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9 June 2022
Westlake Chemical Corporation Subsidiaries Agree to Reduce Harmful Air Pollution at Three U.S. Chemical FacilitiesRead the Press Release
Five subsidiaries of Westlake Chemical Corporation — Westlake Chemical OpCo LP, Westlake Petrochemicals LLC, Westlake Polymers LLC, Westlake Styrene LLC, and Westlake Vinyls Inc. — have agreed to make upgrades and perform compliance measures estimated to cost $110 million to resolve allegations that they violated the Clean Air Act and state air pollution control laws at two of their petrochemical manufacturing facilities located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and one facility in Calvert City, Kentucky. The Westlake companies will also pay a $1 million civil penalty. The settlement will eliminate thousands of tons of air pollution from flares.
According to the complaint, also filed today by the United States, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and the State of Louisiana, the companies failed to properly operate and monitor their industrial flares, which resulted in excess emissions of harmful air pollution at the three facilities. The company regularly “oversteamed” the flares and failed to comply with other key operating constraints to ensure the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) contained in the gases routed to the flares are efficiently combusted.
“This settlement demonstrates that the Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency are committed to addressing excessive and harmful air pollution from improperly operated petrochemical flares,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The settlement’s significant reductions of hazardous and other air pollutants and greenhouse gases will serve to reduce exposure in the vulnerable nearby communities with environmental justice concerns.”
“This settlement will require the Westlake companies to install pollution control and emissions monitoring equipment at the three facilities, reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and other harmful gases by thousands of tons per year,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield for the EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Those controls, plus a requirement for fence line monitoring of benzene emissions and corrective actions when benzene readings are high, will result in significant benefits for the local communities in Kentucky and Louisiana.”
The settlement requires the three facilities to install and operate air pollution control and monitoring technology to reduce flaring and the resulting harmful air pollution from eight flares at the three facilities. Once fully implemented, the pollution controls are estimated to reduce emissions of ozone-forming VOCs by 2,258 tons per year and of toxic air pollutants, including benzene, by 65 tons per year. The settlement is also expected to reduce emissions of climate-change-causing greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, methane and ethane, by over 50,733 tons per year.
This settlement also contains innovative injunctive relief measures that continue this administration’s efforts to use enforcement to reduce the impacts of harmful pollutants on overburdened communities and to fight climate change by reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. The significant emissions reductions of VOCs and HAPs secured at the facilities serve to reduce exposure in the community to some of the same air pollutants to which they are disproportionately exposed. The improved combustion efficiency requirements, flare gas recovery system, requirements to reduce flaring, and limits on flaring included in the settlement will reduce the carbon footprint of all three facilities.
The Westlake companies will perform air quality monitoring that is designed to detect the presence of benzene at the fence lines of the three facilities. Monitoring results must be posted to a publicly available website, providing the neighboring communities with more information about their air quality. The monitoring requirements also include triggers for root cause analysis and corrective actions if fence line emissions exceed certain thresholds. Flare compliance is an ongoing priority for the EPA under its Creating Clean Air for Communities National Compliance Initiative.
The pollutants addressed by the settlement can cause significant harm to public health. VOCs are a key component in the formation of smog or ground-level ozone, a pollutant that irritates the lungs, exacerbates diseases such as asthma, and can increase susceptibility to respiratory illnesses, such as pneumonia and bronchitis. Chronic exposure to benzene, which EPA classifies as a carcinogen, can cause numerous health impacts, including leukemia and adverse reproductive effects in women. Flares are also often large sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
Flares are devices used to combust waste gases that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere during certain industrial operations. Well-operated flares should have high “combustion efficiency,” meaning they combust nearly all harmful waste gas constituents, like VOCs and HAPs, and turn them into water and carbon dioxide. The agreement — the eighth of its kind since 2013 — is designed to improve the Westlake companies’ flaring practices. First, it requires the company to minimize the amount of waste gas that is sent to the flares, which reduces the amount of flaring. Second, the company must improve the combustion efficiency of its flares when flaring is necessary. The Westlake companies will take several steps to minimize the waste gas sent to its flares at each facility. All three facilities will operate a flare gas recovery system that recovers and “recycles” the gases instead of sending them to be combusted in a flare. The flare gas recovery system will allow Westlake to reuse these gases as a fuel at its facilities or a product for sale. For flaring that must occur, the agreement requires that the Westlake companies install and operate instruments and monitoring systems to ensure that the gases sent to its flares are efficiently combusted.
The consent decree, lodged in the Western District Court of Louisiana, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. The consent decree will be available for viewing at https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
Wagner Man Charged with Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Wagner, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor and one count of Abusive Sexual Contact.
Zander Zephier, age 21, was indicted on May 3, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann on June 8, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 15 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and up to $300 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on or about January 1, 2021, Zephier knowingly engaged, and attempted to engage, in a sexual act and sexual contact with a minor female who had not attained the age of 16 years and was at least four years younger than Zephier.
The charges are merely accusations and Zephier is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Yankton Sioux Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman is prosecuting the case.
Zephier was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial which has been set for August 16, 2022.
Two Men Sentenced to Prison in Connection with Damage to Energy FacilityRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Ricky Sprouse, 53, of Raleigh County, and Stuart Dotson, 55, of Fayette County, were sentenced today to nine months in prison and one year in prison, respectively, for their roles in the destruction of an energy facility, a known mine located across Boone and Lincoln counties.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Sprouse, of Naoma, and Dotson, of Mount Hope, each admitted to working with others to steal multiple pieces of specialized mining equipment from the known mine in 2019. These thefts forced the mine to shut down for a period of two weeks as the mine was unable to function without the stolen pieces of equipment. The thefts also resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to the mine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Each man pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the destruction of an energy facility. Both face three years of supervised release after their prison terms.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed Sprouse’s sentence. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed Dotson’s sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson prosecuted the cases.
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 Nos. 2:21-cr-143, 2:22-cr-45, and 2:21-cr-182.
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Two Fresno Men Indicted for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned two indictments today charging two Fresno residents with violations of federal firearm laws, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Mike Marty Hernandez, 26, was charged with one count of being a felon in possession a firearm. According to court documents, on May 23, 2022, Hernandez was arrested after law enforcement officers observed him in possession of a loaded 9 mm handgun equipped with a large capacity magazine. In 2019, Hernandez was convicted of threatening a public official and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Julio Cesar Lopez, 33, was charged with one count of being a felon in possession a firearm. According to court documents, on May 17, 2022, Lopez was found to be in possession of a .45‑caliber semi-automatic firearm. The gun was loaded and equipped with a 13‑round magazine. A subsequent search of Lopez’s residence recovered a sawed-off shotgun and approximately 50 rounds of ammunition. Lopez has been convicted in Fresno County of burglary, evading a peace office and firearms offenses.
These cases are the product of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno Police Department Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation assisted in the investigation of Lopez. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
These cases are 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.
Two Burlington County Women Charged in $175 Million Check-Cashing SchemeRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – Two Burlington County women with businesses in Riverside, New Jersey and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were arrested today and charged with operating an illegal unlicensed check cashing operation that cashed over $175 million in checks and failed to file Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs) on their customers, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Luciana Machado, 42, of Riverside, and Juliana Gomes-Souza, 45, of Cinnaminson, Jersey, are charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to fail to file CTRs and operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. Machado and Gomes-Souza are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio later today.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in Court:
Since at least 2018, Machado and Gomes-Souza have operated two businesses – Via Brazil I in Riverside and Via Brazil II in Philadelphia – as a criminal enterprise that has allowed their customers to cash over $175 million in checks without generating CTRs or financial records identifying their customers. This facilitates the customers’ ability to pay off-the-books employees and laborers in cash and avoid payroll and income taxes.
The charge carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a fine $250,000, or twice the gross financial gain derived or twice the loss caused by the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins; postal inspectors of the U.S. States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Postal Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, Philadelphia Division; special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge William Walker; special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca; agents of the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation, under the direction of Executive Director Chadd W. Lackey; officers with the Cinnaminson Police Department, under the direction of Chief Richard Calabrese; and officers with the Riverside Police Department under the direction of Chief H. David Jaensch. He also thanked the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw, for its assistance in the case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Malagold of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Baltimore, Maryland Men Facing Federal Indictment for the Attempted Murder of a Drug Enforcement Administration Special AgentRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Yesterday a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Juan Hester, a/k/a “Q,” age 40, and Davon Rogers, a/k/a “Stew,” age 39, both of Baltimore, with the attempted murder of a federal Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) agent; with using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. The indictment also charges Hester with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Baltimore District Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to the four-count indictment, on December 29, 2021, the defendants attempted to kill a Special Agent of the DEA, while the Special Agent was engaged in the performance of his official duties. Further, the indictment alleges that from 2020 until December 29, 2021, Hester and Rogers conspired to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and crack cocaine. The indictment alleges that on December 29, 2021, Hester possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams of more of fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin. Finally, the indictment alleges that on December 29, 2021, the defendants used, carried, and brandished a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, specifically, the attempted murder of a DEA agent.
