and concluded with guilty verdicts on June 10th.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Vallely engaged in a drug trafficking conspiracy with others in southeast Idaho beginning in December of 2017, to August of 2018. Evidence established that Vallely participated in trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin from a Mexico source of supply. Evidence further established that Vallely had a source of supply in Salt Lake City that provided methamphetamine and heroin, and that Vallely and his co-conspirators attempted to get large quantities of cocaine from the Salt Lake City source of supply. In May of 2018, during the search a residence where Vallely was known to reside, law enforcement agents found methamphetamine, heroin, $15,000.00 in United States currency, and a money counting machine. At the time of the search Vallely was found hiding in an attic.
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances is punishable by a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine is punishable by a minimum of 5 years up to forty years in prison, and possession with intent to distribute heroin is punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment. Due to Vallely’s criminal history record he is subject to a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence. The conspiracy charge is also punishable by a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least five years of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Sentencing will be set before Senior U.S. District Judge Billy Roy Wilson at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.
U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., commended the cooperative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms, and Explosives, the Idaho State Police, Pocatello Police Department, the Bannock County Sherriff’s Office, the Blackfoot Police Department, the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, and the Idaho Department of Corrections which led to charges.
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Federal Indictment Returned in Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A federal grand jury in Paducah, Kentucky returned an indictment this week charging Caryon Johnson, of Paducah, and Treon McElrath, of Clinton, Kentucky and Union City, Tennessee with engaging in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Johnson, 43, was arrested by state and local law enforcement in Paducah on May 5, 2022, after a search warrant uncovered approximately one pound of methamphetamine and 100 grams of cocaine, along with counterfeit oxycodone pills believed to contain fentanyl. Additionally, law enforcement seized $8,532 in U.S. currency.
Also, according to court documents, McElrath, 43, was arrested by state and local law enforcement in Fulton, Kentucky on May 5, 2022. McElrath was operating a 2017 Maserati LVT and was found to be in possession of approximately 3 pounds of methamphetamine. Later that same day, state and local law enforcement in Union City, Obion County, Tennessee discovered, during a search of McElrath’s residence, approximately 7 pounds of suspected cocaine, one-half pound of suspected methamphetamine, and approximately $24,000 in U.S. currency.
Johnson and McElrath are charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. They will be scheduled to appear for their initial court appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, both face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, and a maximum of life imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Louisville Division, made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, the Calloway County Sheriff’s Office, the Graves County Sheriff’s Office, the Hickman County Sheriff’s Office, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, the Fulton Police Department, and the 27th Judicial District Drug Task Force in Tennessee are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock 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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Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictment Against Illinois Man for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A federal grand jury in Paducah returned an indictment on June 7, 2022, charging an Illinois man with bank robbery and interstate transportation of stolen property.
According to court documents, Reginald R. Thomas, 66, of Metropolis, IL, was charged with robbing FNB Bank in Lone Oak, KY on May 10, 2022. Thomas was apprehended in southern Illinois. He was also charged with interstate transportation of stolen property after transporting more than $5,000 in stolen cash from the bank into Illinois.
The defendant will be scheduled to make his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Thomas faces up to 30 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI, the McCracken County Sheriff’s Department, and the Metropolis Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee 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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Fargo, ND, Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Possession and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FARGO – Interim United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase announced that on June 9, 2022, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Peter D. Welte sentenced Jeffrey Lee Buckmeier, age 42, Fargo, ND, to 27 years in federal prison for the charges of Receipt and Distribution of Materials Containing Child Pornography and Possession of Materials Containing Child Pornography. Chief Judge Welte also sentenced Buckmeier to a lifetime period of supervised release and ordered him to pay $84,000 in restitution to the child victims depicted in his child pornography collection.
This case came to the attention of law enforcement after KIK reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that one of its users uploaded 27 files of child pornography to a KIK group on January 22 and 24, 2021. A subsequent investigation identified the defendant, Jeffrey Buckmeier, a thrice-convicted sex offender, as the user of the KIK account. In an attempt to avoid detection, Buckmeier used the IP addresses of several local businesses to download child pornography on his cell phone.
On August 27, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Buckmeier’s residence located in Fargo, ND. A forensic examination of the devices seized from the residence revealed more than 11,000 images and 900 videos of child pornography
depicting children as young as three months of age. The investigation also revealed that Buckmeier used several social media platforms to communicate and trade child pornography with others.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations, and North Dakota Parole and Probation and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, with Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Puhl assigned to the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the nation, Project Safe Childhood, in conjunction with Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), help federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies enhance their investigative responses to offenders who use the Internet, online communications systems, or computer technology to sexually exploit children. The ICAC Program is a national network of 61 coordinated task forces engaging in proactive investigations, forensic investigations, and criminal prosecutions. Project Safe Childhood also helps to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Fort Washakie Woman Charged with Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that JESSICA WALLOWINGBULL, 27, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and resulting in serious bodily injury. Wallowingbull appeared for an arraignment hearing on May 19, 2022, before Federal District Court Magistrate Teresa McKee and pleaded not guilty to the charges. A trial has been set for July 25, 2022, and the defendant was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal Service.
