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3 June 2022
Utah Dentist Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Tax Evasion and Obstructing the IRSRead the Press Release
A Utah man was sentenced today to five years in prison for evading more than $1.8 million in federal income tax and obstructing the IRS’s efforts to collect the money he owed.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Derald Wilford Geddes, of Ogden, was a dentist who owned and operated Mount Ogden Dental PC. From approximately 1998 through 2014, Geddes took repeated steps to evade the federal income taxes he owed and obstruct the IRS’s efforts to collect his tax debt. Among other efforts, Geddes filed false liens against his own properties, submitted to the IRS bogus “bonds to discharge debt” that he claimed were from the account of the former Treasury Secretary and filed false corporate income tax returns. In March 2022, Geddes was convicted at trial by a federal jury of tax evasion, filing false tax returns and impeding the IRS.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell ordered Geddes to serve 36 months of supervised release and to pay approximately $1.8 million in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Ahmed Almudallal and Christopher Lin of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.
U.S. Capitol Police Officer Indicted on Federal Charges for Georgetown Hit-And-Run Traffic Crash and Cover-UpRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Capitol Police Officer Thomas Smith has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of violating a man’s civil rights and for obstructing justice. Smith, 44, is expected to be arraigned on these charges in federal court within the next week.
The indictment alleges that on June 20, 2020, Smith drove his police vehicle in a reckless and dangerous manner and was deliberately indifferent to the risk of harm he created, which resulted in Smith crashing his car into the victim and injuring him. Smith then knowingly drove away from the scene of the crash without rendering aid, alerting medical authorities, and taking any other reasonable steps to obtain help for the victim. Following the crash, Smith falsified U.S. Capitol Police records to cover-up his misconduct.
The indictment was returned yesterday and unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendra Briggs. Assistance in the investigation was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Capitol Police Officer Indicted on Federal Charges for Georgetown Hit-And-Run Traffic Crash and Cover-UpRead the Press Release
U.S. Capitol Police Officer Thomas Smith has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of violating a man’s civil rights and for obstructing justice. Smith, 44, is expected to be arraigned on these charges in the District of Columbia within the next week.
The indictment alleges that on June 20, 2020, Smith drove his police vehicle in a reckless and dangerous manner and was deliberately indifferent to the risk of harm he created, which resulted in Smith crashing his car into the victim and injuring him. Smith then knowingly drove away from the scene of the crash without rendering aid, alerting medical authorities, and taking any other reasonable steps to obtain help for the victim. Following the crash, Smith falsified U.S. Capitol Police records to cover-up his misconduct.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendra Briggs. Assistance in the investigation was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney's Office Resolves Complaint from Customer with HIV Who Was Refused Service by Tattoo ArtistRead the Press Release
DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced today that the United States has resolved a discrimination claim under the Americans with Disabilities Act against Ikonik Ink Tattoo.
Ikonik is a tattoo and piercing shop located in Lakewood, Colorado. An individual who has HIV alleged that in March 2020, he asked Ikonik for a tattoo with a design related to his HIV status. The individual claimed that after requesting the tattoo and disclosing his HIV status, he was refused service by a tattoo artist who worked at the Ikonik studio. The individual then filed a complaint with the Department of Justice under the Americans with Disabilities Act. That Act prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities, which includes people who have been diagnosed with HIV.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office then took steps to address the complaint and resolve the matter. Ikonik agreed to pay $4,400 in compensatory damages to the complainant, and the tattoo artist also agreed to pay $500 to the complainant. Ikonik also agreed to develop a non-discrimination policy, train its employees on the policy, and to cease asking potential customers about their HIV status.
“People with HIV have the right to equal access to businesses and services,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure that those living with HIV do not face discriminatory barriers in any part of their everyday lives.”
This matter is part of an ongoing effort by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice to enforce Title III of the ADA against companies and service providers that discriminate against individuals with HIV.
This case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeyen Wu.
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Two Men Sentenced for Illegal Possession of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty has sentenced two men to federal prison for illegal possession of narcotics.
Antoyn A. Wordlaw, 43, of Delhi, Louisiana, was sentenced to 234 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On July 6, 2021, Louisiana State Police (LSP) received a call from a company in Delhi, stating there were narcotics found in an employee locker room. The company found a soft-side cooler bag with a large amount of narcotics inside a locker belonging to Wordlaw. Law enforcement agents with the LSP and Richland Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to the call and were able to review surveillance cameras for the day and identified Wordlaw walking into the plant and locker room with the same cooler bag. Wordlaw was arrested and a search of the cooler bag revealed that it contained a clear bag with methamphetamine, four bags with marijuana, numerous baggies for distribution and several other controlled substances. Agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted a chemical analysis and determined that the substance was in fact methamphetamine with a net weight of 88.9 grams and a 95% purity level.
The case was investigated by the DEA, LSP and Richland Parish Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cytheria D. Jernigan.
In an unrelated case, Preston Ryan Eckard, 23, of Fort Necessity, Louisiana, was sentenced to 48 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine. Deputies with the Franklin Parish Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Eckard in December 2020. Law enforcement agents were able to obtain video evidence of Eckard selling methamphetamine for cash on two occasions in January and February of 2021. The narcotics were seized and sent to the lab for analysis. The North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory determined the narcotics seized on January 28, 2021 to be 28.01 grams of methamphetamine. The DEA Laboratory determined that narcotics seized on February 2, 2021 had a net weight of 44.92 grams of pure methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the DEA and Franklin Parish Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Moody.
“Our office has a heightened interest in conducting parallel drug trafficking investigations with state law enforcement in the more rural areas of our district, where there is a violation of federal law,” stated U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “There are instances where local law enforcement, through no fault of their own, may have limited resources to conduct such investigations. We look forward to strengthening our relationship with these jurisdictions and communities so that these residents can live in a safe environment.”
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Two Franklin County Men Ordered to Pay $1,584 in Restitution and Fines for Abandoning Junk Boat in Missisquoi River on the National Wildlife RefugeRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on June 2, 2022 Wayne Bailey, 68, of Swanton and Louis Bates, 49, of St. Albans pleaded guilty to abandoning a junk boat and setting it adrift in the Missisquoi River on the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle ordered Bailey to pay $684 in restitution and a $300 fine and Bates to pay $400 in restitution and a $200 fine. The restitution reimburses the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the costs of disposing of the boat.
The offense is a Class B misdemeanor and carried a maximum penalty of six months in prison and a $5,000 fine. In determining the fine amount, Magistrate Judge Doyle considered the defendants’ limited means to pay a larger fine.
According to court records, in the early summer of 2021, Wayne Bailey bought a 19 ½ foot long Bayliner boat for $150. The boat was manufactured in 1989. Bailey removed the engine from the boat and sold the engine. Rather than paying to dispose of the boat properly, Bailey devised a plan to set the junk boat adrift in the Missisquoi River. Bailey, however, did not have a tow hitch on his vehicle so he recruited Bates to use Bates’s truck to tow the boat to the Missisquoi River.
After dark on the evening of July 15, 2021, Bates towed the boat to Louie’s Landing boat ramp on the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, and Bailey followed in his own vehicle. Bates then backed the boat trailer into the river, and Bailey unhooked the boat and set it adrift. The next day FWS personnel discovered the boat. The engine was gone, but the remaining gas tank contained 4 ½ gallons of gas. The FWS incurred about $1,084 in costs for the proper disposal of the boat and the associated administrative expenses.
The following two photographs are of the boat in the Missisquoi River.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest stated that the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to vigorously enforcing our federal environmental laws, which protect and preserve our public lands and waterways for all to enjoy. Enforcement is particularly important in cases such as this where the evidence established that the defendants displayed a callous disrespect for the Vermont environment.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Perella. Wayne Bailey was represented by Mary Nerino, Esq. of the Office of the Federal Public Defender and Louis Bates was represented by Michael Straub, Esq.
Tucson Woman Sentenced to Four Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Selene Marie Camacho, 48, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Márquez to four years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Camacho previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.
The investigation into the case revealed that Camacho operated as a courier, retrieving narcotics that were transported into the United States on foot. Camacho was arrested in Tucson on June 30, 2020 after retrieving a load of narcotics near Mount Hopkins, Arizona. At the time of her arrest, Camacho was driving a vehicle that was transporting three backpacks containing approximately 1.46 kilograms of cocaine, 342.5 grams of heroin, and 19.19 kilograms of methamphetamine, as well as a loaded handgun magazine.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-2246-01-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-085_Camacho# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Three Men Sentenced to Prison Terms for July 4, 2020 Slaying of 11-Year-Old BoyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Three men, all from Washington, D.C., were sentenced today to prison terms for their roles in the fatal shooting of 11-year-old Davon McNeal on July 4, 2020, in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
All three defendants pleaded guilty in February 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to voluntary manslaughter while armed. They include Carlo General, 21, Marcel Gordon, 27, and Christen Wingfield, 24. General’s plea called for an agreed-upon sentence of 13 to 16 years in prison. Gordon’s called for 10 years, and Wingfield’s called for 9 ½-years.