If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the attempted murder of a federal agent and a consecutive 10 years in federal prison for using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Rogers faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Hester faces a maximum of life in federal prison for the conspiracy and for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The defendants are scheduled to have their initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Baltimore on June 10, 2022, starting at 1:30 p.m.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, ATF, the Washington-Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (HIDTA), the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joan C. Mathias and Darryl L. Tarver, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Troy Man Sentenced for Firearm FeloniesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Shamel Mark Anthony Chung, age 35, of Troy, New York, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison on firearm convictions, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
As part of his guilty plea, Chung admitted to possessing a firearm that he knew had an obliterated serial number and to hiding the firearm under a vehicle in an alleyway in Troy, New York, after being involved in a physical altercation nearby. Chung had been convicted of four felonies previously, all of which involved controlled substance offenses, and was on parole at the time he possessed the firearm.
Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release, which will start after Chung is released from prison.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the Troy Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Williams and Dustin Segovia.
Toronto Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Operating Dozens of Illegal Asian Brothels in Three CountriesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Canadian man was sentenced to federal prison today for his leadership role in an international sex trafficking organization operating dozens of illegal Asian brothels in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Zongtao Chen aka Mark Chen, 49, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, Chen led a criminal enterprise that recruited women, primarily from China, to travel to the United States and elsewhere to engage in prostitution and other sex trafficking activities. The organization employed dispatchers who would receive incoming requests for “dates” from potential customers. The dispatchers would coordinate and schedule dates with women working in the various brothels.
On November 15, 2018, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Chen and four co-conspirators with conspiring to use and using interstate facilities to promote, manage, establish, carry on, or facilitate a racketeering enterprise. On March 4, 2022, after being extradited to the U.S., Chen pleaded guilty.
U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by FBI Portland’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents in Omaha, Nebraska. The Toronto Police Service provided assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Canada to secure the arrest and extradition of Chen to the United States. Participating CETF member organizations include the Portland Police Bureau, Beaverton Police Department, Tigard Police Department and Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Julia Jarrett, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
The FBI CETF conducts sexual exploitation investigations, many of them undercover, in coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. CETF is committed to locating and arresting those who prey on children as well as recovering and assisting victims of sex trafficking and child exploitation.
Third Hells Angels Motorcycle Club Member Indicted for Illegally Possessing Two Firearms in Solano CountyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Michael Mahoney, 29, of Fairfield, charging him with possessing a firearm with an obliterated or altered serial number and possessing an unregistered short-barreled shotgun, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Mahoney is the third individual to be indicted in the Eastern District of California based on an investigation into a brutal beating at the clubhouse for the Vallejo chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. The other two defendants—Jaime Alvarez and Dennis Killough Jr.—were indicted by a grand jury on May 27, 2022.
According to court documents, in October 2021, two different victims—both of whom were members of a different motorcycle club that is considered a “puppet” (or subordinate) club of the Hells Angels—were beaten by Mahoney, Alvarez, Killough, and other club members based on perceived infractions of the Hells Angels’ rules.
According to court documents, on Dec. 8, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Mahoney’s Fairfield home and found several firearms, including a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver with a serial number that had been scratched off, as well as a Sears & Roebuck 12‑gauge shotgun with a barrel that had been sawed off to approximately 12.75 inches in length. Mahoney had not registered his ownership of this short-barreled shotgun with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by federal law.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Vacaville Police Department, the Vallejo Police Department, the Fairfield Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron D. Pennekamp and Jason Hitt are prosecuting the case.
If convicted of possessing a firearm with an obliterated or altered serial number, Mahoney faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. And if convicted of possessing an unregistered short-barreled shotgun, Mahoney faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is 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.
Spring Valley Man Charged in White Plains Federal Court with $1.6 Million Covid-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment in White Plains federal court charging ELIZIER SCHER with wire fraud in connection with his scheme to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration of more than $1.6 million in COVID-19 relief funds. SCHER was arrested this morning and was presented in White Plains federal court earlier today.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendant schemed to steal taxpayer funds intended for small businesses in need of assistance during the pandemic. My Office will continue to investigate and prosecute those who illegally seek to profit from a national emergency.”
FBI Assistant Director -in-Charge Michael J. Driscoll said: “Administration of more than $1.6 million in COVID-19 relief funds. Elizier Scher allegedly made materially-false statements in at least a dozen applications for money intended to assist honest businesses navigate the financial hardships they faced as a consequence of the pandemic. As today’s action demonstrates, the FBI remains committed to bringing to justice those who would aim to serve their own greed at the expense of the government and American taxpayers.”
According to the Indictment unsealed today in White Plains federal court[1]:
The SBA is a federal agency that administers assistance to American small businesses, including the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program, which was intended to provide funding to help small business recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The maximum amount of an EIDL loan is determined by a formula based on the date the borrower began operating and the borrower’s gross revenue and cost of goods sold for the twelve months prior to January 31, 2020. The loans can be used for only working capital and other normal operating expenses. While the loans generally need to be repaid, some borrowers are eligible for up to $15,000 in advances that do not need to be repaid.
Over an approximately four-hour period on or about July 13, 2020, SCHER submitted twelve applications for EIDL loans in a principal amount of $150,000 to the SBA over the Internet on behalf of twelve different corporations that he owned and controlled. SCHER further requested on each application that the borrower be considered for an advance of up to $10,000 that did not need to be repaid. SCHER made materially false statements in each application with respect to each applicant’s gross revenue and cost of goods sold for the twelve-month period prior to January 31, 2020.
Between on or about July 20, 2020 and on or about August 11, 2020, eleven of the twelve applicants received a net total of $1,648,900 in loan proceeds from the SBA. SCHER used the proceeds to buy real estate and to pay credit card expenses instead of using it for working capital for the borrowers, as SCHER had agreed to do in the loan agreements he executed on behalf of the borrowers.
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SCHER, 33, of Spring Valley, New York is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the FBI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney James McMahon is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
South Carolina Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Federal Sex Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rodregiz Antwon Cole, 37, of Manning, South Carolina, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for sex trafficking a minor in Washington, D.C. in April 2019 while on sex offender registration status.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Cole pleaded guilty on May 20, 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of sex trafficking of a minor and one count of commission of a crime against a minor victim while on sex offender registration status. He was sentenced by the Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. Following completion of his prison term, Cole will be placed on a lifetime of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, the minor victim first encountered Cole in April 2019 through an online sexual solicitation advertisement on “skipthegames.com” when she was 17 years old and pregnant. When she told Cole that she was only 17 years old, he initially said he did not want her to engage in commercial sex acts for his financial benefit due to her age, but then changed his mind. Cole drove the minor victim, along with two other adult females who were working in his commercial sex enterprise, to the “Track” in Washington, D.C. There, he had the minor victim engage in at least six commercial sex “dates” and took all of the proceeds from her.
Cole was arrested on April 5, 2019 following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. When Cole was arrested, he was in possession of the cash earned by the minor victim and the other women working for him along with two cellular phones with communications about his commercial sex enterprise. He has remained in custody since his arrest. At the time of these offenses, Cole was required to register as a sex offender because of a prior conviction in 2018 in South Carolina.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI and MPD. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Justice Department, including Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant.
Finally, they commended the work of Trial Attorney Elizabeth Hutson of the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
Scammers Pretending to be from U.S. Attorney’s Office Asking for MoneyRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office is alerting the public of imposter scams involving individuals claiming to represent the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
During these calls, scammers may attempt to collect money in lieu of arrest for a variety of false charges. They may tell victims they can avoid arrest by purchasing a prepaid debt card or gift card and read the card number over the phone to satisfy the debt or by sending cash.
Scammers use many tactics to sound and appear credible. They sometimes provide information like actual names of federal prosecutors and federal office addresses. They also spoof their phone numbers to appear on caller IDs as if they are calling from a government agency such as the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Remember that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will never ask you to purchase a gift card or give out a credit card number to avoid arrest.
Please call the San Antonio FBI office at 210-225-6741 to report scam calls pretending to be from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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Rosebud Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rosebud, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Stanford Points At Him, age 55, was indicted on March 8, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on June 8, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, a mandatory minimum 5 years of supervised release, up to life, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between November 1, 2021 and February 8, 2022, Points At Him, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of a conviction under federal law, knowingly failed to register and update his registration.
The charge is merely an accusation and Points At Him is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler is prosecuting the case.
Points At Him was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Recidivist Defendant Sentenced for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Hyde Park man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for accessing child pornography while on federal supervised release for a similar offense.
David Ladeau, 66, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Ladeau was also sentenced to two years in prison for each of his two supervised release violations, which will run concurrently with the 10-year sentence. On Feb. 18, 2022, Ladeau pleaded guilty to access with intent to view child pornography.