Wallowingbull faces up to 20 years of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, up to a $500,000 fine, and a $200 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy W. Gist is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 22-cr-00052-NDF
Fort Washakie Man Sentenced to Carjacking and Assault on the Wind River Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that SHANE DUANE BLACKBURN, age 33, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming was sentenced on May 27, 2022 for carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury and assaulting a federal officer. Blackburn appeared before Chief United States District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl and was sentenced to 148 months for the carjacking offense, to be followed by five years of supervised release; and 96 months for assaulting a federal officer, to be followed by three years of supervised release. These sentences will be served concurrently. In addition, he was ordered to pay a $200 special assessment.
On November 24, 2021, after purchasing groceries for Thanksgiving, the victim offered Blackburn a ride. After leaving the grocery store in Fort Washakie, Wyoming, Blackburn began to severally beat the victim, without provocation, which resulted in serious bodily injury. Following the assault, Blackburn left the victim on the highway and fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle. After being apprehended and placed in a detention facility, Blackburn assaulted a corrections officer by striking him in the face, again without explanation.
“The victim of this crime comes from a generation of kindness. A person who places his community above himself. It was not the first time he offered someone a ride, but it will likely be his last,” said United States Attorney Bob Murray. “The defendant turned the victim’s acts of kindness into abhorrent acts of violence. And, unfortunately, the community may also suffer if trust and kindness now become fear and suspicion.”
This crime was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Elmore.
Case # 0:22-cr-00012-SWS
Fort Washakie Man Charged with Three Counts of Assault by StrangulationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that RELAND LEONARD -HIWALKER, A/K/A/ RELAND FERRIS, age 37, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming was charged with three counts of assault by strangulation. Ferris appeared for an arraignment hearing on June 7, 2022, before Federal District Court Magistrate Judge Teresa McKee and pleaded not guilty to the charges. A trial has been set for August 8, 2022.
Ferris faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, up to a $750,000 fine, and a $300 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 22-CR-00071-ABJ
Fort Washakie Man Charged with Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that HAROLD MORGAN JR., age 27, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and resulting in serious bodily injury. Morgan appeared for an arraignment hearing on May 31, 2022, before Chief Federal District Court Magistrate Judge Kelly H. Rankin and pleaded not guilty to the charges. A trial has been set for July 13, 2022, and Morgan was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal Service.
Morgan faces up to 20 years of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $200 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy W. Gist is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 22-cr-00070-NDF
Fort Washakie Man Charged with Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that EMILIO LEE WESAW, age 31, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury at a change of plea hearing on May 27, 2022, before Chief Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl. Sentencing has been set for August 17, 2022.
Wesaw faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Elmore is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 22-cr-00042-SWS
Florida Man Charged with Transporting a Minor for SexRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that CHRISTOPHER S. EVANS, age 25 of Fort Pierce, Florida, was charged with transporting a minor in interstate commerce with the intent to engage in sexual activity. Evans appeared for an arraignment hearing on May 31, 2022, before United States Magistrate Judge Kelly H. Rankin and pleaded not guilty to the charges. A trial has been set for July 7, 2022, before Chief United States District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl.
If convicted, Evans faces ten years to life imprisonment; five years to life of supervised release; up to a $250,000 fine, and a $5,000 assessment according to the Justice of Victims of Trafficking Act. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, Roosevelt Utah Police Department, Cheyenne Police Department, and the Uinta County Wyoming Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie I. Sprecher is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 22-CR-00062-SWS
El Departamento de Justicia obtiene compensación en un pleito que alega que propietarios hispanos se convirtieron en el objeto de discriminaciónRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que el Tribunal Federal de Distrito para el Distrito Central de Florida ha firmado una orden por consentimiento que resuelve las reclamaciones al amparo de la ley de Vivienda Justa contra Advocate Law Groups of Florida, P.A. (ALGF); Jon B. Lindeman, Jr.; Ephigenia K. Lindeman; Summit Development Solutions USA LLC (SDS) y Haralampos “Bob” Kourouklis. El pleito del Departamento alegó que los demandados habían discriminado por motivos de origen nacional al señalar como blanco a propietarios hispanos para servicios abusivos de modificación de préstamos hipotecarios e interferir en la capacidad de tales individuos de conservar sus casas.
En su demanda, el Departamento alegó que los demandados habían señalado como blanco a propietarios hispanos mediante anuncios en español que les hacían la promesa falsa de reducir sus pagos hipotecarios a la mitad. Los demandados indicaron lo mismo en persona ante cientos de propietarios hispanos, prometiéndoles pagos más bajos a cambio de miles de dólares por concepto de comisiones iniciales y cuotas mensuales regulares de hasta $550, lo que los demandados mantenían que “no era reembolsable”. Muchos de los propietarios seleccionados tenían un dominio limitado del inglés. Más aún, la demanda del Departamento alegó que los demandados les indicaron a estos propietarios que no se comunicaran como sus prestamistas y que dejaran de efectuar sus pagos hipotecarios mensuales. Según consta en la demanda, los demandados no hicieron nada o hicieron poco para obtener las prometidas modificaciones de préstamo para los propietarios, muchos de los que incumplieron en los pagos hipotecarios y que, finalmente, perdieron sus hogares.
