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2 May 2022
California Man Charged in 16-Year Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A California man has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to embezzling over $1.2 million from his employer over a 16-year period.
Darrell Pike, 56, of Hesperia, Calif., was charged and has agreed to plead guilty to one count of mail fraud. Pike will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date for a plea hearing that has not yet been scheduled by the Court.
According to the charging document, Pike was the general manager of an Ontario, Calif. subsidiary of a supply and service company based in Wilmington, Mass. From in or about 2005 to 2021, Pike allegedly prepared and submitted fraudulent invoices to his employer on behalf of a fake temporary staffing company, Consumer Information Systems (CIS), for staffing services CIS purportedly provided at his employer’s Ontario location. It is further alleged that Pike added approving initials of company personnel to the invoices without their knowledge or consent. Through the fraudulent invoices, Pike allegedly caused the company to pay approximately $1,271,206 to CIS, which he deposited into a bank account he controlled.
The charge of mail fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of Rollins’ Securities & Financial Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
California Couple Sentenced for Conspiring to Subject Mother and Her Two Daughters to Forced LaborRead the Press Release
Nery A. Martinez Vasquez, 54, and Maura N. Martinez, 54, both of Shasta Lake, California, were both sentenced today for conspiring to subject three victims to forced labor, a crime to which the defendants had previously pleaded guilty. Vasquez was sentenced to six and a half years in prison and Martinez was sentenced to three years in prison. Both defendants were also sentenced to three years of supervised release and a fine of $25,000. The couple was also required to pay $300,000 in restitution to seven total victims. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California made the announcement.
According to court documents, from September 2016 to February 2018, the defendants — who owned and operated a restaurant and janitorial service — used various coercive means to force their victims into working long hours of physically demanding work, seven days a week, for minimal to no pay. In August 2016, the defendants convinced the victims, a Guatemalan relative and her two minor daughters, ages 15 and 8, to come to the United States by falsely promising the victims a better life and arranging for them to enter the United States and overstay their temporary visitor visas. The defendants then conspired with each other to impose an inflated debt on the victims that they required the victims to pay back through working for them. When the adult victim complained and expressed an interest in leaving, the defendants threatened to have the victims arrested for overstaying their visas unless they continued working the same long hours, seven days a week, for little pay. Similarly, the defendants kept the two minor victims working at their businesses instead of attending school by telling the victims that immigration authorities would find and arrest them if the minor victims attempted to go to school. The defendants housed the victims in a dilapidated, unheated trailer with no running water, and degraded and humiliated them in front of others. Finally, the defendants used force and threats of force to intimidate the victims. For instance, Nery Martinez Vasquez beat the children with a stick that had the children’s name and nickname written on it along with the phrase “what goes up, must come down.”
“These defendants used the promise of a better life to lure a mother and her children to travel to the United States, only to betray their familial relationship and exploit the victims’ precarious situation to cruelly oppress and degrade them, and to turn a profit off their backs,” said Assistant Attorney General Clarke. “Forced labor has no place in our civilized society. This sentencing makes clear our commitment to holding perpetrators accountable and our dedication to eradicating human trafficking.”
“These defendants exploited vulnerable victims, forcing them to work in their businesses, failing to pay wages, and depriving them of basic human rights,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “Now they have been sentenced to years in prison and have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution to their victims. The U.S. Attorney’s Office continues its commitment to protect and defend vulnerable members of our society from human trafficking, and we appreciate the partnerships we have with the Civil Rights Division and the FBI that led to the result in this case.”
“We hope today’s sentencing will offer the victims confidence as they continue to reclaim their lives,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan for the FBI Sacramento Field Division. “Forced labor, a form of human trafficking, is of significant concern for the FBI, but is difficult to identify and investigate without cooperation of fearful victims who believe escape is not an option because of the lies they have been told by their exploiters. This case highlights how such crimes may occur in public view at a legitimate business yet go unnoticed. The FBI is deeply commitment to seeking justice for all victims of human trafficking — regardless of immigration status or background — to ensure victims receive the care and support they need to break free from their exploiters.”
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine T. Lydon and Audrey Hemesath for the Eastern District of California, and Trial Attorney Avner Shapiro of the Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
California Convict Sentenced to Prison for Assaulting Detention OfficersRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A convicted felon detained at the Nevada Southern Detention Center (NSDC) was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison for assaulting two officers before a riot at the facility.
Mekivil Julius Franklin, 51, of California, pleaded guilty on December 21, 2021 to two counts of assault of a federal officer. In addition to imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon sentenced Franklin to three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on May 31, 2020, detention officers at the NSDC responded to a physical altercation between two detainees in a cell block. After officers broke up the fight, a group of detainees surrounded them. Franklin first sucker punched an officer in the face and knocked him unconscious, and then he punched another officer in the face and body.
After the assaults committed by Franklin, detention officers vacated the cell block. Detainees proceeded to initiate a prison riot. Franklin was an active participant in the riot, and he was ultimately among the last group of detainees to surrender. At the time, Franklin was housed at NSDC temporarily while in transit to his final Federal Bureau of Prisons facility, having been convicted and sentenced to 41 months imprisonment for Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition in the Northern District of California.
Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Fang prosecuted the case.
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Brockton Man Sentenced on Federal Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for unlawfully possessing two trafficked handguns.
Tyrell Hampton, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to six months in prison and two years of supervised release. In February 2020, Hampton pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms.
In June 2019, investigators learned that Hampton was offering guns for sale on social media. An undercover officer posing as an interested buyer contacted Hampton on Facebook and arranged to buy two handguns. When negotiating the transaction, Hampton told the undercover officer that they should move fast because “they [the firearms offered for sale] go quick but I can always get more.” On June 27, 2019, Hampton sold a Taurus G2c 9mm Luger caliber pistol and a Glock 9mm Luger caliber pistol and 21 rounds of 9mm ammunition to the undercover officer for $2,200. Following Hampton’s arrest, investigators traced the two handguns to a trafficker who was sourcing cheap guns in Georgia and selling them in Massachusetts. The investigation revealed that Hampton met with the gun trafficker on approximately eight occasions and purchased approximately 14 firearms. Due to multiple previous felony offenses, including drug convictions and a prior firearms conviction, Hampton is prohibited from possessing guns and ammunition.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, New England Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Brockton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Abely, Chief of Rollins’ Criminal Division, and Fred M. Wyshak III of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Bristol Woman Admits Straw Purchasing Several FirearmsRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that, on April 29, 2022, LEAH BOUCHER, 30, of Bristol, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty via videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector to one count of making a false statement to a firearms dealer.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 9, 2021, law enforcement conducted a court-authorized search of Tyrone Brown’s residence on Stevens Street in New Haven and seized a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol. Brown, who was a convicted felon and was prohibited by federal law from purchasing or possessing a firearm or ammunition, was arrested at that time. The investigation revealed that the firearm was registered to a family member of Boucher, and that Boucher had purchased 10 other firearms at four different gun stores in Connecticut between March and July 2021. When investigators interviewed Boucher on August 26, 2021, Boucher admitted that she had purchased firearms for other individuals, and that she was no longer in possession of any of the 10 firearms that were registered to her.