Ladeau was previously convicted of federal charges in Massachusetts in 2010 for possession of child pornography. Later, in 2015, Ladeau was convicted of conspiracy to possess child pornography in the Middle District of Tennessee. While on federal supervised release for those convictions, law enforcement identified images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct on Ladeau’s court-monitored computer. A subsequent investigation determined that in January and February 2021, Ladeau had been using the computer to access child pornography saved on a thumb drive.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Dell’Anno of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Rapid City Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Dwight Black Spotted Horse, age 37, was indicted on May 10, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on June 8, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, a mandatory minimum term of 5 years of supervised release up to life, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between August 20, 2021 and April 13, 2022, Black Spotted Horse, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of a conviction under federal law, knowingly failed to register and update his registration.
The charge is merely an accusation and Black Spotted Horse is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler is prosecuting the case.
Black Spotted Horse was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Project Safe Neighborhoods Cases Result in the Conviction of Three Shreveport Men and the Removal of Five Firearms Possessed IllegallyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Three men from Shreveport, Louisiana have been sentenced for illegally possessing firearms, United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced. Chief United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. has sentenced two of the men, LilTerrence Pierce, 27, and Keyon Coleman, 19. Pierce was sentenced to 87 months (12 years, 3 months) in prison, and Coleman was sentenced to 30 months (2 years, 6 months) in prison. Both men will serve 3 years of supervised release following their release from prison.
On or about July 20, 2021, a Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle for traffic violations, including speeding and expired inspection registration. Pierce was the driver of the vehicle and Coleman was seated in the back passenger side. During the encounter, the deputy conducted a lawful search of the vehicle and recovered three firearms, including a FNH .45 caliber pistol loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition, a Palmetto State Armory 5.56 caliber pistol loaded with 41 rounds of ammunition, as well as a Glock 9mm pistol with an extended magazine loaded with 32 rounds of ammunition. One of the firearms had been reported stolen. Pierce admitted to possessing the firearms, knowing that he was prohibited from doing so due to being a convicted felon. Coleman admitted that he purchased the stolen firearm with a loaded, extended magazine off the streets for a fraction of the retail price, knowing that it was likely to have been stolen.
Pierce has prior felony convictions for illegal use of a weapon (January 2012 and April 2018) and simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling (May 2012 and October 2013) and knew that as a convicted felon he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan.
In an unrelated case, Darrien Demarqez Johnson, 29, was sentenced by United States District Judge Donald E. Walter to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. On May 12, 2021, troopers with the Louisiana State Police stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation and Johnson was a passenger. After the stop, Johnson fled on foot carrying a Saiga rifle and a backpack containing a Beretta pistol. During the foot chase, Johnson tossed the backpack and rifle but they were recovered by troopers a short time later. Johnson was later arrested and charged with possession of firearms by a convicted felon. He had previously been convicted of domestic abuse battery in 2010 and 2018 and was therefore, prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Johnson was charged and pleaded guilty on February 11, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Louisiana State Police and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan.
These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Charges including to Distributing Heroin and Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA -- A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty in federal court to violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Davonte Dugger, 23, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count of distributing heroin and fentanyl, before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. Dugger accepted responsibility for causing the death of the victim in this case, R.J., as a result of his heroin and fentanyl distribution. Dugger also accepting responsibility for distributing additional quantities of heroin and fentanyl and possessing with intent to distribute quantities of heroin, fentanyl, and acetyl fentanyl.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on August 7, 2018, Dugger distributed a quantity of a heroin and fentanyl mixture that R.J. ingested, causing his death. In addition, investigators conducted a controlled purchase of a heroin and fentanyl mixture from Dugger October 10, 2018. Subsequently, on October 19, 2018, investigators obtained search warrants for Dugger’s vehicle and residence. They ultimately seized 31.1 grams of a mixture that contained heroin, fentanyl, and acetyl fentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, from those locations.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for October 25, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Moon Township Police Department led the investigation that led to the prosecution of Dugger.
Pesticide Smuggling Ringleader Sentenced to 8 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
For Further Information, Contact: Assistant U. S. Attorney Melanie K. Pierson (619) 546-7976
SAN DIEGO – Sofia Mancera Morales, the ringleader of a pesticide smuggling organization, was sentenced to eight months in custody in federal court yesterday, having previously entered a guilty plea in which she acknowledged obtaining illegal pesticides in Mexico and delivering them to others to smuggle into the United States. When handing down the sentence, U.S. District Court Judge John Houston also ordered Morales to pay $7497 in restitution for the cost of disposal of the illegal pesticides.
According to sentencing documents, Morales recruited individuals on Facebook, offering to pay $40-$150 for each box of six 1-liter bottles delivered to the United States. Morales directed her recruits to deliver the pesticides to a self-storage facility near the border in Calexico, after which they were required to send her photographs of the pesticides in the storage unit as proof of delivery prior to payment. Morales paid recruits to lease self-storage units in their own names and instructed them to provide her with the keys. Recruits caught at the border with pesticides reported that they had seen items delivered by others in their self-storage units, including pesticides, veterinary medications and alcohol. One recruit delivered almost 1000 bottles of pesticides in a one-month period, while others advised that they had delivered pesticides 2-5 times per week.
The pesticides involved were primarily Bovitraz and Taktic, which contain the active ingredient amitraz in a concentrated form (12.5%) that renders it a cancelled and unregistered pesticide. Amitraz is an acaricide that is registered in the United States. to control varroa mites in honeybee colonies at a much lower concentration (3.33%) than the smuggled product. At a permissible concentration it is also registered for use in dog flea collars. In addition to posing risks to the bee population, misuse of amitraz-containing products in beehives can result in exposures that could cause neurological effects and reproductive effects in humans from consumption of contaminated honey. Animal toxicity studies indicate that amitraz is slightly toxic by the oral and inhalation routes and moderately toxic through the skin. Reproductive effects seen in animal studies include a decline in male fertility and a reduction in live births. Moreover, signs of neurotoxicity from exposure to amitraz were seen in multiple animal species, including central nervous system depression, decrease in pulse rate, and hypothermia, and based on human studies, humans appear to be more sensitive to amitraz than animals. Amitraz is also classified as a Group C possible human carcinogen based on rodent studies suggesting that long-term exposure could result in cancer.
Federal law prohibits the distribution and sale of cancelled or unregistered pesticides. 7 U.S.C. §136j(a)(1)(A). Only pesticides registered with the EPA may be imported or sold in the United States. 7 U.S.C. §136o(c).
“In exchange for ill-begotten profits, this cavalier smuggling operation was more than willing to risk the public’s health and the honeybee industry, which is critical to pollinating our food supply,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “This office and our law enforcement partners will not stand idly by in the face of pesticide 3 smuggling. Perpetrators of environmental crimes will be investigated and held accountable.” Grossman commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Pierson, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen DaPonte, and the law enforcement agents at Homeland Security Investigations and the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division who worked on this case.
“This defendant recklessly orchestrated an illegal large-scale pesticide smuggling operation. These pesticides are banned from importation into the United States because they are highly toxic to humans, wildlife, and the environment,” said Chad Plantz, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego. HSI, along with its partners from the Environmental Protection Agency – Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Department of Justice Environmental Crimes Section are committed to preventing these deadly pesticides from entering the United States.”
“The pesticides involved in this case pose serious public health and environmental dangers,” said Special Agent in Charge Scot Adair of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in California. “The sentence in this case demonstrates that individuals who intentionally violate smuggling and environmental protection laws will be held responsible for their crimes.”Case Number 20cr3054-JAH
DEFENDANT
Sofia Mancera Morales Age: 53 Mexicali, MX
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Smuggle Pesticides – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371
Maximum penalty: 5 years’ imprisonment and $250,000 fine
AGENCY
Homeland Security Investigations
Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation DivisionOmaha Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Jason L. Bates, 51, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher to 84 months’ imprisonment for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and 37 months for Unlawful User of a Controlled Substance in Possession of a Firearm. These sentences are to be served concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. Upon his release, Bates will serve a 5-year term of supervised release.
On April 6, 2020, Bates was contacted by deputies of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office in connection with an ongoing investigation. The sheriff deputies located a Smith & Wesson Body Guard .38 caliber revolver in a backpack on the rear floor board behind the passenger seat. At the time of his possession of the Smith & Wesson revolver on April 6, 2020, Bates was an unlawful user of a controlled substance, specifically, methamphetamine. For the Smith & Wesson to have been found in Nebraska on April 6, 2020, it would have had to been transported in interstate commerce.
On July 18, 2020, officers with the Omaha Police Department located Bates at the Hawthorne Suites in Omaha in room 333. There was an active arrest warrant for Bates. Officers located Bates in his rented room and arrested him on his warrant. In the room, officers located suspected methamphetamine, clear plastic baggies, and two scales. Bates admitted to being a methamphetamine user. Bates also admitted to selling methamphetamine to his friends. The suspected methamphetamine was submitted to the Nebraska Public Service Laboratory and found to be 5.92 grams of methamphetamine (actual).
