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19 May 2022
South Carolina Man Arrested at Cyril E. King Airport on Outstanding WarrantRead the Press Release
ST. THOMAS, USVI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Maurice Eugene Tucker, 35, of South Carolina, made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller following his arrest on a warrant from Columbia, South Carolina. Tucker was released on a $25,000 unsecured bond and other conditions to allow him to return to South Carolina for further court proceedings.
According to court documents, on May 4, 2021, a South Carolina grand jury returned an indictment charging Tucker with being a felon in possession of a firearm. On May 15, 2022, Tucker was detained by Customs and Border Protection officers at the Cyril E. King Airport after he appeared for primary inspection before boarding a flight to the mainland. Thereafter, Tucker was arrested and taken into custody by officers of the Virgin Islands Police Department.
This matter is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.
United States Attorney Smith reminds the public that an indictment is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Russian Man Sentenced to 11 Months Time Served on Visa Fraud and False Statement ChargesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A man previously from Togliatti, Russia, now of Portland, was sentenced in federal court today for conspiracy to commit visa fraud, false statements to a federal law enforcement agency, and visa fraud, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Alexander Gormatov, 34, to time served (333 days), a $2,000 fine, and one year of supervised release. Gormatov was found guilty following a jury trial in October 2021.
According to court records, Gormatov, a Russian national, entered the U.S. on a student/work visa in 2009, and later successfully adjusted his status to that of an academic student visa by attending Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) in 2010.
In 2011, Gormatov met a 17-year-old female U.S. citizen through a Craigslist employment advertisement. A few months later when she reached age 18, Gormatov paid her to marry him in pursuit of a permanent immigration benefit. Gormatov then quit school. By November 2012, when he failed to re-enroll at SMCC, Gormatov became unlawfully present in the U.S.
In January 2013, per their agreement, the sham couple made a series of material false statements on immigration documents that Gormatov later filed seeking a formal adjustment to his immigration status. In April 2013, the couple was interviewed by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service in South Portland during which, per Gormatov’s instruction, the couple falsely claimed to be living as husband and wife. Following the interviews, based on the fraud, Gormatov obtained conditional lawful permanent resident (LPR) status in the U.S.
In January 2014, Gormatov’s bride gave birth to a child she conceived with her actual live-in boyfriend, but Gormatov’s name was placed on the birth certificate. In March 2015, Gormatov filed a petition to remove the conditions of his permanent residence, accompanied by a copy of the child’s falsified birth certificate.
In January 2017, after learning he was under investigation, Gormatov departed the U.S. for Russia and failed to return within one year. In May 2019, in order to return to the U.S., Gormatov falsely represented the paternity of his sham wife’s child on a form filed in Riga, Latvia.
During the trial, the young sham wife testified that Gormatov had told her to “just trust him” because such sham marriages happen all the time and “nobody cares.”
The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, and the Department of State - Diplomatic Security Service investigated this case.
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Rock Island Man Convicted of Firearm and Ammunition OffensesRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A federal jury returned guilty verdicts today against Anthony Tony Gay, of the 1200 block of 14th St., in Rock Island, Illinois, for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. Sentencing for Gay has been scheduled for September 16, 2022, at the federal courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.
Over three days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that on May 31, 2020, a vehicle in which Gay was a passenger was stopped by Rock Island police officers for a traffic violation. Gay fled from the traffic stop, but fell down as he was being chased by police and was arrested a short distance away. When officers retraced Gay’s flight path, they found a loaded Glock model 36 .45 pistol in the location where he fell. The Glock had previously been reported stolen in March 2020.
Approximately two weeks later, on June 14, 2020, Rock Island police were called to a Rock Island motel where Gay had been renting a room when he was arrested for the gun charge. As motel personnel were cleaning Gay’s room and removing his belongings, one of them located a bag of .45 ammunition containing the same type of rounds that had been loaded in the Glock pistol.
The government also established that Gay had a number of prior felony convictions, including robbery, aggravated battery, and possession of a weapon in prison.
Gay was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. At sentencing, Gay faces statutory penalties on each count of up to 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to a three-year term of supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by the Rock Island Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Mehochko, Alyssa Raya, and Jennifer Mathew represented the United States in the prosecution.
Revere Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Purchase of 20 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Revere man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with attempting to purchase 20 kilograms of cocaine from undercover agents.
Jesus Arley Munera-Gomez, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. On Nov. 15, 2021, Munera-Gomez was convicted following a week-long trial of one count of attempt to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
In February 2020, Munera-Gomez arranged to purchase 20 kilograms of cocaine from undercover agents in exchange for $200,000. At the meeting location, Munera-Gomez took a duffle bag from the undercover agents containing 20 kilograms of sham cocaine. He was arrested immediately following the transaction. A subsequent search of Munera-Gomez’s residence resulted in the seizure of approximately $200,000 which was to be used as the down payment for the cocaine.
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. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Dolan and Lauren A. Graber of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Republic Man Sentenced for Meth Trafficking after High-Speed ChaseRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Republic, Mo., man who led law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase was sentenced in federal court today for possessing methamphetamine to distribute.
Heath E. Yarger, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 14 years in federal prison without parole.
On Sept. 30, 2021, Yarger pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Yarger admitted that he was in possession of approximately 254 grams of pure methamphetamine when he was arrested on Dec. 21, 2020.
A Christian County, Mo., sheriff’s deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop of Yarger, who was driving a Chevrolet Silverado on Highway CC near Carnegie Road. Yarger failed to yield, however, and a pursuit ensued. Stop sticks were deployed and disabled the two passenger side tires. The pursuit continued onto northbound Highway 160 as Yarger reached speeds of 100 miles per hour and began to swerve and travel in the middle of the roadway, nearly striking multiple other vehicles. The pursuit continued through several residential streets and through the yard of a residence before returning to Highway 160. The pursuit ended near the intersection of Campbell Avenue and Primrose Street in Springfield, Mo. Yarger ran from the vehicle and was arrested after a short pursuit on foot.
Officers found a plastic bag that contained approximately 12.8 grams of pure methamphetamine in Yarger’s left jacket pocket. Officers searched his vehicle and found two plastic bags that contained an approximate total of 241.8 grams of pure methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Yarger has an extensive criminal history that includes convictions for operating a vehicle while intoxicated and multiple attempts to flee or resist law enforcement.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Beaver. It was investigated by the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Red Lake Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Red Lake man was sentenced to 60 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for selling fentanyl on the Red Lake Reservation, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on April 30, 2021, law enforcement observed Leroy Varney, 53, make an immediate roundtrip from Bemidji to Pequot Lakes for a drug pick up. Upon returning to Bemidji, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Varney’s vehicle. Law enforcement recovered from the vehicle a large bag weighing 100 grams containing a white powdery substance, which was divided into four smaller bags. Subsequent laboratory testing confirmed the substance was fentanyl. Varney admitted that he intended to sell the fentanyl in Bemidji to people coming from the Red Lake Indian Reservation.
Varney was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis. On December 16, 2021, Varney pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Red Lake Police Department.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Angelica D. Ramirez and Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Y. Aanstad prosecuted the case.
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Readout of the Tribal Nations Leadership Council MeetingRead the Press Release
During a two-day conference this week, the Tribal Nations Leadership Council (TNLC) met virtually with senior Justice Department officials, covering a range of issues, challenges and opportunities for American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes.
Yesterday, the TNLC met with Attorney General Merrick. B. Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. The Office of Tribal Justice and the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) discussed with the TNLC the implementation of guidelines under Savanna’s Act and Tribal Community Response Plans developed in response to the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. The TNLC also discussed the impact of the expansion of Tribal jurisdiction under the recently reauthorized Violence Against Women Act.
On Tuesday, May 17, the TNLC met with the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), about the department’s grant opportunities to enhance public safety in Tribal communities, and with the Office for Victims of Crime and EOUSA on efforts to assist crime victims and address violence.
The TNLC is composed of Tribal leaders representing American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native villages from regions around the country. This meeting, the first in more than four years, was announced in January by the Attorney General in remarks to the National Congress of American Indians. The Council is comprised of elected Tribal officials, nominated by their peers to represent their region.
Established by charter in 2010, the TNLC is charged with providing perspective on emergent and ongoing issues across Indian country as well as providing feedback on Justice Department activities in support of Tribes in each region. In addition to establishing a mechanism for regular insight and accountability, the structure of the group honors the government-to-government relationship with Tribes.
Reading Man Sentenced for Wire Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Reading man has been sentenced in connection with a scheme to defraud an elderly relative of her interest in a three-family home and a separate scheme to defraud the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance.
Giorgio “George” Fiorenza, 51, was sentenced on May 17, 2022 by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to three years in prison and three years of supervised release. Fiorenza was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $20,508. On Dec. 14, 2021, Fiorenza pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Between August and September 2017, Fiorenza defrauded an elderly relative into signing a deed conveying her interest in a property she owned with Fiorenza’s spouse and forged the victim’s name on another document necessary to convey title to the property, both of which were recorded in the Middlesex Registry of Deeds. Fiorenza then took out a $750,000 loan in his spouse’s name and secured by the property, and subsequently caused the lender to foreclose on the property. As a result of Fiorenza’s conduct, the victim was forced to move from the only home she had ever known, where she had lived for more than seven decades and where her family had had roots for generations.
Between April and June 2020, Fiorenza filed claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) in the names of third parties and fraudulently diverted some of the funds for his own use. PUA was a temporary federal unemployment insurance program created when Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) in March 2020 in response to the global coronavirus pandemic. The PUA program, which in Massachusetts was administered by the Department of Unemployment Assistance, provided unemployment insurance benefits for individuals who were not eligible for other types of unemployment benefits. Among other things, Fiorenza filed a PUA claim using a victim’s identity, directed the proceeds of the claim to an account in his spouse’s name, and did not disclose to the victim or her husband that she had qualified for assistance.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Labor Racketeering & Fraud Investigations, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Raytown Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud Scheme That Used Stolen Identities of Johnson County EmployeesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Raytown, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a fraud scheme that utilized the stolen identities of Johnson County, Kansas, government employees to make fraudulent purchases.