“Señalar como blanco a propietarios mediante anuncios engañosos y planes abusivos debido a su origen nacional y dominio limitado del inglés es reprobable e ilegal”, declaró Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles. “Los propietarios de color y otros grupos protegidos deben quedarse protegidos de focalización discriminatoria que puede llevar a pérdidas financieras graves, incluyendo la pérdida de la casa de uno. Nosotros seguiremos empleando nuestras leyes federales de derechos civiles para proteger los derechos de los propietarios”.
“Este acuerdo, alcanzado con la colaboración de la Sección de Vivienda de la División de Derechos Civiles, representa un gran logro para nuestra División Civil y su Unidad de Derechos Civiles”, afirmó el Fiscal Federal para el Distrito Central de Florida, Roger B. Handberg. “Estamos comprometidos a usar cada herramienta legal que tengamos a nuestra disposición, incluyendo la ley de Vivienda Justa, para garantizar que nuestros residentes puedan disfrutar de sus derechos a la vivienda sin ser sometidos a prácticas discriminatorias de esta naturaleza”.
El Departamento de Justicia entabló este pleito después de que Lucía Hurtado, Noemí Román, Argentina Roque y miembros de sus familias presentaron quejas de discriminación ante el Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (HUD, por sus siglas en inglés). Después de investigar las quejas, HUD emitió denuncias de discriminación y refirió el caso al Departamento de Justicia para litigio. Más adelante, Hurtado, Román y Roque intervinieron como demandantes en el pleito del Departamento.
“Es increíble que estos demandados emplearan prácticas empresariales que no solo eran ilícitas y discriminatorias sino que también resultaron en el incumplimiento por parte de propietarios trabajadores en sus hipotecas y tales personas perdieron sus casas a la ejecución hipotecaria”, comentó Demetria McCain, la Secretaria Adjunta Auxiliar Principal del HUD para la Vivienda Justa y la Igualdad de Oportunidades. “HUD elogia al Departamento de Justicia por su compromiso a hacer cumplir la ley de Vivienda Justa y por proteger los derechos de vivienda justa de todos los que viven en este país”.
La orden por consentimiento registra una sentencia contra los demandados que asciende a $4,595,000 para indemnizar a las personas perjudicadas por la conducta de los demandados. De ese monto, los demandados deberán pagar un total de $95,000 a los tres interventores, además de una sanción civil a los Estados Unidos. La mayoría de la sentencia monetaria se ha suspendido debido a pruebas del patrimonio neto limitado de los demandados, incluyendo extractos financieros firmados por los demandados bajo pena de perjurio. La orden por consentimiento requiere que los demandados entreguen extractos financieros actualizados cada año durante el plazo de cinco años de vigencia del acuerdo. Si el tribunal determina que los demandados han tergiversado u omitido algo en sus extractos financieros originales o en sus actualizaciones anuales, la sentencia completa se reinstalará y los demandados serán inmediatamente responsables por el monto completo.
Además de la indemnización, la orden por consentimiento prohíbe de modo permanente que los demandados presten servicios de ayuda hipotecaria, tales como servicios de modificación de hipoteca o protección contra la ejecución hipotecaria e impone requisitos de declaración y mantenimiento de registros para las demás actividades inmobiliarias de los demandados.
Este caso fue litigado por abogados de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento y de la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito Central de Florida.
La División de Derechos Civiles hace cumplir la ley de Vivienda Justa, la cual prohíbe la discriminación en la vivienda por motivos de raza, color de piel, religión, origen nacional, género, discapacidad o situación familiar. Para más información acerca de la División de Derechos Civiles y las leyes que hace cumplir, vaya a https://www.justice.gov/crt-espanol. Los individuos pueden reportar incidentes de acoso sexual u otras formas de discriminación llamando a la línea informativa del Departamento de Justicia para discriminación en la vivienda al 1-833-591-0291 o entregando un informe en línea. También se puede denunciar tal discriminación llamando a HUD, al 1-800-669-9777 o rellenando un formulario de demanda en línea.
Dodge County Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking, Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Dodge County man was sentenced to 147 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy and firearms violations, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between May 2020 and January 2021, Matthew James Lyman, 48, received from his Mexico-based supplier multiple shipments of methamphetamine. Lyman coordinated and facilitated a methamphetamine distribution operation in Southern Minnesota, including collecting and sending drug proceeds back to his supplier in Mexico. During the course of the investigation, on January 17, 2021, law enforcement observed two money couriers leaving Lyman’s home. They were found to be in possession of approximately $119,000 in cash, an ounce of methamphetamine, and a loaded handgun. Later that same day, Lyman was stopped for a traffic violation and arrested for driving while intoxicated. During a search of Lyman’s vehicle, law enforcement recovered two firearms, three bricks of methamphetamine, and 3,500 M30 pills that contained fentanyl. Following his arrest, law enforcement recorded one of Lyman’s jail calls in which he directed an individual to recover more of his methamphetamine from an apartment in Rochester. Law enforcement searched the apartment and recovered approximately nine additional pounds of methamphetamine.
Lyman was sentenced on June 8, 2022, in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Donovan W. Frank. On July 30, 2021, Lyman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm during, in relation to, and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This case was the result of investigations conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Rochester Police Department, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, and the Olmsted County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter Jr. prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 9 ½ Years in Prison for Shooting That Left a Man ParalyzedRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Robert Erkhart, 41, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 9 ½ years in prison for shooting a man in a parking lot last year in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The victim survived the attack but is now paralyzed from the chest down.