The Honorable Rainey R. Brandt accepted the pleas and sentenced the defendants accordingly. General was sentenced to 16 years, Gordon to 10 years, and Wingfield to 9 ½ years. Following their prison terms, they will be placed on five years of supervised release.
The sentences are consistent with the Court’s voluntary sentencing guidelines.
A fourth defendant, Daryle Bond, 20, also from Washington, D.C., is to be sentenced on Aug. 4, 2022. Bond also pleaded guilty in February 2022 to voluntary manslaughter while armed, and his plea agreement calls for an agreed-upon term of 7 ½-to-9 ½- years in prison.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 4, 2020, at approximately 9:15 p.m., General, Gordon, Wingfield, and Bond were congregating at a barbeque near the cul-de-sac in front of an apartment building located in the 1400 block of Cedar Street SE. Cedar Street is a long road that ends in a cul-de-sac. The entrance of the 1400 block of Cedar Street intersects diagonally with a street that is known as the “alley.”
Near the entrance of the 1400 block of Cedar Street, Davon McNeal – 11 years old – was exiting a vehicle and walking towards a basement apartment in the Frederick Douglass Garden Apartment Complex. At a certain point, General, armed with a firearm with a laser sight, started running towards the entrance of the 1400 block of Cedar Street and fired his weapon towards the alley. Surveillance footage shows Davon running towards the basement apartment and falling after General fired his weapon.
Approximately six seconds later, Gordon, while running behind General, fired his weapon in the same direction. Bond, also armed with a firearm, ran towards the entrance of the 1400 block on a sidewalk on the side of the apartment building, along with Wingfield, who was armed with a firearm as well and running on the road.
All four defendants gathered in front of the apartment building and looked down the alley. The group subsequently ran in the direction of a playground with guns drawn. Bond, General and Gordon all fired their firearms as they were running away.
An autopsy concluded that Davon’s death was caused by a gunshot wound to the head.
General was arrested on July 30, 2020. Bond was arrested on July 10, 2020. Wingfield was arrested on July 11, 2020. Gordon was arrested on Sept. 1, 2020. All have been in custody since their arrests.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Criminal Investigations Division Homicide Branch of the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Lashone Samuels, former Victim/ Witness Specialist Marcia Rinker, Victim/ Witness Specialist Latrice Washington-Williams, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin.
Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shehzad Akhtar, Stephen Rickard, and Jack Korba, who investigated and prosecuted the case, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Maryam Adeyola, who provided valuable assistance.
Three Kenosha Area Men Enter Guilty Pleas for Conspiring to Commit Tax FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard G. Frohling announced that on March 29, 2022, an information was filed charging Richard Pignotti (age 63), Richard Milkie (age 62), and Jeffrey Milkie (age 56), each of Kenosha, Wisconsin, with conspiring to under-report income derived from their business in order to pay less federal tax, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. Separate plea agreements were also filed, in which each defendant agreed to waive indictment by the grand jury and enter a guilty plea to the charge in the information. On separate dates in May 2022, each defendant entered a plea of guilty to the charge in the information.
According to court filings, the defendants jointly operated a roofing business and agreed to not deposit all payments for completed jobs into their business bank account,and they further agreed to not report all of their business’s earnings to the accountant who prepared their business and personal tax returns. These actions caused the defendants and their business to pay fewer federal taxes in 2015, 2016, and 2017 than they actually owed by virtue of their business’s actual earnings revenue. In total, as a result of their conspiracy, they underpaid $321,192 in federal taxes.
Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Pamela Pepper on separate dates in September and October of 2022.
This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Division, and has been assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Stephen A. Ingraham for prosecution.
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Taylorville, Illinois, Man Convicted of Possession of More than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine (“Ice”) with the Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict on Thursday, June 2, 2022, against Donald R. Felton, 37, of the 900 block of West Poplar Street in Taylorville, Illinois, for possession with intent to distribute 50 or more grams of actual methamphetamine (“Ice”). Sentencing for Felton has been scheduled for October 5, 2022, at the federal courthouse in Springfield, Illinois.
Over two days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that beginning in May 2019, law enforcement officers initiated an investigation of Felton for traveling to the St. Louis area to obtain methamphetamine for redistribution in the Taylorville area. On June 8, 2019, officers saw Felton drive his SUV to a rest area near Hamel, Illinois, north of St. Louis, where he met with an unknown man, and then returned to Taylorville. Once Felton returned to Taylorville, officers executed a traffic stop and then searched the SUV. During the search, officers seized 398 grams (nearly one pound) of pure methamphetamine (“Ice”) and a digital scale. They also seized more than $800 in cash from Felton.
Felton remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals. At sentencing, Felton faces statutory penalties of a minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison, up to a $20,000,000 fine, and a minimum of 10 years and up to a life term of supervised release.
The case investigation was conducted by the Illinois State Police Central Illinois Enforcement Group, Christian County Sheriff’s Office, Taylorville Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy A. Bass and Sierra Senor-Moore represented the government at trial.
Stilwell Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sexually Abusing a MinorRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. –A Stilwell man who sexually abused a minor during a 2017 road trip was sentenced Friday in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Chief U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced David Anthony RomanNose, 45, to life in federal prison for aggravated sexual abuse by force and threat in Indian Country and 180 months in prison for sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country.
“David RomanNose exploited the trust and friendship of a 12-year-old child. The victim’s testimony about the abuse she endured helped prevent the defendant from continuing to prey on other children,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The collaboration and exemplary work from our partners at the FBI, Oneida Indian Nation Police Department and Craig County Sheriff’s Office ensured that RomanNose was held responsible for his crimes.”
"The reprehensible crimes committed by Mr. RomanNose against a minor reveal his repulsive and vile character," said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. "The spectacular bravery displayed by the victim-- in combination with the partnerships between federal, tribal, and state law enforcement-- brought Mr. RomanNose to justice. The FBI and our police partners will continue to fight against predators who prey on our Oklahoma community."
On July 4, 2017, RomanNose, accompanied a group who were traveling through northeastern Oklahoma after attending a festival in Seiling. While traveling, RomanNose sexually abused the victim in the backseat of the vehicle. The violation occurred in Indian Country on the Will Rogers Turnpike/Interstate Highway I-44 near Vinita. RomanNose also abused the minor, an Oneida Indian Nation citizen, after the group arrived home in New York.
During the trial, family members testified that following the road trip, the victim’s behavior changed dramatically. They stated that she became more withdrawn and started acting out. Unexplained changes in children’s behavior can be indicative of child sexual abuse. The victim eventually disclosed the abuse to a counselor and family member.
RomanNose remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
The FBI, Oneida Indian Nation Police Department, Craig County Sheriff’s Office, and the Craig County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gina S. Gilmore and Stacey P. Todd are prosecuting the case.
*Note: the spelling of the defendant’s last name was clarified in court today as RomanNose. It was spelled Romannose in previous press releases.
Steven Carrillo Sentenced to 41 Years in Prison for Murder and Attempted Murder for Role in Drive-By Shooting at Federal Courthouse in OaklandRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO - Steven Carrillo was sentenced today to 41 years in prison for murder and attempted murder in connection with the May 29, 2020, drive-by shooting at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland, California, announced U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) San Francisco Field Division Special Agent in Charge Patrick T. Gorman. Protective Services Officer Dave Patrick Underwood was killed in the attack and a second security contractor was wounded. Today’s sentence was handed down by the Hon. Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, United States District Judge.
Carrillo, 34 of Ben Lomond, pleaded guilty to the federal charges on February 11, 2022. According to the plea agreement Carrillo admitted that he intended to kill the two officers and acted with premeditation by firing on the officers from a van driven by another individual. Carrillo agreed that his killing of Officer Underwood was first degree murder as defined by the federal statute at 18 U.S.C. § 1111. Carrillo also admitted that during the months before the shooting, he aligned himself with an anti-government ideology and wanted to carry out violent acts against federal law enforcement, in particular.