Michael B. Becher, 40, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to participating in a conspiracy to commit credit card fraud from Feb. 1 to June 30, 2019.
By pleading guilty today, Becher admitted that he and his co-conspirators used stolen identity information to make fraudulent purchases. Many of the identity theft victims were current or former employees of Johnson County, Kan. The Johnson County, Kan., government experienced a data breach of employees’ personally identifiable information in 2015.
Becher was responsible for making counterfeit driver’s licenses in the names of the identity theft victims. Becher and co-conspirators used the counterfeit licenses to open fraudulent credit accounts. Before making a counterfeit driver’s license, Becher performed a credit check on the identity theft victim to determine the likelihood of establishing a credit account.
Becher made at least seven fraudulent purchases himself, using the stolen identities of three victims, at Lowe’s and Home Depot in transactions ranging from $1,617 to $8,049. Becher then sold the goods and equipment for half of the actual value of the property. Becher kept half of the proceeds that he sold and gave the other half to co-conspirators.
Co-defendant Rachel R. Jarman, 35, address unknown, pleaded guilty on Dec. 17, 2021, to her role in the conspiracy.
In a separate and unrelated case, Becher has also pleaded guilty to his role in a nearly $10 million conspiracy to distribute almost 1,000 kilograms of methamphetamine from Sept. 1, 2018, to Nov. 5, 2019. Becher admitted he was responsible for the distribution of at least 185 kilograms of methamphetamine. Becher also admitted that he purchased multiple pounds of methamphetamine on a daily basis.
Under federal statutes, Becher and Jarman each are subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole in this case. In the drug-trafficking case, the government and Becher have agreed to a sentence of 20 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 Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Cooper and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Daly. It was investigated by the Olathe, Kan., Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service.
Quintet of Attorneys General Statement of Support for the Prosecutor General of Ukraine and Investigations and Prosecutions for Russian War CrimesRead the Press Release
The Quintet of Attorneys General have issued the following statement of support for Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova of Ukraine and investigations and prosecutions for crimes committed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine:
“The Attorneys General of the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand join in support of Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova, her Office, and the Ukrainian people in ensuring accountability for war crimes committed during the Russian invasion.
“We support the pursuit of justice by Ukraine and through other international investigations, including at the International Criminal Court, the United Nations, and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and in our own jurisdictions, in order to the ensure prompt, fair and effective investigation and prosecution of such offences under Ukrainian, domestic or international law.
“We join in condemning the Russian Government for its actions, and call upon it to cease all violations of international law, to halt its illegal invasion and to cooperate in efforts to achieve accountability.
“We look forward to working together with the Prosecutor General and her Office to ensure every perpetrator faces justice.”
U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland
United Kingdom’s Attorney General Suella Braverman
Australia’s Attorney General Michaelia Cash
Canada’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General David Lametti
New Zealand’s Attorney General David Parker
Purported Surgeon Pleads Guilty to 25 Counts Relating to Romance Scam Involving Online Dating WebsitesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Brian Brainard Wedgeworth (a/k/a “Dr. Brian Anderson,” a/k/a “Dr. Anthony Watkins,” a/k/a “Dr. Brian Adams,” a/k/a “Dr. Edward Chen,” a/k/a “Dr. Brian Chris,” a/k/a “Dr. Chris Williamson,” a/k/a “Dr. Brian Christopher Williamson,” a/k/a “Dr. Brian Edmonds,” a/k/a “Dr. Brian Ammerson,” a/k/a “Dr. Brian Lamar Wilson,” a/k/a “Dr. Brian Wilson,” a/k/a “Dr. Brian Mims,” a/k/a “Dr. Brian Lamar Sims”), 46, formerly of Tallahassee, Florida, and Center Point, Alabama, plead guilty today to 25 counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. The plea was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Court documents reflect that between October 2016 and March 2021, Wedgeworth devised a scheme to defraud women he met through online dating forums by falsely representing that he was a physician in order to fraudulently obtain money and property from them. In so doing, Wedgeworth made promises to the women to induce them to send him money and buy him jewelry and watches. Wedgeworth admitted to causing, or intending to cause, a total loss of over $1.3 million to over 30 women who he victimized as a result of his scheme.
“Our citizens should not be preyed upon by fraudsters who steal through overtures of affection,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “With the assistance of our dedicated law enforcement partners, we are committed to investigating and vigorously prosecuting those who engage in all acts of fraud.”
Sentencing in this case is set for August 8, 2022, at 10:00 a.m., at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before the Honorable United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle. Wedgeworth faces up to 20 years in prison on wire fraud and mail fraud counts, up to 10 years in prison on the money laundering counts, and a minimum mandatory sentence of 2 years in prison, consecutive to any other imprisonment that is imposed, for the aggravated identity theft count.
“Rooting out fraudulent schemes furthered by the U.S. Mail, such as romance scams, remains a top priority for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service,” said Juan A. Vargas, Acting Inspector In Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division. “Our agency will continue to investigate those that target innocent individuals and abuse their trust for financial gain.”
This case resulted from a joint investigation by the United State Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), and work is ongoing to ensure that all potential victims are identified. If you believe that you were in contact with Brian Brainard Wedgeworth, or through one of his aliases, and would like to speak with an investigator, please contact the USPIS by email at [email protected]. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Promotion of commercial sex, drugs and firearms crimes send Billings man to prison for more than 10 yearsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings man who admitted his role in promoting commercial sex and his involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy, which included brandishing a firearm during an assault over a botched drug deal, was sentenced today to 10 years and one month in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Mario Juan Drake, 33, pleaded guilty in August 2021 to a second superseding information charging him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and ecstasy, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and two counts of use of a facility in interstate commerce in aid of racketeering.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that in 2019, Drake, co-defendant D’Javon King and others conspired to distribute illegal narcotics, including cocaine and ecstasy. On April 24, 2019, during an attempted drug deal of ecstasy at a Billings motel, a struggle ensued between a buyer and two distributors. The buyer assaulted one of the distributors and left the scene. In response, Drake, King and others arranged a meeting with the buyer during which they assaulted the individual while holding firearms. Drake brandished a firearm during the assault and later he, King and others informed the two distributors that they had retaliated against the buyer for the failed drug deal. King was sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison following his conviction in the case.
The government further alleged that in April and May 2019, two women, identified as Jane Doe 3 and Jane Doe 5, were both engaged in commercial sex with Drake and also were intimately involved with him. Drake used his cell phone to assist with commercial sex calls for both Does by receiving and posting photos of the Does for advertisements, setting pricing for calls and communicating with sex customers for both Does. Drake accompanied the Does to hotels, used a timer during the calls and entered the room if the calls went past the timer.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno B. Baucus and Benjamin D. Hargrove, prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.
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Prolific Fraudster Sentenced to Statutory Maximum Federal SentenceRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Charice Unruh, 42, of Spokane, Washington, was sentenced today in federal court in Spokane. Senior Judge Wm. Fremming Nielsen sentenced Unruh to 48 months in federal prison, the highest sentence available under federal law. Judge Nielsen also sentenced Unruh to another year of incarceration, to be served concurrently, because she committed this crime while already on federal supervised release for her prior criminal conduct. Judge Nielsen also imposed 48 months of supervised release, to begin running when Unruh is released from custody.
In February 2022, Unruh pleaded guilty to Unlawful Use of the United States Mails, after an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”). The investigation began when a keen Postal Inspector noticed a package addressed to Unruh while conducting a routine review of parcels coming into Spokane. The Inspector recognized Unruh’s name from a previous USPIS investigation in which Unruh was convicted and sentenced to federal prison in connection with her role in an identity theft ring. The package addressed to Unruh had several indicators consistent with packages that contain contraband, and the Inspector obtained a federal search warrant for it. The search revealed methamphetamine in the package.
The Postal Inspector removed the actual methamphetamine and replaced it with a noncontraband substance before setting up a controlled delivery of the parcel to Unruh. Unruh retrieved the package and was immediately contacted by the Inspector. USPIS then executed a search warrant at Unruh’s Spokane-area apartment, and located multiple devices commonly used to engage in identity theft, as well as personal identification information for multiple individuals across the country.
In imposing the maximum available sentence, Judge Nielsen noted Unruh’s “disturbing” and “terrible” history with this type of crime. In her remarks to the Court, Unruh said she copes with life’s struggles by eating and using methamphetamine, and indicated that she was addicted to both. Judge Nielsen agreed, but stated Unruh was also addicted to stealing other people’s identities and personal information. Judge Nielsen noted that he did not believe Unruh properly considered or understood the impact of her actions on all the innocent people whose personal information she compromised.
serious punishment, as today’s sentence demonstrates,” said Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. “Our colleagues at USPIS work tirelessly to ensure not only the safe delivery of mail in this country, but to investigate identity theft, mailboxing, wire and bank fraud, and similar crimes. Identity theft costs victims money, time, stress, and can have lasting negative impacts on people’s lives. Even if victims of identity theft are made whole by banks, credit card companies, and other institutions, the costs associated with credit card fraud, bank fraud, and identity theft are distributed back across the entire law-abiding population, increasing everyone’s cost of living. I commend USPIS for their ongoing efforts to stymie both identity theft and the use of the U.S. mails to distribute drugs.”
“The U.S. Postal Service remains one of the most trusted entities in the country, and we work at every turn to protect the communities we serve. Preventing identity theft remains one of our top priorities,” said Inspector in Charge Anthony Galetti. “Every time I speak to a victim of identity theft, I am reminded of both the financial and mental toll this crime takes—innocent victims have to spend their time, energy, and resources to close fraudulent bank accounts, correct credit scores, and the like. A bank may return a victim’s money, but a bank can never give a victim back all the hours it takes to undo an identity thief’s work. We hope this sentencing brings justice to the victims of Unruh’s criminal activity and serves as a deterrent to others. I thank the U.S. Border Patrol and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance; it is partnerships across agencies that allow cases like this to be solved.”