Boucher was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on October 15, 2021.
At sentencing, which is scheduled for July 25, before U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arteron in New Haven, Boucher faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Boucher has been detained since February 23, 2022, when her bond was revoked.
On April 25, 2022, Brown pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. He is detained while awaiting sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the New Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham.
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.
Boston Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Prison in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for trafficking fentanyl, heroin and cocaine.
Adriano Cortez, a/k/a, “A,” 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 121 months in prison and four years of supervised release. On Oct. 29, 2021, Cortez was convicted by a federal jury of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 40 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine.
In March 2015, Cortez was observed conducting a street-level drug deal in Weymouth. Law enforcement subsequently attempted to pull over Cortez’s vehicle, but he refused to stop his and instead, fled on foot, leaving the car at an intersection while still in the drive position, causing it to crash. Cortez was ultimately apprehended at which time he was found carrying numerous drugs including over 47 grams of cocaine, approximately 70 grams of heroin and approximately 73 grams of a fentanyl and heroin mixture. Cortez was arrested on state charges and placed on court-ordered location monitoring and later home detention in connection with this conduct.
Between September and November 2017, while still on court-ordered location monitoring and home detention, Cortez orchestrated approximately 10 drug deals with undercover officers. During this conspiracy, Cortez managed all aspects of the drug operation from his Dorchester residence. He informed undercover officers of the meeting location and payment amount for each drug sale and used couriers to deliver cocaine or fentanyl, or both, to the undercover officers. The couriers returned the cash proceeds to Cortez at his home after the deals.
On or about Nov. 21, 2017, Cortez cut off his court-ordered GPS monitor and fled Massachusetts. He was ultimately apprehended by law enforcement in Colorado.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long; and Weymouth Police Chief Richard Fuller made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah B. Hoefle and John T. Mulcahy of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Boston Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Robbery of North End MarketRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for the armed robbery of a grocery store in Boston’s North End.
Dante Mirabella, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 92 months in prison and four years of supervised release. On Nov. 2, 2021, Mirabella pleaded guilty to one count of interfering with commerce by robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Mirabella is prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition due to prior felony convictions.
Mirabella robbed Bob’s Grocery Store on May 30, 2019, while brandishing a Hi-Point .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Prior to the robbery of the market, Mirabella committed two armed robberies of a parking lot attendant and a restaurant employee.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Bixby Man Charged with Unlawfully Manufacturing an Explosive DeviceRead the Press Release
A man who allegedly built an explosive device that was found in a backpack during a traffic stop was charged in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Joe Allen Forest, 24, was charged by Criminal Complaint with unlawful manufacture of a destructive device.
On April 28, 2022, a Bixby police officer attempted to stop a speeding driver, who then led the officer on a chase. The driver eventually stopped and was taken into custody.
According to the Complaint, a vehicle inventory was conducted, and the officer observed a backpack on the floorboard with a canister that appeared to be an explosive device. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol Bomb Squad and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were contacted and arrived on scene. They determined the device to be an expended military smoke grenade which had been manipulated and refilled with explosive powders and disassembled fireworks. The device further had a pyrotechnic fuse along its side then entering the device at the bottom. They also located an intact small triangular explosive device inside the backpack. The triangular devices are often illegally imported into the United States and contain 3 grams of flash powder. All devices were rendered safe.
The driver told investigators that the backpack and devices belonged to Joe Allen Forest and that he had dropped him off earlier. Forest was eventually located and taken into custody. According to the Complaint, agents found four small triangular devices in Forest’s pocket, which were the same as the triangular device found earlier in the backpack. Forest also allegedly told agents that he built the larger device found in the backpack at his home in Bixby nearly a month ago and was planning to blow it up at a creek.
*This matter will proceed in United States District Court in Tulsa, where the Complaint is currently pending. A Complaint is a temporary charge alleging a violation of law. For the case to proceed to trial, the United States must present the charge to a federal Grand Jury within 30 days. Once a Grand Jury returns an Indictment, a defendant has a right to a jury trial at which the United States would have the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and Bixby Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert T. Raley is prosecuting the case. AUSA Raley is the National Security Anti-Terrorism (ATAC) Prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Barbour County man sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Calvin Crockett Mullins, of Philippi, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 48 months of incarceration for a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Mullins, 29, pleaded guilty in December 2021 to one count of “Unlawful Distribution of a Firearm.” Mullins admitted to selling a 16-gauge shotgun to a person prohibited from having firearms. The crime took place in February 2020 in Barbour County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Bakersfield Resident Sentenced to over 5 Years in Prison for Unlawfully Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jesus B. Cordero, 26, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to five years and 10 months in prison for possession of ammunition after sustaining a domestic violence conviction, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, at approximately midnight on Sept. 5, 2020, law enforcement officers stopped Cordero for traffic infractions while he was driving in Bakersfield. Cordero did not have a driver’s license and gave a false name to the responding police officers. During a search of Cordero’s vehicle, officers located a baggie containing what was later determined to be approximately 45.5 grams of methamphetamine, which Cordero possessed intending to distribute it to others. Officers also discovered in Cordero’s vehicle an unmarked Polymer P80 9 mm handgun (which is known as a “ghost gun”) loaded with a high-capacity magazine and 23 rounds of 9 mm ammunition. In addition to Cordero’s 11 prior criminal convictions, he previously was convicted of inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker prosecuted the case.
