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2 June 2022
S. Lane Tucker Confirmed as U.S. Attorney for the District of AlaskaRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE – The United States Senate confirmed S. Lane Tucker as the United States Attorney for the District of Alaska on May 17, 2022, and she was sworn in on May 31. She was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden on January 26 of this year.
Tucker brings with her over three decades of experience as a prosecuting attorney and defense attorney. Prior to entering private practice, Tucker was an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Civil Chief for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Anchorage. Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Tucker was a Trial Attorney in the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington D.C., and began her legal career as an Assistant General Counsel for the General Services Administration.
“I am both honored and humbled to have this opportunity to serve Alaskans,” Tucker said. “Over the past twenty years I have built the most important relationships of my life among the people of Alaska, and I look forward to working tirelessly to give back to this great state. I know from personal experience that the prosecutors and staff in the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska are deeply committed to ensuring justice for the people of Alaska, and I am prepared to lead our office to a new era of combating crime in our state and making Alaska a safe place for all who live here.”
Tucker has served as President of the Federal Bar Association, as a lawyer representative to the 9th Circuit Judicial Conference, and is the founder and chair of the Alaska Bar Public Contracts section. For many years she has been selected as one of America’s Leading Lawyers for litigation by Chambers USA, included in Best Lawyers in America, and listed in Alaska Super Lawyers. She has served as a board member and officer for the Alaska Community Foundation and the Anchorage Association of Women Lawyers.
She received her J.D. from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law in 1987, her B.A. from Mary Baldwin College in 1983, and attended Oxford University.
For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ak
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Roswell man sentenced to 110 years in prison for child pornographyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Dain Justin Adams was sentenced on June 1 to 110 years in prison. After a five-day trial, a federal jury convicted Adams, 41, of Roswell, New Mexico, on Jan. 28, 2020, of possession of child pornography, conspiracy to produce child pornography, receipt of child pornography and two counts of distribution of child pornography.
Adams was charged on Dec. 17, 2019, in a superseding indictment. According to the indictment and other court records, on June 27, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Adams’ residence in Roswell. Adams was not home, but investigators seized multiple electronic devices. Jade Tiffany Laurezo, 38, was present in the residence when the search warrant was executed. A review of their cell phones revealed conversations between Adams and Laurezo through the Viber app, which they also used to exchange child pornography. During those conversations, they discussed their sexual interest in children and Adams discussed his desire to sexually abuse children.
The jury found that Adams possessed and had access to images and videos of children engaged in sexual conduct, that he conspired with others to entice and coerce children to engage in sexual conduct to produce child pornography, that he knowingly received child pornography, and that he distributed child pornography to others.
Upon his release from prison, Adams will be subject to 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
Laurezo pleaded guilty on Oct. 31, 2019, to production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. A sentencing hearing for Laurezo is scheduled for June 16. By the terms of the plea agreement, Laurezo faces 15 to 20 years in prison.
The Roswell Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General and the Chavez County Sheriff’s Department investigated this case with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Assistant United States Attorney Marisa A. Ong prosecuted 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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Registered Sex Offender Is Sentenced to 25 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A Buffalo, New York man who traveled to Western North Carolina to engage in sexual activity with a minor was sentenced to 25 years in prison today, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, Allen Roger Cobb, 63, was ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.
Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
“Cobb is a repeat sex offender who was willing to travel great distance for his sexual gratification with a child. Thanks to the work of HSI and my office, this dangerous predator is off the streets and no longer able to harm innocent children,” said U.S. Attorney King.
“One of HSI’s most important missions is to protect children from predators like Cobb. As a repeat offender Cobb has proven he was willing and capable of traveling to North Carolina to irrevocably harm yet another child, were it not for the outstanding work of our special agents. We will continue to utilize all of the resources at our disposal to ensure individuals like Cobb are investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent that the law allows,” said Special Agent in Charge Martinez.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, beginning in July 2021, Cobb began communicating online with an undercover HSI agent posing as the parent of a minor female. During the online exchanges, Cobb expressed an interest in having sexual contact with the minor and discussed travel arrangements and details pertaining to the commission of the sexual assault. According to court records, over the course of their discussions, Cobb expressed concern to the HSI agent about being tracked by law enforcement given his sex offender registration status and stressed the importance of being discreet in their communications.
Cobb was arrested on August 31, 2021, after he travelled from Buffalo to Western North Carolina to engage in a sexual act with a minor. At the time of the arrest, law enforcement found a stuffed toy Cobb had purchased as a gift for the minor and a camcorder which Cobb intended to use to record the sexual assault.
On December 29, 2021, Cobb pleaded guilty to traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
U.S. Attorney King thanked HSI for their investigation that led to today’s sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis I. Solheim of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on May 24, 2022, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Alexander Salway, age 38, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Salway was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 18, 2021, and pleaded guilty on December 3, 2021. The conviction stems from Salway, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, illegally possessing a Taurus, model PT111 Millennium Pro, 9mm semi-automatic pistol, which was found after Salway came into contact with law enforcement in January 2021 in Rapid City.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Salway was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on May 24, 2022, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Tyler Allen, age 28, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Allen was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 18, 2021, and pleaded guilty on July 23, 2021. The conviction stems from Allen, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, illegally possessing an FEG, model PA-63, 9x18mm Makarov caliber, semi-automatic pistol, which was found after Allen came into contact with law enforcement in January 2021 in Rapid City.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Allen was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Charged with Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Michael Wilson, age 37, was indicted on May 19, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on May 24, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge stems from Wilson, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, knowingly possessing a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol in February 2022 in Rapid City. The charge is merely an accusation and Wilson is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson is prosecuting the case.
Wilson was detained pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Rapid City Man Charged with Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Julion Graham, age 26, was indicted on May 19, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on May 24, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge stems from Graham, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, knowingly possessing a Bersa, .380 ACP semi-automatic pistol in April 2022 in Rapid City. The charge is merely an accusation and Graham is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson is prosecuting the case.
Graham was detained pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Previously Convicted Child Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Adam L. Mahaffey, 39, of Martinsville, Indiana, was sentenced late yesterday to fifteen years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distributing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct and possession of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, Mahaffey is a repeat sex offender against children, convicted in 2012 of child seduction in Johnson County Indiana. Beginning no later than January 2021, Mahaffey began using an end-to-end encrypted online application to communicate with other individuals. One of the people Mahaffey contacted reported to the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office that Mahaffey sent them videos containing child sexual abuse material.
Between January 24, 2021, and April 20, 2021, Mahaffey was communicating online with an undercover FBI agent. During those exchanges, Mahaffey talked at length about his interest in engaging in sex acts with children as young as five years old. Mahaffey sent the agent multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse material. Mahaffey also told the agent that he wanted to meet at a hotel in the Southern District of Indiana so that Mahaffey could engage in sex with two prepubescent girls.
On April 26, 2021, the FBI executed federal search warrants at Mahaffey’s residence in Martinsville. Agents recovered Mahaffey’s cellular phone which contained hundreds of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material. The images and videos distributed and possessed by Mahaffey included depictions of the sexual abuse of a prepubescent child.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana and FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton made the announcement.
The FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case. The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office also provided valuable assistance. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. As part of the sentence, Judge Pratt ordered that Mahaffey be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years following his release from federal prison and ordered Mahaffey to pay a $1,000 fine and restitution to each of the minor victims depicted in the images and videos he distributed and possessed. Mahaffey must also register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, as required by law.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany J. Preston who prosecuted this case.
In fiscal year 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
Port St. Joe Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA –Roderick L. Robinson, 55, of Port St. Joe, Florida, also known as “Raggedy” and “Rags,” was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison for his part in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.
“Those who repeatedly commit serious crimes are deserving of significant prison sentences,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners work tirelessly to keep us safe and serve a critical role in our efforts to remove addictive and deadly controlled substances from our communities. Moreover, this sentence should serve as a strong deterrent to those who would distribute drugs in North Florida.”
Robinson pled guilty to conspiring to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine and 500 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine. Court documents show that Robinson was responsible for distributing at least 180 ounces (5.1 kilograms) of methamphetamine.
“DEA’s top priority is to protect our Florida communities from individuals like Mr. Robinson who threaten the health and safety of our citizens with their illegal actions,” said Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “DEA remains committed to our partnerships with the law enforcement community in northern Florida to bring these drug trafficking organizations to justice and keep our communities safe.”
Robinson had an extensive criminal history which included eight prior convictions for sale of cocaine and a 1994 conviction for attempted second degree murder with a hate crime enhancement for which Robinson had previously served over 15 years in state prison.
Following Robinson’s 168-month sentence, he will be on federal supervised release for 10 years. This sentence was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office, and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. 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.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted on two separate charges of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and a third charge of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on May 20, 2022, by U.S. District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier.
As to the conviction for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Nikki Joshua James Coomes, age 30, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Regarding the first conviction for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, Coomes was sentenced to serve 37 months in federal prison, and on the second conviction of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, Coomes was sentenced to serve 10 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. All three sentences are to be served concurrently. Coomes was also ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Coomes pleaded guilty to the Possession of Firearms charges on December 22, 2021. Coomes, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, was found to be in possession of a 20-gauge pump-action shotgun on December 5, 2020, at Pine Ridge. On September 15, 2021, Coomes was found in possession of a 9 mm caliber pistol, two .22 caliber rifles, two 12-gauge shotguns, a .380 caliber pistol, and a .38 caliber derringer on September 15, 2021, at Pine Ridge.
The firearms investigations were conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Sazama prosecuted the cases.
Coomes also pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance on April 26, 2022. From approximately June 2018 through 2021, Coomes obtained methamphetamine from multiple sources and then distributed it primarily from his residence on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The Defendant would supply quantities of methamphetamine to other persons, who would in turn further distribute the methamphetamine.
The drug distribution case was investigated by the Badlands Safe Trails Task Force, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, South Dakota Department of Criminal Investigation, and the Martin, South Dakota, Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina S. Nelson prosecuted the case.
Following the pronouncement of his sentences, Coomes was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 25 Years’ Imprisonment for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that David Serrano-Munoz, age 43, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner to 25 years’ imprisonment for producing child pornography. The sentence also included a 10-year term of supervised release, which will follow the term of imprisonment.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Serrano-Munoz previously admitted to coercing a minor living in York County, Pennsylvania, to take sexually explicit photos of herself and to send those images to him over the internet in 2017.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
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Philadelphia Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of Philadelphia, PA pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
Joel Butler, 28, pleaded guilty to the offense at Count One of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.