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the United States Border Patrol and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin A. Baunsgard of the Eastern District of Washington handled this matter on behalf of the United States.
Postal Employee Charged with Theft of MailRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert Riley, age 41, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a United States Postal Service employee, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on mail theft charges.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Riley stole approximately 28 items of mail, in Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County, between August 23 and December 15, 2021.
Those who believe that they may have been affected during this period may make a report on the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General website at https://www.uspsoig.gov/hotline.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime M. Keating is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 5 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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Poplar woman admits assault, child abuse crimesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Poplar woman suspected of assaulting a toddler on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation admitted to charges this week, U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said today.
Shelby Loves Him, 23, pleaded guilty on May 16 to an indictment charging her with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and felony child abuse. Loves Him faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Aug. 24. Loves Him was detained pending further proceedings.
Court documents filed by the government alleged that Loves Him had been caring for the victim, a toddler, identified as John Doe, since approximately August 2021 when on Dec. 8, 2021, law enforcement officers were contacted about John Doe being unresponsive at the Poplar Community Hospital. The officers observed bruising and scratches on John Doe’s head, arms and legs. When questioned about events leading to John Doe arriving at the hospital, Loves Him told officers that she had struck John Doe multiple times in the week leading up to an incident on Dec. 8, 2021, when she assaulted and choked the victim until he lost consciousness. John Doe was flown to Salt Lake City, Utah, for emergency life-saving surgery and care. John Doe continues to suffer significant impairment from the injuries he sustained.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy A. Johnson is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Montana Highway Patrol and Fort Peck Tribes Police Department.
XXXOwner of Drug Testing Lab Sentenced in Medicare Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Las Vegas, Nevada-based laboratory owner, who paid another lab owner to direct urine samples to his lab for testing and then billed the federal government for that testing, was sentenced last week to four months of house arrest and ordered to pay a total of $510,000 in forfeiture, restitution, and fines.
Rakesh Reddy Kothuru, 49, pled guilty in January 2022 to one count of knowingly and willfully making false representations of material facts for payments under federal health care programs. The conviction means Kothuru is subject to mandatory exclusion from future participation in federal health care benefit programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. Pursuant to his plea agreement, Kothuru was required to pay $500,000 prior to his sentencing to be credited toward the court-ordered forfeiture and restitution.
According to court documents, Kothuru was the majority owner of Laboratory Services of America, LLC (LSA), a Las Vegas-based lab that provided drug testing on urine samples. After performing that testing, ATL routinely sent tested samples to other laboratories for “confirmation” testing.
One of those other labs included American Toxicology Labs (ATL), formerly owned by Michael Norman Dube, who also owned a chain of clinics in Tennessee and Virginia that purported to treat opioid addiction with buprenorphine. Providers at those clinics frequently ordered urine drug screens for their patients in order to assess current drug use and to gather medically necessary information that would be pertinent to treatment.
In January 2015, Kothuru and Dube entered into an arrangement in which Dube would refer all of ATL’s tested urine samples to LSA for confirmation testing in exchange for cash kickback payments to Dube’s personal checking account.
Between March 23, 2015, and September 20, 2016, Kothuru’s lab received more than $750,000 from Medicare, Virginia Medicaid, Kentucky Medicaid, and TennCare in compensation for confirmation testing performed on samples directly related to services illegally billed and collected in accordance with the kickback scheme between Kothuru and Dube.
As part of a previous guilty plea in 2011 to intentionally omitting information from reports as required under the Controlled Substances Act, Dube had been prohibited by the Department of Health and Human Services from ever participating in any federal health care program again. As part of his involvement in the kickback scheme with Kothuru, Dube pleaded guilty in March 2021 to two counts of health care fraud, sentenced to 36 months in federal prison, and ordered to pay over $9,000,000 in fines, forfeitures, and restitution costs.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia announced the sentence today.
The Virginia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia, the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whit D. Pierce and Randy Ramseyer, and Special Assistant United States Attorney and Assistant Attorney General Janine M. Myatt prosecuted the case.
Monongalia County man sentenced to nearly 20 years for child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Thomas John Winston, of Westover, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 235 months of incarceration for a child pornography charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Winston, 32, pleaded guilty in February 2022 to one count of “Possession of Child Pornography – Previous Conviction.” Winston, who has previously been convicted of a similar charge in Preston County, West Virginia, admitted to having child pornographic images in August 2019 in Preston County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Perri prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The FBI investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Monongalia County man admits to role in firearms conspiracyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Harry Anderson Sprouse, III, of Maidsville, West Virginia, has admitted to his role in a firearms conspiracy, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Sprouse, 53, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the False Statement in Connection with the Acquisition of Firearms.” Sprouse admitted to working with another to illegally purchase two pistols from a licensed dealer in December 2020 in Marion County.
Sprouse 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 Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Monessen Woman Sentenced to Prison for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA -- A former resident of Monessen, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 18 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release on her conviction of five counts of mail fraud, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Amanda Fairfax, age 37.
In order to combat the devastating impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on the United States, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed into law. The CARES Act created the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Program, which provided unemployment benefits to individuals not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended unemployment benefits. Individuals are eligible for PUA if they were unemployed due to the pandemic and could accept a job if one were offered
According to information presented to the court, between June and July 2020, Fairfax knowingly filed claims for PUA benefits on behalf of five individuals, all of which contained fraudulent statements. The U.S. Postal Service transported the resulting benefits to two addresses associated with Fairfax. In total, Fairfax fraudulently obtained $66,240.00 over the course of her scheme.
As part of the sentence imposed, the defendant was also ordered to pay a special assessment of $500 and restitution in the amount of $66,240.00.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Chung commended the United States Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General and the United States Secret Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Amanda Fairfax.
Modesto Man Indicted for Escape from CustodyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Fernando Corrales, 23, of Modesto, charging him with escape from custody, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Jan. 19, 2022, Corrales was ordered confined at the Turning Point Residential Re-Entry Center in Fresno after a conviction in the District of Oregon for conspiracy to possess and distribute heroin. While Corrales was allowed to be on home confinement, on Feb. 20, 2022, he cut off his ankle monitor and absconded. His whereabouts were unknown until his arrest.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Corrales faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Miami-Based VirtuOx, Inc. Agrees to Pay $3.15 Million to Resolve Allegations that it Fraudulently Billed MedicareRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – VirtuOx, Inc. (“VirtuOx”), based in Coral Springs, Florida and operating Medicare approved Independent Diagnostic Testing Facilities (“IDTF”), has agreed to pay $3,150,000.00 to resolve allegations that it submitted or caused to be submitted false claims to Medicare for reimbursement.
The United States alleged that, from January 2016 to December 2020, VirtuOx violated the False Claims Act by falsely identifying the place of service for certain services it performed to obtain a higher rate of reimbursement from Medicare. In particular, the United States alleged that, in connection with its billing for overnight pulse oximetry claims, VirtuOx knowingly submitted false claims to Medicare identifying its IDTF located in San Francisco, California as the location of service for overnight pulse oximetry tests when, in fact, no services were performed at that location in relation to the overnight oximetry claims.
The United States further alleged that, from January 2016 to December 2020, VirtuOx administered overnight pulse oximetry tests and, at times, also billed Medicare for single determination pulse oximetry tests (commonly referred to as an oxygen “spot check”) for the same patient when in fact the only test performed was the overnight test. In particular, the United States alleged that, because an awake reading is necessarily taken as part of an overnight pulse oximetry test, the separate billing of a “spot check” is redundant and generally not necessary. Accordingly, the United States alleged that VirtuOx knowingly submitted false claims by separately billing for both an oxygen “spot check” and an overnight pulse oximetry test when only an overnight pulse oximetry test was performed.
Contemporaneous with the civil settlement, VirtuOx entered into a Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). The five-year CIA requires, among other things, that VirtuOx retain an outside expert to perform annual claims reviews that address the place of service identified on the claim.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Omar Pérez Aybar, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), announced the settlement.
“The fraudulent billing of Medicare results in systemically higher medical care costs for all,” said United States Attorney Gonzalez. “My Office will continue to hold accountable those health care providers who manipulate the system to benefit their own bottom line.”
“By submitting false claims to Medicare, providers waste valuable taxpayer dollars and undermine the integrity of federal health care programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar, at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to investigate such actions to ensure the efficiency and integrity of these programs.”
This matter arose from a lawsuit filed by Amber Watt in federal court in Miami, Florida. The lawsuit was filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private individuals to sue on behalf of the government for false claims and to share in any recovery. The whistleblower share to be awarded in connection with the settlement is $630,000.00.
HHS-OIG investigated the matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica R. Sievert and Miriam L. Alinikoff handled the litigation.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 19-cv-61084.
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Mastermind of $11.1 million Paycheck Protection Program fraud scheme sentenced to fifteen yearsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Darrell Thomas has been sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and to money laundering for masterminding a scheme to obtain 14 fraudulent loans totaling approximately $11.1 million from the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). To date, a total of twenty-three individuals have been charged in connection with the fraudulent scheme.
“Thomas took advantage of pandemic relief funds intended for struggling small businesses to line his own pockets,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K Buchanan. “Every dollar he took diverted funds from legitimate business owners suffering the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic who desperately needed assistance to pay their employees. The sentence imposed today shows that fraud does not pay.”
“Thomas orchestrated a massive fraudulent scheme to greedily line his pockets with stolen government funds that were intended to provide relief to small businesses and their employees during the COVID-19 Pandemic”, said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Hopefully, Thomas enjoyed his short-lived fun with all the luxury items purchased with stolen tax payer money, as he will now pay for his crimes with a lengthy prison sentence.”
“The charges and last week’s sentencing show IRS Criminal Investigation’s commitment to defend the integrity of the pandemic relief programs,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge James E. Dorsey. “We will continue to contribute our financial expertise to identify fraud, trace the funds, and bring the criminals to justice.”
“These results demonstrate the commitment of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to investigate and bring to justice those who attempt to corruptly interfere with Federal tax administration,” said J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. “We appreciate the work of the U.S. Attorney's Office and our law enforcement partners to ensure this criminal activity is held to account.”