This case was part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Bakersfield Resident Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — David Delgado Gonzalez, 38, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between September 2020 and March 2021, Gonzalez (also known as “Spider”) conspired with, among others, co-defendant Omar Alberto Navarro to acquire methamphetamine in Mexico, transport it to the Eastern District of California, unload the narcotics from “load cars,” store the narcotics, and sell and distribute the narcotics to others. For instance, on Oct. 29, 2020, at the behest of Navarro, Gonzalez transported approximately 6 pounds of methamphetamine to a meeting in Bakersfield and sold the methamphetamine to Scott Gordon James, who is charged in a related case, for $6,200.
On March 26, 2021, in a storage unit in Bakersfield Gonzalez possessed with the intent to distribute to others approximately 4 pounds of methamphetamine. As part of his plea agreement, Gonzalez agreed to forfeit three unserialized 9 mm handguns seized during law enforcement’s search of his Bakersfield residence on March 26, 2021.
On April 8, 2021, Gonzalez and eight other defendants were charged in three related indictments for trafficking and purchasing to sell methamphetamine from a conspiracy orchestrated by Navarro, 38, of Arvin. The other charged defendants are: Daniel Armendariz Mercado, 42, Miguel Angel Martinez, 27, Amayrani Jared Arreguin, 25, and Yvette Gallegos, 23, all of Bakersfield; Lizette Mendez, 32, of Delano; and James Scott Gordon, 47 of Chico. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Co-defendant Randal Jason Newell was sentenced on March 29, 2022, to three years and three months in prison for attempting to smuggle approximately 111 pounds of methamphetamine from Mexico to Bakersfield.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bakersfield Police Department, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Shafter Police Department, the Kern County Probation Department, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Motor Vehicles, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Baker and Laura J. Berger are prosecuting the case.
Gonzalez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on July 5, 2022. Gonzalez faces a maximum term of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will 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.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Augusta man sentenced to prison after admitting to possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A Richmond County man has been sentenced to federal prison after admitting to possession of child pornography.
Robert Paul Synenberg, 23, of Augusta, was sentenced to 42 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of Child Pornography, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Synenberg to pay a $1,000 fine, to register as a sex offender, and to serve 20 years of supervised release after completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Viewing images of child sexual exploitation inflicts perpetual harm on young victims,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Our office and our law enforcement partners will be relentless in shutting down online predators.”
The FBI located and arrested Synenberg in December 2020 while investigating a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and found images of child sexual exploitation on electronic devices in his possession.
“Our message to predators who prey on children is that you cannot hide behind the anonymity of the internet,” said Philip Wislar, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will make it a top priority to continue investigating these difficult cases to make an impact in our communities to thwart predatory behavior.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Tara M. Lyons.
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/.
29 April 2022
“Eye in the sky” results in conviction for human smugglerRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A federal jury has convicted a 36-year-old Mexican citizen illegally residing in Port Isabel for conspiracy and transporting aliens within the country, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
The jury deliberated for approximately 90 minutes before convicting Maynor Bernardo Guerrero-Ramirez following a three-day trial which included six witnesses.
On July 21, 2021, law enforcement pursued a white Ford Explorer from Mission to Pharr with a group of illegal aliens that had recently crossed the Rio Grande River. Guerrero-Ramirez was the driver.
At trial, the jury heard from what was described as an “eye in the sky.” A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) aviation enforcement agent had maintained video surveillance of the vehicle as it weaved across the highway, onto frontage roads and through the neighborhoods of Pharr. Guerrero-Ramirez was driving erratically and recklessly at a high rate of speed for nearly 15 minutes before the vehicle came to a dead-end road. At that time, the occupants fled into the nearby brush.
Testimony also revealed how authorities were able to locate and apprehend Guerrero-Ramirez with the assistance of the CBP air and marine helicopter from the thick brush. The jury also saw footage of Guerrero-Ramirez as he threw his cellphone into a nearby irrigation canal when he emerged from the brush.
Two of the undocumented aliens also testified. They described how their group crossed the Rio Grande River with the assistance of a foot guide who led them on a long walk through thick brush and mud to a roadway. There, they awaited a vehicle to transport them further into the United States.
Guerrero-Ramirez told them to duck down and hide so they could not be seen and to run when they reached the dead-end road.
The defense attempted to convince the jury Guerrero-Ramirez was under duress and only drove the vehicle out of necessity. He claimed he was not part of the smuggling conspiracy. The jury was not convinced and found him guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa presided over the trial and set sentencing for July 6. At that time, Guerrero-Ramirez faces up to 10 years in prison as well as a possible $10 million fine..
Guerrero-Ramirez has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Border Patrol and CBP Air & Marine Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee Fry and Eric D. Flores prosecuted the case.
“Chicken Joe” Sentenced to 16 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Run an Animal Fighting OperationRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Joseph D. Sanford, 74, of Ceres, aka “Chicken Joe,” was sentenced today to 16 months in prison and a fined $25,000 for conspiring to sell, buy, possess, train, transport, deliver and receive game fowl intended to be used in animal fighting ventures, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Sanford was the owner and operator of Joe Sanford Gamefarm in Ceres, where he bred and sold gamecocks for cockfighting. Cockfighting is illegal under federal law and in all 50 states. Sanford also fought his own roosters. Following an undercover purchase of a trio of fighting game birds, federal agents searched Joe Sanford Gamefarm, where Sanford resides, and found a large cockfighting enterprise consisting of 2,956 game fowl. Sanford shipped game fowl for cockfighting within the United States and to Mexico, Peru, and the Philippines.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General (USDA-OIG), with assistance from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office. Assistance was also provided by the Humane Society of the United States, the Placer County Animal Services, and the El Dorado County Animal Services. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and U.S. Marshals Service also provided assistance in the disposal of the fighting roosters and placement of the hens in an animal sanctuary. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar prosecuted the case.
Zuni man faces charges of aggravated sexual abuse of a childRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Phillip Lahi, Sr., 70, and an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, made an initial appearance in federal court today facing charges of aggravated sexual abuse of a child in Indian Country. Lahi will remain in custody/on conditions of release pending a detention hearing scheduled for May 3.
According to a criminal complaint, Lahi allegedly engaged in and attempted to engage in sexual conduct with the victim, identified as Jane Doe, since she was five or six years old. Lahi’s alleged conduct included exposing himself to the child, who is an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, and performing sexual acts in front of her. In October of 2021, when Jane Doe was nine years old, Lahi allegedly forcibly engaged in sex with her. Lahi allegedly committed the offenses on the Pueblo of Zuni.