Erkhart pleaded guilty in December 2021, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to aggravated assault while armed and a related firearms offense, The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a prison sentence of 96 to 138 months. The Honorable Juliet J. McKenna accepted the plea and sentenced Erkhart accordingly. Following his prison term, Erkhart will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, the victim, then 41, was walking a dog on the night of Feb. 23, 2021, when he spotted Erkhart’s vehicle. The two men knew one another and had earlier been in a dispute. The victim approached Erkhart in a parking lot behind a building in the 2100 block of I Street NE, where Erkhart resided. An argument took place, and the victim asked Erkhart to get out of his car and fight him. Erkhart got out of the vehicle, and at approximately 10 p.m., he shot the victim twice with a .40-caliber pistol.
The victim was shot in the back and right ankle. As a result of the shooting, the victim is now paralyzed from the chest down and requires a wheelchair.
Erkhart was arrested on March 5, 2021. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Crystal Waddy, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
Derry Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Jason Ellis, 45, of Derry, pleaded guilty in federal court on Thursday to attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor and possession of child sexual abuse material, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in October 2020, an online covert employee (OCE) working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began corresponding with Ellis through a social media platform known for sharing child sexual abuse material. From approximately October 5, 2020 to September 8, 2021, Ellis engaged in graphic, sexually-oriented conversations pertaining to minors with the OCE and the OCE’s fictitious 13-year-old daughter (OCE2). Eventually, Ellis began engaging in sexually explicit chats directly with OCE2. Ellis described specific sexual acts he wanted OCE2 to engage in and sent images of his erect penis to OCE2.
In January 2022, the same OCE was operating a different online undercover persona when he received a message from a user in Rockingham County. After some communication, the OCE realized that these communications also appeared to be from Ellis. During this communication, Ellis sent the OCE an image of child sexual abuse material. Ellis’ cell phone was later seized during the execution of a search warrant at his residence. The contents of Ellis’ cell phone confirmed he was the user of the online accounts that the OCE had previously communicated with. Portions of the OCE chats were located on Ellis’ phone, as were several images that were sent by Ellis to the OCE during the chat conversations. Ellis also appeared to be corresponding through social media platforms with other users purporting to be as young as 14 years old. These chats were frequently sexual in nature and sometimes including Ellis soliciting and sharing nude images.
Ellis is scheduled to be sentenced on September 26, 2022.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Derry Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Colombian Attorney Convicted of Obstruction of Justice in East Texas Federal CourtRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Colombian lawyer has been convicted of federal obstruction violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Maritza Claudia Fernanda Lorza Ramirez, 48, was convicted of obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting following a week-long trial before U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan.
A peace agreement signed in 2016 between the Colombian government and members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) ended a conflict between the two, and guaranteed members of the FARC that they would not be extradited for crimes committed before December 1, 2016, in furtherance of the insurgency.
According to information presented in court, beginning in 2016, Ramirez, a Colombian attorney, informed at least seven defendants indicted in the Eastern District of Texas and multiple defendants indicted in the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, that she could help them avoid extradition to the United States and that she could corruptly assist them in adding their names to the list of FARC members to avoid extradition to the United States. As a result, on-going criminal investigations were affected as these defendants would not cooperate with investigators or prosecutors. In exchange, Ramirez was paid in excess of $3,000,000 USD by the large-scale Colombian drug traffickers.
Ramirez was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 10, 2018. She faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
“Ramirez offered services to Colombian drug traffickers, who were not members of the FARC, promising them they could be fraudulently placed on the FARC list and avoid extradition to and prosecution in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “Not only did Claudia’s actions pervert the rule of law and the peace process in Colombia, but they also hindered ongoing investigations, facilitating the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S. by protecting dangerous drug traffickers. We applaud the effort by agents of the DEA and our Colombian partners to bring Ramirez to justice.”
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.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Offices from the Dallas Field Division, Miami Field Division, and the Bogota Country Office with assistance from the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) Judicial Attachés in Bogotá. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided substantial assistance in securing Lorza Ramirez’s arrest and extradition from Colombia. This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Texas with special assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison, to be followed by supervised release for the rest of his life, for producing child pornography. Brian Wayne Shaffer, 51, must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Shaffer admitted that he used his cell phone to photograph the genitalia of a prepubescent female minor with whom he was living in August 2021. Shaffer further admitted that he used his cell phone to upload the nude photo of the prepubescent female minor and sent it to another individual who Shaffer had been communicating with on YouTube. Shaffer admitted he uploaded the photograph using his Gmail address on or about August 24, 2021. At the time Shaffer produced child pornography of the prepubescent female minor, he previously had been convicted of first-degree sexual assault of another prepubescent female minor in Kanawha County Circuit Court on March 2, 2001.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the West Virginia State Police, and the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-195.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine, distributing cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and possessing with intent to distribute over 400 grams of methamphetamine and over 80 grams of crack.