“OIG continues to bring to justice those persons who would seek to exploit federal programs for unlawful personal gain,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “Our Office will remain relentless in the pursuit of fraudsters who seek to exploit SBA’s vital economic programs. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the second superseding indictment, and other information presented in court: From April 2020 through August 2020, Darrell Thomas orchestrated a PPP loan scheme involving at least fourteen fraudulent loans. Each of the fourteen businesses obtained a PPP loan between $700,000 and $850,000, for a total of over $11.1 million. The loan applications certified that each applicant business was in operation on February 15, 2020 and had employees for whom it paid salaries and payroll taxes or paid independent contractors; that the funds would be used to retain workers and maintain payroll or make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments; and that the information provided in the application and in all supporting documents and forms was true and accurate in all material respects.
The PPP loan applications reported that each business had between 59 and 69 employees and approximately $295,000 to $342,000 in average monthly payroll expenses. To support these payroll figures, each business’s loan application was accompanied by an Internal Revenue Service Form 941, which employers use to report payroll taxes, for each quarter of 2019 and by a bank statement or a spreadsheet reflecting payroll expenses. In reality, however, none of the businesses had employees or payroll expenses. The Form 941s, bank statements, and W2 payroll spreadsheets had all been fabricated. Indeed, some of the supporting documents the businesses submitted were substantively identical, including identical Form 941s and identical bank statements.
After the PPP loan proceeds were deposited into the businesses’ accounts, the businesses transferred more than $5.5 million of the PPP loan proceeds into accounts controlled by Darrell Thomas, purportedly for rental payments and payroll. However, none of the businesses had any legitimate business with any of the businesses or accounts to which they sent the proceeds. Based on the investigation, none of the companies allegedly engaged in any business-related transactions or used the PPP loan proceeds for any authorized purposes. Instead, the businesses used the funds for various personal expenses. In connection with the investigation, the United States seized more than $4 million in PPP loan proceeds, four luxury vehicles, and several jewelry items.
Darrell Thomas, 36, of Johns Creek, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J. P. Boulee to fifteen years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $13,206,752.10. On June 16, 2021, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and one count of money laundering. As part of his guilty plea, Thomas admitted his participation in fraudulent conduct totaling more than $14.7 million, including approximately $11.1 million in fraudulent PPP loans, more than $1.15 million in fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loans, and more than $2.4 million in fraudulent automobile loans.
He also agreed to forfeit various assets, including more than $2.1 million in seized funds, three luxury vehicles – a 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S65AMG, a 2018 Land Rover Range Rover, and a 2017 Acura NSX – and several items of jewelry, including a gold Rolex.
To date, a total of twenty-three individuals have been charged in connection with the fraudulent scheme. Eleven other individuals have pleaded guilty and six other individuals have been sentenced, while the remaining eleven individuals’ charges remain pending.
The following defendants have either pleaded guilty based on their roles in the fraudulent scheme or have been sentenced to date:
- Charles Petty a/k/a Charles Knight, 49, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud in connection with the loan obtained by Transportation Management Services Inc. On February 23, 2022, Judge Boulee sentenced Petty to three years and ten months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release, and Judge Boulee ordered him to pay $830,417 in restitution and a special assessment of $100.
- Khalil Gibran Green, Sr., 47, of Cleveland, Ohio, pleaded guilty on September 1, 2020, to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud in connection with the loan obtained by his business, Impact Creations LLC. On January 14, 2021, Judge Boulee sentenced Green to three years and five months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release, and Judge Boulee ordered him to pay $830,000 in restitution, forfeiture of $157,035.71, and a special assessment of $100.
- Bern Benoit, 45, of Burbank, California, pleaded guilty on March 11, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud in connection with the loan obtained by his business, Transportation Management Services Inc. On September 8, 2021, Judge Boulee sentenced Benoit to two years and three months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release, and Judge Boulee ordered him to pay $1,105,217 in restitution, forfeiture of $461,433.36, and a special assessment of $100.
- Charmaine Redding, 28, of Macomb, Michigan, pleaded guilty on July 14, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the loan obtained by her business, All Star Room and Board Services of Michigan Inc. On October 21, 2021, Judge Boulee sentenced Redding to two years and three months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release, and Judge Boulee ordered her to pay $1,159,138.31 in restitution and a special assessment of $100.
- Charles Hill IV, 46, of Norcross, Georgia, pleaded guilty on September 29, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the loan obtained by his business, Infinite Education Services Inc. On January 12, 2022, Judge Boulee sentenced Hill to five years’ probation, with the first twenty-seven months to be served on home detention. Judge Boulee ordered him to pay $1,004,805 in restitution and a special assessment of $100.
- Andre Lee Gaines, 67, of Dallas, Georgia, pleaded guilty on June 17, 2021, to one count of making false statements to the FBI in connection with the loan obtained by his business, Gaines Reservation and Travel. On October 5, 2021, Judge Boulee sentenced Gaines to five years of probation and ordered him to pay restitution of $806,710 and a special assessment of $100.
- Denesseria Slaton, 53, of McDonough, Georgia, pleaded guilty on June 16, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud wire fraud in connection with the loan obtained by Transportation Management Services Inc. Slaton’s sentencing is set for June 21, 2022.
- Jesika Blakely, 34, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty on March 15, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with her involvement in Thomas’s scheme. Blakely’s sentencing is set for June 29, 2022.
- Amanda Christian, 34, of Blythewood, South Carolina, pleaded guilty on March 23, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the loan obtained by Mickies Auto and Tire LLC. Christian’s sentencing is set for June 30, 2022.
- Derek Parker, 57, of Rochester Hills, Michigan, pleaded guilty on April 14, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the loan obtained by his business, D Parker Holdings Inc. Parker’s sentencing is set for July 28, 2022.
- Rick McDuffie, 51, of Little Rock, South Carolina, pleaded guilty on April 27, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the loan obtained by his business, Mickies Auto and Tire LLC. McDuffie’s sentencing is set for August 23, 2022.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the Small Business Administration-Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tal Chaiken and Nathan Kitchens of the Northern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Siji Moore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts, For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Marshall County man admits to meth chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – John David Crow, of Moundsville, West Virginia, has admitted to selling methamphetamine, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Crow, 52, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Crow admitted to selling methamphetamine, also known as “ice,” in November 2021 in Marshall County.
Crow faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. 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 Clayton J. Reid is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Maintaining Drug-Involved PremisesRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Michael Cicciu, 42, of Manchester, pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday to one count of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 31, 2020, Manchester police detectives obtained a state search warrant for Cicciu’s residence based on surveillance and post-arrest statements from both buyers and suppliers of drugs. After executing the warrant, officers located a baggie of fentanyl and an apparent drug ledger.
In 2018, Cicciu purchased a residential building in Manchester. The premises were managed and controlled by Cicciu and made available for others to unlawfully store, distribute, and use controlled substances. Specifically, on eight separate occasions between October 22, 2019 and November 20, 2020, Manchester police detectives executed search warrants at the residence that resulted in the arrests of people renting rooms from Cicciu who were distributing and using heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine and crack cocaine. On one of these occasions, officers also located several assault-style weapons, a handgun, and brass knuckles.
Cicciu is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25, 2022. As part of his plea agreement, he has agreed to forfeit his interest in the property, which is located on East High Street in Manchester.
“Drug trafficking endangers our community in many different ways,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “Not only do drug traffickers sell deadly substances, but their unlawful activities damage the peace and security of our neighborhoods. By allowing dangerous drug dealers to do business inside his building, this defendant jeopardized public safety and broke the law. Thanks to the hard work of our law enforcement partners, he has now been held responsible for his crimes.”
This matter was investigated by the Manchester Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joachim H. Barth. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Rabuck assisted with the forfeiture portion of the case.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.). In July of 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the District of New Hampshire and nine other federal districts. The goal of S.O.S. is to combat the large number of overdoses and deaths associated with fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. In New Hampshire, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is focusing its efforts on prosecuting synthetic opioid trafficking cases arising in Hillsborough County, which includes Manchester and Nashua.
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Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Advertising Child Porn, and Distribution of Child PornRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On Tuesday, May 17, 2022, Rocky Shay Franklin, a 36-year-old residing in Greenville, Alabama during the commission of his crimes, was sentenced to 480 months in prison for sexual exploitation of a child, advertising child pornography, and distribution of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Stewart and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Paul W. Brown. Following his 40-year prison sentence, Franklin will be on supervised release for the remainder of his life and will be required to register as a sex offender. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to Franklin’s plea agreement and other court records, an investigation began in 2019 when law enforcement received numerous reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) identifying an IP address associated with suspected online child porn activity. The IP address was affiliated with a residence in Greenville, Alabama. While investigating the reports at the suspected location, Franklin was identified as a person of interest and multiple electronic devices were searched. Analysis of the devices confirmed Franklin’s involvement.
During a plea hearing that took place on July 28, 2021, Franklin specifically admitted that in the summer of 2018, he used, induced, and enticed two minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction. In addition, Franklin acknowledged that from May 30, 2019, through October 11, 2019, he uploaded multiple videos to a pornography website. Franklin did so from various locations in Greenville, Alabama and Montgomery, Alabama. The videos contained visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Franklin advertised these files through the website and requested a monetary fee for distribution. Franklin also admitted to distributing child pornography on at least three occasions using various online accounts and platforms. First, on February 15, 2019, Franklin used a messenger app to send videos of two minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Then, on October 11, 2019, Franklin sent links to another individual knowing that the linked websites contained pornographic images and videos of children. Lastly, Franklin admitted that, on May 11, 2019, he knowingly transported child pornography, by uploading the files to one of his online accounts.
Based on this conduct, during the July 2021 plea hearing, Franklin pleaded guilty to two counts of the sexual exploitation of a child, one count of advertising child pornography, and two counts of distribution of child pornography.