A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Lahi faces a minimum of 30 years and up to life in prison.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case.
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Wethersfield Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that FABIO VARGAS-GONZALEZ, 46, of Wethersfield, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to a fentanyl trafficking offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the DEA’s Hartford Task Force developed information that Vargas-Gonzalez was involved in narcotics trafficking activities in the Hartford area. On March 11, 2020, investigators conducted surveillance of Vargas-Gonzalez as he drove a minivan from Connecticut to New Jersey and then back to Connecticut. In Danbury, investigators stopped Vargas-Gonzalez’s minivan for a motor vehicle violation and, after Vargas-Gonzalez consented to a search, found approximately two kilograms of fentanyl hidden in the minivan’s spare tire compartment.
Vargas-Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer on July 29.
Vargas-Gonzalez is released on a $175,000 bond pending sentencing.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty as Accessory After Fact to Attempted Revenge Killing in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – John Nelson McQuillen, 65, of Norfolk, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to helping his longtime partner to flee and avoid apprehension after she attempted to kill a woman in Northeast Washington. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
McQuillen pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to accessory after the fact to assault with intent to kill. The Honorable Michael O’Keefe scheduled sentencing for June 24, 2022.
According to the government’s evidence, McQuillen and his longtime partner, Tommie Lynn Dunmire, shared an adult son who was murdered in Cleveland, Ohio in March 2021. Over the ensuing months, McQuillen and Dunmire became frustrated with the investigation of their son’s death, and Dunmire began to conduct her own investigation. Dunmire’s mental state significantly deteriorated over this time.
On Nov. 5, 2021, McQuillen and Dunmire traveled by car from Norfolk to the victim’s home in Northeast Washington. Dunmire had mistakenly identified the victim as responsible for their son’s murder, and McQuillen knew that Dunmire intended to harm this person. In fact, the victim, a 30-year-old woman, was not involved in any way in the homicide.
Surveillance video shows Dunmire, wearing a brown vest and brown baseball cap and carrying a cardboard box, knocking on the front door of the victim’s home at approximately 9:25 p.m. Dunmire announced herself as a “UPS” delivery person, stating that she had a package for the victim. When the victim opened the door, Dunmire fired two shots from a silver revolver that she was holding inside of an opening cut in the back of the carboard box. The two shots struck the victim in the abdomen. McQuillen then drove himself and Dunmire out of the area and changed the license plates on their vehicle. MPD officers stopped the vehicle soon thereafter in the 1400 block of Florida Avenue NE.
During the stop, Dunmire shot herself, using the revolver that she had used to shoot the victim. She later died. The victim was transported to a hospital and survived the injuries.
McQuillen was arrested in Virginia on March 11, 2022, and transported to Washington, D.C. on April 5, 2022, where he remains detained pending sentencing.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee expressed appreciation for the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and for the valuable assistance provided by the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office. They also acknowledged the efforts of those working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles R. Jones, who is prosecuting the matter.
Virginia Man Found Guilty of Charges in Bias-Related Attack on Construction WorkersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kurt Madsen, 53, of Arlington, Virginia, has been found guilty by a jury on charges stemming from a hate crime in which he attacked two Hispanic construction workers with a construction tool that he used as a weapon in Northwest Washington.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Madsen was found guilty by a jury on April 26, 2022, of two bias-related assaults and possession of a prohibited weapon. The verdict followed a three-day trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Today, he was sentenced by the Honorable Robert D. Okun to a total of 540 days in jail. However, the judge suspended the jail term to the time already served by Madsen, on the condition that he successfully complete two years of probation. Madsen was detained for a total of 160 days before trial.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 13, 2019, at approximately 6 p.m., the victims, all of whom are Hispanic construction workers, were closing their construction site near Seventh Street and Massachusetts Avenue NW for the day. Madsen – who was not working at the site -- came to where the men were working and asked to use their power washer. After being denied permission to use the power washer, Madsen became enraged and began screaming racist and xenophobic epithets.
Madsen then picked up a scraper, a long, rod-like construction tool with a sharp metal blade at one end. He struck one of the victims in the back with the scraper, after which he attempted to stab the victim in the stomach with the blade of the scraper. At this point, the second victim tried to intervene, and Madsen struck that victim in the face several times, cutting the victim’s face and loosening two of his teeth. Two bystanders saw the attack and stopped to help. One bystander took the scraper from Madsen and remained on the scene until police arrived. The other bystander called 911. Madsen was arrested at the scene.
In announcing the verdict and sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Christina Bloodworth, Paralegal Specialist Kathryn Hoey, and other support personnel, including the Litigation Technology Unit.
Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bonnie Lindemann, who prosecuted the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shalin Nohria and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Millicent Jones, who investigated the case.
Prosecuting bias-related crimes is critical to keeping our community safe. When one member of a group in the community is the victim of a bias-related crime, all members carry with them a fear that they, too, may be targeted because of who they are. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia (USAO-DC) is committed to enforcing both federal and local hate and bias-related crime laws.
For more information:https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/hatebias-related-crimes
Undocumented Individual Indicted on Illegal Firearm Possession, Methamphetamine Trafficking and Illegal Re-Entry ChargesRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala – A federal grand jury this week charged an undocumented individual with drug and gun crimes and illegal re-entry into the United States after deportation announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Katrina Berger.
A 17-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Juan Jose Maldonado-Arce, 36, with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine hydrochloride, three counts of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride, one count of distribution cocaine hydrochloride, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of being an undocumented individual in possession of a firearm, two counts of carrying or possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and one count of illegal re-entry after deportation.
According to the indictment, between May 2021 and February 2022, in Madison and Limestone Counties, Maldonado-Arce possessed and sold methamphetamine and cocaine hydrochloride, and he possessed a Taurus 9mm pistol, a Smith & Wesson .32 caliber revolver, and a Hi-Point 9mm pistol.
Maldonado-Arce re-entered the United States in July 2012, July 2016, and June 2020 after he was previously deported to Mexico on March 24, 2011.
The penalty for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine hydrochloride and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams of methamphetamine is 10 years to life in prison. The maximum penalty for distribution of five or more grams of methamphetamine is 40 years in prison. The maximum penalty for distribution of a substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine hydrochloride is 20 years in prison. The maximum penalty for illegal re-entry after deportation and being a felon and/or undocumented individual in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison. The minimum penalty for possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime is five years in prison, which must run consecutive to any other sentence.