Carrillo posted messages and writings on social media sites during the weeks leading up to the shooting, describing the timing as favorable for the destruction of the government. Carrillo admitted that on May 29, 2020, he posted social media comments referring to the ongoing protests over the killing of George Floyd, and he made plans to travel to an area in Oakland where protests were expected that night. Carrillo admitted that he went to the protests with another individual, and Carrillo brought firearms and incendiary devices in a van driven by the other individual. After observing the protests, federal building and courthouse, and surrounding area, at approximately 9:44 p.m., while the other individual drove the van, Carrillo fired approximately 19 shots at the two security officers, killing Officer Underwood and wounding a second security officer with life-threatening and permanent injuries. In addition, Carrillo agreed and recommended to the court that a reasonable and appropriate disposition of this case would be 41 years in prison and a lifetime term of supervised release.
Carrillo was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 25, 2020, for his role in the May 29 shooting at the Oakland Federal Courthouse. Carrillo pleaded guilty to use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j)(1) and attempted murder of a person assisting an officer or employee of the U.S. Government, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1114(3), 1111, and 2.
Carrillo came into federal custody following his arrest on June 6, 2020, by Santa Cruz County authorities stemming from his alleged involvement in a separate shooting that day in Ben Lomond that resulted in the death of a Santa Cruz County Deputy Sheriff and injuries to other law enforcement personnel.
In addition to imposing the prison term, Judge Gonzalez Rogers also scheduled a hearing for September 1, 2022, in San Francisco, to consider restitution claims for the victims of Carrillo’s conduct.
The United States Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime Strike Force is prosecuting this case with assistance from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. The case is being investigated by the FBI, the ATF, the FPS, and the U.S. Marshal Service with assistance from the Oakland Police Department and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
St. Paul Man Pleads Guilty to Online Sextortion Scheme Targeting More Than 500 Minor VictimsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Paul man has pleaded guilty to victimizing more than 500 minor girls across the country in an extensive online sextortion scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, for approximately five years, Yue Vang, 31, created and used multiple Internet applications and social media services, including Kik, Snapchat, and Skype, to communicate with hundreds of minor girls throughout the United States and elsewhere. Vang created fake female personae to prey on vulnerable minor girls he met online in order to entice and coerce them to create sexually explicit images and videos to send to him. Vang also threatened to disseminate sexually explicit images of the minor victims to their family members, friends, and classmates, unless they created and sent him additional images and videos of themselves nude or engaging in sexually explicit conduct. For example, in June 2016, Vang contacted a 15-year-old girl and threatened to distribute sexually explicit pictures of her to her classmates and parents to “ruin her life” unless she complied with Vang’s demands to send additional sexually explicit images and videos.
Vang pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud to two counts of production of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of interstate communications with intent to extort. Vang was ordered to remain in detention pending his sentencing hearing, which will be scheduled at a later date.
To date, at least 500 minor females have been identified, although law enforcement is attempting to confirm the identity of many other victims. Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Vang’s offenses or who has information about this matter is encouraged to visit www.fbi.gov/resources/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victims-in-yue-vang-investigation or www.Justice.gov/usao-mn/child-sextortion-victim-information.
This case is 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. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Click on the “resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Minneapolis Field Office and multiple FBI Field Offices, the St. Paul Police Department, the Minnesota ICAC Task Force, the Chandler (Arizona) Police Department, the Delhi Township (Ohio) Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea A. Walcker and Miranda E. Dugi are prosecuting the case.
St. Louis County man admits selling fentanyl that killed pregnant woman in 2018Read the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County on Thursday admitted selling the fentanyl that killed a pregnant woman in 2018.
Raymond Blankenship, 27, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to a felony charge of distribution of fentanyl. He admitted in his plea agreement that he sold fentanyl capsules to a St. Louis County woman on Sept. 17, 2018. She died later that day of acute fentanyl intoxication.
The woman arranged to buy the drug via Facebook messages with Blankenship. After her initial inquiry, Blankenship said he was out of the painkiller Percocet but would call someone else to see if they had any drugs, Blankenship’s plea says.
After her death, St. Louis County police detectives posed as the woman and arranged to buy more fentanyl from Blankenship. When police tried to arrest him, Blankenship ran and swallowed some of the capsules containing fentanyl.
Blankenship was indicted June 23, 2021 and is scheduled to be sentenced in September.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department.
Springfield, Illinois, Man Sentenced to Eleven Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, resident, Brock A. Purdy, 34, of the 2000 block of Converse Avenue was sentenced on May 31, 2022, to eleven years in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of Ice methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing in front of United States District Judge Sue E. Myerscough, the government presented evidence that between September 1, 2016, and February 21, 2017, Purdy, along with co-defendant, Brendon Richardson, conspired to distribute well over 200 grams of “Ice” methamphetamine in Mason and Menard Counties in the State of Illinois. The government’s evidence showed that the defendants purchased methamphetamine on the dark web using cryptocurrency and had the drugs mailed to them. They then further distributed the methamphetamine in central Illinois. The defendants also used an encrypted messaging application to try and hide their activities. Richardson was sentenced to six years in federal prison in January 2020.
Purdy, who is formerly of Menard County, was indicted in May 2018 and pleaded guilty in January 2020. He has been detained since March 2018. Prior to the instant federal offense, Purdy had been convicted three times for state offenses involving the distribution of drugs, as well as for aggravated battery and aggravated fleeing a peace officer. He was on parole with the Illinois Department of Corrections at the time the federal drug conspiracy started.
The statutory penalties for conspiracy to distribute 50 or more grams of Ice methamphetamine are not less than ten years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and not less than five years of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; United States Postal Inspection Service; Illinois State Police; Menard County Sheriff; and Mason County Sheriff investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Jacobs represented the government in the prosecution.
South Shore Landscaper Pleads Guilty to Underreporting $1.5 Million in Taxable IncomeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a residential and commercial landscaping business operating in the South Shore area pleaded guilty today in connection with his failure to report approximately $1.5 million in income to the Internal Revenue Service.
Scott Herzog, 47, of Norwell, pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false tax return. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Oct. 6, 2022. Herzog was charged on April 18, 2022.
Herzog owned and operated Herzog Landscape Solutions. From 2016 through 2018, Herzog allegedly directed landscaping customers to pay him personally for jobs and then cashed many of these payments or deposited them into bank accounts unaffiliated with the landscaping business. Herzog then failed to report approximately $1.5 million in these receipts in the tax returns his tax preparer filed on his behalf. As a result of this alleged conduct, Herzog underreported his personal income tax obligations, causing a loss to the Internal Revenue Service of nearly $500,000.
The charge of filing a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Second Port St. Joe man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Arthur Desean North, 32, of Port St. Joe, Florida, was the second man from Port St. Joe to be sentenced to federal prison this week for his part in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. North received a sentence of ten years in prison. Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.
“Rural communities throughout our district are plagued by methamphetamine distribution,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “We are committed to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and aggressively prosecute those recidivist offenders who continue to distribute such addictive and deadly controlled substances. This sentence is further proof of this resolve.”
North pled guilty to conspiring to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine and 500 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine. Court documents show that North was responsible for distributing at least ten pounds of methamphetamine.
“In partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Attorney’s Office, we remain committed to identifying and holding those who distribute deadly drugs to account,” said Franklin County Sheriff A.J. Smith. “Significant sentences like this should deter those who would engage in such acts.”
North was part of a conspiracy which was obtaining methamphetamine from Atlanta, Georgia. North was provided with one-pound quantities of methamphetamine which he resold in various communities in North Florida. North had four prior convictions for drug-trafficking offenses and was on probation for sale of cocaine at the time he conspired to distribute methamphetamine.
“Methamphetamine is a dangerous and destructive drug. This sentence sends a strong message that those who bring this poison into our communities will be held accountable for their actions,” said Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “DEA remains deeply committed to working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to target these individuals who threaten the safety of our communities.”
Following North’s 120-month sentence, he will be on federal supervised release for ten years. This sentence was the result of an investigation conducted by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Rochester Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Rochester man was sentenced today to 180 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, from June 2019 through August 2019, Nicholas John Hanson, 38, was part of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. As part of the conspiracy, Hanson coordinated and facilitated the delivery of methamphetamine on behalf of the conspiracy leader, John Willis Netherton, also known as “Big John,” and “Wicked One.”
Hanson, who pleaded guilty on August 17, 2020, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson. Hanson was the last conspiracy member to be sentenced by the Court. Judge Nelson previously sentenced several other conspiracy members:
- On August 25, 2020, Jacob Paul Williams was sentenced to 180 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
- On August 28, 2020, Miguel Angel Cuevas Zamora was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment and two years of supervised release.