In connection with the guilty plea, on or about February 24, 2022, Butler knowingly, intentionally, and unlawfully, possessed firearms and ammunition, after having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for Oct. 12, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Arnold P. Bernard Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Marshals Service conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Butler.
Operation Washout Classic City Results in Arrests of Most Wanted Individuals in Athens-Clarke County RegionRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. –An eight-day multi-agency operation to curb violent crime in the Athens-Clarke County and surrounding communities resulted in wanted repeat violent offenders and documented gang members taken into custody on various state charges. These cases are currently under federal investigation and no federal charges have been filed at this time.
“Operation Washout Classic City” took place between May 18 – 25, amassing federal, state and local law enforcement resources to arrest the most wanted individuals in the area, including repeat violent offenders and gang members, who had eluded police. The operation was led by the U.S. Marshals Service-Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force (USMS SERFTF), and included FBI, ATF, DEA, GBI, Georgia Department of Community Supervision (DCS), Georgia State Patrol (GPS), Organized Crime and Gang Unit-Atlanta (OCAG), Clarke County Sheriff's Office, Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office, Athens-Clarke County Police Department and Western Circuit District Attorney’s Office with support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia.
Arrest and search warrants executed during this time period resulted in 49 arrests; 13 are documented gang members of Ghostface Gangsters, Gangster Disciples, Bloods and 1831 Piru. The individuals taken into custody as part of the operation are facing various state charges including probation violations for violent crimes, aggravated assault, rape and robbery. During the operation, law enforcement seized five firearms and a quantity of illegal drugs.
“Reducing violent crime in the Athens-Clarke County region and in every community across the Middle District of Georgia is the highest priority,” said U.S. Attorney Peter Leary. “Partnering directly with community stakeholders and law enforcement through Project Safe Neighborhoods, the U.S. Attorney’s Office aims to direct our resources toward addressing the most significant drivers of violent crime in each community and taking action.”
“Operation Washout Classic City is a great example of federal, state and local law enforcement partners working together to make a significant impact on reducing violent crime in our communities,” said USMS-SERFTF Deputy Commander John Edgar.
“The success of Operation Washout Classic City and initiatives like Project Safe Neighborhoods speak directly to what can be accomplished through collaboration and shared goals. The goal of directing resources to the most violent offenders in our community as a means to reducing violent crime is a strategy we can all unify behind,” stated District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez. “We are grateful for the strong work of our partners in the pursuit of creating a safer Athens-Clarke County.”
“The Athens-Clarke County community will not tolerate violent crime and criminal street gangs. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department is committed to protecting the citizens of Athens-Clarke County and Operation Washout Classic City is an example of what we can achieve when federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies work collaboratively, with a unified goal of removing violent, repeat offenders from our community,” said ACCPD Interim Chief of Police Jerry Saulters. “ACCPD appreciates the hard work of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners and the support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia.”
“Crime in our area is a regional problem. Through efforts like this one, we want to ensure those that engage in the criminal lifestyle do not find a comfortable place to stay in Oglethorpe County,” said Oglethorpe County Sheriff David Gabrielle.
The following individuals were taken into custody on state charges as part of Operation Washout Classic City; those who are documented street gang members are noted below:
Demetrius Bankston, 39, Cocaine
David Bingham, 39, Probation Violation, Ghostface Gangsters affiliation
Bradley Blakely, 34, Probation Violation, Ghostface Gangsters affiliation
Larry Bolton, 20, Robbery, 1831 Piru affiliation
Eric Brunson, 45, Illegal Drugs
Melvin Bryant, 56, Probation Violation
Delvin Buckles, 35, Aggravated Assault, Gangster Disciples affiliation
Jarvis Clark, 22, Probation Violation/Bond Violation, Crips affiliation
Denzell Davis, 29, Aggravated Assault, Sex, Money, Murder affiliation (sub-set of Bloods)
Reginald Dillard, 61, Probation Violation
Trellis Drake, 36, Probation Violation, Gangster Disciples affiliation
Domeeka Dunn, 33, Obstruction
Reco Echols, 45, Probation Violation, Gangster Disciples affiliation
Rodney Edwards, 34, Bond Violation, Gangster Disciples affiliation
Dominque Faust, 33, Probation Violation
Alden Fleming, 31, Failure to Appear
Jeffery Foote, 58, Burglary
Brandy Franklin, 27, Cocaine
Jason Jackson, 36, Rape
Andrew Jackson, 41, Probation Violation, Bloods affiliation
David Jones, 39, Probation Violation
Joshua Kell, 30, Probation Violation, Ghostface Gangsters affiliation
Carey Kimbro, 52, Probation Violation
Roy Dale Kirk , 56, Illegal Drugs
Michael Kiser, 35, Probation Violation, Gangster Disciples affiliation
Quincy Lassiter, 20, Probation Violation
Darious Latimore, 24, Probation Violation
Andrew Lattimore, 59, Probation Violation
Terrance McGuire, 31, Parole Violation
Gregory McIntosh, 65, Aggravated Assault
Joshua Pappe, 29, Probation Violation
Jamie Parker, 37, Probation Violation
Keyron Pass, 29, Aggravated Assault
Bryan Prather, 44, Stalking
Yobani Rico, 31, Methamphetamine
Justin Rogers, 30, Methamphetamine, Ghostface Gangsters affiliation
Shanika Rucker, 31, Aggravated Assault
Johnnty Saylors, 46, Parole Violation
Antoine Stewart, 30, Aggravated Assault
Amber Tatum, 34, Probation Violation
Jerilyn Titus, 44, Methamphetamine
Steven Walls, 40, Illegal Drugs
Derrion Watson, 20, Probation Violation
Rufus Whitfield, 59, Failure to Appear
Steven Williams, 33, Aggravated Assault
Reavco Woodall, 37, Violation Probation
Jose Yanez, 22, Sodomy
In addition, two juveniles were taken into custody for armed robbery charges.
Operation Washout Classic City was conducted 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.
In addition, Operation Washout Classic City is a response to The Department of Justice’s Comprehensive Violent Crime Reduction Strategy announced on May 26, 2021. The comprehensive strategy supports local communities in preventing, investigating and prosecuting gun violence and other violent crime—and requires U.S. Attorneys’ offices to work with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement, as well as the communities they serve, to address the most significant drivers of violence in their districts.
Criminal charges are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Onslow County Drug Dealer Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Jacksonville woman was sentenced to 180 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base (crack), and marijuana, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of such drug trafficking crime. On December 8, 2021, Ramona Lopez pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Jacksonville Police Department received complaints from management of a local hotel regarding Lopez’s selling of narcotics from a room at the hotel. After law enforcement surveillance revealed that Lopez was using the hotel as the base of operation for her drug trafficking organization, a search warrant was executed on the hotel room and law enforcement recovered 122 grams of methamphetamine, 107 grams of heroin, a quantity of fentanyl, 73 doses of Ecstasy, 7 grams of cocaine, written instructions for cooking methamphetamine, $6,636,and a loaded Taurus 9 millimeter handgun, later determined to have been stolen from Virginia.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Jacksonville Police Department, Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis M. Duffy prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-cr-00038-D.
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Odyssey International Inc. and Former Officer of Company Convicted of Fraudulent Scheme to Obtain $99 Million-Dollar U.S. Government ContractRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – On June 1, 2022, a federal jury found both Odyssey International, Inc. and its president and owner, Whitney McBride, 41, of Queen Creek, Arizona, guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and major fraud after a trial in Salt Lake City on June 1, 2022. In addition, the jury found McBride guilty of making a false statement to federal law enforcement and making a false declaration to the Court. The charges arise out of fraudulently claiming special status under a Small Business Administration (“SBA”) program in order to obtain the proceeds of a $99 million contract.
McBride and Odyssey were both charged in August of 2020 by a federal grand jury in Utah with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and major contract fraud in relation to submitting fraudulent applications for a $99 million-dollar federal government contract in Fort Drum, New York. McBride was charged with additional felony counts related to perjury and making false statements during the criminal investigation and prosecution of her and Odyssey’s fraudulent business ventures.
McBride and Odyssey were charged with federal felony violations after investigators discovered, that in 2011, Odyssey fraudulently bid on a $99 million contract for work at the Fort Drum military base in New York. The contract had been set aside for qualified businesses operating in historically underutilized business zones (“HUBzones”) under an SBA program. Areas are qualified as HUBzones based upon historical unemployment and poverty levels, and also include areas such as Indian reservations and military base closure areas. To qualify for a HUBzone contract through the SBA, two requirements are that at least 35% of the business’s employees must reside in a HUBzone and the business must be a small business. Odyssey bid upon the contract knowing that it did not qualify for HUBzone contracts through the SBA because 35% of its employees did not reside in a HUBzone and because Odyssey was not a small business.
In pursuing the $99 million dollar Fort Drum contract, Odyssey’s officers and employees falsified information about who was working for Odyssey and where they worked. These efforts included recruiting employees to falsify their addresses on their driver’s licenses and voter’s registrations, temporarily placing HUBzone residents who did not actually work for the company on payroll in order to falsely claim them as employees and using a shell company to pay employees who did not reside in HUBzones off of Odyssey’s books in order to conceal them from the SBA.
It was further alleged at trial that Odyssey had also fraudulently gained admission to the SBA’s 8(a) program. That program is designed to provide contract opportunities to businesses owned by individuals who have personally experienced discrimination. The Defendants conceded at trial that Odyssey’s application to this program was fraudulent but claimed Odyssey’s CFO was solely responsible for the application. Over a period of about nine years, Odyssey obtained more than $200 million in contracts through this program.
Sentencing is currently set for September 1, 2022. The maximum penalties for the counts of conviction are twenty years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to twice the amount gained from the fraud.
The investigation also resulted in Odyssey’s former chief operating officer Michael Tingey and chief financial officer Paul Lee both previously entering guilty pleas to wire fraud, and the seizure of more than $7 million in assets.
This case was investigated by Special Agents from the FBI, the United States Army Criminal Investigations Division, United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Small Business Administration. Additional assistance was provided by other government agencies including the General Services Administration and the Department of the Interior. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carl LeSueur and Assistant United States Attorney Aaron Clark.