DEA and HSI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Stuart Burrell is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE/ALEXANDRIA/LAKE CHARLES/MONROE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown joins the Department of Justice and communities nationwide in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week which has been observed during this week of April 24-30, 2022. This year’s theme is “Rights, Access, and Equity for all Victims.” This week is all about honoring victims, survivors, and the people and organizations throughout the United States who support and serve them.
“There are many people in our community who know first-hand what it feels like to have been a victim of crime,” stated U.S. Attorney Brown. “When it happens to you, it affects you for a lifetime and we never forget the events that caused us to be a victim. Our office is committed to protecting the rights of those who are crime victims. We will continue to work with both state and local agencies to bring those who commit those crimes to justice and by providing support to the crime victims throughout the judicial process.”
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is an opportunity to remember not only victims who we are currently serving, but also those who have lost their lives as the result of senseless acts of terrorism such as the Oklahoma City Bombing on April 19, 1995, the attacks on September 11, 2001 in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania, and the bombing at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013. Not only are there victims of crime in other cities, but also right here in the Western District of Louisiana where our office has prosecuted numerous cases and justice was served for many victims. Some significant cases involving victims which our office has prosecuted are as follows:
- In US v. Thomas Steven Sanders, the victims, a mother and daughter, were both kidnapped from Las Vegas and killed by Sanders. A jury in Alexandria, Louisiana, convicted Sanders and he was sentenced to death and is currently on death row.
- In US v. Dillon Merritt, a jury in Shreveport, Louisiana convicted Merritt of kidnapping the victim and brutally beating, raping and torturing her for nearly a week, but she survived and was able to tell her story about the awful things he did to her. Merritt was sentenced to life in prison.
- In US v. Kirbyjon Caldwell and Gregory Smith, both defendants pleaded guilty to defrauding investors out of over $3.5 million. Most of the victims were friends and clients of Smith, who was a financial advisor in Shreveport, Louisiana, and Caldwell, who was the pastor of a mega church in Houston, Texas. Caldwell and Smith were sentenced to six years in prison and ordered to pay $3,588,500 in restitution to the victims in this case.
- In US v. Mehmood Patel, a jury in Lafayette, Louisiana, convicted Patel, who was a cardiologist in Lafayette. Patel was found guilty of health care fraud as a result of his performing heart catheterizations, stents, and angiograms on patients and many of these procedures were found to be medically unnecessary. Patel was sentenced to ten years in prison and was ordered to pay $387,511.56 in restitution to his many victims.
- In US v. David D. DeBerardinis, he pleaded guilty to defrauding numerous victims who were his friends and business associates out of millions of dollars. DeBerardinis, who was a businessman in Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay $51,462,909.66 in restitution to his victims.
“These are just a few examples of victims we have sought and obtained justice for,” stated U.S. Attorney Brown. “However, we know our job is never done. This office will continue to work hard to ensure that the rights of victims are protected, and the laws are upheld in the Western District of Louisiana.”
During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, many organizations who work with victims everyday rally together to bring awareness of victims’ rights and services. The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is part of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs and supports more than 7,000 local victim assistance programs and victim compensation programs in every state in the United States. Funding for these programs comes from the Crime Victims Fund, which is obtained by the collection of federal criminal fines, penalties and bond forfeitures. Many of our state and local non-governmental agencies receive grants and funding from these sources in order to provide victim services here locally.
The OVC leads the nation in the observance of this week and groups across the nation join in to bring awareness to the need for rights and services to be provided to victims of crime. The annual Awards Ceremony will be held today in Washington, D.C. If you would like to observe the event, click on this link to register: www.ovc.ojp.gov/live.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
FARGO – Interim United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase announced that on April 29, 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota recognized individuals from across the state who provide outstanding services to victims.
Victim assistance awards were presented to the following individuals:
• Assistant United States Attorney Victim Assistance Award – Lori Conroy, Assistant U.S Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Fargo.
• Support Staff Victim Assistance Award – Susan Spivey, Forensic Interviewer, Red River Children’s Advocacy Center, Grand Forks, ND.
• Victim Witness Advocate Assistance Award – Melandie Deplazes, Safe Alternatives for Abused Families, Devils Lake, ND.
• Special Agent Victim Assistance Award – Jarrod Birchler, Special Agent, FBI, Grand Forks, ND.
• Crime Victim Service Legacy Assistance Award – Geig & Linda Schneider.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) leads communities throughout the country in their annual observances of the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. This year’s theme - Rights, access, equity, for all victims - underscores the importance of helping crime survivors find their justice by enforcing victims’ rights, expanding access to services, and ensuring equity and inclusion for all.
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U.S. Attorney Announces Extradition of Colombian National for Narco-Terrorism, Firearms, and Drug-Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Anne Milgram, the Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced today the extradition of CARLOS FERNANDO MELO, for narco-terrorism, firearms, and drug-trafficking offenses. MELO, a Colombian national, was taken into custody by Colombian authorities on April 20, 2021 at the request of the United States, extradited to the United States, and arrived in the Southern District of New York yesterday from Colombia. MELO is expected to be presented later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge James L. Cott. The case is assigned to United States District Court Judge Sidney H. Stein.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Carlos Fernando Melo attempted to broker deals for machine guns with known narco-terrorist organizations, with the stated mission of murdering a DEA agent abroad as a ‘trophy.’ Unbeknownst to him, the individuals Melo believed to be arms traffickers were, in actuality, DEA confidential sources. Melo’s extradition today ensures that he’ll be held accountable on U.S. soil for allegedly targeting DEA Special Agents committed to fighting the illicit drug trade.”
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: “DEA’s central mission is targeting the most dangerous, most ruthless drug-traffickers who threaten our communities for their own profit. Carlos Fernando Melo is alleged to have not only supported and participated in violent narco-terrorism, but also sought to have a DEA agent murdered. DEA will relentlessly pursue narco-terrorists and drug traffickers who threaten the safety and health of Americans.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint and Indictment charging the defendant, which were unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
Between approximately September 2019 and December 2019, MELO attempted to purchase explosives and firearms, including machine guns, from individuals MELO understood to be arms traffickers for use by two organizations then designated by the Department of State as Foreign Terrorist Organizations: the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (“FARC”) and the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (“ELN”). Unbeknownst to MELO, the arms traffickers with whom he was negotiating were, in actuality, DEA confidential sources.