- On May 11, 2021, conspiracy leader Netherton was sentenced to 260 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
- On June 22, 2021, Jason Edward Hoffman was sentenced to 132 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
- On June 7, 2021, Andrew Robert Berndt was sentenced to 102 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
- On July 19, 2021, Deja Lee Benton was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
- On August 18, 2021, Joshua Alexander Sazo was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment and two years of supervised release.
- On June 1, 2022, Kayleigh Rea Todd was sentenced to 40 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Rochester Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crimes Enforcement Team, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, the South Central Drug Investigation Unit, and the Minnesota State Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter, Jr. prosecuted the case.
Red Lake Man Sentenced to More Than 19 Years in Prison for Sexual Abuse of a ChildRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Red Lake man was sentenced to 235 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for sexually abusing a child over the course of several years, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between August 2014 and August 2020, Kory Paul Lussier, 25, knowingly and repeatedly engaged in sexual contact with a minor female who was between seven and thirteen years old at the time.
Lussier was sentenced today in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Paul A. Magnuson. On October 21, 2021, Lussier pleaded guilty to one count of abusive sexual contact with a child.
This case was the result of investigations conducted by the Red Lake Department of Public Safety and the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine prosecuted the case.
Readout of U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland’s Meeting with EU Commissioner for Justice and Consumer Affairs Didier ReyndersRead the Press Release
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland hosted the European Union’s Commissioner for Justice and Consumer Affairs Didier Reynders in Washington, D.C. yesterday ahead of the U.S.-EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial, which will take place later this month. The two leaders discussed joint efforts underway to find, restrain, freeze, seize, and, where appropriate, confiscate or forfeit the assets of individuals and entities in connection with Russia’s unjust and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. They also discussed how to best support ongoing war crimes investigations related to Russian aggression toward Ukraine. Attorney General Garland and Commissioner Reynders reaffirmed shared priorities in countering terrorism, violent extremism, and hate crimes and discussed opportunities to strengthen U.S.-EU cooperation in fighting environmental crime and protecting consumers.
Plainville Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Plainville man was sentenced yesterday on child exploitation charges arising from his transfer of obscene photos of himself to someone he believed to be a 13-year-old girl and possession of child pornography.
David Cerasuolo, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to eight years in prison and five years of supervised release. On March 4, 2022, Cerasuolo pleaded guilty to one count of attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor and one count of possession of child pornography.
Starting in June 2020, Cerasuolo used chat applications to engage in conversations with an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old girl named “Amy,” but who was actually an undercover federal agent. Over the course of nearly six weeks, Cerasuolo sent over 1,000 text messages to “Amy,” including one that contained a photograph displaying his genitalia. He also attempted to persuade “Amy” to take and send photos and/or videos of herself to him and attempted to entice her to meet in person for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity. Additionally, during a search of his residence, Cerasuolo was found in possession of child pornography on his cell phone, including images depicting children between the ages of six and 10 engaged in sexual conduct.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. The Plainville, Arlington, Boston and Newton Police Departments and Massachusetts Department of Correction provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Deitch of Rollins’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Peter Navarro Indicted for Contempt of CongressRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Former White House advisor Peter K. Navarro has been indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of contempt of Congress stemming from his failure to comply with a subpoena issued by the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 breach of the United States Capitol.
Navarro, 72, is charged with one contempt count involving his refusal to appear for a deposition and another involving his refusal to produce documents, despite a subpoena from the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. The indictment was returned yesterday and unsealed today. Navarro is to make his initial appearance this afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves of the District of Columbia and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office.
As detailed in the indictment, on Feb. 9, 2022, the Select Committee issued a subpoena to Navarro. The subpoena required him to appear and produce documents to the Select Committee on Feb. 23, 2022, and to appear for a deposition before the Select Committee on March 2, 2022. According to the indictment, Navarro refused to appear to give testimony as required by subpoena and refused to produce documents in compliance with a subpoena.
In its subpoena, the Select Committee said it had reason to believe that Navarro had information relevant to its investigation. Navarro, formerly an advisor to the President on various trade and manufacturing policies, has been a private citizen since departing the White House on Jan. 20, 2021.
Each count of contempt of Congress carries a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of one year in jail, as well as a fine of up to $100,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Oshkosh Sex Offender Charged with Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard G. Frohling announced that on June 2, 2022, a criminal complaint was issued alleging that Matheau P. Martinez (age: 38) of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, distributed and possessed child pornography in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(2)(A) and 2252A(a)(5)(B).
Based on a previous conviction, Martinez is required to register as a sexual offender in the State of Wisconsin. As a result, he faces enhanced mandatory minimum penalties. If he is convicted for the distribution of child pornography charge, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 40 years of incarceration in federal prison. If he is convicted for the possession of child pornography charge, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to and a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment.
According to court filings, Martinez utilized “peer-to-peer” software to distribute images and digital videos depicting child pornography. On June 2, 2022, a search warrant was executed at Martinez’s residence, and he was arrested without incident.
This case is being investigated by the Milwaukee Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office.
A criminal complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Orange County Man Agrees to Plead Guilty to Federal Charges for Obtaining More Than $5 Million in COVID Loans for Sham CompaniesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Orange County man has agreed to plead guilty to federal criminal charges that he fraudulently obtained more than $5 million in COVID-relief loans for three sham companies.
Raghavender Reddy Budamala, 35, of Irvine, agreed to plead guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of money laundering in a plea agreement filed today in United States District Court. Budamala, who has agreed to forfeit his ill-gotten gains to the government, is scheduled to enter his guilty plea on June 21 before United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II.
According to his plea agreement, in 2019 Budamala formed or acquired three shell companies with no operations – Hayventure LLC, Pioneer LLC, and XC International LLC. Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the enactment of federal programs designed to address the economic fallout from the pandemic, Budamala submitted to the Small Business Administration seven applications for pandemic-relief loans under the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan.
As part of the applications filed from April 2020 through March 2021, Budamala falsely represented to the banks administering the COVID-relief business loan programs that his companies employed dozens of individuals and earned millions of dollars in revenue, and that he needed the money for payroll and business expenses.
The listed addresses for the companies were bogus, nonexistent or residential. The states where Budamala’s companies purportedly operated have no records of those companies paying wages to any employees, and bank records for the companies reflect no significant business income or operating expenses.
The SBA and the banks funded six of the loans and disbursed $5,151,497. Budamala applied to have several of the loans forgiven and falsely represented that he had used the SBA money entirely for payroll.
Once the loans were funded, Budamala used the money to pay for personal expenses, including the purchase of a $1.2 million investment property in Eagle Rock, the purchase of a $597,585 property in Malibu, the purchase of a personal residence in Irvine, a $970,000 investment in an EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Program and a nearly $3 million deposit into Budamala’s personal TD Ameritrade account.
Upon entering his guilty plea, Budamala will face a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison.
Budamala has been in federal custody since his arrest on February 23, when he attempted to abscond from the United States to Mexico via the San Ysidro border crossing. A criminal complaint was filed against him on February 24.
IRS Criminal Investigation, the FBI, and the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory D. Bernstein of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.
In May 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, among other methods, 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 at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Operator of Multiple PACs Pleads Guilty to False Reporting to FECRead the Press Release
The former owner and operator of seven political action committees (PACs) pleaded guilty today to making a false statement in connection with PAC expenses reported to the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
According to court documents, Tyler D. Whitney, 33, of Austin, Texas, formed and operated the PACs beginning in mid-2012. Whitney also owned and operated Amagi Strategies, a consulting corporation, and Amagi Imports, an affiliated business. Between 2012 and 2018, Whitney operated each of the PACs by creating and managing a PAC-related website; purchasing email lists of potential contributors; utilizing vendors that provided blast email services to send mass emails to potential contributors; using urgent language in email solicitations to potential donors for contributions; and representing to potential donors that contributions would be used to support or oppose a particular candidate or cause via “voter outreach” and “advertising.”
During this time, Whitney spent a small portion of the donated funds to benefit the political candidates or causes the PACs represented they were going to support or oppose. He also transferred a large portion of the donated funds from the PACs to his consulting company, Amagi Strategies, or withdrew the money as cash. Whitney used funds in bank accounts for Amagi Strategies to either pay himself, pay for personal expenses, or pay for services (such as website management, email list purchases or rentals, and blast email services) to raise additional funds via email solicitations. Whitney filed and caused to be filed FEC reports that, among other things, were false as to amounts, dates, and descriptions of expenditures and disbursements by the PACs, including payments made to Amagi Imports.