“Protecting children from exploitation by predators is one of law enforcement’s most important responsibilities,” stated U.S. Attorney Stewart. “Producing and trading in child pornography is a particularly devastating crime because it robs children of their innocence and inflicts long lasting harm. Although my office can never fully repair the damage inflicted by these predators, we can ensure that justice is served on those who commit these terrible crimes. I applaud the efforts of all the agencies involved in investigating this case for identifying Franklin’s criminal activity and putting a stop to it before more children were victimized.”
“Today’s sentence ensures Rocky Shay Franklin will be unable to harm children in our community for a very long time, and we hope his victims will be able to recover from the emotional scars left by his actions,” stated Special Agent in Charge Brown. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and bring to justice those intent on harming children.”
The FBI and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated this case, with assistance from NCMEC. Assistant United States Attorneys James Patrick Lamb and MaryLou E. Bowdre prosecuted the case.
Lyon County Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography and Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Lyon County Kentucky man was sentenced this week to 10 years in federal prison, followed by a life term of supervised release, for possession of child pornography and being a felon in possession of a firearm. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, law enforcement officials opened an investigation into Kenneth Swartz, 64, after receiving a complaint alleging that Swartz, a convicted felon and registered sex offender, attempted to photograph a minor while shopping at a local store on May 28, 2020. The Eddyville Police Department confirmed the events after reviewing store security footage and, on May 29, 2020, a search warrant was executed on Swartz’s residence where a Savage Arms, Stevens model 94 shotgun and several cell phones were recovered. On June 24, 2020, law enforcement became aware that Swartz possessed an additional cell phone which he kept hidden under a sink at the residence. A second search warrant was executed, and the cell phone was recovered. Forensic analysis of the cell phones revealed that they contained over 200 images of child pornography.
“The sentence imposed in this case – ten years in prison followed by a lifetime of federal supervision – is the direct result of outstanding work and partnership between our local and federal law enforcement agencies,” said Michael A. Bennett, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. “I commend the Eddyville Police Department, Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, Paducah Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations for keeping our communities safe.”
The Eddyville Police Department, with the assistance of the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, the Paducah Police Department, and the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee 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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Lowell Man Sentenced in Trafficking Conspiracy Involving Counterfeit Pills Containing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving methamphetamine disguised as counterfeit Adderall pills.
Vimoon Sortsoy, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. On Dec. 15, 2021, Sortsoy pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine.
Sortsoy conspired to distribute counterfeit prescription pills pressed to resemble Adderall that in fact contained methamphetamine in the Lowell area. In a series of controlled purchases conducted by law enforcement between approximately September 2019 and August 2020, Sortsoy sold hundreds of counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine, totaling over 400 grams.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lowell Police Chief Raymond Kelly Richardson made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Hoefle of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Loves Park Man Indicted on Drug Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A federal grand jury in Rockford has indicted a Loves Park man on drug and firearm offenses.
ORENTHO HURD, 27, is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, possession of a machine gun, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to the indictment, Hurd illegally possessed the cocaine and machine gun in Loves Park on Aug. 26, 2021. Arraignment in U.S. District Court in Rockford has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Kristen de Tineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Explosives. The Rockford Police Department provided valuable assistance in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Beckman and Robert Ladd.
The cocaine charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, while the machine gun and felon-related charges are each punishable by up to ten years. Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Holding drug dealers and illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Licensed Firearms Dealer Is Sentenced for Selling A Firearm to A Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced Edward Clyde Ledford, 57, of Lenoir, N.C., a federal firearms licensee (FFL) doing business as Whitnel Outdoorsman and Pawn, for knowingly selling a firearm to a prohibited person, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Brian Mein, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
“When a federal firearms dealer sells a gun to a prohibited person, that’s one more illegal firearm in our streets that can be used to commit a crime,” said U.S. Attorney King. “As we continue to intensify our efforts to reduce the risk of guns falling into the wrong hands, we must hold accountable gun sellers who put gain before the safety of our community.”
“Keeping firearms out of the hands of prohibited individuals is the absolute first step towards preventing violent gun crime,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Mein. “While the vast majority of our licensed firearms dealers are respectful of the laws in place, those that choose to violate those laws and jeopardize public safety will face the consequences.”
According to information contained in court documents and court proceedings, on April 15, 2019, an individual who was prohibited from possessing a firearm entered the Whitnel Outdoorsman and Pawn in Lenoir. Court records show that the individual told a store employee that he was interested in purchasing a firearm but would not pass the background check due to prior felonies on his record. The store employee advised the prohibited individual to “bring a buddy back” to fill out the paperwork.
Court documents state that a few days later, on April 18, 2019, the prohibited individual returned to the store with an undercover ATF agent posing as a friend. This time, the prohibited individual spoke with Ledford and again explained that he wanted to purchase a firearm but could not pass the background check. The prohibited individual also told Ledford that, at the suggestion of a store employee, he had brought someone who could pass the background check, and essentially be the straw buyer for the firearm. Ledford did not object, and, over the course of their exchange, the prohibited individual pointed to the semiautomatic shotgun he wanted to purchase. Ledford handed him the firearm and the prohibited individual paid Ledford in cash for the shotgun. Ledford also gave the undercover agent the ATF Form 4473 to fill out for the background check. Once the form was processed and the sale was completed the prohibited individual took possession of the firearm in the presence of Ledford.
Ledford was sentenced to two years of probation and five months of home detention, after pleading guilty to selling a firearm to a prohibited person on November 30, 2021.
U.S. Attorney King credited the ATF for the investigation of this case.
Assistant United States Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution for the government.
Lexington Man Sentenced to 240 Months for Armed Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.— A Lexington man, Christopher Paul Cavanaugh, 40, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison on Thursday, by U.S. District Judge Karen C. Caldwell, after pleading guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to Cavanaugh’s plea agreement, in March 2021, the United States Postal Service intercepted a package of methamphetamine that was being sent to him. Law enforcement then found Cavanaugh in possession of approximately 1.95 kilograms of methamphetamine and three firearms. Cavanaugh admitted that he possessed the firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
Cavanaugh pleaded guilty to the charges in the indictment, in February 2022.
Under federal law, Cavanaugh must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Darren Hess, Special Agent in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Lexington Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger West.
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Leicester Woman Pleads Guilty to Role in COVID-19 Pandemic Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Leicester woman has pleaded guilty to her involvement in a pandemic unemployment fraud scheme.
Destinee Snay, 20, pleaded guilty on May 16, 2022 in federal court in Worcester to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Oct. 12, 2022. Snay was indicted in July 2021 along with co-defendant William Cordor.
From about June 2020 to about October 2020, Snay and Cordor conspired to file false and fraudulent claims for unemployment assistance in multiple states using stolen identities obtained from a variety of places including Facebook and from former fellow inmates at Worcester County House of Correction. To facilitate the scheme, Snay created phony email accounts on Gmail, AOL and Yahoo which she used to file the fraudulent claims. In total, Snay personally filed approximately 20 false and fraudulent unemployment claims for Massachusetts and other states. Snay and Cordor then transferred the funds into prepaid debit card accounts they obtained and used the proceeds to pay for hotels, rental cars, a trip to Miami and a shopping spree at Saks Fifth Avenue.
On Nov. 16, 2021, Cordor, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, four counts of wire fraud and four counts of aggravated identity theft. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 16, 2022.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations; and Mark Comorosky, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office, made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the case was provided by the Leicester and Marlboro Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danial E. Bennet and John T. Mulcahy of Rollins’ Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Lebanon Man Indicted on Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Luis Rodriguez-Pagan, age 28, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on firearms charges.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Rodriguez-Pagan purchased eight handguns falsely claiming that they were for himself when in fact they were not. The purchases occurred in Lebanon and Dauphin Counties between July 2021 and December 2021. The indictment also alleges that Rodriguez Pagan was engaged in the unlicensed business of dealing in firearms.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Fireworks and Explosives (ATF) and the Lebanon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime M. Keating is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 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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Lawrence Man Sentenced for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving fentanyl.
Hector Minaya Melo, a/k/a “El Jefe,” 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 54 months in prison. In May 2021, Minaya Melo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and two counts of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
From 2019 through 2020, Minaya Melo engaged in a drug conspiracy with his brother and co-defendant Junior Turbis to sell and deliver fentanyl and fentanyl analogue to a cooperating witness and an undercover agent in Lawrence. As part of the conspiracy, Minaya Melo was involved in seven controlled purchases in which he delivered fentanyl and fentanyl analogue and collected payments for the drugs. In total, Minaya Melo was responsible for 342 grams of fentanyl and 151 grams of fentanyl analogue.
Turbis pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and was sentenced on March 23, 2022 to 42 months in prison and two years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The investigation was conducted by the DEA’s Cross Border Initiative. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Kistner and Jared Dolan of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Kenner Man Sentenced for Airline Baggage Scam Involving over $550,000 in False ClaimsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that PERNELL ANTHONY JONES, JR., age 32, of Kenner, Louisiana, was sentenced today for Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349 and Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341 and one count of Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections1341 and 2.
According to court documents, beginning in or around 2015, JONES took flights with commercial airlines under false or fictitious identities using fraudulent identification cards. When he arrived at the destination airport, JONES falsely claimed that his baggage was lost and requested reimbursement to compensate him for his lost luggage. Through this scheme, JONES and his co-conspirators submitted over 180 false claims to commercial airlines, including American, Alaska, Southwest, United, and JetBlue, requesting over $550,000 in reimbursement. In total, the airlines paid over $300,000 in fraudulent claims.
JONES’s plea documents state that, on April 7, 2018, JONES was arrested at Dallas Love Airport while attempting to go through screening by the Transportation Security Administration (“TSA”) with 36 fraudulent driver’s licenses and 47 credit cards under fictitious names. On March 5, 2020, JONES was arrested again while attempting to pick up a reimbursement check for a fraudulent baggage claim at Louis Armstrong International Airport in Kenner, Louisiana. Law enforcement searched JONES’s residence on March 5, 2020 and found 34 fraudulent driver’s licenses; 21 fake work identification cards; and a number of fraudulent airline employee badges containing JONES’s photograph.