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Oelwein Man Found Guilty of Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who sold methamphetamine twice was convicted by a jury on June 9, 2022, after a three-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Justin Michael Buehler, age 39, from Oelwein, Iowa, was convicted of two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. The verdict was returned after about two hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that Buehler was distributing methamphetamine to an employee at his workplace. In January 2019, law enforcement agents coordinated with the employee to set up two controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Buehler’s home. The agents surveilled the purchases and the purchases were also audio recorded. Buehler had a prior state conviction for his involvement with methamphetamine in 2007.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Buehler remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Buehler faces a possible maximum sentence of up to life in prison without the possibility of parole, a fine of up to $8,000,000, and up to a lifetime of supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Dorval Norwood and Patrick J. Reinert. The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-2006.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
North Georgia man charged with killing postal carrierRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, Ga. - Larry Steven Grogan has been charged by a federal grand jury with the murder of U.S. Postal Service mail carrier Asa Wood, Jr. In connection to the murder, Grogan is also charged with assault on a federal employee using a deadly weapon, discharge of a firearm resulting in death, and felon in possession of a firearm.
“Asa Wood dedicated his life to serving his family and his community,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “His murder is tragic and heartbreaking. The exceptional joint investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Banks County Sheriff’s Office resulted in the defendant’s arrest, and we are committed to seeking justice for Mr. Wood and his family.”
“The Postal Inspection Service extends our condolences to the family and close friends of Asa Wood, Jr who served his community as a diligent letter carrier and a beloved member of the U.S. Postal Service family,” said Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “Postal Inspectors were fortunate to work alongside the Banks County Sheriff’s Office to bring a swift resolution to this case by taking a dangerous criminal off the street. The protection of our postal employees is an integral part of our mission, and we are pleased to see justice being served against this defendant who chose to callously take the life of Mr. Wood.”
“We are tremendously grateful for the remarkable collaboration of agencies that emerged during this tragic incident that led to the capture of the perpetrator,” stated Banks County Sheriff Carlton Speed. “Mr. Wood was a beloved husband, father and community member. He is greatly missed by all who had the gift of knowing him.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan and the indictment: On August 7, 2021, Asa Wood, Jr., was delivering mail in Commerce, Georgia. He had been a mail carrier for over 20 years. While he was temporarily stopped near a mailbox, Grogan allegedly shot Wood in the left femur and drove away. Asa Wood died in his postal vehicle at the scene.
Residents on the road where the shooting occurred called 911 and provided information that helped identify Grogan as the shooter. Later that day, Banks County Sheriff’s Office deputies encountered Grogan and attempted to stop him. Grogan then exited his car and allegedly shot at the deputies. Banks County deputies successfully arrested Grogan without injury.
Larry Steven Grogan, 50, of Danielsville, Georgia, has been charged with murder, assault on a federal employee using a deadly weapon, discharge of a firearm resulting in death, and felon in possession of a firearm. 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 U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Banks County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Keen 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.
Nicholas County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Nicholas County man pleaded guilty today to possession of firearms by a person previously convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 6, 2019, an officer with the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant at the residence of David Keith Nutter, 55, of Summersville. Nutter admitted that the officer recovered multiple firearms: a Rexio, SRL, .22-caliber revolver; a Harrington and Richardson 20-gauge shotgun; a Marlin, Model 25MN, .22-caliber rifle; and an Ithaca 20-gauge shotgun. Assorted ammunition was also recovered.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Nutter knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior convictions for domestic violence in Canton, Ohio, Municipal Court on July 14, 1998, and for endangering children and domestic violence on a family or household member in the Stark County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas on August 19, 2002.
Nutter is scheduled to be sentenced on September 15, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman and third-year law student intern Eric McLain handled today’s plea hearing.
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-142.
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New Orleans Felon Sentenced for Fentanyl Distribution and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that CHRISTOPHER MAY, age 30, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced on June 8, 2022 to a total of 106 months imprisonment in the custody of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release.
Specifically, the Court sentenced MAY to forty-six (46) months for possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C); and three counts of possessing a firearm and/or ammunition as a convicted felon in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). Each count is to be served concurrently with one another. The Court also sentenced MAY to sixty (60) months imprisonment for one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i) to be served consecutively to all other counts.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (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 works together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating the matter. Assistant United States Attorney Charles D. Strauss was in charge of the prosecution.
New Jersey Business Owner Admits Defrauding over 75 Victims of More Than $2.7 Million in Nationwide Scheme to Sell Pesticides Falsely Billed as Registered with EPA and Approved to Kill CoronavirusRead the Press Release
A New Jersey man pleaded guilty to various charges stemming from his sale of more than $2.7 million worth of various unregistered pesticides to numerous victims based on false representations that these products were registered pesticides with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and on EPA’s “List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2” that EPA deemed to be effective against SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus).
Paul Andrecola, 63, of Maple Shade, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of knowingly distributing or selling an unregistered pesticide in violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), one count of wire fraud and one count of presenting false claims to the United States.
“Andrecola not only cheated dozens of people out of millions of dollars, but also endangered the health of those who relied on his fraudulent virucidal products,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting such crimes to the fullest extent possible.”
“Paul Andrecola’s scheme profited on the fears of the American people during the height of public safety concerns about the transmission of COVID-19,” said U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “Our office is dedicated to protecting public health and prosecuting to the full extent of the law those who commit such egregious criminal acts.”
“Today’s announcement represents the largest pandemic fraud case related to the sale of unregistered pesticides charged nationwide,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Amon of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in New Jersey. “This case underscores EPA’s commitment with our law enforcement partners to hold violators accountable when they undercut the level playing field used by law abiding companies to ensure the integrity and safety of their products.”
According to documents filed in this case, and statements made in court:
FIFRA provides for federal regulation of pesticide distribution, sale and use. The purpose of FIFRA is to ensure that pesticides sold in the United States are safe, effective and bear labeling containing true and accurate information. The EPA has responsibility under FIFRA to regulate the manufacture, labeling and distribution of all pesticides shipped or received in interstate commerce.
Under FIFRA, all pesticides must be registered with the EPA before the pesticide can be sold or distributed, and no person may distribute or sell a pesticide that has not been registered with the EPA. Moreover, before pesticide products can legally make claims that they can kill a particular pathogen such as SARS-CoV-2, the claim must be authorized by EPA based on a review of data. In March 2020, at the beginning of the global pandemic, the EPA created a list of EPA-registered products that it deemed to be effective against SARS-CoV-2, titled “List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2.” The EPA has continued to update this list since its creation.
Andrecola, who owns and operates three companies based in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, manufactured various disinfectant products, including liquids and wipes, under the brand name “GCLEAN.” GCLEAN products were unregistered pesticides under FIFRA and none of the products were on EPA’s “List N of Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2.” Rather, Andrecola placed another company’s EPA Registration Numbers on his company’s products, and falsely marketed that his products were EPA-approved to kill Coronavirus by creating numerous false documents to support his claims. Specifically, Andrecola, or others at his behest, would provide this falsified documentation to potential customers, falsely representing that various sanitizer and wipe products in the names GCLEAN and/or GC200 were EPA-registered products on EPA’s “List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2,” to persuade them to purchase the unregistered pesticide products.
From approximately March 2020 through May 2021, Andrecola used these fraudulent representations to make more than 150 sales of unregistered pesticides for a profit of more than $2.7 million The purchasers of these unregistered pesticides included a police department in Delaware, a fire department in Virginia, a medical clinic in Georgia, a janitorial supply company in New York, a school district in Wisconsin, as well as numerous U.S. government agencies (namely, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, Moody Air Force Base, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Forest Service).
The count of illegal sale of an unregistered pesticide carries a statutory maximum prison sentence of one year, and a fine of up to $25,000. The charge of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and the count of false claims against the United States is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison. Both the charges of wire fraud and false claims against the United States are each also subject to fines of the greater of $250,000, twice the gross profits to Andrecola, or twice the gross loss suffered by the victims, whichever is greatest.
As part of the plea agreement, the defendant agreed to forfeit more than $2.7 million of the proceeds from the sale of the illegal product and to make full restitution for all losses resulting from his commission of the charged crimes.
The government is represented by Trial Attorneys Adam C. Cullman and Matthew D. Evans of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason P. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The case was investigated by the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division, with assistance from EPA’s Office of the Inspector General, Eastern Region; the Homeland Security Investigations Newark Field Office; the Defense Criminal Investigative Service Northeast Field Office; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Northeast Field Office and the Mount Laurel Police Department.
Navy Sailor Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for sexually abusing a child.
According to court documents, Travis James Muckelroy, 27, used a social media platform to develop online relationships with children. On various occasions in April and September of 2021, Muckelroy instructed a 13-year-old girl and a 12-year-old girl to send him nude photographs or recordings of themselves engaging in sexual acts. He made these requests even after one of the girls informed Muckelroy she was the victim of rape. In addition to these young girls, Muckelroy used the same social media platform to communicate with at least three other suspected minors. Muckelroy had been an enlisted member of the Navy since 2019.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brenda Nevano, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Frederick Franks, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Heck prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at [email protected].
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-130.