For instance, in July 2016, Whitney transferred $10,000 from one of his PACs to Amagi Strategies. On the same day, Whitney transferred $9,000 from Amagi Strategies to Amagi Imports and then $8,787.73 from Amagi Imports to an international shipping company. Whitney’s PAC did not report this $10,000 payment on its FEC reports for 2016 and 2017. However, in January 2018, Whitney caused the PAC’s treasurer to file an amended FEC quarterly report for the PAC that falsely disclosed the $10,000 payment as “PAC Management Fees.”
Whitney pleaded guilty to making a false statement. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 26 and faces up to five years in prison. 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 Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Edward P. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly R. Pedersen for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
Operator of Multiple PACs Pleads Guilty to False Reporting to FECRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The former owner and operator of seven political action committees (PACs) pleaded guilty today to making a false statement in connection with PAC expenses reported to the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
According to court documents, Tyler D. Whitney, 33, of Austin, Texas, formed and operated the PACs beginning in mid-2012. Whitney also owned and operated Amagi Strategies, a consulting corporation, and Amagi Imports, an affiliated business. Between 2012 and 2018, Whitney operated each of the PACs by creating and managing a PAC-related website; purchasing e-mail lists of potential contributors; utilizing vendors that provided blast e-mail services to send mass emails to potential contributors; used urgent language in e-mail solicitations to potential donors for to solicit contributions; and representing to potential donors that contributions would be used to support or oppose a particular candidate or cause via “voter outreach” and “advertising.”
During this time, Whitney spent a small portion of the donated funds to benefit the political candidates or causes the PACs represented they were going to support or oppose. He also transferred a large portion of the donated funds from the PACs to his consulting company, Amagi Strategies, or withdrew the money as cash. Whitney used funds in bank accounts for Amagi Strategies to either pay himself, pay for personal expenses, or pay for services such as website management, e-mail list purchases or rentals, and blast e-mail services to raise additional funds via e-mail solicitations. Whitney filed and caused to be filed FEC reports that, among other things, were false as to amounts, dates, and descriptions of expenditures and disbursements by the PACs, including payments made to Amagi Imports.
For instance, in July 2016, Whitney transferred $10,000 from one of his PACs to Amagi Strategies. On the same day, Whitney transferred $9,000 from Amagi Strategies to Amagi Imports and then $8,787.73 from Amagi Imports to an international shipping company. Whitney’s PAC did not report this $10,000 payment on its FEC reports for 2016 and 2017. However, in January 2018, Whitney caused the PAC’s treasurer to file an amended FEC quarterly report for the PAC that falsely disclosed the $10,000 payment as “PAC Management Fees.”
Whitney pleaded guilty to making a false statement. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 26 and faces up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly R. Pedersen and Senior Litigation Counsel Edward P. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-73.
Norfolk Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Firearm Used in a Killing on Interstate 264Read the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man pleaded guilty yesterday to possessing a firearm after previously being convicted in Norfolk Circuit Court in 2017 of multiple felonies: malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and abduction.
According to court documents, Curtis Hathaway, 27, was involved in a shooting on I-264 in Norfolk on November 17, 2020, which resulted in the death of another driver. The decedent’s car approached Hathaway’s from the rear. The decedent began to shoot at Hathaway, striking his vehicle and Hathaway in the leg. Hathaway returned fire from the driver’s seat while driving down the interstate. The decedent was shot in the head and died.
After the shooting, the police located Hathaway at his sister’s residence in Virginia Beach. When the police arrived, they saw that Hathaway had a bullet wound in his leg and his car had multiple bullet holes and contained several spent cartridge casings. Hathaway attempted to flee from the police but was caught and detained. Police found a firearm in the bushes outside his sister’s residence. An analysis through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) linked the firearm located in the bushes to the discharged casings in Hathaway’s car, and a subsequent forensic analysis confirmed they had been fired by the weapon. Hathaway also had gunshot primer residue on his hands, indicating he recently discharged a firearm. Also, in July 2021, Hathaway was caught by police with another semi-automatic handgun.
Hathaway is scheduled to be sentenced on October 21. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney; Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Washington Field Division; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police; Mike Goldsmith, Interim Chief of Norfolk Police; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard accepted the plea.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Stolle and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Bosse are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-24.
New Orleans Resident Sentenced to 120 Months for Possessing a Loaded Ak-47 and for Possessing with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine Found Hidden on His Body at JailRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Judge Wendy B. Vitter sentenced BLAKE MONROE on June 2, 2022, to 120 months in prison, three (3) years of supervised release, and $200 in mandatory special assessment fees for being a felon in possession of a loaded AK-47 seized during a New Orleans Police Department traffic stop and for possessing with intent to distribute a quantity of crack cocaine.
MONROE, age 31, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty on November 3, 2021, to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1), and to the crack cocaine offense, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). MONROE has prior felony convictions in Orleans Parish.
According to court records, during a December 11, 2019, traffic stop, NOPD officers observed in plain sight a loaded AK-47, with the selector switch in the fire position, on the back floor of a Mercedes driven by MONROE. NOPD officers had pulled MONROE over after two NOPD officers observed MONROE conduct a suspected hand-to-hand crack sale in New Orleans East. During his booking at jail that same afternoon, an Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy found approximately 24 grams of crack cocaine that MONROE had hidden on his body.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Hammond Police Department, New Orleans Police Department, and Slidell Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney David Howard Sinkman is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute DrugsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MARK RICHBURG, age 40, of New Orleans, was sentenced on June 2, 2022 by United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon after previously pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, 100 grams or more of heroin, and a quantity of cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846.
According to court records, RICHBURG and others conspired to distribute multiple kilograms of cocaine and heroin in the New Orleans area. Additionally, RICHBURG arranged for the transport of multiple kilograms of cocaine and heroin between Texas and New Orleans.
Judge Fallon sentenced RICHBURG to 292 months of imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”). OCDETF is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Privitera and Jonathan L. Shih are in charge of the prosecution.
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New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl, Heroin and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that LAWRENCE ROBERTSON (“ROBERTSON”), age 37, pled guilty on June 2, 2022 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846; one count of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C); and one count of possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
According to court documents, on September 11, 2018, ROBERTSON possessed over 40 grams of fentanyl, quantities of heroin, and a Glock Model 27, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol.
On the drug conspiracy count, ROBERTSON faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to 40 years of imprisonment, at least 4 years of supervised release, a fine of up to $4,000,000, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. On the firearm count, ROBERTSON faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to life imprisonment, up to 5 years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan L. Shih is in charge of the prosecution.
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Navajo man indicted for sexual abuse of a minorRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Leonard Lewis was arraigned on an indictment charging him with sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country. Lewis, 65, of Shiprock, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending space at a halfway house, after which he will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
A federal grand jury indicted Lewis on May 25. According to the indictment, between March 1, 2021, and April 30, 2021, Lewis allegedly sexually abused a child, identified as Jane Doe. The alleged abuse occurred on the Navajo Nation in San Juan County, New Mexico.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Lewis faces up to 15 years in prison.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigation and Navajo Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Chelsea N. Van Deventer is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
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Mother of Inmate Sentenced for Facilitating Smuggling of Cellphones into Dauphin County PrisonRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Aida Rosado, age 62, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on June 1, 2022, to two years of probation with the first four months on home detention by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner, for assisting her son in smuggling cellular telephones into the Dauphin County Prison.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Rosado’s son, Danny Cruz, was an inmate in Dauphin County Prison when she, on her son’s behalf, agreed to help him smuggle cellphones into the prison. On multiple occasions between October 2015 and January 2016, she gave money and cellular telephones to Correctional Officer Kyle Bower, who then smuggled phones into the prison for her son. Correctional Officer Bower was paid hundreds of dollars for each phone.
All other participants in the conspiracy have entered guilty pleas to conspiracy to smuggle phones into the prison:
- Former Correctional Officer Bower was sentenced to two months in federal prison and two months of home detention after his release from federal prison;
- Alice Martinez was sentenced to twelve months in prison; and
- Danny Cruz and Lizarrah Matthews pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Dauphin County Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Consiglio is prosecuting the case.
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Monroe County Man Pleads Guilty to Covid-Relief Fraud Mid-TrialRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Julian J. Levons, age 64, of Henryville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty yesterday to perpetrating a wire fraud and money laundering scheme to obtain COVID-19 relief guaranteed by the Small Business Administration through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. The plea was entered after Levons commenced trial on May 31, 2022.