During these meetings, a confidential source posing as a weapons broker introduced MELO to two other confidential sources who claimed to be weapons dealers. These confidential sources, in turn, introduced MELO to an undercover law enforcement officer who purported to be a member of the terrorist organization Hizballah with access to explosive material and firearms. In the meetings, MELO reiterated that he was seeking to broker weapons deals for the FARC and ELN, which he claimed to have done in the past. MELO provided the sources with a coded list of weapons that the FARC and ELN wanted to purchase. MELO also represented that he had spoken with leadership in the FARC and ELN regarding their interest in acquiring weapons and explosive material. Ultimately, MELO requested more than 300 machine guns for the FARC as well as explosive material and mercury for the ELN. While MELO initially suggested that the FARC would pay for their weapons in cocaine, MELO later told the confidential sources that the FARC would pay cash for their arms, and that MELO had another contact who would sell cocaine to the confidential sources for importation into the United States.
MELO also explained during these meetings that he sought to purchase the firearms and explosives because the FARC and ELN wanted to conduct attacks in Colombia. He detailed particulars of these planned attacks, which included the possible kidnapping and murder of a DEA agent in Colombia and the bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia. MELO said that killing a DEA agent would be a “trophy” for the FARC or ELN and that he had a particular assassin in mind who could carry out the murder.
In furtherance of these plans, MELO enlisted a co-conspirator to take photographs of the U.S. Embassy in Bogota. When this co-conspirator called MELO expressing concern about the security at the Embassy, MELO instructed the co-conspirator to take the photographs on a single day so as to not arouse any suspicion.
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MELO, 58, a Colombian national, is charged with: (1) participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy, which carries a 20-year mandatory minimum sentence and a maximum of life in prison; (2) conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, which carries a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence and a maximum of life in prison; and (3) conspiring to possess machine guns and destructive devices during and in relation to the narco-terrorism and cocaine importation conspiracies, which carries a maximum of life in prison.
The potential mandatory minimum and maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit. Mr. Williams also thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, Judicial Attachés in Bogotá, Colombia, and the Counterterrorism Section.
The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jason A. Richman, Kyle A. Wirshba, and Kaylan E. Lasky are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint and Indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the Complaint, and the description of the Indictment and the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Two Men Indicted on Drug Trafficking Related OffencesRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging two men with various drug trafficking related offenses.
Jose Rodriguez-Cardenas, 46, and Felix Rodriguez-Flores, 42, of Wichita, are both charged with one count of heroin conspiracy, one count of fentanyl conspiracy, and one count of possession of heroin with intent to distribute.
Rodriguez-Cardenas is also charged with four counts of distribution of a controlled substance, one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and one count of possession of fentanyl with intention to distribute.
Rodriguez-Flores is charged with six counts of distribution of a controlled substance and one count of possession of fentanyl with intention to distribute.
The FBI and the Wichita Police Department are investigating the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Men Indicted in Multi-State Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOISE - Two men, working together across the Oregon and Idaho border were indicted on federal charges on Tuesday April 26, 2022.
According to court records, Daniel DeLafuente Sosa III, 39, of Ontario, Oregon, and Nicholas Franklin Perkins, 37, of Weiser, Idaho, were charged with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl between February 23, 2022, and April 26, 2022.
If convicted, they each face a sentence of at least five and up to 40 years in federal prison; a fine of up to $5,000,000.00; and a period of supervised release of at least four years.
U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Nampa Police Department, Caldwell Police Department, Boise Police Department, Ada County Sheriff’s Office, Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, Malheur County Sheriff’s Office, Weiser Police Department, Ontario Police Department, and the Oregon State Police, which led to the charges.
This case is being prosecuted by the Special Assistant United States Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is part of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. It provides assistance to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. Idaho is part of the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA. The Idaho HIDTA is a collaboration of local, multi-jurisdictional law enforcement drug task forces, and prosecuting agencies dedicated to addressing regional drug trafficking organizations that operate in Ada, Canyon, Bannock, Kootenai, and Malheur Counties.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Luzerne County Men Sentenced for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced Kearon Brinson, age 42, formerly of West Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, to 41 months of imprisonment, and Lamont Hubbard, age 51, formerly of Plymouth, Pennsylvania, to a time served sentence of approximately 26 months of imprisonment. Both men were incarcerated on the offenses while pending their sentencings.
According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Brinson and Hubbard previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to traffic between 40 grams and 160 grams of fentanyl between January 2019 and February 2020. That quantity of fentanyl is the equivalent of approximately 20,000 to 80,000 potentially lethal individual doses of fentanyl. The defendants also forfeited assorted ammunition and over $3,500 seized by law enforcement during the investigation.
In addition to Brinson and Hubbard, five other Luzerne County men have been charged and convicted in the broader investigation, for various fentanyl, cocaine, and tramadol trafficking offenses, including fentanyl trafficking that resulted in death:
- James Tindol, Jr., age 38, of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 120 months of imprisonment after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl that resulted in death;
- James Garris, Jr., age 52, formerly of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 168 months of imprisonment after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl that resulted in death;
- Emilio Tejeda, age 33, formerly of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 57 months of imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute between 400 grams and 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl;
- Edwin Tejeda, age 31, formerly of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, which resulted in death, and awaits sentencing; and
- Jose Raymer Tejeda, age 37, formerly of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, which resulted in death, and awaits sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Luzerne Country Drug Task Force, and the Kingston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo is prosecuting the case.
This case was also part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case also was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Two Las Cruces men face federal firearms chargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Ruben Martha, 40, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, appeared in federal court today facing a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Pablo Vargas, 50, of Las Cruces made an initial appearance on April 28 facing the same charge. Vargas and Martha will remain in custody pending arraignment and detention hearings.
A federal grand jury indicted Vargas and Martha on April 20. According to the indictment and other court records, on April 17, 2021, Vargas was hosting a party at a home on Nevada Street in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Martha, who lives down the street, was returning to his home along with his girlfriend and his adult daughter, who were in separate cars and slowed down as they navigated their way through the busy street. An angry exchange allegedly occurred during which an object was thrown at Martha’s car and a bottle was thrown through the open window of the car Martha’s daughter was driving. The daughter allegedly was struck by the bottle.