Oakland Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Sex Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Alabama, who was living in Pittsburgh at the time of the offenses, has been sentenced in federal court to 15 years’ imprisonment on his conviction of sex trafficking crimes, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Anthony Juskowich, 23, who resided in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood.
According to information presented to the court, Juskowich had been grooming the victim, Jane Doe, since December of 2019, when the two met in Alabama. After a few failed attempts at expanding his sex trafficking business in Alabama and Georgia, Juskowich convinced Jane Doe, who had never traveled outside of the south, to travel with him to Pittsburgh. Once in Pittsburgh, the Court was informed that Juskowich coerced and forced Jane Doe to engage in commercial sex acts based upon the false promise of making enough money to go legitimate someday by purchasing and running a fast-food franchise. Additionally, Juskowich used force, threats of force, fraud and coercion to compel Jane Doe to meet sex customers. While Jane Doe initially tried to resist, to maintain some form of control over her life, Juskowich’s control, manipulation, demands, and intimidation wore down her resistance.
On May 14, 2021, investigators, after conducting an undercover operation, disrupted Juskowich’s crimes and arrested him, which enabled Jane Doe to be physically separated from Juskowich. Even so, Juskowich continued to exercise control over Jane Doe, even from jail.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government and conveyed to the Court, at sentencing, that human trafficking is more than a crime, it is an affront to human dignity and an attack on fundamental humanitarian values. There are no words to adequately describe the experience of a victim of any form of sexual abuse, particularly a victim of sex trafficking. The impact on a victim, including Jane Doe, is not merely physical, it affects one emotionally and psychologically in ways that most cannot begin to understand.
United States Attorney Chung commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Narcotics Division and the Moon Township Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Juskowich.
This prosecution is part of Operation T.E.N. (Trafficking Ends Now), the United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania’s coalition to end human trafficking. Operation T.E.N. serves as an umbrella coalition for law enforcement, community and non-profit partners in the 25 counties in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Through this initiative, the US Attorney’s Office is proactively working with local, state and federal law enforcement, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations, to identify and prosecute human traffickers and to empower victims to become thriving survivors. This coordinated effort aims to end human trafficking through education, training and improved cooperation, resulting in the successful prosecution of individuals like Juskowich.
North Dakota Man Convicted of Laundering over One Million Dollars from Schemes Targeting Victims Across the United States Perpetrated by Ghana-Based Criminal EnterpriseRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that SADICK EDUSEI KISSI was convicted today of three criminal counts he was charged with for his participation in a conspiracy based in the Republic of Ghana (“Ghana”) involving the theft of more than one million dollars. KISSI was convicted after a jury trial before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty which lasted approximately one week. KISSI was previously arrested on February 5, 2021.
As reflected in the Indictment, public filings, and the evidence presented at trial:
From in or about 2014 through in or about February 2020, a criminal enterprise (the “Enterprise”) based in Ghana committed a series of romance scams against individuals and businesses located across the United States, including in the Southern District of New York. The Enterprise conducted the romance scams by using electronic messages sent via email, text messaging, or online dating websites that deluded victims, many of whom were vulnerable older men and women who lived alone, into believing the victim was in a romantic relationship with a fake identity assumed by members of the Enterprise. Once members of the Enterprise had gained the trust of the victims using the fake identity, they used false pretenses to cause the victims to wire money to bank accounts the victims believed were controlled by their romantic interests, when in fact the bank accounts were controlled by members of the Enterprise like KISSI.
KISSI received money sent by victims of the Enterprise under false pretenses into personal bank accounts located in the Bronx, New York. The defendant also received criminal proceeds from other U.S.-based members of the Enterprise by cash deliveries. Once KISSI received these funds, he took out a percentage fee and then withdrew, transported, and laundered those criminal proceeds to other members of the Enterprise, in order to send those funds abroad to Ghana.
From in or about 2015 through in or about 2020, KISSI controlled more than eight bank accounts that had deposits that totaled over approximately $1 million during that time period. A substantial portion of the deposits consisted of large wire transfers and check or cash deposits from U.S.-based individuals and entities that were victims of schemes of the Enterprise.
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KISSI, 25, of Dickinson, North Dakota, was convicted by a jury of one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of receipt of stolen money, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to receive stolen money, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. KISSI was also acquitted of one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud.
KISSI will be sentenced before Judge Crotty at a later date.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine C. Reilly, Mitzi Steiner, and Sagar Ravi are in charge of the prosecution.
Niagara Falls Woman Who Allegedly Stole Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars from Investment Firm Clients Indicted on Fraud and Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a 23-count indictment charging Jennifer Campbell, 47, of Niagara Falls, NY, with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The charges carry a minimum penalty of two years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A. C. Penrose, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, Campbell was employed as the Office Manager and Chief Compliance Officer at an investment advisory firm based in Buffalo, NY, with access to client accounts. Between November 2018, and May 2021, Campbell used this access to steal over $500,000 from several clients and from the firm itself. Campbell wrote checks from client accounts, forging signatures of either the client or a principal at the firm, and then deposited the checks into her own personal account. Campbell also took steps to conceal the thefts. For instance, she sent a victim a falsified account statement showing a balance of approximately $148,000, when in fact the account had a balance of only $93. In another instance, Campbell took funds from a client and transferred the funds to the bank account of one of a previous victim, who believed that the funds she received were a distribution from her account.
In addition, Campbell diverted emails received by firm principals from anti-money laundering and financial crimes personnel at the firm’s broker-dealer, who had begun to raise questions about some of the transactions that Campbell had engaged in. To put off these inquiries, Campbell sent several emails using the email account of a firm principal making false statements and submitted fake documentation in an effort to make the transactions appear legitimate.
The defendant was arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was released on conditions.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Mount Pleasant Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Victor Alberto Elias Rodriguez, age 40, of Mount Pleasant, was sentenced Wednesday, June 1, 2022, to 342 months in prison for Production of Child Pornography. Elias Rodriguez was also ordered to serve ten years of supervised release following his imprisonment and was assessed a $100 Special Assessment immediately payable to the Crime Victims Fund.
According to court documents, officers initiated an investigation into Elias Rodriguez after receiving information regarding his possible sexual abuse of a minor female. The investigation revealed that Elias Rodriguez had been sexually assaulting the minor victim from the age of five, up to this incident when the victim was seventeen years old. In addition, Elias Rodriguez took a video of the sexual assault with his cell phone. On January 21, 2022, Elias Rodriguez pleaded guilty to the one-count Indictment.
U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nation-wide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
Morris County Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Role in Passaic County Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for his role in a Passaic County cocaine distribution conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Kiuny Perez, 44, of Rockaway Township, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to a criminal information charging him with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
The defendant was part of a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of cocaine in and around Passaic County. In November 2017, law enforcement officers observed Perez and a co-defendant meet at a location in Passaic and exchange a package containing cocaine. Law enforcement officers stopped Perez’s vehicle and found cocaine in a hidden compartment underneath the dashboard. Law enforcement officers also discovered $297,350 in cash in Perez’s residence.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Perez to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson, and the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan M. Peck of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
Michael Avenatti Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Identity Theft and Defrauding A Former ClientRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MICHAEL AVENATTI was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court by United States District Judge Jesse M. Furman to 48 months in prison for fraud and aggravated identity theft. AVENATTI was previously found guilty on February 4, 2022, following a two-week jury trial.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Lawyers have a duty to be loyal and advocates for their clients. Far from being a loyal advocate for his client, Michael Avenatti stole his client’s identity and her money in order to line his own pockets. Now, Avenatti will serve a substantial prison sentence for his brazen crimes and betrayal of his client.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment, court documents, and evidence presented at trial:
AVENATTI met Stormy Daniels in February 2018, when she was seeking an attorney to assist her with respect to a non-disclosure agreement that she had earlier signed with President Donald Trump. Daniels later signed a book deal to publish her memoir, and AVENATTI, pretending to act as her attorney and in her interests, stole a portion of the advance on that deal by directing her literary agent to send the money to a bank account AVENATTI controlled.
Specifically, AVENATTI stole two installments of Daniels’ book advance, totaling $297,500. AVENATTI sent to Daniels’ literary agent a fraudulent and unauthorized letter purporting to be from Daniels and appearing to bear her signature, which directed that future payments be sent to a bank account controlled by AVENATTI. In fact, AVENATTI wrote the letter himself, never received authorization from Daniels, and caused Daniels’ signature to be copied and pasted from another document onto the letter without her consent.
After transmitting the fraudulent letter to Daniels’ literary agent, AVENATTI received an installment of Daniels’ advance, worth $148,750, and promptly spent the money to satisfy his own personal and business expenses. When Daniels began inquiring of AVENATTI as to why she had not received the payment, AVENATTI lied to Daniels, telling her that her publisher had not made the payment. Approximately one month after diverting the payment, after Daniels threatened to go directly to her publisher about the missing payment, AVENATTI obtained a personal loan to pay $148,750 to Daniels, so that Daniels would not realize that AVENATTI had previously taken and used Daniels’ money.
A short time later, AVENATTI pressured the publisher to make the next installment payment early, purportedly at Daniels’ request though in truth without her awareness. AVENATTI soon received that installment, another payment of $148,750, which he again spent for his own purposes. For months after he had stolen this installment, Daniels repeatedly asked AVENATTI about the missing payment and, after he again falsely claimed that the publisher had not made the payment, asked that AVENATTI, as her lawyer, assist her in obtaining the book payment. AVENATTI continued to lie and claim that he was fighting with the publisher on her behalf when, as he knew, the publisher had made the payment early, but that he had stolen it. At the same time, further to avoid discovery of his scheme, AVENATTI, purporting to act as Daniels’ attorney, told her publisher and literary agent not to respond to direct requests for information from Daniels.
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In addition to the prison sentence, AVENATTI, 51, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced to three years of supervised release, as well as restitution and forfeiture. AVENATTI is currently serving a thirty-month sentence for extorting NIKE, Inc., imposed by Judge Paul G. Gardephe in United States v. Avenatti, 19 Cr. 373. Thirty months of imprisonment in this case were imposed consecutively with AVENATTI’s other sentence, and the remainder will run concurrently.
Mr. Williams praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The cases are being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Podolsky, Robert B. Sobelman, and Andrew A. Rohrbach are in charge of the prosecution.