The EIDL program is designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded by the March 2020 CARES Act, EIDL funds are offered in low-interest rate loans, designated for specific business expenses, such as fixed debts, payroll, and business obligation.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Levons was charged with obtaining two EIDL loans for a combined approximate $300,000, and attempting unsuccessfully to obtain a third EIDL loan for approximately $150,000. In applying for the loans, Levons falsified revenue and expense figures for two supposed small businesses that he and his wife owned. The money was allegedly used to pay down a high interest rate line of credit for Levons’s personal expenses, and to pay off a high interest rate mortgage on a rental property, despite prohibitions on the use of EIDL funds to refinance pre-existing debt. Investigators seized over $210,000 in fraudulently obtained EIDL funds from bank accounts under his control.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phillip J. Caraballo and James Buchanan 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, among other methods, 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 at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law are 30 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Mexican and U.S. Justice Sector Officials Celebrate Launch of Mexico’s First Judicial Bench Book for New Accusatory Criminal Justice SystemRead the Press Release
MEXICO CITY - The Mexican federal judiciary, the Mexico City state judiciary, the Puebla state judiciary, and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) launched their Bench Book for Criminal Hearings and Trials, which is designed to increase judicial economy, decrease caseloads, and standardize judicial practices across Mexico. With funding from the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), this resource will serve as an effective and practical tool for justice sector actors including criminal judges, prosecutors, and defense counsel across the country.
This judicial bench book is the first designed specifically for Mexico’s accusatory criminal justice system, which was fully implemented in 2016. They will build national capacity in the system and encourage the sustainable standardization of best practices. With standardized procedures for criminal hearings thanks to the Bench Book, criminal justice actors will efficiently establish all required elements within their respective hearings, resulting in sturdier convictions, fewer successful appeals, and less criminal impunity.
Over the past three years, OPDAT, 25 Mexican judges, and three Colombian judges with bench book experience worked tirelessly to compose standards for a Mexican Bench Book. Then, multiple institutions, to include the federal Attorney General’s Office and Public Defender’s Office, took part in the revision of the Bench Book, which ensured the final product is a true collaborative effort by multiple Mexican institutions.
Officials from state and federal judiciaries, state attorney general offices, and other institutions that helped create and revise the guide attended the launch.
U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar, who delivered opening remarks, stated, “As a former state attorney general I know just how important bench books can be. And what a great collaboration between the U.S. government and all sorts of Mexican officials. This is the Seguridad Compartida we’re continually talking about, in action.”
Mexican Supreme Court of Justice, Alfredo Gutierrez Ortiz Mena, also participated in the inauguration and stated, “These guidelines not only define the nature and timing of roles, but also support said roles in jurisprudence, allowing to strategize.”
After the bench books’ dissemination, OPDAT and the federal judiciary will implement a monitoring and evaluation plan to show how effective the book is at reducing average hearing durations, and minimizing unnecessary delays and appeals.
https://www.cjf.gob.mx/PJD/guias/Default.aspx
Mexican National Indicted for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane Evans announced today that on June 2, 2022 ALFREDO ERASMO CASTILLO-MORALES, age 32, was charged in a one-count indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the indictment, ALFREDO ERASMO CASTILLO-MORALES (“CASTILLO-MORALES”), reentered the United States after he was previously deported on November 1, 2019. If convicted, CASTILLO-MORALES faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U. S. Duane Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney Carter K. D. Guice, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.
McLean Man Sentenced for Role in Call Center Tech Support Fraud ScamRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A McLean man was sentenced today to 3 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to defraud more than 1,300 victims out of $1.6 million in connection with a call center scam.
According to court documents, Bruhaspaty Prasad, 33, conspired with several other individuals primarily based in India at a call center to carry out a tech support scheme that primarily affected elderly victims. The defendant’s co-conspirators contacted the victims through unsolicited telephone calls and pop-up notifications on their computers claiming, in part, that the victims needed assistance to remove malware from their computers. In other instances, the call center employees pretended to be associated with companies like Amazon and Microsoft and falsely led the victims to believe that there were issues with their online accounts. The victims were duped into signing contracts for technical support services that were never rendered. Once the victims agreed to pay for services, they were frequently contacted again for additional services and charged additional fees.
Prasad, as the primary U.S.-based conspirator, was responsible for creating several businesses that purported to offer technical support to clients. During the life of the conspiracy, Prasad opened three businesses in the Commonwealth of Virginia, all of which received the fraudulently obtained proceeds of the scheme. Prasad was the sole signatory on the bank accounts for the entities he created. He was also responsible for transferring a significant portion of the fraud proceeds to his co-conspirators in India. Prasad continued operating these businesses and obtaining victims’ funds even after personally receiving several complaints and negative online reviews. Rather than closing the business entirely, Prasad continued to open businesses to allow the fraud scheme to proceed.
From April 2016 through September 2021, more than 1,300 individuals were defrauded. The victims suffered losses totaling more than $1.6 million.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.
Amazon provided law enforcement with substantial assistance during the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamar K. Walker and Kaitlin Cooke prosecuted the case.
Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. Elder abuse is an intentional or negligent act by any person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to an older adult. It is a term used to describe five subtypes of elder abuse: physical abuse, financial fraud, scams and exploitation, caregiver neglect and abandonment, psychological abuse, and sexual abuse. Elder abuse is a serious crime against some of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens, affecting at least 10 percent of older Americans every year. Together with our federal, state, local and tribal partners, the Department of Justice is steadfastly committed to combatting all forms of elder abuse and financial exploitation through enforcement actions, training and resources, research, victim services, and public awareness. This holistic and robust response demonstrates the Department’s unwavering dedication to fighting for justice for older Americans.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-40.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 123 Months in Prison for Traveling into the District of Columbia to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct with a MinorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jan Astaphan, 41, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced today to 123 months in prison on a federal charge of traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Raymond Villanueva of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)
Astaphan pleaded guilty in June 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to a charge of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. He was sentenced by the Honorable Randolph D. Moss. Upon completion of his prison term, Astaphan will be placed on a term of 10 years of supervised release, and required to pay a special assessment fee. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for a minimum period of 15 years upon his release from prison.
According to the government's evidence, on January 29, 2019, Astaphan agreed to pay $300 to engage in sexual activity with an under-aged child at a hotel in Washington D.C. HSI undercover agents identified Astaphan as a user of a website known to law enforcement as a site where members actively sexually exploit children. HSI agents identified Astaphan’s account in February 2018, and began communicating with him on multiple platforms, including by text message. As their conversations continued, Astaphan arranged to travel from his home in Maryland, on January 29, 2019, to a hotel in the District of Columbia. After handing $300 in cash to an individual he believed had access to the under-aged child, he was arrested by law enforcement. He has been in custody ever since.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Villanueva, and Chief Contee commended the work of the MPD Detectives and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). They also commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy E. Larson, who is prosecuting the case.
Maryland Man Charged with Money Laundering Offenses Related to Computer Intrusions that Targeted New Jersey CompanyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Maryland man was indicted on money laundering charges related to money obtained through unlawful computer intrusions that targeted a New Jersey-based employee benefit and payroll management company, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Oladapo Sunday Ogunbiyi, 40, of Greenbelt, Maryland, is charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, two counts of money laundering, and two counts of engaging in transactions in property derived from criminal activity. Ogunbiyi appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lois H. Goodman in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Ogunbiyi conspired with others to launder funds obtained through an unlawful computer fraud scheme in which they obtained unauthorized access to a 401k account held for the benefit of a person at the New Jersey company. They then added a bank account belonging to another individual to the victim’s 401k account without the victim’s knowledge or authorization. This account was designated as the account to receive withdrawals from the victim’s 401k account. Thereafter, $246,390 was transferred to the bank account belonging to account that had been added without the victim’s knowledge or consent.
Ogunbiyi and others directed that the fraud proceeds be converted into cashier’s checks, which were provided to Ogunbiyi. He then deposited the cashier’s checks into bank accounts under his control and withdrew the funds in a series of ATM and counter withdrawals designed to conceal the source of the money, which he used for personal expenditures.
The counts of money laundering and money laundering conspiracy carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. The counts of engaging in transactions in property derived from criminal activity carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, including the FBI’s Cyber Crimes Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Messenger in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony P. Torntore of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Cybercrime Unit.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Malden Woman Sentenced for Embezzling Nearly $800,000 from EmployerRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Malden woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston on fraud and identity theft charges in connection with her embezzlement of more than $795,000 from her employer.