After Martha reached his home, he received a call from a friend, whom Martha told what was happening. The friend arrived on the scene and gunfire allegedly erupted. The friend was struck and fled the scene. Martha allegedly retrieved a shotgun from a trashcan on his property as Vargas and others allegedly fired toward Martha’s residence. Martha allegedly chambered a round of ammunition in the shotgun, but was struck in the chest. Officers estimate that twenty to thirty rounds were fired during the confrontation.
In 1997, Vargas was convicted of shooting at or from a motor vehicle. Martha was convicted in 2000 of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal damage to property, and in 2007 of shooting at a dwelling, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and felon in possession. As previously convicted felons, neither Vargas nor Martha can legally possess firearms or ammunition.
An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Vargas and Martha face up to 10 years in prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Armijo and Christopher McNair are prosecuting the case.
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Two Fugitives Arrested in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK— Two Little Rock men were arrested Wednesday on federal drug conspiracy charges. Richard Smith, 48, and Enrique Salazar-Pacheco, 22, were charged by a grand jury in an indictment handed down on December 8, 2021.
In November 2021, two federal officers were conducting surveillance as part of an ongoing investigation into a methamphetamine trafficking organization that involved Smith and Salazar-Pacheco. As the agents were attempting to leave the rural area, a male later identified as Jackie Davidson, 50, of Woodson, exited the wood line and fired multiple shots at the law enforcement officers, striking their vehicle several times.
Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the indictment, which charges Smith, Salazar-Pacheco, and three others with various methamphetamine and firearms charges. Smith, Salazar-Pacheco, and Abelardo Gonzalez, 46, of Woodson, are charged with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture. Smith and Salazar-Pacheco are also individually charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and Gonzalez is charged with being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm. Salazar-Pacheco is also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Davidson is charged with using a firearm to assault two federal agents; one Task Force Officer from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and one Special Agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Davidson is also charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence as well as attempted murder of federal officers. Jose Alonso Mena Moreno, 43, of Woodson, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm as well as being illegally present in the United States.
“During this investigation, arrests were made at the local level, but we and our federal partners did not stop there,” said Searcy Police Chief Steve Hernandez. “Criminals do not follow city limit boundaries, so we identified the source of these narcotics in Southwest Little Rock, where those who were supplying narcotics to citizens of Searcy were taken off the streets.”
“These arrests show the level of our officers’ commitment to continually work to bring justice to those folks that would do harm in our communities,” said White County Sheriff Phillip Miller. “I am grateful for their service.”
This investigation is part of Operation Central Sweep. Since July 2020, members of DEA, ATF, and Central Arkansas Drug Task Force, Searcy Police Department and White County Sheriff’s Office have seized a total of 308.04 pounds of methamphetamine including 5.7 pounds fentanyl, 2 1/2 pounds of cocaine, 24,000 counterfeit Oxycodone pills (Blue M-30s laced with fentanyl) and 84 firearms. Little Rock Police Department has assisted in numerous arrests. Additionally, a total of 66 state and federal arrests have been made, including arrests of Gangster Disciples and members of the CJNG Cartel.
An indictment only contains allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Tuscaloosa Man Indicted on COVID-19 Program Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala – A federal grand jury this week indicted a Tuscaloosa man for defrauding the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr.
A two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Quincy T. Doss, 41, with wire fraud.
According to the indictment, between April 2021 and November 2021, Doss submitted false and fraudulent PPP loan applications and received two separate PPP loans totaling more than $220,000. In the loan applications, the defendant allegedly misrepresented that his business was in operation and had employees for whom it paid salaries, that the funds would be used to retain workers, and that the information provided in the loan applications was true and accurate.
The maximum penalty for wire fraud is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan “Jack” Harrington is prosecuting the case.
Criminals worldwide exploit COVID-19 through a variety of fraud schemes. For more information about these scams visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud .
Anyone who thinks they are a victim of a fraud or 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.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Tulare County Man Sentenced to over 7 Years in Prison for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Deliveries, Co Conspirator Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Renato Aguilera, 30, of Porterville, was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Another member of the conspiracy, Maria Delgado, 31, of Porterville, pleaded guilty today to participating in the drug conspiracy.
According to court documents, acting at the direction of his brother-in-law, Pedro Delgado-Montenegro, 42, a native and citizen of Mexico formerly residing in Porterville, Aguilera delivered 800 fentanyl pills to an undercover officer in exchange for $4,250. Aguilera also transported several thousand fentanyl pills from Los Angeles to Porterville. In addition, at Delgado-Montenegro’s direction, Aguilera delivered over a pound of methamphetamine in two separate transactions to co-defendant Robert Cox, 58, of Porterville, and a third party sent by Cox.
In pleading guilty to the drug conspiracy, Delgado-Montenegro’s niece Maria Delgado admitted that she delivered fentanyl pills to an undercover officer, on behalf of Delgado-Montenegro, on three separate occasions. She also admitted that, at Delgado-Montenegro’s direction, she retrieved 2.2 pounds of heroin from the Los Angeles area that had been smuggled into the United States from Mexico.
Aguilera and Maria Delgado are two of nine defendants, including Delgado-Montenegro, charged in the case. Delgado-Montenegro is a fugitive. Maria Delgado is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of five years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will 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. On April 22, 2022, Roberto Cavazos, 43, of Porterville, was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. Charges are pending against the remaining defendants. The charges are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Porterville Police Department, the Coalinga Police Department, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Thermo Fisher Scientific Chemicals Acknowledges Recordkeeping Violations of the Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Thermo Fisher Scientific Chemicals, Inc., an affiliate of the Waltham-based Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (Thermo Fisher), has agreed to pay $25,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the Controlled Substances Act, by improperly purchasing and distributing chemicals regulated by the Act. Thermo Fisher self-disclosed these violations to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The Controlled Substances Act regulates the manufacturing, purchasing and distribution of certain chemicals that can be used to manufacture scheduled controlled substances. The Act allows only DEA registrants to engage in certain activities relative to listed chemicals and requires DEA registrants to, among other things, inform the DEA of sales of listed chemicals to foreign entities. These provisions are designed to ensure that only appropriate entities handle listed chemicals that can be used to manufacture scheduled controlled substances.