Meriden Man Charged with Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment yesterday charging BIMAEL ACEVEDO-ROMAN, 28, of Meriden, with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in October 2020, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force began investigating a cocaine trafficking operation headed by Acevedo-Roman. The investigation revealed that Acevedo-Roman was coordinating the shipment of parcels containing kilogram quantities of cocaine from U.S. Post Offices in Puerto Rico to various “drop addresses” in Meriden, New Britain and Bristol, and the shipment of parcels of cash back to Puerto Rico. Acevedo-Roman and others picked up parcels from the drop addresses and delivered them to Acevedo-Roman’s Meriden residence.
During the investigation, it is alleged that investigators intercepted and seized mail parcels containing more than five kilograms of cocaine and $179,300 in cash, and have identified dozens of other suspicious parcels that likely contained kilogram quantities of cocaine and bulk currency.
Acevedo-Roman was arrested on May 18, 2022, and is currently released on a $100,000 bond. If convicted of the charge, he faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of life imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force, includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden and Town of Groton Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Konstantin Lantsman and Stephanie Levick.
Medford Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Methamphetamine on Post-Prison SupervisionRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—A Medford, Oregon man on post-prison supervision after a previous drug trafficking conviction was sentenced to federal prison today for eluding law enforcement while in possession of methamphetamine and a firearm.
Vincent Russell Jacobo, 38, was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, on December 31, 2020, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Office deputy was on patrol in Medford when he observed a black sedan driving toward him at a high rate of speed. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, but it fled and the deputy terminated the pursuit. A short time later, the deputy located the vehicle in a ditch and observed Jacobo attempting to crawl out the back window. Authorities arrested Jacobo and located a gram of heroin, two cell phones, and $1,500 on his person. Later, detectives from the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement team (MADGE) searched Jacobo’s vehicle and located more than 90 grams of methamphetamine, a small quantity of heroin, a loaded pistol, and drug packaging material. At the time of the incident, Jacobo had recently been released from state prison after convictions for drug trafficking and other felonies.
On January 28, 2021, Jacobo was charged by criminal complaint with possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Later, on February 1, 2022, he was charged by criminal information with possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On February 28, 2022, Jacobo waived indictment and pleaded guilty.
U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with assistance from MADGE. It was prosecuted by Marco A. Boccato, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Marietta Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution, Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Thomas Martin, age 35, of Marietta, New York, pled guilty yesterday to one count of distribution of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography and three counts of possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Matthew Scarpino, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office, and New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen.
Martin, who remains detained pending his sentencing scheduled for September 29, 2022, before United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes, faces at least 5 years and up to 60 years in prison and a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Martin will also be required to register as a sex offender.
As part of his guilty plea yesterday, Martin admitted that he actively traded child pornography images and videos using a social media messaging application on his cellular telephones, and that on January 30, 2022, he distributed an image file depicting the lascivious display of a child’s genitals who was between 4 and 6 years old. Martin further admitted that from February 3, 2020 to January 30, 2022, he received child pornography through the messaging application, including an image file depicting the lascivious display of a child’s genitals who was between 9 and 11 years old. Finally, Martin admitted that on February 11, 2022, he knowingly possessed 158 image files and 2 video files depicting child pornography on his three cellular telephones.
Martin’s case was investigated by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Investigators of the New York State Police, Computer Crimes Unit (CCU). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J.L. Brown as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that on June 1, 2022, TRAVIS GIBSON, 48, pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(C).
GIBSON conspired to distribute methamphetamine throughout Jefferson Parish and the surrounding areas for over a year.
At sentencing, GIBSON faces up to a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, a maximum fine of up to $1,000,000.00, at least three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee per count, pursuant to Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(C).
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Kenner Police Department, Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, New Orleans Police Department, and St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Nolan Paige, André Jones, and Melissa Bücher.
Los Angeles Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bank Fraud and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Los Angeles man was sentenced to federal prison today after he orchestrated an elaborate bank fraud and identity theft scheme targeting an elderly couple residing in Oregon.
Ijomah Joseph Oputa, 53, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. Oputa was also ordered to pay $40,396 in restitution and forfeit $32,478.
According to court documents, since his arrest in Los Angeles in March 2021, Oputa has failed to disclose to law enforcement the details of his many suspected fraud schemes. Instead, he has repeatedly misled investigators on his sources and level of income as well as basic biographical details such as his date of birth, where and with whom he lives, how many siblings he has, and whether his parents are still living. Oputa’s repeated obfuscation of basic facts presented significant challenges to law enforcement. Despite these, investigators successfully uncovered a scheme Oputa concocted targeting an elderly couple residing in northeast Oregon.
In April of 2019, an elderly victim and his wife, both in their seventies, obtained a home equity line of credit from First Community Credit Union (FCCU). The couple accessed cash from this line of credit via an account they maintained at FCCU. Just two weeks after receiving the loan, Oputa called FCCU’s customer-service line, pretending to be his elderly victim. Oputa verified his stolen identity with the victim’s basic biographical details, account number, and monthly payment information. Oputa then proceeded to hijack his victim’s account.
After linking the victim’s bank account to his own email address, Oputa changed the mailing address on the account to a mailbox he controlled at a commercial mail drop in Los Angeles. Oputa then requested that a debit card linked to the account be issued to himself. Between June 2 and July 12, 2019, Oputa used the debit card to purchase 41 money orders at five U.S. Postal Service locations in the greater Los Angeles area. Together, the money orders totaled more than $32,000. Oputa deposited most of the money orders into bank accounts he maintained under other stolen identities at several Los Angeles banks. A review of records from one such account revealed that 74 money orders totaling nearly $71,000 had been laundered through it.
In mid-July 2019, the adult victim reported the unauthorized account activity to FCCU and local police. By then, FCCU had suffered losses exceeding $40,000. Local police referred the investigation to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
On February 27, 2021, Oputa was charged by criminal complaint with aggravated identity theft and bank fraud. Later, on March 16, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland indicted him on the same charges. Finally, on April 20, 2022, Oputa pleaded guilty to both charges.
U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by USPIS with assistance from the IRS, Environmental Protection Agency, and Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Ryan W. Bounds, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Liberty Man Sentenced for Trafficking Fentanyl Near High SchoolRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Liberty, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for distributing fentanyl from his apartment near Liberty High School and for illegally possessing a firearm.
Daniel I. Ramirez, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 11 years in federal prison without parole.
On Oct. 19, 2021, Ramirez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, one count of distributing fentanyl within 1,000 feet of a public school, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Co-defendant Valerie Rios, 23, also of Liberty, has pleaded guilty to the same charges and awaits sentencing.
Ramirez admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl from March 4 to April 30, 2021. According to court documents, Rios sold an undercover detective fentanyl on three occasions between March 4 and March 9, 2021.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Ramirez’s apartment on South Forrest Avenue in Liberty, which is near Liberty High School, on March 12, 2021. Officers found a plastic bag that contained 184 counterfeit oxycodone pills that were actually fentanyl, a Smith and Wesson .45-caliber handgun with a loaded magazine, four magazines and ammunition, and $12,340 in cash.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black. It was investigated by the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Liberty, Mo., Police Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Lev Tahor Operatives Convicted at Trial of Kidnapping OffensesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced that MORDECHAY MALKA and MATITYAU MALKA were convicted in White Plains federal court of kidnapping following a three-week jury trial. The defendants, members of an extremist Jewish sect called Lev Tahor, participated in a scheme to kidnap a 14-year-old girl (“Minor-1”) and a 12-year-old boy (“Minor-2”) from their mother in Woodridge, New York in December 2018. The kidnappers then smuggled the children across the U.S. border to Mexico, where they reunited Minor-1 with her adult “husband,” who she had religiously “married” when she was 13 years old. After the children were recovered and returned to their mother, the defendants and their co-conspirators tried to kidnap the children a second time in March 2019. Two co-conspirators, Nachman Helbrans and Mayer Rosner, were previously convicted of kidnapping and sexual exploitation charges in connection with this case after an October 2021 trial and have each been sentenced to 12 years in prison.
According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Indictment, other court filings, and the evidence presented at trial:
MORDECHAY MALKA and MATITYAU MALKA are U.S. citizens and members of Lev Tahor, an extremist Jewish sect that has been located in several different jurisdictions, including New York, Israel, Canada, Mexico, and Guatemala. In or about October 2018, the mother of Minor-1 and Minor-2 escaped from Lev Tahor’s compound in Guatemala and arrived in the United States in early November 2018. Also in November 2018, a Brooklyn family court granted her sole custody of the children and prohibited the children’s father, a leader within Lev Tahor, from communicating with the children.
After the mother fled and settled in New York with her children, MORDECHAY MALKA and other Lev Tahor members devised a plan to return Minor-1 and Minor-2 to the Lev Tahor community. Then, in December 2018, the kidnappers took the children in the middle of the night from a home in upstate New York and transported them through various states and, eventually, to Mexico. MORDECHAY MALKA and his co-conspirators used disguises, aliases, drop phones, fake travel documents, an encrypted application, and a secret pact to execute on their kidnapping plan. At the time of the kidnapping, Lev Tahor leadership was seeking asylum for the entire Lev Tahor community in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Following a three-week search involving hundreds of local, federal, and international law enforcement officers, Minor-1 and Minor-2 were recovered in Mexico and returned to their mother in New York.
Then, in March 2019, members of Lev Tahor again tried to kidnap the children. The leader of Lev Tahor, Nachman Helbrans, attempted another kidnapping of the children while incarcerated in Westchester, New York. MATITYAU MALKA acted as the operative on the ground to execute the attempted kidnapping.
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MORDECHAY MALKA, 27, of Guatemala, and MATITAU MALKA, 30, of Guatemala, were convicted of one count of conspiring to commit international parental kidnapping, to unlawfully use a means of identification, and to enter by false pretenses the secure area of an airport, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. MORDECHAY MALKA was also convicted of two counts of international parental kidnapping, which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison for each count. MATITYAU MALKA was also convicted of one count of attempted international parental kidnapping, which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison for each count.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI, United States Customs and Border Protection, the Department of State, the Transportation Security Administration, the New York State Police, the Rockland County Sheriff’s Department, the Sullivan County District Attorney’s Office, the Village of Spring Valley Police Department, Special Agents with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and our law enforcement partners in Mexico, Guatemala, Canada, and Israel.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Sam Adelsberg, Jamie Bagliebter, Jim Ligtenberg, and Daniel Tracer, and paralegal specialist Shannon Becker, are in charge of the prosecution.
Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty in Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to his role in a Lawrence-based fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.
Elvin Mendoza, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for Oct. 12, 2022.
In June 2021, Mendoza was indicted along with 13 others following an over two-year investigation into a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating out of the Lawrence area. As a result of the investigation, Mendoza was identified as a drug trafficker who distributed fentanyl throughout Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. In December 2020, approximately $74,000 cash and approximately four kilograms of fentanyl, among other evidence, were seized from members of the DTO in various locations in Billerica, Methuen, Lawrence and Ayden, N.C.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to life in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Boston and the Andover, Billerica, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Methuen, North Andover, Tewksbury, Wilmington and Salem (N.H.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Rollins’ Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Judge Orders Middle Georgia Family Rehab to Pay $9.6 Million in Damages for Submitting Hundreds of Fraudulent TRICARE/Medicaid ClaimsRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – The District Court for the Middle District of Georgia found in favor of the United States and the State of Georgia in a civil case involving the fraudulent billing of hundreds of TRICARE and Medicaid claims by a Macon health care facility, ordering the defendants to pay $9,617,679.22 in damages and penalties.
U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self, III issued the judgment following an evidentiary hearing in U.S. v. Middle Georgia Family Rehab (MGFR) on Tuesday, May 24. The judgment was entered today.
“The ‘reckless disregard’ displayed by Middle Georgia Family Rehab in its billing should serve as a warning to other health facilities across Georgia—and the nation—that filing improper and false claims will come with hefty consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Middle Georgia Family Rehab reaped hundreds of thousands of dollars from taxpayers by improperly filing claims with agencies designated to provide physical therapy and speech therapy services to children and military families. A strong team effort from our Civil Division and its investigative partners resulted in a significant judgment against Middle Georgia Family Rehab which reinforces that our community’s most deserving patients are entitled to quality health care services.”
“Providers who undermine the integrity of the Department of Defense health care system for their own selfish gain must be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Cynthia A. Bruce, DoD Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “DCIS and our investigative partners will aggressively pursue those who divert funds intended for military families.”
“When Medicaid providers fraudulently divert funds for personal gain, not only does it undermine the needs of those who are most vulnerable, but the taxpayers of Georgia are harmed as well,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “Middle Georgia Family Rehab was charged with providing trusted health services to our military families and children in-need, and it failed to fulfill its responsibilities by instead choosing to exploit the system. This type of deceptive behavior is entirely unacceptable, and those who abuse our publicly-funded health care programs will be held accountable.”
U.S. District Judge Self initially granted partial summary judgment in this False Claims Act case on Wednesday, April 20. According to court documents, in that decision, the Court determined that approximately 800 false claims for services were improperly billed to Medicaid and TRICARE by MGFR and MGFR owner Brenda Hicks. Those improper services were billed under the names of a physical therapist and a speech therapist who were no longer employed by MGFR and therefore could not possibly have provided the services in question.
In analyzing the question of whether MGFR knowingly submitted the false claims, the Court found that MGFR’s conduct “epitomizes ‘reckless disregard’ of the truth.” (ECF No. 52 at 30.) Specifically, the Court found that MGFR’s submission of almost 800 claims to Medicaid and TRICARE over an eight-month period following the resignation of one physical therapist and the submission of 41 claims following the resignation of a speech therapist could not be characterized as an “honest mistake.” (ECF No. 52 at 30.)
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bowen Reichert Shoemaker and Taylor McNeill in the Civil Division are handling this case on behalf of the United States, with assistance from Senior Assistant Attorney General Rick Tangum, Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Swanson, and Investigators Scott Jones and Shaketia Morgan, along with investigators from the Georgia Medicaid Fraud Control Division, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Jesse Laslovich sworn in as U.S. Attorney for District of MontanaRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen swore in Jesse Laslovich today as the United States Attorney for the District of Montana. President Biden nominated Laslovich on Jan. 31, and the U.S. Senate confirmed him on May 17.
U.S. Attorney Laslovich leads all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation in the District of Montana. The district has offices in Helena, Great Falls, Missoula, Butte and Billings.
“I am honored to serve as United States Attorney for the District of Montana,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. “As the chief federal law enforcement officer, I look forward to working with communities across Montana and with our federal, state, local and tribal partners to improve public safety, seek justice and uphold civil rights for everyone. I am excited to join the U.S. Attorney’s Office and to work with the outstanding attorneys and support staff who have devoted their careers to public service.”
Prior to becoming the U.S. Attorney, Laslovich served as regional vice president for the SCL Health Montana-Wyoming region since 2017. From 2009 to 2016, Laslovich was chief legal counsel in the office of the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, where he prosecuted securities fraud cases. During 2011 and 2012, Laslovich also served as a special assistant U.S. attorney on securities cases in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana. From 2007 to 2008, Laslovich was the lead consumer protection attorney in the Montana Attorney General’s Office, in the Montana Department of Justice. Laslovich began his legal career at Datsopoulos, MacDonald & Lind, P.C. in Missoula and also taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Montana School of Law for two semesters.
As one of the youngest Montanans ever elected to the Montana Legislature, Laslovich first served in the House of Representatives from 2001 through 2004 and then in the Senate from 2005 to 2010, representing Anaconda-Deer Lodge, Granite, and Powell counties.
Laslovich received his J.D. from the University of Montana School of Law in 2006 and his B.A., with high honors, from the University of Montana in 2003.
During his career, Laslovich has volunteered his time to non-profit organizations, including Aware, which serves people who have developmental and mental disabilities, and ExplorationWorks, which promotes the sciences to children, and he volunteers as a youth baseball and basketball coach. Laslovich also served on the professionalism committee for the State Bar of Montana.
U.S. Attorney Laslovich thanked former U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson, who has served as the interim U.S. Attorney since December 2020, for his leadership and dedicated service. Johnson joined the office in 1995 as a career prosecutor and previously served as First Assistant U.S. Attorney under U.S. Attorney Kurt G. Alme, who left the office in December 2020 with the change in administration.
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Indictment Unsealed Charging a Birmingham Lawyer with Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Today, a federal grand jury indictment was unsealed charging a Birmingham lawyer with child exploitation offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr.
The two-count indictment filed in the U.S. District Court charges Chase Tristian Espy, 36, with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and possession of child pornography arising out of events that occurred from March 2021 to August 2021.
The attempted coercion and enticement of a minor charge carries a statutory imprisonment range of ten years to life and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for child pornography is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Birmingham FBI’s Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force (CEHTTF) investigated the case along with the Homewood Police Department and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Leann White and Jonathan Cross are prosecuting the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 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 (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Indian National Indicted for Immigration Documents Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – An Indian national was indicted for immigration documents fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Rohit Kumar, 30, of West Bengal, India, is charged with six counts of submitting false and fraudulent immigration documents and six counts of committing aggravated identity theft.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Kumar worked for several years in India for one of the largest information technology companies in the world. This IT company contracted with an electric utility company that was based in New Jersey and owned and operated nuclear power facilities at multiple locations, including in southern New Jersey. Under the contract, the IT company supplied services to the New Jersey company, including through the use of foreign national workers from India who worked in specialized occupations.
Kumar helped to arrange for Indian national workers to enter the United States under the H-1B visa program and then work at the New Jersey company. Some of these Indian national workers were stationed at a nuclear power plant in southern New Jersey, while other foreign workers were stationed at the company’s other locations in and around New Jersey.
On several occasions in 2017 and 2018, Kumar created and presented false and fraudulent documents to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service in support of the H-1B visa applications of the Indian national workers. The documents purported to contain the authorized signature of a contracting manager at the New Jersey electric utility company, but the contracting manager never signed or authorized a signature on these documents.
Each count of immigration documents fraud is punishable by a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, as well as a maximum fine of $250,000. Each count of aggravated identity theft is punishable by sentence of two years in prison, which must be served consecutively to any other term imposed, as well as a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Aliabadi and Jason M. Richardson in Camden.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Illegal alien admits to reentry chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Maical Kvec, a Romanian National, has admitted to being in the United States illegally, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Kvec, 24, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Reentry of Removed Alien.” Kvec, after being removed from the Chicago in 2019 and convicted of a felony in 2017 in California and another charge in 2019 in Iowa, was found in February 2022 in Ohio County.
Kvec faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod J. Douglas is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Houston Man Sentenced for Stealing $230,000 from Bank ATMsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Houston, Texas, man was sentenced in federal court today for stealing more than $230,000 from bank ATMs in Kansas City, Mo., and Allen Park, Michigan.
Deandre J. Gilliam, 20, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to three years and one month in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Gilliam to pay $218,835 in restitution to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
On Jan. 6, Gilliam pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting bank theft. He also pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the possession and concealment of money stolen from a bank, which was a case transferred from the Eastern District of Michigan.
Gilliam admitted that he and his co-conspirators broke into and stole $150,200 from the Chase Bank ATM located at 1614 E. 63rd Street in Kansas City, Mo., on March 6, 2020. Gilliam and his co-conspirators left Houston at about 5 p.m. on March 5, 2020, and traveled to Kansas City in three vehicles. Between midnight and 4:30 a.m. on March 6, 2020, they stole a Ford F-250 pick-up truck that was parked on the street in Fairway, Kansas, to use in their ATM theft. They used their cell phones to search for a suitable ATM.
At approximately 5:30 a.m. on March 6, 2020, four conspirators (wearing clothing that completely covered their faces and bodies) used tools to break into the ATM. The truck then backed up to the ATM and two chains were attached to the ATM. The truck then accelerated away from the ATM and forcibly pulled apart the ATM’s inner encasement. Conspirators removed canisters of cash from the ATM, got back into the truck, and drove away. While the conspirators in the truck broke into the ATM, others assisted by sitting in a nearby get-away vehicle and conducting counter-surveillance for police vehicles. Investigators later found the abandoned truck, with the tow chains still attached, near the Citadel Apartments.