Kayla Figelski, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to three years in prison and two years of supervised release. Figelski was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $796,747. In May 2021, Figelski pleaded guilty to seven counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
From in or about April 2017 through June 2019, Figelski stole at least $796,747 from her employer, an elder law attorney, in Malden. Figelski perpetrated the scheme by forging checks to herself from her employer’s checking accounts, including conservatorship, trust and estate administration accounts her employer maintained for the firm’s elderly clients and their estates. Figelski deposited the checks into her own bank account, from which she withdrew the funds, or directly cashed the checks. Figelski concealed the scheme by altering bank statements to make it appear that the checks were written to legitimate vendors. As a result of Figelski’s theft, her employer was forced to sell the building where her law practice was located, which had been in the victim’s family since 1976.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Malden Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Main Line Accountant Convicted at Trial of Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Michael Goldner, 51, of Malvern, PA, was convicted today at trial of tax evasion and failing to file tax returns, charges arising from his scheme to use his cash and his employer’s business bank accounts to hide his actual income and therefore avoid paying his legitimate tax obligations.
In June 2021, the defendant was charged by Indictment, and a Superseding Indictment was filed in November 2021 charging the defendant with one count of tax evasion and two counts of failure to file personal income tax returns. Evidence presented at trial showed that for the tax years 2013 through 2017, Goldner reported more than $4 million in income and $1.8 million in tax due, of which he paid less than $100,000. Further, from 2016 to 2020, the defendant evaded the payment of these outstanding taxes while earning a substantial income. Instead of depositing his paychecks into a personal bank account, he cashed the checks and used his employer’s business accounts to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars of personal expenses, including rent, a second home, groceries, private school and dance lessons for his child, country club dues, and restitution from a prior fraud conviction for which he was on federal probation. For the years 2016 and 2017, the defendant filed tax returns that failed to report this additional income from his employer. For tax years 2018 and 2019, the defendant failed to file a return altogether.
“The American tax system provides government services critical to our people,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Every time someone cheats the tax system, the burden of providing vital services increases on taxpayers who pay their fair share. As a professional accountant, this defendant knew what his obligations were and willfully chose to ignore them, even while he was on federal probation for a previous fraud conviction. The jury’s verdict has sent a clear message that tax cheats will not be tolerated.”
“Mr. Goldner went through great lengths to not pay taxes, including hiding money from the IRS,” said Yury Kruty, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge. “In all the steps he took to hide his money, he failed to account for the hallmark expertise IRS Special Agents possess when it comes to following the money. Mr. Goldner thought he could fly under the radar, but the verdict returned today shows how futile his efforts were.”
“‘If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again’ really shouldn’t be a fraudster’s mantra,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “But Michael Goldner apparently thought he’d give it a whirl. Hopefully, this second federal conviction will be more impactful than his first. To put it plainly: if you keep defrauding the government and cheating honest taxpayers, the FBI and our partners are going to keep locking you up.”
The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Ignall and Department of Justice Trial Attorney for the Criminal Division’s Tax Section Jack Morgan.
Luzerne County Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine and Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that William Terron, age 38, formerly of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on June 1, 2022, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to nine years’ imprisonment for his role in a methamphetamine and heroin trafficking conspiracy.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Terron previously pleaded guilty and admitted to participating in a conspiracy to distribute between 1.5 and 5 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and 1 to 3 kilograms of heroin in Luzerne, Lackawanna and Schuylkill Counties in 2018. Terron was one of five individuals indicted by a grand jury in December 2018 for methamphetamine trafficking in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
The following defendants were previously sentenced for their roles in this same drug trafficking conspiracy:
- Amanda Boyle, age 37, of Sweet Valley, PA, was sentenced to nine years in prison;
- Rudolph Ford, age 33, of Olyphant, PA, was sentenced to seven years in prison;
- Francheska Quinones, age 28, of Nanticoke, PA, was sentenced to 63 months in prison; and
- Adam Holcomb, age 37, of Shickshinny, PA, was sentenced to 10 months in prison.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the Pennsylvania State Police, the Kingston Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Lovington man sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempted murder and firearms violationsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Jose Angel Baeza was sentenced on June 2 to 15 years in prison. Baeza, 39, of Lovington, New Mexico, pleaded guilty on Sept. 17, 2021, to attempted murder of a federal officer, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and using a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on Oct. 1, 2020, officers from the Hobbs Police Department (HPD) responded to a report of a man going room to room at the Econolodge Hotel on Marland Street while brandishing a firearm. During the investigation, Baeza fired rounds in the direction of the officers, and the HPD Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) was activated.
Baeza then fired his weapon at the SWAT team, which included a federal task force officer. In his plea agreement, Baeza admitted that he was trying to kill the officers.
At the time of the incident, Baeza previously had been convicted of attempted armed robbery, robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. As a convicted felon, Baeza cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
Upon his release from prison, Baeza will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hobbs Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Maria Y. Armijo prosecuted the case.
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Leaders of International Organization that Trafficked in Counterfeit Apple Products Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy F. Salel (619) 546-8055
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – June 3, 2022
SAN DIEGO - Three brothers from San Diego pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday, admitting that for eight years, they led an international conspiracy to traffic counterfeit iPhones and iPads.
As part of their plea agreements, the Liao brothers – Zhiwei, Zhimin and Zhiting - and their wives - Dao La, Mengmeng Zhang, and Tam Nguyen, who also pleaded guilty yesterday - agreed to forfeit their interests in five residences in San Diego, more than $250,000 in criminal proceeds, and more than 200 Apple iPhones that were counterfeit, fraudulently obtained, or linked to their criminal conspiracy.
The Liaos admitted that, from 2011 through at least August 2019, they managed an organization to traffic in counterfeit Apple products. The Liaos imported counterfeit iPhones and iPads from China that looked genuine and included identification numbers that matched identification numbers on real iPhones and iPads that were under warranty and had been previously sold to customers in the United States and Canada.
At the direction of the Liao brothers, co-conspirators traveled to hundreds of Apple Stores across the United States and Canada and attempted to exchange more than 10,000 counterfeit iPhones and iPads for genuine iPhones and iPads. The Liaos exported fraudulently obtained iPhones and iPads to individuals in foreign countries for profit. The estimated total infringement amount or loss suffered by Apple was approximately $6.1 million.
“As our markets become more global, more complex and more sophisticated, protecting intellectual property rights become even more important,” said U.S. Attorney Randy S. Grossman. “Our office will aggressively prosecute criminals who try to steal intellectual property and attempt to exchange counterfeit products for genuine products. We will continue fighting IP crime and upholding the rule of law.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and the FBI for their excellent work on this case.
“For years, the Liao brothers and their co-conspirators trafficked thousands of counterfeit Apple products in exchange for genuine Apple products totaling millions of dollars,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners at the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S Attorney’s Office will pursue criminal organizations who target legitimate businesses through fraudulent means for their own financial gain.”
The Liao brothers and their wives are scheduled to appear for sentencing before U.S. District Judge Cynthia A. Bashant on August 15, 2022, at 9:00 a.m.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 19CR4407-BAS
Zhiwei Liao, aka “Allen” San Diego, CA Age: 34
Zhimin Liao, aka “Jimmy” San Diego, CA Age: 36
Zhiting Liao, aka “Tim” San Diego, CA Age: 33
Dao Trieu La, aka “Selena”
aka “Denise” San Diego, CA Age: 32
Mengmeng Zhang, aka “Aria” San Diego, CA Age: 31
Tam Thi Minh Nguyen, aka “Kelly,”
aka “Actheart” San Diego, CA Age: 39
CO-CONSPIRATORS WHO PREVIOUSLY PLEADED GUILTY
Charley Hsu San Diego, CA Age: 41
Danny Tran Chan,
aka “Stanley” San Diego, CA Age: 32
Phillip Pak, aka “Teddy” San Diego, CA Age: 33
Deedee Zhu, aka “David,”
aka “Peter” San Diego, CA Age: 35
Jiaye Jiang, aka “joejoekong”
aka “yipkong” San Diego, CA Age: 34
Hyo Yang, aka “Will” San Diego, CA Age: 33
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
The Liao brothers (Zhiwei, Zhimin, and Zhiting) all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods. The Liaos’ wives pleaded guilty to substantive counts of wire fraud or mail fraud. Dao Trieu La pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Mengmeng Zhang and Tam Nguyen pleaded guilty to mail fraud.
Conspiracy to Traffic in Counterfeit Goods – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2320
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison, $2 million fine, mandatory restitution, and forfeiture.
Wire fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison, the greater of $250,000, or twice the value of the gross gain or twice the gross loss to the victims, mandatory restitution, and forfeiture.
Mail fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1341
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison, the greater of $250,000, or twice the value of the gross gain or twice the gross loss to the victims, mandatory restitution, and forfeiture.
AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
San Diego Police Department
San Diego Sheriffs
U.S. Customs & Border Protection
Homeland Security Investigations
Justice Department secures settlement against DeKalb County, Georgia, after officials terminated a sexual harassment complainantRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - The Department of Justice announced it has reached a settlement agreement with DeKalb County, Georgia, that will resolve its lawsuit alleging the county violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when it retaliated against former administrative assistant Cemetra Brooks, first by extending her probationary period and then by terminating her employment during the extended period, because she made a sexual harassment complaint. Title VII is a federal statute that prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex and religion and prohibits retaliation against employees for opposing employment practices that are discriminatory under Title VII.
“Discrimination in the workplace is toxic,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “An employee who faces discrimination in the workplace should be able to freely exercise their rights under Title VII without fear of retaliation.”
“Probationary employees are especially vulnerable to discrimination as they have fewer employment protections than permanent employees and are often reluctant to file a complaint since it could easily cost them their jobs,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This settlement agreement underscores that Title VII’s protections apply equally to probationary employees. The Civil Rights Division stands ready to vigorously enforce the law when employees who complain about sexual harassment are subject to retaliation.”
According to the Justice Department’s complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, during her initial six-month probation, Brooks filed a sexual harassment complaint with DeKalb County alleging her supervisor, the deputy director of the county’s Facilities Management Department, subjected her to unwelcome sexual advances, comments and conduct. these claims were later investigated and substantiated by the county. The United States’ lawsuit further alleges that, just one month after Brooks complained, the deputy director’s supervisor, the director, contacted human resources asking for information from the county’s still-active investigation of Brooks’ complaint that would help him fire Brooks while she remained on probation. According to the lawsuit, on advice of a high-level county official, the director extended Brooks’ probation by three months instead. However, near the end of her extended probation, the director fired Brooks without giving her any reason.
Under the settlement agreement, submitted for court entry and approval, the county will pay Brooks $190,000 for lost wages and compensatory damages. The agreement also requires the county to develop, and submit to the Justice Department for approval, anti-discrimination and anti-retaliation policies and to provide the supervisors and managers in its Facilities Management Department with training on those policies and on the types of workplace conduct that constitute unlawful employment practices under Title VII.
The Atlanta District Office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) investigated and attempted to resolve Brooks’ charge of discrimination before referring it to the Department of Justice as an enforcement action. More information about the EEOC’s jurisdiction is available on its website at www.eeoc.gov.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aileen Bell-Hughes, Civil Rights Enforcement Coordinator, handled this matter for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
The full and fair enforcement of Title VII is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Employment Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the jurisdiction of the Employment Litigation Section is available on its websites at www.justice.gov/crt/ and www.justice.gov/crt/employment-litigation-section.
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.
Justice Department Secures Settlement Against Dekalb County, Georgia, After Officials Terminated a Sexual Harassment ComplainantRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced it has reached a settlement agreement with DeKalb County, Georgia, that will resolve its lawsuit alleging the county violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when it retaliated against former administrative assistant Cemetra Brooks, first by extending her probationary period and then by terminating her employment during the extended period, because she made a sexual harassment complaint. Title VII is a federal statute that prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex and religion and prohibits retaliation against employees for opposing employment practices that are discriminatory under Title VII.
“Probationary employees are especially vulnerable to discrimination as they have fewer employment protections than permanent employees and are often reluctant to file a complaint since it could easily cost them their jobs,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This settlement agreement underscores that Title VII’s protections apply equally to probationary employees. The Civil Rights Division stands ready to vigorously enforce the law when employees who complain about sexual harassment are subject to retaliation.”
“Discrimination in the workplace is toxic,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan of the Northern District of Georgia. “An employee who faces discrimination in her workplace should be able to freely exercise her rights under Title VII without fear of retaliation.”
According to the Justice Department’s complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, during her initial six-month probation, Brooks filed a sexual harassment complaint with DeKalb County alleging her supervisor, the deputy director of the county’s Facilities Management Department, subjected her to unwelcome sexual advances, comments and conduct. these claims were later investigated and substantiated by the county. The United States’ lawsuit further alleges that, just one month after Brooks complained, the deputy director’s supervisor, the director, contacted human resources asking for information from the county’s still-active investigation of Brooks’ complaint that would help him fire Brooks while she remained on probation. According to the lawsuit, on advice of a high-level county official, the director extended Brooks’ probation by three months instead. However, near the end of her extended probation, the director fired Brooks without giving her any reason.
Under the settlement agreement, submitted for court entry and approval, the county will pay Brooks $190,000 for lost wages and compensatory damages. The agreement also requires the county to develop, and submit to the Justice Department for approval, anti-discrimination and anti-retaliation policies and to provide the supervisors and managers in its Facilities Management Department with training on those policies and on the types of workplace conduct that constitute unlawful employment practices under Title VII.
The Atlanta District Office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) investigated and attempted to resolve Brooks’ charge of discrimination before referring it to the Department of Justice as an enforcement action. More information about the EEOC’s jurisdiction is available on its website at www.eeoc.gov.
The full and fair enforcement of Title VII is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Employment Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the jurisdiction of the Employment Litigation Section is available on its websites at www.justice.gov/crt/ and www.justice.gov/crt/employment-litigation-section.
Jicarilla Apache man charged with kidnapping and assaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Kevin El Cavazone has been charged by criminal complaint with kidnapping and assault of an intimate partner by strangling. Cavazone, 39, of Mescalero, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Tribe, made an initial appearance in federal court on June 2 and will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing scheduled for June 7.
According to the complaint, from May 5 to May 11, Cavazone allegedly confined his ex-girlfriend within his home on the Mescalero Apache Reservation. To keep her confined, Cavazone allegedly threatened the victim, who is an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, and threatened to harm her family and others if she tried to leave. During this period of confinement, Cavazone allegedly assaulted the victim and strangled her until she could no longer breathe.
The victim was able to escape on May 11 and got a ride from a passing car to the Bureau of Indian Affairs Police Station a few miles away. She was taken to an emergency room for treatment for her injuries.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Cavazone faces up to 10 years in prison for assault of an intimate partner by strangling and up to life in prison for kidnapping.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorneys Matilda McCarthy Villalobos and Eliot Neal are prosecuting the case.
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Iowa Man Charged with Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Larchwood, Iowa, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Production of Child Pornography.
Shane Allan Nelson, age 36, was indicted on May 3, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on June 1, 2022, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 30 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on or about between March 13, 2020, and March 18, 2020, Nelson knowingly employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor female to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct, knowing that such depictions would be transported in interstate or foreign commerce or mailed. Such depictions would also be produced using materials that had been mailed, shipped, and transported in interstate and foreign commerce, including by computer.
The charge is merely an accusation and Nelson is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Iowa Internet Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.
Nelson was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on June 2 was:
Zacheriah Paul Siek, 33, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Siek faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Siek was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-61.
William Leonard, 52, of Cheney, Washington, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Leonard faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Leonard was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-38.
James Lawrence Archer, 44, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Archer faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Archer was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-58.
Appearing on May 31 was:
Tre Cy Kron, 29, of Miles City, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Kron faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Kron was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
PACER case reference. 22-60.
Michael David Brumfield, 54, a transient, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute meth and distribution of meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Brumfield faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Brumfield was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-39.
Cecil Jerome Hatchett, 31, of Las Vegas, Nevada, on charges of conspiracy to transport a minor with intent to engage in prostitution and tampering with a witness, victim or informant. If convicted of the most serious crime, Hatchett faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release. Hatchett was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-41.
Appearing in Great Falls before Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris and pleading not guilty on June 1 was:
Shaide Jo Demontiney, 19, no permanent residence, on charges of use of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. If convicted of the most serious crime, Demontiney faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release. Demontiney was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Rocky Boy’s Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 22-33.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Houston Resident Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ALEJANDRO MUNOZ, age 41, a resident of Houston, Texas, pled guilty on June 2, 2022 before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to a one-count indictment that charged him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, beginning in October of 2014, Special Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration identified MUNOZ as a supplier of heroin and cocaine hydrochloride to customers in Houston, Texas and New Orleans. As a result of his plea, MUNOZ faces a minimum term of imprisonment of ten years, a maximum term of imprisonment of life, a fine of up to $10,000,000.00, at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration offices in New Orleans, Louisiana and Houston, Texas, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones.
Houma Woman Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that NICOLE COCKERHAM (“COCKERHAM”), age 42, of Houma, Louisiana, pled guilty on June 2, 2022 to Theft of Government Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641.
According to documents filed in federal court, from March 2019 to July 2020, COCKERHAM knowingly converted approximately $38,851.00 in Social Security Administration and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES ACT”) funds.
COCKERHAM faces a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for September 13, 2022, before United States District Judge Wendy D. Vitter.
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, among other methods, 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 at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, and the Treasury Inspection General for Tax Administration with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.
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