Mississippi Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Helping Clients File False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Gulfport, Mississippi, man pleaded guilty today to preparing false federal tax returns for clients.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Orland Reed worked at a Gulfport tax return preparation business. Between 2012 and 2014, Reed prepared tax returns for clients that included false household help income, education credits, dependent information and federal income tax withholdings, in an effort to generate larger refunds from the IRS than the clients were entitled to receive. At times, Reed also listed a different tax preparer even though he prepared the returns himself.
In addition to preparing false tax returns, on at least two occasions Reed diverted for his own use clients’ refunds that were sent by the IRS to the tax preparation business in the form of prepaid debit cards. Reed withdrew some of the funds on the cards before delivering them to the clients.
Reed is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 22 and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for helping his clients file false returns. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca for the Southern District of Mississippi made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Kevin Schneider of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris for the Southern District of Mississippi are prosecuting the case.
Minnesota Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Browns Valley, Minnesota man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on June 6, 2022, by Charles B. Kornmann.
Frank Stewart, age 62, was sentenced to twenty seven years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Stewart was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on April 6, 2021. He pled guilty on December 7, 2021.
In the summer of 2019 Stewart joined an agreement or understanding to distribute methamphetamine, in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere. During his involvement, he obtained methamphetamine from a co-conspirator and sold it to other co-conspirators. He personally distributed more than 500 grams of methamphetamine during his involvement in the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Stewart was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Minnesota Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Ismael Y. Toovi, 22, of South Cambridge, Minnesota, was sentenced today to 10 years for possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl mixture by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard. Following his release from prison, Toovi will serve five years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On June 18, 2021, Toovi was a passenger in an SUV, driven by his co-defendant Payton Sausen, which sideswiped a semi-trailer truck on eastbound I-80 in Lancaster County. Lancaster County Sheriff’s Department deputies suspected Sausen was under the influence of a controlled substance after her breath test was negative for alcohol. She denied consent to search but agreed to let a K9 do a sniff. The dog indicated on the SUV which was then searched. Officers found a cardboard box in the backseat area containing a total of more than 4,600 small blue pills with markings consistent with those for oxycodone. Additional pills were found scattered around inside the SUV. Testing at the Nebraska Public Service Laboratory showed the pills contained fentanyl and weighed a total of 480 grams (approximately 17 ounces). Text messages found in Toovi’s cell phone and calls made by Toovi and Sausen from the Lancaster County Jail indicated Toovi and Sausen traveled to California to pick up the pills which Toovi intended to sell in Minnesota.
Sausen pleaded guilty to the same charge in April and is scheduled for sentencing on July 15, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Mingo County Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Mingo County woman pleaded guilty today to theft of government benefits and making materially false statements to federal agents.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Diana Cisco, 69, of Delbarton, admitted that she received Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits on behalf of a deceased relative. Cisco knew that she was not entitled to receive these federal benefits. From June 2016 to April 2020, Cisco received $46,356 in federal benefits that she was not entitled to receive and converted those funds to her own use. Cisco further admitted that she did not have a legal right to these Social Security benefits once her relative passed away and that she knew her conduct in taking those benefits was wrong.
Cisco also admitted to providing false information to Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) special agents on March 4, 2022. Cisco initially denied who she was, falsely claiming to be her sister, and further informed the agents that Diane Cisco would be in Columbus, Ohio for at least a month. The federal agents were able to uncover the falsehood through checking vehicle registration records and photographs of Cisco and obtaining statements from individuals who had recently seen Cisco. Confronted again, Cisco admitted that she was not telling the agents the truth and that she was, in fact, Diana Cisco.
Cisco is scheduled to be sentenced on September 1, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $750,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General and the Social Security Administration.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-88.
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Mexican National Sentenced to over 15 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Pornography by Coercing Minor to Film HerselfRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Inglewood resident has been sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for the production of child pornography of a teenage girl whom he had previously sexually molested for years, the Justice Department announced today.
Jorge Coronado Gonzalez, 56, a Mexican national who was residing in Mexico during the criminal conduct, was sentenced on Wednesday by United States District Judge Dolly Gee.
After hearing an emotional statement from the victim, Judge Gee said the conduct in this case was “reprehensible,” “cruel,” and “depraved.”
Coronado Gonzalez pleaded guilty on January 11 to producing child pornography, admitting that in January 2020 he coerced and persuaded the then-16-year-old victim to film sexually explicit videos herself. Coronado Gonzalez at the time was in Mexico, where he had moved the year before.
According to court documents, including a sentencing memorandum filed by prosecutors, the victim in this case was the daughter of a close friend, and Coronado Gonzalez sexually assaulted her under threats of violence to her and her mother for approximately six years. After Coronado Gonzalez relocated to an unknown location in Mexico, he continued to exploit the victim with demands that she send him sexualized photos and videos every day – demands that were backed with threats to kill relatives who also resided in Mexico.
Coronado Gonzalez was arrested in March 2020 at Los Angeles International Airport when he returned to the United States to continue his sexual assaults on the victim. Law enforcement was alerted to the longtime molestation after Coronado Gonzalez posted one of the child pornography images to a social media platform, which led to the victim’s mother learning of the illicit conduct.
Once he completes his prison sentence, Coronado Gonzalez will remain on supervised release for the rest of his life.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Catharine A. Richmond of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
Mexican Citizen Pleads Guilty to Being Part of Cross Country Cocaine Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A Mexican citizen living in Tucson, AZ, pleaded guilty in federal court to a violation of the federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Ramon S. Araiza-Vega, 29, formerly of Tucson, AZ, pleaded guilty to an Indictment charging him, and 26 other codefendants, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine before United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Government advised the Court that the prosecution of Araiza-Vega arose out of a two-year investigation into a drug trafficking organization whose members distributed kilograms of cocaine, sourced from Mexico, throughout the United States (in California, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere). The Court was advised that co-conspirators obtained kilograms of cocaine in Los Angeles, California, and sent them to the Western District of Pennsylvania (and elsewhere) through the United States Postal Service. In connection with his guilty plea, Araiza-Vega admitted that he transported kilograms of cocaine from Arizona to Los Angeles, CA, which were intended for redistribution. On May 5, 2020, through court authorized Title III wiretaps, federal agents surveilled Araiza-Vega and codefendant Manuel Silvestre in Los Angeles, CA, believing they were going to conduct a drug transaction; a subsequent search by agents led to the seizure of 26 kilograms of cocaine and approximately $185,000 in U.S. currency.
As part his plea, Araiza-Vega admitted that the quantity of cocaine attributable to him, through his conduct and through the conduct of co-conspirators that was reasonably foreseeable to him, was at least 15 kilograms but less than 50 kilograms. The Court was advised that agents seized in excess of 100 kilograms of cocaine during its two-year investigation into the drug trafficking organization, of which Araiza-Vega admitted to being a member.
Judge Hardy scheduled sentencing for October 10, 2022. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years and not more than life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jerome A. Moschetta is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (in Pittsburgh, PA) and the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General led the multi-agency investigation that included members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (in Los Angeles, CA; in Tucson, AZ; in New York, NY; in Nashville, TN; at the Special Operations Division; and in Mexico); the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; the Los Angeles Police Department; the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police; the Allegheny County Police Department; the New Castle Police Department; the Monessen Police Department; and the Pennsylvania State Police.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Massachusetts Contractor Sentenced for $1.8 Million Payroll Tax SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Ipswich man who owned and operated numerous Massachusetts businesses was sentenced yesterday for manipulating his payroll to evade over $1.8 million in taxes.
George Vasiliades, 58, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to one year of home confinement and three years of supervised release. Vasiliades was also ordered to pay more than $1.8 million in restitution and a $200,000 fine. The government recommended a sentence of 30 months in prison.
In December 2021, Vasiliades pleaded guilty to 17 counts of failure to collect, account for and pay over federal employment taxes; 17 counts of aiding and assisting the filing of false tax returns; and one count of making a false statement to the Social Security Administration.
Vasiliades operated several businesses, including Alpine Property Services, Boston Central Management, Delta Labor Company, Olympic Painting & Roofing and Turnpike General Contracting. Between 2008 and 2013, Vasiliades concealed the true size of his companies’ payroll from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in order to reduce the cost of doing business and thereby increase his profits. Among other methods, Vasiliades directed certain employees to create shell corporations and then paid employees through these corporations as if they were independent contractors. Vasiliades also paid some employees from bank accounts that were not connected to his corporate payroll reporting software and, as a result, would not be reported as wages to the IRS. In addition, Vasiliades paid part of an employee’s hourly wages or salary in nontaxable, and false, expense reimbursements, such as truck or fuel reimbursements. In total, Vasiliades’ scheme resulted in more than $1.8 million in tax losses.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; Anthony DiPaolo, Chief of Investigations of the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Region of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, Office of Criminal Investigations – Labor Racketeering and Fraud; and Carol S. Hamilton, Regional Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and Ian J. Stearns of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Man Convicted for $4.1 Million COVID-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Detroit convicted a Michigan man today for a wire fraud and money laundering scheme to obtain more than $4.1 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Johnny Ho, 41, of Novi, engaged in a conspiracy to submit falsified PPP and EIDL loan applications in order to obtain COVID-19 relief funds that he was not entitled to receive. The evidence showed that Ho, who owned Diva Nails & Spa III LLC, located in Northville, submitted inflated payroll information, and otherwise falsified loan application information. Ho personally submitted two fraudulent PPP and EIDL loan applications seeking nearly $350,000 in funds that were intended to help small businesses and their employees impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, Ho and his co-conspirators submitted 29 different fraudulent PPP and EIDL loan applications on behalf of 16 businesses totaling over $4.1 million.