U. S. District Court Judge Susie Morgan sentenced JONES to serve 46 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. JONES was also ordered to pay restitution to the victim airlines in the amount of $327,451.61. Judge Morgan also imposed a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 per count for a total of $200.
"This sentencing demonstrates the steadfast work of the FBI and our partners in bringing to justice individuals like Mr. Pernell Anthony Jones, Jr., who engaged in fraudulent criminal activity and compromised national security for his own financial gain," said FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams, Jr. "We would like to thank our state and federal partners including the United States Attorney’s Office, Department of Homeland Security, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the City of Dallas Police Department for their strong partnerships in disrupting this criminal enterprise.
U.S. Attorney Evans would like to acknowledge the investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the City of Dallas Police Department. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni.
Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Multi-State Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A St. Albans man pleaded guilty today to intent to distribute methamphetamine and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Scott Edward Hudson, 50, admitted to participating in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Kanawha County. As part of this conspiracy, Hudson sold approximately 3.5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on March 22, 2019. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hudson’s residence on March 23, 2019, at which time they recovered approximately 230.8 grams of pure methamphetamine and $5,160 in cash that included marked bills from the previous day’s controlled buy.
Hudson further admitted to possessing a SWD Cobray, model M11/9, 9mm pistol in the St. Albans area on May 22, 2021. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Hudson admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of prior felony convictions, including for attempt to commit a felony in Jackson County Circuit Court on June 30, 2006.
Hudson is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine.
Hudson is one of 17 defendants charged as a result of the DTO investigation. Ramon David Alston, James Edward Bennett, III, Treydan Leon Burks, Jonathan Gregory Bush, Kaitlyn Brooke Combs, Kelly Cordle, Denise Marie Cottrill, Shane Kelly Fulkerson, Brittany Frances Gilbert, Angie Lane Harbour, Jason Robert Oxley, Michael Antonio Smith, and Brian D’Angelo Terry have also pleaded guilty. Harbour was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison on May 16, 2022. Timothy Wayne Dodd was convicted on March 24, 2022, following a two-day jury trial. Leo Antoine Smith and Douglas Johnathan Wesley are scheduled for trial on May 24, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-171, 2:21-cr-172, 2:21-cr-211, and 2:22-cr-90.
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Justice Department Announces Director of the Office for Access to JusticeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the appointment of a Director of the Office for Access to Justice to lead its efforts to improve the federal government’s understanding of and capacity to address the most urgent legal needs of communities across America.
Deputy Associate Attorney General Rachel Rossi will serve as the Director of the Office for Access to Justice.
In October 2021, Attorney General Garland announced the restoration of a standalone Office for Access to Justice. Over the past six months, the Office has, among other things, led the Justice Department’s efforts to address the housing and eviction crisis; ensured equal access to justice for veterans and service members; and removed barriers to successful reentry for previously incarcerated individuals.
“There can be no equal justice without equal access to justice,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “For the past six months, our newly restored Office for Access to Justice has worked to fulfill that mission. Rachel Rossi’s leadership of that Office will further advance these efforts.”
“Disrupting the devastating connections between race, poverty and injustice is hard work that requires exactly the kind of dedication and vision we’ve seen in Ms. Rossi’s work at the department,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Ms. Rossi’s leadership will help us build on the department’s work to make justice more accessible to all.”
“I am humbled by this opportunity and ready to get to work building on the foundation of my predecessors and the great progress that’s been made under Attorney General Garland’s leadership,” said Ms. Rossi. “I have seen firsthand how access to justice can make the difference in keeping families together, people in their homes and victims safe from violence. I look forward to working closely alongside dedicated public servants across the department as we examine and reimagine the tools and systems, we rely on to make justice more accessible for all.”
The Office for Access to Justice was initially launched in 2010 and thrived as a standalone component through the end of 2017.
One year ago, Attorney General Garland launched a strategic review process led by the Justice Department’s three leadership offices to examine barriers and disparities in our criminal and civil justice systems and identify ways that the Justice Department can improve the federal government’s understanding of and capacity to address the most urgent legal needs of communities across America. The review, which engaged a wide range of stakeholders across all levels of government, revealed that longstanding justice gaps have been exposed and exacerbated by COVID-19 and identified a clear and immediate need for the restoration of a standalone Office for Access to Justice within the Justice Department dedicated to the mission of closing those gaps.
Jury Convicts Tioga County Man of Misusing a Social Security Number and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - “John Doe,” formerly of Owego, New York, was convicted today, after a four-day jury trial, of two counts of Aggravated Identity Theft and one count of Misuse of a Social Security Number. The charges relate to Doe’s use of the name, Social Security number, and date of birth of another person to obtain Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits to which he was not entitled. Doe’s true identity has yet to be confirmed.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Sharon B. MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office.
The evidence at trial established that, since approximately 1999, Doe received SSI benefits from the Social Security Administration under the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of a homeless U.S. Army veteran living in North Carolina. When Doe’s use of the other person’s identity was ultimately discovered and Doe was questioned by federal agents, Doe continued to falsely claim the identity as his own and provided agents a photocopy of the victim’s birth certificate and Social Security card, purporting them to be his own.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 30, 2022, in Syracuse, before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. For his conviction of Misuse of a Social Security Number, Doe faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution to the Social Security Administration, and a term of supervised of up to three years. For his two convictions on Aggravated Identity Theft, Doe faces a mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison on each count, which the Court can run concurrently or consecutively. 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.
The jury was not able to reach a unanimous verdict on the remaining count of Supplemental Security Income fraud, and a mistrial was declared as to that charge.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, the Tioga County Sheriff’s Office, the Tioga County Department of Social Services, the New York State Police Forensic Investigation Center and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrian S. LaRochelle and Michael D. Gadarian.
Joplin Man Sentenced to 24 Years for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Newton County, Mo.
Jason C. Russell, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 24 years and four months in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 17, 2021, Russell pleaded guilty to one count of participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Newton County from April 17, 2019, to Feb. 24, 2021.
Multiple law enforcement agencies were investigating Russell and had identified several messages on his Facebook account related to drug distribution going back to early 2019.
On Feb. 24, 2021, Russell and co-defendant Brittany J. Adcock, 30, of Springfield, Mo., were arrested when an officer with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol stopped a 2012 GMC Sierra pick-up in which they were passengers on Interstate 44 near Vinita, Oklahoma. According to court documents, Russell tried to convince the driver of the truck to flee from law enforcement, but he refused.
Officers searched the vehicle and found a large black bag in the back seat of the truck and a smaller bag in the front of the truck that contained a total of approximately two pounds of methamphetamine.
Adcock was sentenced on May 10 to 10 years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to the same charge.
Russell has a history of violent and drug-related crimes, according to court documents. In April 2018, he fled at speeds up to 130 miles an hour from an officer who tried to stop him because his motorcycle had no plates. In July 2019, he shared a video online of himself assaulting someone and threatening that person with a firearm. Russell also has two previous convictions for domestic assault in the second degree and another conviction for assault in the second degree.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josephine L. Stockard. It was investigated by the FBI, the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case 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.
Jefferson County Man Charged with Mailing Threatening LettersRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jesse Bartlett, age 46, of LaFargeville, New York, was arrested today and charged with mailing threatening letters, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
A criminal complaint alleges that Bartlett, who claimed to be the “Chinese Zodiac Killer,” mailed threatening communications to media outlets, government offices, houses of worship and private businesses throughout New York, as well as in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Vermont, and the District of Columbia. In the letters, which he signed as the “Chinese Zodiac Killer,” Bartlett wrote that he killed people, ate their flesh, and that he intends to kill more people, including an unnamed bus driver.
The charge in the complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charge filed against Bartlett carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Bartlett made an initial appearance today before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for May 23.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), with assistance from the New York State Police and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping.
Jefferson City Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearm Used to Shoot Another PersonRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing the firearm he used to shoot another person during an argument.
Dana Ray Day, Jr., 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Today’s sentence is the statutory maximum penalty for this offense. The court also ordered the federal sentence be served consecutively to the 25-year sentence imposed in an unrelated state case in which Day was convicted of two counts of assault in a fatal shooting.
Day was found guilty at trial on Dec. 15, 2021, of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On Sept. 15, 2018, Day got into an argument with another man after hitting his car the prior day. Day pulled out a Taurus .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun and shot the other man, who was not armed, twice – in the chest and the groin. The shooting victim ran to a nearby apartment and the resident called 911 for him. Day fled from the scene of the shooting.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Day has prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle, domestic assault, assault, and resisting arrest. According to court documents, Day has a history of violence against others that began at the age of 13, including a teacher’s aid, family members, and girlfriends. In the state case in which Day has already been sentenced to 25 years in prison, he was convicted of repeatedly striking a man with his fists and then shooting and killing him.
While this case has been pending and Day has been detained, he has been charged with property damage after repeatedly kicking his jail cell door. Day is also charged with accessory to commit robbery after he and others beat another inmate and stole his canteen items.
The Taurus handgun, which had been purchased by another person and given to Day, was later recovered during a homicide investigation by the Chicago, Illinois, Police Department. The shell casing was entered into the NIBIN database, and matched the shell casing recovered from the scene of the Sept. 15, 2018, shooting in Jefferson City.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Lynn. It was investigated by the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Jacksonville Couple Sentenced to Federal Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Samuel Christopher Templeman (47, Jacksonville) to 13 years and 4 months in federal prison for conspiring to sex traffic a child. Deborah Lynn Templeman (51, Jacksonville) was sentenced to 6 years in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material. The court also ordered the defendants to serve 10-year terms of supervise release, register as sex offenders, and forfeit several cellphones that were used in the offenses. The Templemans had pleaded guilty on June 21, 2021.
According to court documents, the Templemans had custodial rights over the child victim from the time of her birth until July 2019. The child victim had begun using heroin in 2018. Samuel Templeman had a long-term addiction to opioid pills, and the child victim and Samuel Templeman began regularly using heroin and crack cocaine together. The child victim also began engaging in sex acts for drugs at the direction of a pimp.