Michael Andrew King, Jr., 35, was found guilty by a federal jury following his August 2021 trial. He also faces five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, King distributed methamphetamine to an individual in Montgomery, West Virginia, on January 4, 2019. Three days later, King distributed crack to that same individual in Montgomery. On February 2, 2019, King was in Cleveland, Ohio, and placed over 400 grams of methamphetamine and over 80 grams of crack in a female’s vehicle without her knowledge. King arranged for the female to follow him back to Charleston that same day. Law enforcement conducted surveillance of King as he followed the female’s vehicle, and after a traffic stop of both vehicles, seized the methamphetamine and crack that King had previously placed in the female’s vehicle.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work involved in the case. The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) conducted the investigation with assistance from the Charleston Police Department, the South Charleston Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Parkersburg Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the jury trial and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Nowles Heinrich and Ryan Blackwell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-23.
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Career Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm Offenses and Illegal Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Willie Irving, 30, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute spice, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on May 23, 2019, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers executed a search warrant at Irving’s residence after seeing social media posts where he advertised drugs for sale. The search yielded narcotics, a firearm, and drug dealing paraphernalia. Irving is prohibited from legally possessing a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions. Irving committed the current offense three months after completing his sentence for aggravated battery in Marion County. In that case, Irving shot a minor girl in the head over a snowball fight.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Columbus Field Division, and Chief Randal Taylor, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. As part of the sentence, Judge Pratt ordered that Irving be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Abhishek S. Kambli who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force (ICGTF). ICGTF is a partnership of law enforcement officers and analysts from several central Indiana law enforcement agencies in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, Johnson, and Shelby counties. In cooperation with state, local, and federal partners, ICGTF collaborates to address violent crime through a comprehensive strategy including innovative approaches to locating suspects and evidence related to violent crimes and illegal possession of firearms.
Camden Man Admits Role as Supervisor in Camden Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden man admitted his role as a shift supervisor of a drug trafficking organization and conspiring to distribute over one kilogram of heroin, over 280 grams of crack, and unspecified amounts of cocaine and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Christopher Vasquez, 31, of Camden, pleaded guilty on June 9, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court to his role as a shift supervisor and manager in a drug trafficking conspiracy that was based on the 400-500 block of Pine Street in Camden.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court
Vazquez admitted that he operated as a “shift manager” in the drug-trafficking organization, supervising and directing the street-level sellers who were involved in distributing controlled substances to customers. From January 2018 to Nov. 28, 2018, he met with conspirators who were involved in the scheme and discussed the operations and management of the drug trafficking organization. He also provided drugs to street-level sellers.
Eighteen other members of the drug-trafficking conspiracy previously have pleaded guilty in this case.
The count to which Vasquez pleaded guilty carries a mandatory penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for scheduled for Oct. 13, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gabe Rodriguez; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer; the Camden County Sherriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Gilbert L. Wilson; the Cherry Hill Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Larry Robb; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty pleas. He also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Department of Homeland Security for their assistance.
This case is being conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara A. Aliabadi and Patrick C. Askin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
California Woman Pleads Guilty to Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A California woman pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with travelling across the country to deliver fentanyl to an undercover officer.
Adelaida Yudit Garibay, 46, of Burbank, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for Sept. 7, 2022. Garibay was charged on Sept. 30, 2021.
In September 2021, Garibay drove from California to Boston to deliver two kilograms of fentanyl to an individual who was an undercover officer. On Sept. 29, 2021, officers observed Garibay picking up fentanyl in Jamaica Plain and then get into a ride-sharing vehicle prior to her scheduled meeting with the undercover officer. During a subsequent traffic stop, two kilograms of fentanyl were found inside the vehicle in a bag at Garibay’s feet.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime supervised release and a fine of $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement. Valuable assistance with the investigation was provided by the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Cheyenne Man Arrested for Illegal Fiearms PossessionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that ROLAN FRENCH, age 48, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing an unregistered firearm. French appeared for an arraignment hearing on June 6, 2022, before Federal District Court Magistrate Judge Kelly H. Rankin and pleaded not guilty to the charges. A trial has been set for August 8, 2022.
French faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, up to a $500,000 fine, and a $200 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cheyenne Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Forwood is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Case No. 22-CR-00054-ABJ
Burlington County Man under Felony Indictment Charged with Firearms Trafficking and Illegally Transporting FirearmsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Burlington County, New Jersey, man already under felony indictment was charged with conspiracy to engage in firearms trafficking and unlawful transportation of firearms in interstate commerce following law enforcement’s seizure of 11 firearms, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Dominic Maloney, 19, of Bordentown, New Jersey, was arrested on June 8, 2022, in Salem County, New Jersey, and charged in a three-count criminal complaint with conspiracy to engage in firearms trafficking; unlawful transportation of firearms in interstate commerce while under felony indictment; and unlawful transportation of firearms obtained in another state into Maloney’s state of residence. Maloney made his initial appearance today by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lois H. Goodman and was detained.
According to the criminal complaint and statements made in court:
On Feb. 22, 2022, Maloney was indicted in Mercer County, New Jersey, Superior Court on felony charges of unlawful possession of a handgun; possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose; aggravated assault; and making terroristic threats. As a result of the pending felony indictment, federal law prohibits Maloney from transporting firearms in interstate commerce. Maloney maintained and used an identified Instagram account. Law enforcement review of that account and an associate’s Instagram account indicated that, as of June 1, 2022, Maloney was in the state of Georgia to obtain firearms and intended to transport those firearms to New Jersey to distribute them to others for profit. On June 8, 2022, law enforcement officers identified a silver 2007 Nissan Armada driving northbound on Interstate 95 in Maryland. Maloney was a passenger, along with three other occupants. Officers stopped the vehicle on Interstate 295 in New Jersey. A search of the vehicle recovered 11 firearms from the trunk, including eight semiautomatic pistols, one semiautomatic rifle, and two shotguns.