Ho was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and two counts of money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 27 and faces up to 20 years in prison for each of the wire fraud counts, and up to 10 years in prison on the money laundering counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan; Special Agent in Charge James A. Tarasca of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Sharon Johnson of the SBA-Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG) made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the SBA-OIG.
Trial Attorney Patrick J. Suter of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Particka for the Eastern District of Michigan are prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Madison Man Charged with Drug & Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Madison, Wisconsin man is charged with drug and gun crimes in an indictment returned on May 11, 2022, by a federal grand jury sitting in Madison. The charges are announced by Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
The indictment charges Michael S. Murphy, 47, with two counts of distributing heroin and fentanyl, one count of distributing heroin, possessing heroin and fentanyl and crack cocaine with intent to distribute, being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The indictment alleges that Murphy distributed a mixture of heroin and fentanyl on October 5 and 13, 2021, distributed heroin on November 30, 2021, and possessed a mixture of heroin and fentanyl as well as crack cocaine for distribution on December 5, 2021. The indictment further alleges that on December 5, 2021, Murphy possessed two 9mm handguns and a .45 caliber handgun, and 9mm, .45 caliber and .380 ammunition, and that he possessed the firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The indictment was unsealed following Murphy’s arrest on June 1 in Madison by the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force, pursuant to an arrest warrant issued at the time the indictment was returned. Murphy made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Madison on June 1 and remains in federal custody. A date has not been set for his next court appearance.
If convicted, Murphy faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on the drug charges, a maximum of 10 years on the charge of being a felon in possession of firearms. The charge of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime has a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, and federal law requires that any penalty imposed for this charge be served consecutive to any sentence imposed.
The charges against Murphy are the result of an investigation by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Anderson is handling the prosecution.
You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Macon Man Sentenced as Part of ATF’s Operation United FrontRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A third individual who pleaded guilty to a federal charge resulting from Operation United Front, an ongoing ATF-led investigation into illegal gun possession and drug distribution in Middle Georgia utilizing the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), was sentenced to prison.
Jasper Blackshear, 57, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 130 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on June 8 after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base. Co-defendant Chadrick Purnell, 43, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison on May 3 after he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Additionally, co-defendant Jermaine White, 33, of Warner Robins, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 37 months imprisonment on May 4 after he pleaded guilty to two counts use of a communication facility. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Addressing violent crime in Middle Georgia means utilizing every asset at our disposal, including high-level ballistics technology like ATF’s NIBIN, ” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Nothing is more important than our collective work with our law enforcement and community partners to reduce violent crime and hold those responsible accountable for their crimes.”
“Utilizing technology is a key part of ATF’s strategy to identify and prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “The combination of NIBIN and good police work has resulted in the arrest and conviction of these defendants.”
“This conviction shows how gun violators and drug violators frequently run together. Therefore, operations like United Front are successful in ridding our streets of individuals who harm our communities by peddling guns and drugs. Our neighborhoods are made safer when these criminals are brought to justice,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis.
According to court documents, law enforcement used data compiled from NIBIN in order to identify locations where shell casings were collected from shooting events in Macon. These shooting events were then overlayed on a map, and teams of confidential informants and undercover agents investigated criminal activity in the areas with high density shootings. From May to July 2021, Purnell, Blackshear and White were under investigation. During this time, undercover agents and confidential informants purchased nine firearms and crack cocaine from Purnell, who is a convicted felon. The firearms included two semi-automatic rifles and a shotgun with an obliterated serial number. In May 2021, undercover agents and confidential informants purchased cocaine from Blackshear four times, one transaction included co-defendant Purnell, and a separate transaction included co-defendant White. Blackshear and White have prior felony convictions. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
These cases are being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision and the Bibb County District Attorney’s Office are investigating the cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Keyes is prosecuting the cases.
Londonderry Man Sentenced for Using Residence for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Timothy J. (“TJ”) Slade, 30, of Londonderry, Vermont was sentenced to time served by Chief Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford in U.S. District Court in Rutland. Slade previously pleaded guilty to the felony charge of unlawfully maintaining his Londonderry residence for drug distribution from September 2016 through July 2017. Chief Judge Crawford also sentenced Slade to three years of supervised release.
The charge against Slade related to an investigation initiated by the Vermont State Police after Keith Johnson died following a heroin overdose in Londonderry in July 2017. The Court accepted the government’s time served recommendation, which was based in part on the age of the offense, the death of a key witness, and Slade’s own drug addiction and recovery in the time since the tragic overdose. According to court records, while there was some conflicting evidence, the government alleged that Slade likely sold heroin to Johnson the evening before his death. The government emphasized that the defendant’s good conduct since July 2017 does not remedy the horrific consequences of opiate trafficking on Vermont communities.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the efforts of the Vermont State Police investigators on this case and stated, “Overdose deaths highlight the risks and damage associated with opiate use and distribution, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to take the prosecution of overdose cases seriously.”
This case was investigated by the Vermont State Police and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Perella. Slade is represented by Michael Desautels, Esq. of the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Burlington.
Logan County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan County man was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Rodney Alexander Minter, 62, of Logan, admitted that he sold a total of approximately 46 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover informant on five separate occasions in 2020 and 2021. Minter further admitted that on August 9, 2021, he possessed with the intent to distribute 104 grams of methamphetamine and 8 grams of fentanyl.
Co-defendant John Eric Dickson, 59, of St. Albans, was previously sentenced to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine. Dickson admitted that he supplied Minter with an ounce of methamphetamine on January 5, 2021, to sell to another individual.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-169.
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Lodi Man Charged with Methamphetamine Trafficking and Possession of Ammunition as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Marcello Marlo Rivera, 48, of Lodi, charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on May 11, 2022, a search was conducted at Rivera’s Lodi residence. Agents found several large bags with methamphetamine residue and a trail of residue leading to the toilet and on the toilet seat. They also found drug packaging materials, a digital scale with similar residue, thousands of dollars of cash, and a magazine containing 17 rounds of 9 mm ammunition. Rivera is prohibited from possessing ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions, including for sexual assault and domestic violence.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the California Highway Patrol, and the Lodi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Spencer is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Rivera faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine on the drug charge and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the ammunition charge. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is 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.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Roger Alan Vaughn, 46, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today to 15 years’ imprisonment following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), cocaine and marijuana after a prior conviction for a serious felony drug offense, by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard. Vaughn also received a sentence of 90 months for felon in possession of a firearm. That sentence was ordered to be served concurrent to the sentence for the drug offense. Following his release from prison, Vaughn will serve concurrent supervised release terms of 10 years on the drug offense and three years on the gun charge. There is no parole in the federal system.
On November 1, 2020, a search warrant was executed at Vaughn’s Lincoln residence. During the search, investigators found at least 150 grams (over five ounces) of methamphetamine actual, just under one ounce of cocaine and four pounds of marijuana. They also found a total of nine firearms; consisting of four shotguns, two rifles and three pistols.
In 2004, Vaughn was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, a serious drug felony offense, in the District of Nebraska.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Las Vegas Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft and Money Laundering CrimesRead the Press Release
A Nevada man pleaded guilty yesterday to aggravated identity theft, wire fraud and money laundering. On March 28, he pleaded guilty to a separate indictment charging him with filing false tax returns with the IRS on behalf of clients, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud and impersonating an FBI agent.
According to court documents, King Isaac Umoren, 41, of Las Vegas, owned and operated Universal Tax Services (UTS), a tax preparation business. From 2012 through 2016, Umoren prepared and filed with the IRS tax returns for clients that included false deductions and fictitious businesses, in an effort to generate larger refunds than the clients were entitled to receive. At times, Umoren used the names and IRS preparer tax identification numbers of other UTS employees without their knowledge or consent, making it seem as if they, not he, had prepared the false returns. On Feb. 7, 2016, Umoren posed as an FBI agent, wearing a fake badge and tactical gear, and drove to a client’s house with police lights attached to his vehicle to demand payment of a tax preparation fee. Umoren required his clients to use a refund anticipation check program, which he utilized at times to secretly take fees out of clients’ tax refunds without their knowledge.
In May 2016, Umoren attempted to sell UTS. To induce potential buyers to purchase the company at an inflated price, he provided fraudulent documents — including forged bank statements, fabricated return preparation fee reports, false personal tax returns and other tax forms that had never actually been filed with the IRS — as well as the stolen tax and personal identifying information of approximately 12,000 taxpayers who were not UTS clients. Eventually, Umoren succeeded in inducing a victim to purchase UTS and received more than $3.8 million in the sale. Umoren used the sale proceeds to purchase land in Henderson, Nevada, and an automobile.