Gilliam and his co-conspirators drove from Kansas City back to Houston. Law enforcement officers, who used a traffic camera to obtain the license plate number of the get-away vehicle, were able to track their return trip. Officers intercepted the vehicles on the outskirts of Houston and attempted to stop the vehicles. One of the vehicles pulled over immediately, but the other two vehicles fled from the officers and a high-speed chase ensued. One of the fleeing vehicles crashed and its occupants were arrested.
The occupants of the third vehicle, including Gilliam, eventually abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot. As he fled from the police, Gilliam picked up a red Spiderman backpack that had been dropped by one of his co-conspirators. Gilliam was still in possession of the backpack, which contained $72,385 stolen from the bank ATM, when he was arrested.
On June 2, 2021, Gilliam traveled from Houston to the Detroit, Mich., area. On June 3, 2021, Gilliam and his co-conspirators worked together to forcibly break into an ATM located outside the Chase Bank branch in Allen Park, Mich. Gilliam and his co-conspirators used a stolen Ford F250 pick-up truck, hooks, chains, and crowbars to break into the ATM and steal approximately $80,240.
Gilliam and his co-conspirators transported the stolen money to a rental house located about eight miles away, in Detroit. Later the same day, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at that residence, where Gilliam and four co-conspirators were found. Officers found $71,238 in stolen money concealed in various places throughout the house. They also found the tools and clothing used to break into the ATM.
Two of Gilliams’s co-defendants have pleaded guilty and been sentenced, and two co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent Venneman and Leigh Farmakidis. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Houston, Texas, Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Montgomery County, Texas, Sheriff’s Department, the Montgomery County, Texas, Constable, the Detroit, Mich., Police Department and the Allen Park, Mich., Police Department.
Honesdale Man Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Drew Lynn Jennings, age 35, of Honesdale, Pennsylvania, was indicted on May 31, 2022, by a federal grand jury on child pornography charges.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Jennings attempted to distribute child pornography on June 5, June 22 and June 23, 2021, in Wayne County.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being DeportedRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to one year in federal prison.
Juan Raymundo-Perez, age 34, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea on February 28, 2022, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported.
In a plea agreement, Raymundo-Perez admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. In June 2017, Raymundo-Perez was convicted in the Northern District of Iowa of using a fraudulent permanent resident card and a fraudulent Social Security card with numbers assigned to other people to illegally obtain employment in Dubuque. Illegal aliens are not authorized to work in the United States. Raymundo-Perez was deported to Guatemala by immigration officials in July 2017. He claimed to have illegally re-entered the United States through Texas in April 2021. On November 8, 2021, immigration officials learned Raymundo-Perez had illegally returned to the United States and found Raymundo-Perez at the Dubuque County Jail following his arrest on state charges. Further investigation by immigration officials showed that Raymundo-Perez again used a fraudulent permanent resident card and a fraudulent Social Security card with numbers assigned to other people to illegally obtain employment in Dubuque using an alias in April 2021.
Raymundo-Perez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Raymundo-Perez was sentenced to imprisonment of 12 months and one day. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Raymundo-Perez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-1035.
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Grand jury charges 2 New York men in $1 million, California-to-Cincinnati narcotics conspiracyRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged two New York men in a narcotics conspiracy involving more than 66 pounds of cocaine and at least 10 pounds of heroin.
Maximo Pena Herrera, 40, and Joel Serrata Rosario, 27, were each charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute at least one kilogram of heroin and five kilograms or more of cocaine.
Rosario was charged with a second count of possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, on May 11, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop in El Reno, Oklahoma on a commercial truck driver traveling from California to Cincinnati. The DEA Dallas-Oklahoma District Office assisted agents from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) and Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics (OBN) on the traffic stop.
A drug-detecting canine alerted to an SUV being transported by the hauler truck. Law enforcement officials discovered 29 kilograms of cocaine and five kilograms of heroin in a hidden compartment within the SUV. The amount of narcotics seized has a street value of more than $1 million.
Court documents detail that law enforcement tracked the vehicle to the Cincinnati area where Herrera and Rosario allegedly picked up the vehicle and paid the commercial truck driver $1,900 in cash. It is alleged the defendants were instructed by an inmate in a New York jail to obtain the narcotics in Harrison, Ohio, and deliver them to a specific location in Cincinnati.
A subsequent search of Rosario’s Cincinnati hotel room led agents to discover an additional three kilograms of cocaine.
The narcotics conspiracy charged in this case carries a penalty of at least 10 years and up to life in prison. Possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, as charged against Rosario, is punishable by five to 40 years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Kent Kleinschmidt, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); and other members of the DEA’s drug task force announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly K. Rossi is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Grand Jury Indicts Former UC Davis Assistant Water Polo CoachRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Daniel Joseph Noble, 26, of Davis, charging him with distribution of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, while working as the assistant water polo coach for UC Davis men’s team and the associated youth team, Noble joined a Kik group where users exchanged videos and images depicting the sexual abuse of children. On multiple dates in 2022, Noble sent the Kik group different videos showing children being sexually abused. Noble was arrested during the execution of a search warrant at his residence in Davis on May 19, 2022.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (in Jacksonville, FL and Sacramento, CA) and the Sacramento Internet Crimes Against Children task force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall is prosecuting the case.
Noble has been released on a $100,000 bond, with special conditions including no-contact with minors and home confinement with electronic location monitoring.
If convicted, Noble faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to a lifetime of supervised release. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Gladstone Woman Pleads Guilty to Arson-for-Hire Attempt of KC BusinessRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Gladstone, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to attempting to hire an arsonist to destroy her commercial building in Kansas City, Mo., which contained several businesses.
Mia Lee Jamison, 70, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lajuana M. Counts to one count of soliciting a crime of violence – specifically, to maliciously destroy a building by arson – and one count of making a false statement to investigators of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive.
By pleading guilty today, Jamison admitted that she met with an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives at her home on several occasions in April 2019 to discuss hiring him to commit arson. She offered to pay the undercover agent $150,000 to burn her commercial building, Mia Plaza, which is located near the corner of 39th Street and Bell Avenue in Kansas City. Three businesses operated at that location at that time – 39th World of Spirits (a liquor and grocery store), Bob Wasabi Kitchen (a sushi bar), and Sahara Sheesha Lounge (a hookah lounge).
Jamison told the undercover agent that she was going to be losing ownership of the building due to a civil lawsuit, and wanted the building burned before April 29, 2019. She told the agent she had a $1.5 million insurance policy on the building (it was actually $2 million). She agreed to pay him $150,000 and gave him a deposit of $3,500. Jamison wanted the fire to look like an accident, and the undercover agent agreed to set the fire between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. to limit the risk to the tenants.
On April 28, 2019, Jamison met with the undercover agent for the last time. She told the undercover agent she had removed the video surveillance cameras at the building in preparation for the fire and wanted the building to be burned that night. Investigators recorded all the meetings between Jamison and the undercover agent by either audio or video recording equipment, or both.
At approximately 4 a.m. the next morning, federal investigators contacted Jamison at her residence. Investigators asked whether she burned down the building in question or whether she asked someone to burn the building down. On multiple occasions she denied requesting or hiring someone to destroy the building by fire.
Following the interview, they told Jamison her building had not actually been damaged by a fire but was still standing and placed her under arrest.
Under federal statutes, Jamison is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trey Alford and Patrick D. Daly. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Georgia Meth Supplier Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Gainesville, Georgia, man was sentenced on May 27, 2022, to 15 years in prison for his participation in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine ice.
According to court documents, Isaiah Daniel Lambert was identified during an investigation in which investigators used a confidential informant to make a controlled purchase of methamphetamine ice from him. The investigation began in 2016 in Baldwin County, Alabama, and 13 defendants were arrested and prosecuted in federal court who implicated Lambert as their source of supply for methamphetamine ice. Some of the drugs were brought to Mobile County for distribution, and some were brought to Baldwin County for distribution. Court documents also reflect that Lambert himself traveled to Baldwin County and to Pensacola, Florida, to transport drugs and pick up drug money. Lambert pled guilty to the conspiracy charge in federal court in Mobile in July of 2021. He admitted he was responsible for the distribution of approximately 152 kilograms of methamphetamine ice.
United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed the 15-year sentence. The judge further ordered that Lambert would also serve five years on supervised release following his imprisonment. As conditions of his supervision, Lambert will also undergo mental health counseling, testing and treatment for drug and/or alcohol abuse, and he will be subject to a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that Lambert pay $100 in special assessments.
The case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Baldwin County Drug Task Force, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.Georgia Man Arranging Methamphetamine Transactions from Within Federal Prison Sentenced to 300 Additional MonthsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Brian Stanton, 38, of Athens, Georgia, was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison following his trial conviction on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine. Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.
“Cooperative and concerted efforts like Operation Arrowhead enable our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to identify and investigate those distributing addictive and deadly controlled substances in both our urban and rural communities,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “We remain vigilant to support their investigative efforts and will aggressively prosecute those engaged in drug trafficking throughout North Florida.”
Stanton was already serving federal sentences for possession of a firearm and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine when he was arrested on the new charge. While incarcerated at a federal prison in Atlanta, Stanton used a contraband cellular telephone to arrange for the distribution of at least 24 pounds of methamphetamine through various sources of supply outside the prison between June 2019 and November 2020. His new sentence will run consecutive, meaning Stanton will not begin serving the 300 months, until after his current period of incarceration is complete. Upon release, Stanton will be on supervised release for ten years.
“This sentence demonstrates the commitment of the DEA to work with our local, state, and federal partners to ensure that those who continue to engage in criminal activities and bring this poison into our Florida communities will be held accountable for their actions,” said Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “I commend the men and women who worked tirelessly on this investigation to dismantle this criminal drug network in order to keep their communities safe and healthy.”
“It is a constant battle to keep drug dealers off the street, and protect our families from their poisonous grip,” said Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett. “It takes federal, state, and local agencies working together as one team to make it happen. All law enforcement officers who came together for the success of Operation Arrowhead are to be commended. However, our mission would have been unsuccessful without the assistance of public citizens who take the initiative to say something when they see something.”
“When it comes to those who endeavor to commit serious crimes, jurisdictional boundaries are of no concern or consequence,” said Perry Police Chief Cruse. “The only way to disrupt the abilities and markets of those dedicated to distributing illicit substances in our rural communities is through strong cooperative enforcement efforts. The investigation and prosecution of all those convicted in Operation Arrowhead was made possible by means of collaborative efforts. To have state, local, and federal partners dedicate competent professionals to this investigation are a positive example of an effective alliance with substantive results. The Perry Police Department and the City of Perry are appreciative of all who participated in this investigation.”