In July 2019, the Templemans’ custodial rights were terminated and they were court-ordered not to have contact with the child victim. The child victim was placed into foster care, but ran away. Around late August 2019, Samuel Templeman received an inheritance of approximately $26,000. The child victim thereafter agreed to live with the Templemans. Ultimately, the Templemans and the child victim spent the $26,000 inheritance by the middle of October 2019, primarily on illegal drugs for Samuel Templeman and the child victim.
After the inheritance money was exhausted, the only legitimate income for the Templemans and the child victim was Deborah Templeman’s bi-weekly salary, which would be spent 1-2 days after receipt. During the remaining 12-13 days of each two-week period, the only income that the Templemans and the child victim generated was derived from the child victim engaging in sex acts for money and occasional panhandling. The majority of the money the child victim made by engaging in commercial sex acts was then spent on illegal drugs, with a portion of the money going toward food, hotel rooms, and other basic expenses.
On December 11, 2019, a detective from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office traveled to Deborah Templeman’s place of employment to attempt to recover the child victim. The detective waited for several hours for the child victim to return. While the detective was there, she overheard phone conversations in which Samuel Templeman informed Deborah Templeman that he was taking the child victim to a “date” – a common slang term for an appointment for the child to have sex for money – and that he would then come pick up Deborah Templeman from work. When Samuel Templeman returned to Deborah Templeman’s workplace at the end of the day, he was arrested, and the child victim was rescued. Deborah Templeman was also subsequently arrested.
A review of the cellphones used by the Templemans and the child victim during the timeframe of these events revealed that Deborah Templeman’s cellphone contained visual depictions of the child victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Deborah Templeman admitted that she was aware these visual depictions were stored on her phone.
“Human trafficking is modern day slavery and even more troubling when it involves a child victim. This was an incredibly disturbing investigation that demonstrates how devastating human trafficking can be in our communities,” said Sherri Onks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “In this instance, the child victim was exploited and placed in grave danger by those who had custodial control and should have been providing care and protection. This case demonstrates the commitment by the FBI, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the United States Attorney's Office to never rest while individuals like this continue to exploit innocent children.”
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor and Special Assistant United States Attorney Erin Wolfson. The asset forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
This is another case 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.justice.gov/psc.
Husband-and-Wife Scientists Plead Guilty to Illegally Importing Potentially Toxic Lab Chemicals and Illegally Forwarding Confidential mRNA Vaccine Research to ChinaRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Alexandra F. Foster (619) 546-6735
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 19, 2022
SAN DIEGO – Chenyan Wu and Lianchun Chen, a married couple who worked as research scientists for a major American pharmaceutical company, pleaded guilty in federal court today to criminal charges stemming from their efforts to gather confidential mRNA research from that company to advance the husband’s competing laboratory research in China.
The couple has been married since at least 1993. During his career, Wu had worked for multiple pharmaceutical companies, including the major one identified in court records only as “Company A,” where his wife also worked. In 2010, Wu moved to China, and in 2012, he opened a laboratory there, which he named TheraMab. TheraMab focused on mRNA vaccine research.
While her husband was in China, Chen remained in the United States, working for Company A in San Diego from at least 2012 through September 9, 2021. During that time, her research for Company A focused on mRNA vaccines.
According to her plea agreement, from as early as November 2013, through at least June 2018, Chen repeatedly accessed Company A computers and copied confidential Company A materials. She knew she was not allowed to copy these materials, much less provide them to an individual outside the company. Chen emailed those confidential Company A materials to her husband in China over her personal Hotmail account. These confidential Company A materials included PowerPoints and Word documents with DNA and mRNA sequencing data, marked “[Company A] Confidential” and “from [Company A] Vaccine Research & Development.” By 2013, Wu was no longer employed by Company A. He had started TheraMab, a competing laboratory in China focused on mRNA research.
In February 2021, Wu shut down TheraMab in China and attempted to move his laboratory to the United States. He packed up its contents into five suitcases. On May 8, 2021, Wu arrived with the five suitcases at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Delta Flight 288, originating in Shanghai, China. He planned to transit through Seattle and had a flight home to San Diego later that day.
Upon entry into the United States, Wu filled out a U.S. Customs form. He did not declare any biological or chemical items on the form, nor did he declare these items in person to the Customs officer while going through Customs Inspection.
While inspecting the defendant’s suitcases, officers discovered chemical and biological samples, medical/biological equipment, and research documentation, all of which had been undeclared and was improperly packaged. They detained the items. Initial inspection revealed about 700 to 1,000 unlabeled centrifuge tubes, which appeared to contain proteins and multiple containers of lab chemicals. Labeled samples appeared to include potentially hazardous materials. In fact, one bottle contained a warning photo with the skull and crossbones image and the words “harmful if swallowed … toxic if inhaled.” Another bottle contained the warning statements “fatal if inhaled … harmful if swallowed.” Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials seized all five suitcases.
FBI Seattle’s Hazardous Evidence Response Team (HERT) deployed to Seattle Tacoma International Airport to help CBP inventory the items, field screen them for biological and chemical materials, and collect them as evidence. CBP transferred custody of the items to the Seattle HERT, which then repackaged the items safely and submitted them to an FBI laboratory for further analysis.
On May 18, 2021, FBI Agents interviewed Wu at his home in San Diego. Agents showed Wu a copy of the Customs form that he had filled out. Wu acknowledged that he understood the importance of those forms; he knew he needed to fill out this form accurately; and he acknowledged that he knew the proper ways to ship chemicals internationally. Wu added that China had strict rules and paperwork to ship to the United States and that was why he wanted to “take a gamble to be honest” when he brought chemicals and biological materials illegally into the United States in his luggage.
On June 25, 2021, the FBI Laboratory Division Scientific Response and Analysis Unit issued a report identifying imidazole, nickel sulfate, ethidium bromide, ammonium persulfate and chloroform in the bottles, which Wu brought with him from China. These are all identified as hazardous materials under U.S. Department of Transportation regulations and must be reported upon entry into the United States.
Chen is scheduled to be sentenced on August 11, 2022, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Schopler. Wu is scheduled to be sentenced on August 12, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo.
“These are serious computer fraud and smuggling crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “One defendant failed to protect her employer’s confidential and important research, and instead used it to her and her husband’s advantage. Compounding the harm, the other defendant put travelers in harm’s way by illegally transporting his laboratory’s hazardous chemicals back to the United States.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team, the FBI and Customs and Border Protection for their excellent work on this case.
“The defendants used their placement and access to obtain and illegally share confidential lab research for their own benefit,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “Their attempt to smuggle hazardous material into the United States was thankfully foiled by Customs and Border Protection upon entry. The FBI is proud to work with our federal partners and I specifically want to thank Customs and Border Protection at Seattle Tacoma International Airport, FBI Seattle’s Hazardous Evidence Response Team, and the FBI Laboratory’s Scientific Response and Analysis Unit for their valuable assistance in this case.”
DEFENDANTS Case Number 22CR00052-CAB
Chenyan Wu (1) Age: 58 San Diego, CA
Lianchun Chen (2) Age: 51 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wu - Smuggling Goods (18 U.S.C. § 545)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
Chen – Computer Fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1030(a)(2)(C))
Maximum penalty: One year in prison and $250,000 fine
AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Homeland Security Investigations
Customs and Border Protection
Houston, Texas, Man Played Role in Large Meth Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty in federal court to violating federal narcotics laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Cindy Chung announced today.
Diego Zamudio, age 24, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand. Zamudio was one of 47 defendants charged in six related indictments as part of the Return to Sender investigation.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on April 21, 2021, investigators received information that couriers were transporting a large amount of methamphetamine from Houston, Texas, to Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. Investigators obtained a search warrant and seized over ten kilograms of pure methamphetamine from a truck parked in the parking lot of the Red Roof Inn located in Clearfield County. Investigators determined that the methamphetamine was destined for a residence in Clearfield County. Upon further investigation, investigators determined that Zamudio directed the transport of over 40 kilograms of methamphetamine to the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for Zamudio on August 25, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years to a maximum of life in prison, a fine not to exceed $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense(s) and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court ordered that the defendant remain out on bond.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan D. Lusty and Michael R. Ball are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Honduran National Charged with Illegally Using a Social Security Number Belonging to Another IndividualRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ELTON JOHN MEJIA EUCEDA, age 22, a citizen of Honduras, was indicted today for illegally using a social security number belonging to another individual, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
The maximum penalty for the offense is five years imprisonment, followed by up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to the victim, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens, II is in charge of the prosecution.
Hendersonville Man Is Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced today that Jordan Taylor Randall, 39, of Hendersonville, N.C. was sentenced to 20 years in prison for producing child pornography. Randall was also ordered to register as a sex offender and to serve the rest of his life under court supervision after he is released from prison. Chief U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger also ordered Randall to have no contact with the victims of his offenses.
Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Chief Blair Myhand of the Hendersonville Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
On November 5, 2021, Randall pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. According to filed documents and statements made in court, in August 2020, law enforcement became aware of Randall’s production of child pornography after it was reported by family members. Law enforcement retrieved multiple electronic devices from Randall’s home and storage unit, including a cell phone, a laptop, cameras disguised to look like aerosol cans, and external electronic storage devices. A forensic analysis of the devices revealed that, on multiple occasions, Randall had secretly recorded videos of two prepubescent minor females while they were undressed or partially undressed in the bathroom and shower. Randall also possessed more than 200,000 images and videos of child pornography, some of which depicted children as young as infants being sexually abused.
Randall is currently in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked HSI and the Hendersonville Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Solheim, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville, prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice, aimed at combating the growing online sexual exploitation of children. By combining resources, federal, state and local agencies are better able to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue those victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Guilty Verdict Returned Against a Former Employee of the Department of Energy’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve in Connection with a Scheme to Defraud the United StatesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans and Jonathan Kanter, Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice, announced that JOHNNY C. GUILLORY, SR., age 72, of Opelousas, Louisiana, was found guilty as charged on May 18, 2022 following a three-day jury trial before the Honorable Mary Ann Vial Lemmon.