The conspiracy count and the two unlawful transportation counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross amount of gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Trenton Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s charges. He also thanked special agents of ATF, Philadelphia Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew P. Varisco; special agents of ATF, Wilmington Field Office, Baltimore Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby; special agents of the ATF, Washington Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson; special agents of the ATF, Savannah Field Office, Atlanta Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ben Gibbons; troopers of the New Jersey State Police Trafficking Central, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, and troopers of the Pennsylvania State Police, under the direction of Col. Robert Evanchick, for their assistance with the investigation.
In July 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched five cross-jurisdictional strike forces to help reduce gun violence by disrupting illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country. Leveraging existing resources, the regional strike forces will better ensure sustained and focused coordination across jurisdictions and help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms from source cities, through other communities, and into five key market regions: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area/Sacramento Region and Washington, D.C. According to gun trace data, a significant number of firearms recovered in the New York/northern New Jersey area originate from outside the area. The strike force will help ensure sustained and focused coordination between law enforcement and prosecutors in the New York/ New Jersey area with their counterparts in those other locations.
The government is represented by J. Brendan Day, Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton Office.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Bronx Drug Dealer Admits to Murder and Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ELIJAH BILAL, a/k/a “Karate Kid,” pled guilty today to conspiring to commit a firearms crime in connection with the April 15, 2012 murder of Terrance Martin, 25, in the Bronx, New York. As part of his plea, BILAL admitted that he murdered Martin. BILAL pled in the middle of his jury trial before U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken. BILAL also pled guilty to conspiring to tamper with witnesses who were expected to testify against him at trial.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Through his guilty plea, Elijah Bilal admitted that he shot and killed Terrance Martin. Thanks to the efforts of our law enforcement partners, Bilal will be held accountable for his crimes.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment, other filings in this case, and statements during court proceedings:
On or about April 15, 2012, in a public courtyard in the Andrew Jackson Houses in the Bronx, New York, BILAL shot and killed Martin over a drug debt in connection with a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. BILAL killed Martin by firing a single bullet into the back of his head from approximately two feet away. Prior to trial, BILAL conspired from prison to disseminate the names of the witnesses who were expected to testify against him. His co-conspirator released the witnesses’ names on Instagram.
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BILAL, 30, of the Bronx, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of conspiracy to commit witness tampering, and one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily A. Johnson, Peter J. Davis, Thomas J. Wright, Adam S. Hobson, and Christopher Clore are in charge of the prosecution.
Bridgeport Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Federal Racketeering ChargeRead the Press Release
JAMAR TRAYLOR, also known as “J-Hop,” 22, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a racketeering charge stemming from his participation in a violent Bridgeport street gang.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Acting Police Chief Rebeca Garcia; David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. Traylor was a member of the Original North End (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport that committed acts of violence against rival gang, including the East End gang, the East Side gang, and the PT Barnum gang. O.N.E. members also robbed drug dealers, sold narcotics, laundered narcotics proceeds, and stole cars from inside and outside Connecticut and used the cars to commit crimes.
On August 8, 2018, Traylor and other O.N.E. members stole a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Newburgh, New York, and drove it back to Bridgeport. In the following days, Traylor and others conspired to use the car to kill East End gang members and their allies who they had learned through social media were at a deli on Stratford Avenue in Bridgeport. Although that plan fell through, in the early morning hours of August 13, 2018, O.N.E. members drove the stolen Jeep to Union Avenue in Bridgeport where they shot and killed Len Smith, 25, who they mistook for a rival East End group member, and shot and seriously wounded Smith’s female companion, both of whom were seated in a parked car. After the shooting, O.N.E. members transported the Jeep to Indian Wells State Park in Shelton where they burned the vehicle in an effort to destroy evidence of the murder.
On October 22, 2018, Traylor and others committed a violent robbery of a marijuana dealer.
On June 1, 2021, Traylor, who at the time was on probation after a state felony weapons conviction, possessed five Glock handguns and ammunition.
Traylor pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in a pattern of racketeering activity, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He has been detained since June 1, 2021.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Waterbury Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck, Rahul Kale, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis and Tara E. Levens.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Austin Serial Robber Sentenced to 219 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
AUSTIN – An Austin man was sentenced today to over 18 years in prison for robbing Austin-area convenience stores while brandishing a firearm.
According to court documents, in May of 2021, David Olmos, 35, robbed two Austin convenience stores at gunpoint. At that time, Olmos had been released on a pending state-court case on a personal recognizance bond. On both occasions, Olmos approached the store clerk and asked for a cigarillo or cigarettes. When the clerks turned away, Olmos displayed a handgun and demanded money from the cash registers. On May 25, 2021, Olmos was arrested after having committed multiple other violent crimes, including other commercial robberies and a carjacking.
On January 6, 2022, Olmos pleaded guilty to one count of interfering with commerce by threats or violence and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
“The sentence imposed today sends a strong and clear message,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “Federal prosecutions for violent crime lead to hard time. Along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to use every tool in the federal toolbox to prosecute offenders and reduce violent crime in our communities.”