In addition to Stanton, the operation resulted in the conviction of 23 other individuals, including:
- Erica Keeler, 22, of Perry, Florida; Sentenced to time served
- Kristin Walker , 32 of Perry, Florida; Sentenced to time served
- Audrey Newmeyer, 56, of Perry, Florida; Sentenced to 18 months in federal prison
- Jeffrey Thomley, Jr., 32, of Perry, Florida; Sentenced to 18 months in federal prison
- Russell Walker, Jr., 34, of Perry, Florida; Sentenced to 24 months in federal prison
- Carlton Hull, 50, of Perry, Florida; Sentenced to 30 months in federal prison
- Kammra Witt, 53, of Silver Springs, Florida; Sentenced to 36 months in federal prison
- Heather Vann, 40, of Perry, Florida; Sentenced to 48 months in federal prison
- Connie Sullivan, 52, of Trenton, Florida; Sentenced to 48 months in federal prison
- Roger Slaughter, 36, of Perry, Florida; Sentenced to 60 months in federal prison
- Kathryn Comolli, 41, of Edgewater, Florida; Sentenced to 72 months in federal prison
- Mark Johns, 50, of Lake City, Florida; Sentenced to 72 months in federal prison
- James Watkins, 37, of Fort White, Florida; Sentenced to 108 months in federal prison
- Abel Guerra, 60, of Perry, Florida; Sentenced to 114 months in federal prison
- Cedrick Gaddy, 44, of Perry, Florida, Sentenced to 120 months in federal prison
- Paul Pridgeon, 73, of Mayo, Florida; Sentenced to 144 months in federal prison
- Robert Murphy, 53 of Tallahassee, Florida; Sentencing set for June 15, 2022
- Kevin Lambert, 48, of Brooksville, Florida; Sentencing set for June 16, 2022
- Brian Morgan, 43 of Brooksville, Florida; Sentencing set for July 13, 2022
- Fawn Hurley, 37, of Mayo, Florida; Sentencing set for July 14, 2022
- Beyah Besha,44, of Perry, Florida; Sentencing set for July 27, 2022
- Robert Segrest , 40, of Perry, Florida; Sentencing set for August 4, 2022
- Stephen Gamble, 49, of Perry, Florida, Sentencing set for August 22, 2022
This conviction was the result of a collaborative investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, Perry Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Operation Arrowhead was a joint investigation targeting methamphetamine traffickers in several rural North Florida counties.
Operation Arrowhead was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Gary Milligan, Eric Mountin, James A. McCain, Kaitlin Weiss, and Christopher Elsey.
The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
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.
Gary Man Sentenced to 210 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Jaron Johnson, 23, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon on his plea of guilty to kidnapping, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Johnson was sentenced to 210 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on the night of April 14, 2019, Johnson participated in the kidnapping of a woman hoping to elicit information as to the whereabouts of a witness in his brother’s upcoming criminal case. Johnson participated in forcing the victim into a car at gunpoint, blindfolding and duct-taping her, and driving her around. The victim was beaten and threatened when she would not provide the information. At one point, the vehicle stopped, and another individual entered the back seat and continued beating the victim. A short time later the victim was dragged from the car to an area behind a house where one of the perpetrators shot her in the face and arm, and left her for dead, but she survived the attack.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Gang Response Investigative Team with the assistance of the Gary Police Department, Indiana State Police, and Lake County Prosecutor’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Toth and former Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Mahoney.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Former insurance agent arrested for defrauding customers, COVID fraudRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A former insurance agent was arrested this morning on federal charges alleging he defrauded dozens of victims in the Cincinnati and Dayton area and fraudulently obtained two COVID Paycheck Protection Program loans.
Seneca Birchmore, 44, of Cincinnati, lost his license as an insurance agent in 2019 because he was writing insurance policies for people who did not want them so that he could collect the commissions.
According to court documents, after losing his license, Birchmore then stole the identities of two other insurance agents and used those identities to write more life insurance policies for customers who did not want them. It is alleged Birchmore had the commissions from dozens of local customer victims deposited into his own bank accounts.
Local law enforcement departments received complaints from victims that money was being automatically withdrawn from their bank accounts for insurance policies they never ordered. Many of the victims are senior citizens, and most reside in Dayton, Englewood, Middletown and Cincinnati.
The commissions for Birchmore’s original fraudulent insurance policies under his own name as an agent totaled more than $8,000. The commissions for policies created under the stolen identities of other agents totaled more than $80,000.
It is also alleged that, in a separate scheme, Birchmore fraudulently obtained two COVID Paycheck Protection Program loans totaling more than $40,000. Birchmore allegedly claimed on both loan applications that he owned a business in his name and stated his gross income for 2019 was more than $13 million. It is alleged that no such business exists.
Fraud in connection with emergency benefits is a federal crime punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Social security fraud carries a potential maximum penalty of five years in prison and aggravated identity theft includes a mandatory two years of imprisonment.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, was joined by the Social Security Office of Inspector General, U.S. Secret Service, Ohio Department of Insurance, Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, U.S. Marshals Service, Butler County Sheriff’s Office and Cincinnati Police Department in announcing the charges. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Former Tennessee Securities Broker-Dealer Sentenced to 78 Months’ Imprisonment for Embezzling $5.7 Million from Employee Pension Benefit PlanRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a former securities broker based in Memphis, Tennessee, John Sherman Jumper, age 56, of Eads, Tennessee, was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment to be followed by three years on supervised release by Chief District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann, for embezzling $5.7 million from the pension benefit plan for employees of Snowshoe Refractories, a fire brick manufacturer located in Clarence, Centre County, Pennsylvania. Chief Judge Brann also ordered Jumper to pay restitution to the pension plan in the amount of $2,426,550, reflecting partial financial recoveries obtained by Snowshoe Refractories on behalf of the plan.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on April 9, 2021, Jumper forged signatures on fraudulent documents that purportedly authorized him to transfer funds from the pension plan on three separate occasions between March 2015 through April 2016. Jumper used the embezzled funds to make unauthorized loans and investments for the purchase of a tubing plant in Arkansas and three other business, to pay off $1.2 million of his personal loans, and to cover his personal legal fees. In addition, Jumper received a personal interest in the businesses purchased with the embezzled pension funds, and his securities company, Alluvion Securities in Memphis, received over $1 million in fees from the sale of the Arkansas tubing plant.
The indictment stated that the Snow Shoe Refractories Employee Pension Plan for Hourly Employees included about 129 active and retired employees. At the time the alleged $5.7 million embezzlement began, the pension plan assets were worth approximately $9.8 million.
As a result of his fraudulent misappropriation of pension funds, Jumper has been the subject of civil and regulatory sanctions obtained by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), a private corporation that acts as a self-regulatory organization for member brokerage firms and exchange markets. On November 1, 2018, a federal district judge in the Western District of Tennessee granted the SEC’s motion for default judgment against Jumper, and the court there entered a final judgment as to Jumper and his companies and businesses. The final judgment permanently enjoined Jumper from violating securities laws and ordered that he disgorge $5,700,000, representing profits gained as a result of the fraudulent conduct, together with prejudgment interest in the amount of $726,758.79. On February 3, 2017, FINRA permanently barred him, with his consent, based on allegations that he misappropriated funds from the Snowshoe pension plan for his personal use and to infuse capital into his member firm, Alluvion Securities.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Employee Benefits Services Administration of the United States Department of Labor, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Assistant U.S. Attorney George J. Rocktashel prosecuted the case.
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Former State Highway Patrol Officer Sentenced for Selling Firearms Without a LicenseRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Timothy Jay Norman, of Browns Summit, North Carolina, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for unlawfully transporting and dealing in firearms, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston.
Norman, age 47, pleaded guilty on March 10, 2022, to dealing in firearms without a license, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(a)(1)(A), 923(a), and 924(a)(1)(D).
According to court-filed documents, beginning in January 2021, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) learned that Norman was selling firearms to various persons, including a convicted felon, while employed as a North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) trooper. During the investigation, the FBI learned that Norman held out for sale, using the convicted felon as a “middleman,” various firearms, which included decommissioned NCSHP service weapons: Sig Sauer P226 .357 semi-automatic pistols; Arma Lite, AR-15 5.56mm semi-automatic rifles, and Beretta, Model 1201FP, 12-gauge shotguns. Thereafter, law enforcement agencies conducted three successful controlled purchase operations.
Specifically, on or about May 12, 2021, law enforcement, using a confidential human source, purchased a decommissioned Sig Sauer P226 .357 semi-automatic pistol, with the NCSHP badge engraved on top of the slide, in a case with two magazines, for $1,600 from Norman. On or about June 8, 2021, agencies, using a source, purchased a Beretta 12-gauge shotgun and an Arma Lite AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, one magazine, one soft black case, and one 50-round drum magazine from Norman at his home in Browns Summit, for $3,200. Finally, on or about June 24, 2021, law enforcement conducted a third successful controlled firearms evidence purchase from Norman, wherein Norman sold a NCSHP Sig Sauer P226 .357 semi-automatic pistol from his patrol car to a source at a closed gas station. Norman received $2,000 in FBI case funds in exchange for the decommissioned weapon. As to all of these firearms, records from the Federal Firearms Licensee (“the FFL”) where Norman purchased them establish that Norman made a significant profit as a result of the various transactions. The records also showed that Norman had purchased thirty-six firearms from the FFL since January 1, 2021.
On July 7, 2021, investigating agencies executed a search warrant on Norman’s home and seized thousands of rounds of ammunition and over fifty firearms. In Norman’s patrol car, they found two more firearms (neither of which was NCSHP-issued), including one AR-15 rifle that Norman purchased from the FFL earlier that year. There was also an envelope with over $2,000 in cash, which included FBI buy money from one of the controlled buy operations referenced above.
Norman was ordered to pay a $15,000 fine and will face three years of supervised release in addition to his 37-month prison sentence.
Sandra J. Hairston, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, made the announcement. Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and North Carolina State Highway Patrol-Internal Affairs Division investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney JoAnna G. McFadden.