The jury found GUILLORY guilty as charged in the indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to violate the Procurement Integrity Act as well as making false statements to federal agents, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 371 and 1001, respectively.
“The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is one of our nation’s vital programs, and collusion that destroys the integrity of the procurement process for government contracts will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Today’s guilty verdict demonstrates that people who corrupt that process, defraud the United States, and lie about it will be held accountable. The Antitrust Division will continue to vigorously prosecute offenses that undermine competition and work with our law enforcement partners to protect taxpayer dollars.”
“This guilty verdict sends a clear message that our office, along with our federal partners will vigorously investigate and prosecute all violations of our Nation’s laws, said U.S. Attorney of the Eastern District of Louisiana, Duane A. Evans.”
According to the indictment, GUILLORY conspired with Cajan Welding & Rentals, Ltd. to defraud the United States by corrupting and impairing the government procurement process, and by obtaining non-public pricing and cost information in order to obtain subcontract awards and payments from the U.S. Department of Energy in connection with its operation of the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve. From 2002 until 2016, Cajan was awarded over 50 subcontracts and received payments in excess of $15,000,000.00 from the U.S. Department of Energy, during which time GUILLORY received financial benefits from Cajan.
GUILLORY will be sentenced on September 8, 2022 and faces a maximum term of five years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to a three year term of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment of $200.00, as to each count.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey N. Knight of the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Louisiana and Trial Attorneys Megan S. Lewis and Julia Maloney of the Department of Justice Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal II Section. The investigation was conducted by the Department of Energy’s Office of the Inspector General.
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Green Mountain Union High School Teacher Charged with Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Norman Merrill II, 45, of Chester, Vermont, was arrested today after having been indicted by a federal grand jury for charges related to the production and possession of child sexual abuse material, also known as child pornography. Merrill is expected to appear before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle tomorrow. The government has filed a motion requesting defendant Merrill be detained pending trial.
According to court records, on May 7, 2022, officers from the Chester Police Department received reports concerning potential voyeurism occurring at Merrill’s home. The investigation uncovered allegations of a hidden recording device in a bathroom at Merrill’s home, and that Merrill appeared to surreptitiously record young girls who were walking in front of him while at Green Mountain High School, where he is employed as a teacher. Chester Police Officers obtained search warrants for Merrill’s home and electronics. The search warrants were executed on May 11, 2022, and Chester Police Officers seized numerous electronic devices, including “pinhole cameras” and a “spy camera.” The Vermont State Police conducted a preliminary examination of a memory card seized from the residence which revealed numerous voyeuristic videos taken in bathrooms. Some of these videos were taken in a bathroom of defendant Merrill’s residence and were determined to depict nude minor female children. The memory card also contained image files that appear to be screen-captures created from these videos of nude minors.
On May 19, 2022, the federal grand jury in Burlington returned an Indictment charging Merrill with production of child sexual abuse material, attempted production of child sexual abuse material, and possession of child sexual abuse material. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an Indictment contains allegations only and that Merrill is presumed innocent until and unless convicted of a crime. If convicted of all charges, Merrill faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment, and a maximum sentence of 30 years of imprisonment.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Chester Police Department, Vermont State Police, and the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Ophardt. Merrill has not yet retained or been appointed counsel.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and Child Exploitation Obscenity Section, Criminal Division (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Grand Jury - May 2022Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Jan W. Sharp announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 17 unsealed Indictments charging 19 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
* Mohamed Gamar Ahmed, age 19, of Grand Island, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Ahmed with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl on or about March 28, 2022. The penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Ahmed with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on or about March 28, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment and up to life consecutive to Count I, a $250,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Brenda K. Banks, age 60, of Omaha, is charged in a nine-count Indictment. Counts I through VIII charge Banks with wire fraud beginning on or about April 2, 2018 and continuing through June 25, 2020. The penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment for each charge. Count IX charges Banks with bank fraud beginning on or about March, 2020 and continuing to on or about May, 2020. The penalty if convicted is 30 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment.
* Martin Alvarez-Lopez, age 44, is charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien after a felony on or about April 21, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Kiara Jimenez, age 27, and Kelvin Baez-Adames, age 35, are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of fentanyl analogue on or about August, 2021 and continuing to on or about May 4, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Danelle Charf, age 47, of Neligh, Nebraska, is charged in a five-count Indictment. Counts I through V charge Charf with healthcare fraud beginning on or about October 7, 2020 and continuing through January 11, 2021. The penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, a $100 special assessment for each charge.
* Tesluach K. Gatkuoth, age 25, of Grand Island, Nebraska, is charged with prohibited person in possession of a firearm on or about April 8, 2022. The penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Wagner Gomez-Batres, age 26, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about April 22, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Nestor Gomez-Orta, age 36, and Mellenize A. Utterback, age 30, are charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Gomez-Orta and Utterback with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture) on or about April 25, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Utterback with felon in possession of ammunition. The penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. There is also an allegation to forfeit United States currency seized on or about April 25, 2022.
* Anthony Jimenez-Godinez, age 22, of Franklin Park, Illinois, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about March 21, 2022. The penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Adrian Lemus-Cruz, age 24, is charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien after felony conviction on or about April 20, 2022. The penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Juan Lopes-Castro a/k/a Juan Lopez-Castro, age 31, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about April 28, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Juan Lopez-Bernabe, age 36, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about April 16, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Javier Ramos-Padilla, age 47, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about April 26, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* BJ Jaquez Rice, age 29, is charged with felon in possession of a firearm on or about March 11, 2022. The penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Detrick Anthony Michael Smith, age 29, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with prohibited person in possession of a firearm on or about April 6, 2022. The penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Travis S. Walker, age 22, is charged with escape from custody on or about April 29, 2022. The penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* DeJuan Wynne, age 29, is charged with escape from custody on or about April 28, 2022. The penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a three-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Former soldier sentenced to prison for sexual contact with a childRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: An Illinois man has been sentenced to nearly a decade in prison after admitting he had sexual contact with a child nearly 15 years ago at Fort Stewart.
Clarence Michael Lynch, 43, of Highland, Ill., was sentenced to 109 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child Under 12, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Already a registered sex offender because of a prior criminal conviction, Lynch also was fined $2,000 and ordered to serve 15 years of supervised release after completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Justice for this victim was long delayed, but ultimately not denied as the predator is now being held accountable for his vile actions,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division did outstanding work in bringing Lynch to justice.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Lynch was convicted in Liberty County in 2007 on state charges of sexual battery and false imprisonment with a 15-year-old victim, and subsequently served 10 years in state prison. As result of the conviction, he received a dishonorable discharge from the Army.
Three years after Lynch was released from state custody, a prior victim contacted the Belleville, Ill., Police Department to report multiple contacts from Lynch – including messages in which he admitted sexually abusing the then-10-year-old victim in 2006 while he was stationed at Fort Stewart.
Investigators from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) subsequently questioned Lynch, taking him into custody in March 2021. He later was returned to the Southern District of Georgia for prosecution, and pled guilty to the charge.
“Seeing this former Soldier held accountable for his actions perpetrated against a child, no matter how long it took to bring the Soldier to justice, is a hallmark of what Army CID stands for,” said Supervisory Special Agent Donald Hayden, Fort Leonard Wood CID Office. “Our agents are professional, tenacious and driven to do what is right at all times.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, and prosecuted for the United States by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Darron J. Hubbard.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.
Former Wells Fargo Employee Is Sentenced to 70 Years in Prison for Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A former Wells Fargo Information Technology employee was sentenced to 70 years in prison today on child pornography charges, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Michael Scott Hoover, 52, of Wilkesboro, N.C., will also be subject to a lifetime of supervised release and must register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. Hoover was also ordered to pay special assessments totaling $132,300.
Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, Robert Schurmeier, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), and Sheriff Chris Shew of the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
“Hoover is a predator who exploited innocent children entrusted in his care for his sexual gratification. I commend the prosecutors and investigators who worked hard on this case to ensure that Hoover is held accountable for his repugnant conduct. Thanks to their efforts, Hoover will spend decades behind bars, serving the longest prison sentence ever imposed on a child predator in this district,” said U.S. Attorney King.
“Our investigation, and the subsequent trial, have proven that Hoover is a serial child predator who stole the innocence of multiple young victims. Thanks to a thorough investigation by HSI and our partners, he was mistaken in his belief that his technical knowledge could be used to mask his criminal activity. With today’s sentence, he will be held fully accountable for his heinous crimes and will be prevented from harming another innocent child,” said Special Agent in Charge Martinez.
“This case exemplifies the exceptional collaboration between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina and HSI, the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office and our Computer Crimes Unit. I applaud the excellent work of all those involved to bring this individual to justice. I especially want to thank Project Safe Childhood for bringing this matter to the attention of law enforcement. Let the message be crystal clear, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation’s Computer Crimes Unit will work relentlessly to bring justice to those who would victimize the most vulnerable segment of our population,” said Director Schurmeier.
“The sentence today sends a clear message that these types of despicable acts will not be tolerated. The innocence of our youth should never be violated and the community is a safer place today. I want to thank the federal prosecutors and all the investigative agencies for their great work on this case,” said Sheriff Shew.
According to filed court documents, evidence presented at trial and witness testimony, between June 2018 and August 2019, Hoover used his work cell phone to produce images and videos of two minor males, as young as 12-years-old, engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The child pornography was found on Hoover’s work cell phone during an internal investigation by Wells Fargo, where Hoover was employed at the time. Upon discovering the child pornography, Wells Fargo immediately reported its findings to law enforcement.
According to information presented at today’s sentencing hearing, in addition to producing child pornography, Hoover sexually abused at least eight minors over the course of more than 10 years. Some of the abuse occurred at Hoover’s home and vehicle, and during camping and other overnight trips Hoover had volunteered to take the victims as a chaperone.
A federal jury found Hoover guilty of two counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Hoover is currently in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the investigative work of HSI, SBI, and the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office.
The prosecution for the government was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Spaugh and Cortney Randall.
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.