“Removing this type of danger from the streets has an immediate impact on the safety of our community,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Fred J. Milanowski. “This case is a perfect example of ATF’s commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who commit dangerous crimes in our communities are held accountable for their actions.”
The ATF and the Austin Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel Cohen prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Arkansas Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of A MinorRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – A Tontitown man was sentenced today to 600 months in prison without the possibility of parole on two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor via Production of Child Pornography. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court documents, in July 2021 Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigations received a lead regarding the exchange of child sexual abuse material between an individual in Florida with a user located in Tontitown, Arkansas. The investigation led the FBI to Joshua Paul Brown, 32.
A residential search warrant was obtained and executed at Brown’s residence. Subsequent forensic examination of the electronics taken from Brown’s residence revealed Brown had produced multiple videos of child sexual abuse material with a minor.
Brown was indicted by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Arkansas in November 2021 and entered a plea of guilty in February 2022.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The FBI, Benton County Sheriff’s Office and Tontitown Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Marshall prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Albuquerque man sentenced to 20 years in prison for aggravated sexual abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Eddie Gomez, 30, of Albuquerque, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for two counts of aggravated sexual abuse in Indian Country. Gomez pleaded guilty on Feb. 28, 2022.
According to the plea agreement, between May 28, 20212, and May 27, 2014, Gomez sexually abused Jane Doe 1 in her home on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation. Gomez also admitted to sexually abusing Jane Doe 2 on Nov. 25, 2016, in her parents’ home on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation. Both victims are enrolled members of the Jicarilla Apache Nation and were less than 16 years old at the time of the abuse.
Upon his release from prison, Gomez will be subject to 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Spindle is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
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Arapahoe Man Pleads Guilty to Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that ELVIN WAYNE MCCLAIN, 30, of Arapahoe, Wyoming, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm at a change of plea hearing on June 1, 2022, before Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freuedenthal. Sentencing has been set for August 22, 2022.
McClain faces up to ten years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This crime is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Elmore is prosecuting the case.
Case No. 22-CR-00013-NDF
Activity in the United States Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Chief United Stated District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced PEDRO NAVARRETTE-GOMEZ, 24, of Sacramento, California (originally from Tapachula, Chipas, Mexico) on May 27, 2022, for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Navarrette-Gomez was arrested in Rawlins, Wyoming on January 31, 2022. He received 24 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. The crime was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Rawlins Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Forwood prosecuted the case.
United States District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal sentenced KEVIN NATHANIEL HANSEN, 40, of Lovell, Wyoming on May 31, 2022, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He received 70 months’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $500 fine and a $200 special assessment. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Big Horn County Sheriff's Office investigated the crime, and Assistant United States Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case.
Chief United Stated District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced ROBERTO RIVERA, 52, of Cheyenne, Wyoming on May 27, 2022, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Rivera was arrested in Cheyenne, Wyoming on November 8, 2021. He was sentenced to 138 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $500 in community restitution and a $200 special assessment. The crime was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Cheyenne Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom prosecuted the case.
United Stated District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson sentenced ALEXA S. KINNEY, 31, of Gillette, Wyoming on May 20, 2022, for wire fraud, using an unauthorized access device, and making false claims. She was sentenced to a total of 33 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $172,400 in restitution and a $300 special assessment. The crime was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant United States Attorney Margaret M. Vierbuchen prosecuted the case.
9 June 2022
“Lavish” Bissonnet sex trafficker facing life in prisonRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 46-year-old Houston man has been taken into custody on charges of sex trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Larry Odell Lewis expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew M. Edison at 2pm today.
A federal grand jury returned the eight-count indictment June 2 which was unsealed upon his arrest late June 8.
Self-proclaimed as “Lavish,” Lewis allegedly used force, fraud and coercion to cause four adult women to engage in commercial sex. The indictment alleges some of the acts occurred on the Bissonnet Track, an area of Houston known to be plagued by prostitution and prostitution-related crimes.
He also coerced the women to do similar acts across state lines, according to the charges.
If convicted, Lewis faces up to life imprisonment and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The Department of Public Safety and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation with assistance from the FBI as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA).
Established in 2004, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Houston formed the HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as a national model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sebastian A. Edwards and Christine Lu are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Woman Sentenced for Leading a Paycheck Protection Program Loan SchemeRead the Press Release
A Tulsa woman who led two others in a scheme to apply for almost $800,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the CARES Act was sentenced Tuesday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Aleta Necole Thomas, 43, to 30 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. In total, Thomas and her two codefendants will pay restitution in the amount of $774,753.50. The government previously seized $209, 991.11 from bank accounts held by Thomas pursuant to federal seizure warrants, which will go toward restitution.
“Individuals who steal funds from federal programs meant to help sustain Americans in times of need will face justice,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Aleta Thomas’ 30-month prison sentence should serve as a warning to other like-minded criminals that white collar crime doesn’t pay.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message that those who defraud the federal government of pandemic relief funds for their own personal gain will be brought to justice,” said Cory Nootnagel, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Western Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. “I want to thank all our federal law enforcement partners for their hard work that led to this result.”
Thomas previously pleaded guilty to two counts of making false statements to a financial institution.