Umoren is scheduled to be sentenced on all charges on Nov. 2. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison on each count of helping file a false tax return for others, three years in prison for impersonating a federal agent, 10 years in prison for each money laundering count, 20 years in prison on each of the wire fraud counts, and a mandatory minimum sentence of at least two years in prison based on the aggravated identity theft counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the FBI are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Sarah A. Kiewlicz and Patrick Burns of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Las Vegas Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft and Money Laundering CrimesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Nevada man pleaded guilty yesterday to aggravated identity theft, wire fraud and money laundering. On March 28, he pleaded guilty to a separate indictment charging him with filing false tax returns with the IRS on behalf of clients, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud and impersonating an FBI agent.
According to court documents, King Isaac Umoren, 41, of Las Vegas, owned and operated Universal Tax Services (UTS), a tax preparation business. From 2012 through 2016, Umoren prepared and filed with the IRS tax returns for clients that included false deductions and fictitious businesses, in an effort to generate larger refunds than the clients were entitled to receive. At times, Umoren used the names and IRS preparer tax identification numbers of other UTS employees without their knowledge or consent, making it seem as if they, not he, had prepared the false returns. On Feb. 7, 2016, Umoren posed as an FBI agent, wearing a fake badge and tactical gear, and drove to a client’s house with police lights attached to his vehicle to demand payment of a tax preparation fee. Umoren required his clients to use a refund anticipation check program, which he utilized at times to secretly take fees out of clients’ tax refunds without their knowledge.
In May 2016, Umoren attempted to sell UTS. To induce potential buyers to purchase the company at an inflated price, he provided fraudulent documents — including forged bank statements, fabricated return preparation fee reports, false personal tax returns and other tax forms that had never actually been filed with the IRS — as well as the stolen tax and personal identifying information of approximately 12,000 taxpayers who were not UTS clients. Eventually, Umoren succeeded in inducing a victim to purchase UTS and received more than $3.8 million in the sale. Umoren used the sale proceeds to purchase land in Henderson, Nevada, and an automobile.
Umoren is scheduled to be sentenced on all charges on Nov. 2. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison on each count of helping file a false tax return for others, three years in prison for impersonating a federal agent, 10 years in prison for each money laundering count, 20 years in prison on each of the wire fraud counts, and a mandatory minimum sentence of at least two years in prison based on the aggravated identity theft counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the FBI are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Sarah A. Kiewlicz and Patrick Burns of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
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La Crosse Man Sentenced to 90 Months for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Corey J. Stern, 36, La Crosse, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 90 months in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. This prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Stern pleaded guilty to this charge on March 3, 2022.
On August 10, 2020, La Crosse Police Department (LCPD) officers purchased 17.6 grams of methamphetamine and 4.4 grams of heroin from Stern through a confidential informant (CI) in La Crosse. Two days later, LCPD officers purchased 43.4 grams of methamphetamine from Stern through a CI in La Crosse. Later that day, Stern was arrested. He had $4,803 in cash on his person that included prerecorded buy money from the controlled buys on August 10 and 12.
Stern’s hotel room subsequently was searched pursuant to a warrant, and officers found small quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, and LSD, as well as scales and packaging supplies. Stern was interviewed by law enforcement. He admitted to distributing pounds of methamphetamine for several months. He estimated making $2,000 to $,4000 per week from drug sales.
Stern was charged in state court and remained in custody until November 25, 2020, when he was released from custody on a signature bond.
On January 13, 2021, LCPD officers purchased 32.6 grams of methamphetamine from Stern through a CI in La Crosse.
On June 3, 2021, a Wisconsin State Patrol trooper conducted a traffic stop for speeding on a vehicle in which Stern was a passenger. The vehicle was searched after a K-9 alerted to the odor of an illegal drug. In a bag on the front passenger floorboard where Stern had been seated, officers found a loaded Glock 45 9mm handgun, three loaded Glock 9mm magazines, and a bag of methamphetamine. A safe in the trunk, opened by a key found in Stern’s wallet, contained additional bags of methamphetamine. A total of 176.1 grams of methamphetamine was located between the bag and safe.
At sentencing, Judge Conley highlighted that Stern continued to sell methamphetamine even after being arrested and released on bond for methamphetamine trafficking charges. He noted that Stern’s conduct escalated in severity over the course of the case itself. Judge Conley explained that Stern continues to be a danger to the community because of his repeated pattern of criminality.
The charge against Stern was the result of an investigation conducted by the Campbell, La Crosse, and Mauston Police Departments, Juneau County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Juneau and La Crosse County District Attorney’s Offices also provided assistance in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Kenton County Man Sentenced to 180 Months for Armed Marijuana TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky.- An Erlanger, Ky., man, Brent Crawford, 39, was sentenced to 180 months in prison on Wednesday, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to Crawford’s guilty plea, from February 1, 2020 to January 20, 2021, he conspired with others to distribute 100 kilograms of marijuana. Law enforcement located over 42 kilograms of marijuana in Crawford’s residence, along with more than $33,000, assorted items of jewelry, and a loaded assault rifle. Crawford admitted that he possessed the rifle to protect the marijuana and the proceeds from his drug trafficking.
Crawford pleaded guilty in February 2022.
Under federal law, Crawford is required to serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. After his release, he will be under supervised release for eight years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Director Christopher Conners, Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force, jointly announced the sentencing.
FBI and the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Bracke represented the United States.
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Justice Department Announces Investigation of the Louisiana State PoliceRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has opened a pattern or practice investigation into the Louisiana State Police (LSP). This civil investigation will assess whether LSP uses excessive force and whether it engages in racially discriminatory policing. The investigation will include a comprehensive review of LSP policies, training, supervision, and force investigations, as well as LSP’s systems of accountability, including misconduct complaint intake, investigation, review, disposition, and discipline.
“Protecting the civil rights of all Americans and building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve are among the Justice Department’s most important responsibilities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This investigation, like all of our pattern or practice investigations, will seek to promote the transparency, accountability, and public trust that is essential to public safety.”
“Every American, regardless of race, has the right to constitutional policing,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “Based on an extensive review of publicly available information and information provided to us, we find significant justification to investigate whether Louisiana State Police engages in excessive force and engages in racially discriminatory policing against Black residents and other people of color. The Justice Department stands ready to use every tool in our arsenal to confront allegations of misconduct and to ensure legitimacy during encounters with law enforcement.”
The investigation is being conducted pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which prohibits state and local governments from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct by law enforcement officers that deprives individuals of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law. The statute allows the Department to remedy such misconduct through civil litigation. The Department will be assessing law enforcement practices under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, as well as under the Safe Streets Act of 1968 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The investigation is separate from any federal criminal investigation of LSP troopers.
Prior to the announcement, Department officials informed Governor John Bel Edwards, Colonel Lamar Davis, and Deputy General Counsel Gail Holland of the investigation. They pledged to cooperate with the investigation. As part of this investigation, the Department officials will reach out to community groups and members of the public to learn about their experiences with LSP.
The Special Litigation Section of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Louisiana will jointly conduct this investigation. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the Department of Justice via email at [email protected] or by phone at (202) 353-0684. Individuals can also report civil rights violations regarding this or other matters using the Civil Rights Division’s reporting portal, available at civilrights.justice.gov.
Information specific to the Civil Rights Division’s Police Reform Work can be found here: /media/872116/dl?inline.
Justice Department Announces Investigation of the Louisiana State PoliceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department announced today that is has opened a pattern or practice investigation into the Louisiana State Police (LSP). This civil investigation will assess whether LSP uses excessive force and whether it engages in racially discriminatory policing. The investigation will include a comprehensive review of LSP policies, training, supervision, and force investigations, as well as LSP’s systems of accountability, including misconduct complaint intake, investigation, review, disposition, and discipline.
“Protecting the civil rights of all Americans and building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve are among the Justice Department’s most important responsibilities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This investigation, like all of our pattern or practice investigations, will seek to promote the transparency, accountability, and public trust that is essential to public safety.”
“Every American, regardless of race, has the right to constitutional policing,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Based on an extensive review of publicly available information and information provided to us, we find significant justification to investigate whether Louisiana State Police engages in excessive force and engages in racially discriminatory policing against Black residents and other people of color. The Justice Department stands ready to use every tool in our arsenal to confront allegations of misconduct and to ensure legitimacy during encounters with law enforcement.”
"We cannot ignore any allegation of a constitutional violation much less, one alleging a pattern or pratice of unconstitutional policing," stated U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana. "No one should be deprived of the protections of our federal and state constitutions. We are all equal under the law and entitled to just, efficient, consistent, and constitutional law enforcement."
Middle District of Louisiana U.S. Attorney Gathe stated, “Today, this administration will give its best effort into looking into the patterns and practices of the Louisiana State Police and hope to renew faith in the system and provide justice for all.”