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Former Ohio Police Chief Sentenced for Illegally Trafficking 200 Fully Automatic Machine GunsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Dorian LaCourse, 66, of Milford, Ohio, was sentenced today to 3 years’ probation, including 6 months home detention for conspiracy and making false statements. LaCourse is the former Chief of Police in the Village of Addyston, Ohio. Two federally licensed firearms dealers in Indiana were his coconspirators, Johnathan Marcum, 34, of Laurel, Indiana, and Christopher Petty, 58, of Lawrenceburg, Indiana, previously pleaded guilty in separate cases to participating in the same conspiracy and will be sentenced later this year.
According to court documents, LaCourse, Marcum, and Petty, illegally exploited a law enforcement exception to the federal ban on the possession or transfer of fully automatic machine guns. As Chief of Police, LaCourse signed multiple “demonstration letters” falsely stating that the Village of Addyston Police Department was interested in purchasing various types of machine guns, including military-grade weapons, and asking that Marcum and or Petty give the demonstration. Marcum and Petty then sent the letters to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to obtain the weapons. Addyston is a village in southwestern Ohio of approximately 1,000 residents. LaCourse was the village’s only full-time police officer.
LaCourse also placed direct orders for German-made machine guns that were purported to be paid for by the Police Department. In fact, the purchases were fully funded by Marcum and Petty and intended to bypass restrictions on the importation of such weapons by anyone other than the police or the military.
The Addyston Police Department was never authorized to purchase any of the machine guns, and the Indiana gun dealers never provided any demonstrations of machine guns to the police department. Instead, the gun dealers resold the machine guns at a significant profit. In some instances, a gun dealer resold illegally acquired machine guns for five or six times the purchase price. The conspirators purchased or caused the importation of approximately 200 fully automatic machine guns. LaCourse received over $11,500 from the gun dealers for his role in the scheme.
“Law enforcement officers are sworn to protect our communities and uphold the law, and the public has a right to expect police powers are used for the public good,” stated Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Instead, the defendant sold his badge to facilitate a criminal machine gun trafficking conspiracy. With heartbreaking regularity, we see the carnage that criminals can inflict on our communities with weapons of war. Today’s sentence demonstrates that officers who violate the public’s trust with utter disregard for the public’s safety will be held accountable.”
“LaCourse committed an egregious betrayal of the public’s trust by engaging in this machine gun trafficking scheme,” stated Travis S. Riddle, Acting Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “I hope that this sentence serves as an example to anyone else out there who might be tempted to betray their oath of office and their responsibility to their community.”
The ATF investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker. As part of the sentence, Judge Barker ordered that the defendant pay a $11,800 fine. Over 100 illegally obtained machine guns, 52,500 rounds of ammunition, and over $6,000 in proceeds of the crime seized from LaCourse’s office desk will be forfeited to the United States.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys James M. Warden, William L. McCoskey, and Nicholas J. Linder who prosecuted this case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Chicago Gun Trafficking Strike Force and has prioritized investigation and prosecution of gun trafficking crimes. On July 22, 2021, the Department of Justice launched five cross-jurisdictional strike forces to help reduce gun violence by disrupting illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country. These gun trafficking strike forces are designed to ensure coordination across jurisdictions and help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms from source cities, through other communities, and into five key market regions: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area/Sacramento Region and Washington, D.C.
Former Nixa School Official Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A former assistant principal at Nixa Junior High School in Nixa, Mo., was sentenced in federal court today for soliciting sexually explicit photos from a 13-year-old victim by posing online as a teen girl.
Colby Fronterhouse, 42, of Springfield, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 12 years in federal prison without parole.
On Aug. 19, 2021, Fronterhouse pleaded guilty to one count of receiving and distributing child pornography. Fronterhouse was employed as an assistant principal at the junior high school at the time of the offense; he was terminated on Feb. 8, 2021.
A Christian County sheriff’s deputy was contacted by a 13-year-old child victim and his father in September 2020. The child victim, identified in court documents as “John Doe,” had been engaging in a series of text messages for approximately a week with Fronterhouse, who posed as a 14-year-old girl. Fronterhouse, posing as a 14-year-old, encouraged John Doe to transmit sexually explicit images of himself to Fronterhouse, made specific requests for poses or types of images, and had sexually explicit conversations with John Doe.
Investigators learned that the phone used by Fronterhouse was a burner phone number with a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) account, but they were able to trace the account to Fronterhouse. Officers executed a search warrant at Fronterhouse’s residence on Jan. 26, 2021, and he was arrested. Investigators seized Fronterhouse’s cell phone and found evidence linking his cell phone to the burner account. Investigators confirmed that Fronterhouse had access to the child victim’s cell phone number through school records.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Former Navy Depot Supervisor Sentenced for Assaulting EmployeeRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jared B. Heisey, age 32, of Etters, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment to be followed by five months of home confinement by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for assaulting a employee at the Naval Support Activity (NSA) in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Judge Conner also ordered Heisey to undergo counseling and have no contact with the victim.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Heisey, a former Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) supervisor, assaulted an employee during work hours on August 9, 2019, at the NSA. Heisey directed the victim to accompany him to conduct an inventory count in a remote building at the NSA and when they entered the building, Heisey pinned the victim up against the wall by grabbing her neck with his hand while making sexual comments about what he would like to do to her. Heisey is no longer employed by DLA.
The case was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime M. Keating prosecuted the case.
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Former Muscogee Co. Deputy Clerk of Court Sentenced to 145 Months Imprisonment in Historic Multi-Million Dollar Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – The ring-leader of a massive and lengthy scheme to drain the Muscogee County Clerk of Courts’ coffers of millions of dollars was sentenced to prison for his crime today, along with five co-defendants.
Willie Demps, 64, of Phenix City, Alabama, and the former Deputy Clerk of Court for Muscogee County, Georgia, was sentenced to serve the guideline maximum of 121 months imprisonment for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. On each of the two counts of tax evasion, he was given 60 months imprisonment with 12 months to be served consecutively to the bank fraud sentence. The total amount of imprisonment is 145 months to be followed by five years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Clay Land handed down the sentence and ordered Demps to pay $1,323,045.21 in restitution to the Muscogee County Clerk of Court’s Office and $359,604 to the IRS, joint and severable with the other defendants, and advised that Demps’s retirement benefits be garnished to pay the restitution. In addition, the Government has requested a money judgement for $1,095,991, which will be ruled upon at a later date. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Willie Demps was the mastermind of an extraordinary, years-long theft of the Muscogee County taxpayers, stealing millions of dollars from its citizens under the guise of a trusted county employee,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Demps has been brought to justice for his crimes thanks to the unwavering persistence of FBI and IRS investigators, who teamed up with federal prosecutors to map out the complex fraud and bring those involved in this scheme accountable.”
“The FBI was proud to work alongside our federal and local partners in this multimillion-dollar bank fraud investigation that uncovered a decade of illegal conduct by Demps and his codefendants,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This lengthy sentence will hold Demps accountable for cheating U.S. taxpayers and hopefully bring closure to all who were affected by his crimes.”
“Demps abused his position as Deputy Clerk of Courts while engaging in a series of fraudulent financial transactions devised to siphon funds from the community. IRS Criminal Investigation is proud to have assisted our federal partners in unraveling the criminal activity undertaken by Demps for his personal benefit,” said James E. Dorsey, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office. “Pooling the skills of each agency makes a formidable team as we investigate allegations of wrong-doing. Today's sentencing demonstrates our collective efforts to enforce the law and ensure public trust.”
The following co-defendants were sentenced for conspiracy to commit bank fraud:
Terry McBride, 45, of Smiths Station, Alabama, was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and pay $299,285 in restitution.
Samuel Cole, 73, of Columbus, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and pay $387,020 in restitution.
George Cook, 33, of Columbus, was sentenced to time served, five years of supervised release and pay $215,196 in restitution.
The following co-defendant was sentenced for misprision of a felony:
Lamarcus Palmer, 35, of Smiths Station, Alabama, was sentenced to serve one year probation and pay $12,606 in restitution.
The following co-defendant was sentenced for interstate transportation of stolen property:
Rosalie Bassi, 66, of Phenix City, Alabama, was sentenced to serve five years of probation and pay $61,896.46 in restitution.
The following co-defendants will be sentenced on June 14 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud:
Curtis Porch, 48, and Dereen Porch, 43, both of Columbus.
According to court documents, Demps worked for the Muscogee County Clerk for approximately 30 years and supervised money deposits received by the Clerk’s Office. The Clerk’s Office received money from fines and condemnations, and payments were frequently made in cash. From at least 2010 to 2019, Demps maintained a safe in his office to store sums of cash that were collected by the Clerk’s Office. During the business day, this safe was rarely locked, even when Demps was away from his office. Demps (or his designee) was responsible for depositing cash received by the Clerk’s Office into an appropriate Clerk of Superior Court bank account. Records indicate that the Clerk’s Office received over $5.5 million in cash during the period of 2010-2019, yet only a single cash deposit of approximately $210 was made into official Columbus accounts in 2019. No cash deposits were made in other years.
From Oct. 19, 2010, to approximately Nov. 27, 2019, Demps issued at least 330 Clerk of Superior Court checks payable to the named co-defendants, and to some individuals not named, with a face value of at least $1.3 million. Bank records prior to Oct. 19, 2010, are not available, and the Muscogee County Clerk’s Office records prior to that date cannot be obtained. Demps would meet various co-defendants in locations away from his place of business at the Clerk’s Office to give the illicit checks to them to be cashed at banks in Columbus and in nearby Alabama. The co-defendants cashed the checks and returned the money to Demps, who would give the participating co-defendant a portion of the money. Demps admits he used the money for personal expenses, to send money to foreign countries and to spend at casinos.
Demps received cash deposits to his bank during the tax years 2018-2019, which he now admits were not the result of direct deposits from his lawful salary but rather proceeds from the money he stole from the Muscogee County Clerk’s Office. This money was not reported to the IRS and resulted in tax liability. Demps deposited $147,455 in cash in 2018 and $327,787 in cash in 2019 and fraudulently failed to account for these amounts as income on his tax returns. The IRS calculated Demps’s total amount of tax due from years 2015 to 2019 as $359,604.
FBI and IRS investigated the case, with assistance from the Columbus Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Helmick prosecuted the case for the Government. Retired Assistant U.S. Attorney Mel Hyde initiated the prosecution of this case.