In her plea agreement, Thomas stated that on May 27, 2020, she submitted false statements and reports to Cross River Bank when she applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan. Thomas submitted a borrower application form falsely stating “Coming Correct Community Ministry” had an average monthly payroll of $35,000 and was in operation since Feb. 15, 2020. Thomas further claimed that she had 26 employees for whom she paid payroll taxes or independent contractors as reports in IRS Form 1099-MISC. Thomas also falsely certified that all information in the application and supporting documents was correct and submitted documentation that included forged bank statements and false 2019 IRS Schedule C (Form 1040).
Thomas further stated that on June 16, 2020, she submitted false statements and reports to First Electronic Bank when she applied for another Paycheck Protection Program loan where she made similar claims.
Thomas will self-surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility on July 20, 2022.
The other two defendants charged and convicted for taking part in the scheme were Katrina West, 39, and Pepper Jones, 42.
See the press release regarding the three defendant’s plea agreements here.
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin Harrington and Cymetra Williams are prosecuting the case.
To learn more about the Justice Department’s COVID response and to report COVID-19 fraud, visit: https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. For further information on the Criminal Division’s enforcement efforts on PPP fraud, including court documents from significant cases, visit the following website: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.
Woman Accused of Federal Gun Crime in Connection with Fatal Shootout with Nicholas County Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson announced today that a Nicholas County woman has been charged with a federal gun crime related to the June 3, 2022, shooting that left one Nicholas County sheriff’s deputy dead and another wounded.
Melanie Clodfelter, 41, of Summersville, is charged with providing a firearm to a felon. The criminal complaint alleges that on November 17, 2021, Clodfelter purchased a Radical Firearms, model RF-15, multi-caliber rifle for Richie Holcomb.
Holcomb was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a July 30, 2014, felony conviction for unlawful wounding in Webster County Circuit Court. The criminal complaint alleges that Clodfelter was aware of Holcomb’s previous conviction and that he was unable to buy the firearm himself.
Nicholas County Sheriff’s Deputy Thomas Edward Baker III was killed and Corporal Joshua Ellison was wounded in an exchange of gunfire after responding to a domestic disturbance in the Birch River area on June 3, 2022. Holcomb, 36, was fatally shot in the incident.
“Our law enforcement officers face uncertainty each and every day as they perform their duties and protect our communities. The crime alleged in this complaint underscores that grim reality,” Thompson said. “I commend the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for its swift and thorough investigative action in this case.”
“The ATF Charleston Field Office assisted the Nicholas County Sheriff's Office and the West Virginia State Police in response to the shooting of two deputies," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Division, which covers West Virginia. "Special agents, with the support of the ATF National Tracing Center, conducted an investigation resulting in federal firearms charges against Melanie Clodfelter. Federal law prohibits felons from receiving or possessing firearms, and this tragic incident shows why. ATF and the U.S. Attorney's Office, along with our law enforcement partners, will work together to hold accountable those who enable violent crime in our communities.”
Clodfelter was arrested on June 4, 2022. She made an initial appearance on June 7, 2022, before United States Magistrate Judge Dwayne L. Tinsley, who scheduled her preliminary hearing for June 14, 2022. Clodfelter faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner is handling the prosecution.
Note: The charge contained in the complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-mj-69.
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Westwood Man Arrested on Indictment Alleging Scheme Offering Surety Bonds that Defrauded Clients Out of $5.2 MillionRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Westwood man was arrested today on a 27-count federal grand jury indictment alleging he defrauded victims out of more than $5 million by purporting to sell bonds for large-scale construction and other projects.
Tommy Lester Watts, 62, a.k.a. “Michael Nesbeth,” “Michael Kent,” and “Alex Mason,” was arrested at his residence this morning and is expected to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
Watts is charged in an indictment filed Tuesday with 13 counts of wire fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, eight counts of money laundering, two counts of tax evasion and two counts of willful failure to file tax returns.
According to the indictment, from September 2016 to September 2019, Watts falsely claimed to be experienced in and able to provide surety bonds and other financial guarantees for large-scale projects. Watts allegedly told victims that he would assist them in obtaining financing for their projects via his various companies, including the Sherman Oaks-based Source One Surety LLC. Watts allegedly misrepresented that any such bonds or guarantees were underwritten by well-known companies and banks, and that they were backed by assets in the millions or billions of dollars.
But Watts and his companies were not licensed to sell such bonds in California. And his claims about his experience, his clients – including governments – his underwriting, and his supporting assets were not true, the indictment alleges. To make his scheme appear legitimate, Watts allegedly hijacked the corporate filings of other companies and created fake employees and accounts for underwriters and banks.
Watts caused victims to send his companies approximately $5,205,144, the majority of which he spent on personal items such as classic and luxury cars, rent for high-end apartments, and the purchase of luxury retail goods, the indictment states.
He also allegedly laundered victim payments through accounts held in the names of corporations that were not registered and used fake taxpayer identification numbers – and then used those accounts to spend victim funds as his own. He hid this income from the IRS in tax years 2017 and 2018, in which years he failed to file any tax returns, according to the indictment.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, Watts would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count, 10 years in federal prison for each money laundering count, five years in federal prison for each tax evasion count, one year in federal prison for each willful failure to file tax returns count, and a mandatory two-year consecutive prison sentence for each count of aggravated identity theft.
The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the California Department of Insurance investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Kristen A. Williams of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.