“In times of attempting to resolve controversy and conflict, the parties involved must get comfortable having uncomfortable conversations. Today, the US Department of Justice has pledged to be a conduit between the Louisiana State Police and community stakeholders, so that open lines of communication can start flowing and any concerns will not fall on deaf ears,” stated Western District U.S. Attorney Brandon Brown.
The investigation is being conducted pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which prohibits state and local governments from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct by law enforcement officers that deprives individuals of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law. The statute allows the department to remedy such misconduct through civil litigation. The department will be assessing law enforcement practices under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, as well as under the Safe Streets Act of 1968 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The investigation is separate from any federal criminal investigation of LSP troopers.
Prior to the announcement, department officials informed Governor John Bel Edwards, Colonel Lamar Davis, and Deputy General Counsel Gail Holland of the investigation. They pledged to cooperate with the investigation. As part of this investigation, the department officials will reach out to community groups and members of the public to learn about their experiences with LSP.
The Special Litigation Section of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Louisiana will jointly conduct this investigation. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the Department of Justice via email at [email protected] or by phone at (202) 353-0684. Individuals can also report civil rights violations regarding this or other matters using the Civil Rights Division’s reporting portal, available at civilrights.justice.gov.
Information specific to the Civil Rights Division’s Police Reform Work can be found here: /media/872116/dl?inline.
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Justice Department Announces Investigation of Louisiana State PoliceRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that is has opened a pattern or practice investigation into the Louisiana State Police (LSP). This civil investigation will assess whether LSP uses excessive force and whether it engages in racially discriminatory policing. The investigation will include a comprehensive review of LSP policies, training, supervision, and force investigations, as well as LSP’s systems of accountability, including misconduct complaint intake, investigation, review, disposition, and discipline.
“Protecting the civil rights of all Americans and building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve are among the Justice Department’s most important responsibilities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This investigation, like all of our pattern or practice investigations, will seek to promote the transparency, accountability, and public trust that is essential to public safety.”
“Every American, regardless of race, has the right to constitutional policing,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “Based on an extensive review of publicly available information and information provided to us, we find significant justification to investigate whether Louisiana State Police engages in excessive force and engages in racially discriminatory policing against Black residents and other people of color. The Justice Department stands ready to use every tool in our arsenal to confront allegations of misconduct and to ensure legitimacy during encounters with law enforcement.”
The investigation is being conducted pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which prohibits state and local governments from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct by law enforcement officers that deprives individuals of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law. The statute allows the Department to remedy such misconduct through civil litigation. The Department will be assessing law enforcement practices under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, as well as under the Safe Streets Act of 1968 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
U.S. Attorney Gathe stated, “Today, this administration will give its best effort into looking into the patterns and practices of the Louisiana State Police and hope to renew faith in the system and provide justice for all.”
“We cannot ignore any allegation of a constitutional violation much less, one alleging a pattern or practice of unconstitutional policing,” stated U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. “No one should be deprived of the protections of our federal and state constitutions. We are all equal under the law and entitled to just, efficient, consistent, and constitutional law enforcement.”
U.S. Attorney Brown stated, “In times of attempting to resolve controversy and conflict, the parties involved must get comfortable having uncomfortable conversations. Today, the US Department of Justice has pledged to be a conduit between the Louisiana State Police and community stakeholders, so that open lines of communication can start flowing and any concerns will not fall on deaf ears.”
The investigation is separate from any federal criminal investigation of LSP troopers.
Prior to the announcement, Department officials informed Governor John Bel Edwards, Colonel Lamar Davis, and Deputy General Counsel Gail Holland of the investigation. They pledged to cooperate with the investigation. As part of this investigation, the Department officials will reach out to community groups and members of the public to learn about their experiences with LSP.
The Special Litigation Section of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Louisiana will jointly conduct this investigation. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the Department of Justice via email at [email protected] or by phone at (202) 353-0684. Individuals can also report civil rights violations regarding this or other matters using the Civil Rights Division’s reporting portal, available at civilrights.justice.gov.
Information specific to the Civil Rights Division’s Police Reform Work can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/crt/file/922421/download.
Jamaican Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Immigration ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Jamaican national pleaded guilty today to reentry of a removed alien, and was remanded to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Edwin Hugh Douglas, 53, of Kingston, Jamaica, admitted that he was found in a Parkersburg municipal building by ICE agents on December 3, 2021. ICE agents had identified Douglas in the course of an investigation. ICE agents spoke to Douglas, who admitted that he is a citizen of Jamaica and had been previously removed from the United States. Douglas had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States and was arrested.
Fingerprints matched Douglas to a November 9, 2009, administrative removal from the United States to Jamaica. Douglas was also convicted on June 17, 2004, of felony unlawful assault in Wood County Circuit Court. Douglas never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States, nor did he seek to reenter through other legal means.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing, sentencing Douglas to the time he has served in custody since his arrest before remanding him to ICE custody. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes 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-264.
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Ithaca Man Sentenced for Gun and Drug FeloniesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – William L. Marshall, age 40, of Ithaca, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 33-months in federal prison in connection with his previous plea of guilty to possessing a loaded semiautomatic handgun as a prior convicted felon, and possessing marihuana with intent to distribute, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Matthew Scarpino, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office, and Acting Chief of Police John Joly, City of Ithaca Police Department. Marshall was also ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release following his release from federal prison.
In addition to his prison sentence, Marshall was ordered to forfeit $34,064.00 in U.S. currency as drug proceeds that were seized by the Ithaca Police Department during the execution of a search warrant at his Ithaca residence on August 18, 2021. Also seized was a Lorcin .380 semiautomatic pistol loaded with seven live rounds. The handgun was reported stolen from Norfolk, Virginia in 2014. Marshall is a prior convicted felon, having been found guilty after trial in 2002 of the New York State felony of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree in Tompkins County Court, for which he was sentenced to serve eight (8) years in prison.
This case was investigated by City of Ithaca Police Department and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the New York State Police, and the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Department, and was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (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.
Inmate Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Escape from Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal inmate pled guilty on Thursday to attempting to escape from the Federal Correctional Institution in Butner, North Carolina (“FCI Butner”).
According to court documents, Charles Asher, 62, an inmate at FCI Butner at the time of the offense, was found hiding in the bushes on the compound at approximately 9:00 p.m. on September 14, 2020, near the exit door of the institution. At the time he was discovered, Asher was required per FCI Butner orders and policy to be in his assigned housing unit. Asher was found with multiple unauthorized items, including: a homemade rope approximately 14 feet in length, grey gloves, a blue mattress cover, and a homemade cardboard replica handgun wrapped with black electrical tape.
Asher pled guilt to the sole count of attempting to escape prison pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 751(a) and faces a maximum penalty of up to five additional years ears in prison when sentenced in the September 2022 term of court.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the plea. The Federal Bureau of Prisons is investigating the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Brooks Storus 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. 5:21-CR-00120-BO.
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Holmen Felon Sentenced to 8 Years for Trafficking Methamphetamine & Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Benjamin T. Devine, 35, Holmen, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 8 years in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. This prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Devine pleaded guilty to this charge on March 8, 2022.
On August 5, 2021, La Crosse Police Department (LCPD) officers purchased 53.6 grams of methamphetamine from Devine through a confidential informant (CI) in Onalaska, Wisconsin.
On August 16, 2021, LCPD arranged the purchase of an ounce of methamphetamine and a .22 caliber handgun from Devine through a CI. When the CI met with Devine, he did not have the handgun with him, so Devine sold a larger quantity of methamphetamine instead, totaling 55.2 grams. Later that day, LCPD officers executed multiple search warrants connected to Devine. Devine’s vehicle was pulled over and searched. He had $2,105 in cash in his pocket which included prerecorded buy money from the controlled buy earlier that day. In Devine’s vehicle, officers found a total of 397.7 grams of methamphetamine and $5,152 in cash.
At Devine’s residence in Holmen, officers found a Phoenix Arms .22 caliber handgun, a drug ledger, and a small quantity of methamphetamine. Officers found two boxes of ammunition at a storage locker maintained by Devine. Devine’s DNA was identified on the Phoenix Arms handgun.
Devine was interviewed by LCPD officers later that day. He admitted to selling methamphetamine for years. He typically purchased pounds of methamphetamine. Devine knew he was a convicted felon and could not legally possess a firearm.
At the time of these events, Devine was on state supervision for methamphetamine trafficking and being a felon in possession of a firearm. His state supervision was revoked and he is currently serving a sentence of 1 year, 5 months, and 25 days in state prison. Judge Conley ordered this federal sentence to run concurrently with the remainder of Devine’s state prison sentence.
At sentencing, Judge Conley highlighted that Devine returned to drug dealing soon after being released from state prison for a similar offense. Judge Conley also noted Devine’s prior history of possessing weapons.
The charges against Devine were the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse, Onalaska, and Prairie du Chien Police Departments, La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The La Crosse County District Attorney’s Office also provided assistance in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.