Under the settlement agreement, Thermo Fisher acknowledges that it failed to file export declarations when distributing listed chemicals to foreign customers; distributed listed chemicals to a Thermo Fisher location that did not have appropriate DEA registrations; and purchased listed chemicals from suppliers that did not have appropriate DEA registrations.
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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Panich of Rollins’ Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the case.
Texas Pharmacist Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – A Liberty, Texas woman pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey A. Breen of the Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General, South Central Field Office.
According to court documents, Jada Gilbert, 51, a Texas pharmacist, was charged by criminal Information with conspiring with others to participate in a scheme whereby Gilbert, as pharmacist-in-charge at Blue Ribbon Pharmacy, in Harris County, Texas, submitted or caused to be submitted fraudulent claims for high-adjudication pharmaceutical products that were not ordered or dispensed by her pharmacy to health care benefit programs and facilitated, together with others, the fraudulent concealment of these false claims by submitting fraudulent purchase documentation to pharmacy benefit managers as part of an audit to prevent the claw back of at least $330,000.00 paid due to the fraudulent submissions.
Gilbert is scheduled to be sentenced on August 1, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, VA-OIG, and FDA-OCI are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn R. Van Buskirk and Trial Attorney Sara Porter of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
Terrebonne Man Indicted for Trafficking Fentanyl and Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOSHUA PICOU, age 30, of Houma, Louisiana, was charged on April 28, 2022 in a seven-count indictment by a federal grand jury for violations of the Federal Gun Control Act and Federal Controlled Substances Act. Specifically, he is charged with distributing a substance containing fentanyl and cocaine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). He is further charged with possessing fentanyl, cocaine base (“crack”), and cocaine with the intent to distribute in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C). Additionally, he is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 922(g)(9), and 924(c)(1)(A)(i), respectively.
According to court documents, PICOU distributed a substance containing fentanyl and cocaine on May 27, June 2, and June 22, 2021. Later, on June 24, 2021, he is alleged to have been in possession of forty (40) grams or more of fentanyl, twenty-eight (28) grams or more of cocaine base, and a quantity of cocaine, with the intent to distribute the substances. On that same date, he is accused of being in possession of two firearms, a Glock Model 17 handgun and a Springfield Armory XDM-9. The indictment charges PICOU with possessing those firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activity and while prohibited due to his prior criminal convictions.
If convicted of distribution of fentanyl and cocaine as charged in Counts 1 – 3 or possession with intent to distribute cocaine as charged in Count 4, PICOU faces up to a maximum of twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000.00 fine, at least three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee, as to each count. If convicted of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl or cocaine base, he faces a minimum of five (5) years and a maximum of forty (40) years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000.00 fine, at least four (4) years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. If convicted of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, he faces a consecutive minimum of five (5) years and a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to five (5) years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. If convicted of possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a felony offense or misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, he faces up to a maximum of ten (10) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee, as to each count.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Homeland Securities Investigations and the Terrebonne Parish Sherriff’s Office in investigating this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles D. Strauss.
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Stoneham Police Officer and Electrical Contractor Indicted in $36 Million Fraud Scheme Involving Mass Save FundsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Stoneham Police Officer and his brother, an owner of an electrical contracting company, have been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly paying a Mass Save vendor company employee tens of thousands of dollars in weekly cash bribes, kickbacks and other in-kind benefits – including a John Deere tractor, a computer, home bathroom fixtures and free electrical work, among other things – in exchange for the procurement of over $36 million in Mass Save contracts with the vendor company.
Joseph Ponzo, 48, of Stoneham, and Christopher Ponzo, 47, of North Reading, were indicted on one count of wire fraud conspiracy and 12 counts of wire fraud. The defendants were arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston at noon today.
According to the indictment, Joseph Ponzo, a full-time Stoneham Police Officer, and his brother, Christopher Ponzo, an owner of an electrical contracting company, conspired to bribe an associate employed by a Mass Save lead vendor company (Company A) in exchange for the associate’s assistance in procuring Mass Save contracts that netted the Ponzos millions of dollars in Mass Save contracts.
Specifically, from 2013 to 2017, the Ponzos allegedly paid the associate tens of thousands of dollars in cash bribes, kickbacks and other in-kind benefits. According to the indictment, from 2013 to 2017, Christopher Ponzo paid the associate $1,000 in cash on a weekly basis. At times, Christopher Ponzo allegedly paid the associate $5,000 to $10,000 in cash, telling the associate that the extra money was from Joseph Ponzo for his part in the bribery scheme.
In return for these payments, it is alleged that the associate, among other things: helped the Ponzos create companies; assisted in gaining approval for the companies to serve as Mass Save contractors for Company A; assisted in obtaining Mass Save projects for the Ponzo’s companies; and helped the Ponzo’s receive payments from Company A for completed projects. As a result of the scheme, Christopher Ponzo and Joseph Ponzo allegedly collected approximately $29 million and $7 million in fraudulently obtained Mass Save funds, respectively.
In one such instance, according to the indictment, the associate helped Joseph Ponzo set up a company, Air Tight, to do insulation work and get approved as a Company A contractor under the Mass Save program. Joseph Ponzo put his spouse’s name on Air Tight incorporation documents and contracting licenses in order to conceal his involvement in his corrupt side business. It is alleged Joseph Ponzo collected millions of funds under the Mass Save program through this contract, despite having no professional experience in residential insulation work.
“Virtually every Massachusetts resident who uses energy is surcharged and pays for Mass Save. These payments are mandatory and amount to hundreds of millions of dollars. Defrauding the Mass Save program for millions of dollars means we are all left paying the bill,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “As we allege, these defendants, motivated by greed, orchestrated a corrupt scheme to line their pockets with money fraudulently obtained from honest paying energy consumers. These bad actors allegedly took advantage of funds set aside for energy-efficiency projects for their own personal financial gain and, moreover, did so through illegal, preferential treatment. It is corruption at its core and will not be tolerated.”
“Every year, Massachusetts homeowners shell out hundreds of millions of dollars to fund energy conservation projects for consumers—and today we arrested Joseph and Christopher Ponzo for allegedly cheating them by paying a steady stream of bribes and kickbacks to an insider who steered contracts their way,” said Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Boston. “These brothers allegedly raked in millions of dollars and are now accused of going to great lengths to conceal their bold and brazen scheme. We have said this before, and it merits repeating. If you are a victim of, or witness to a public corruption scheme, it’s never too late to do the right thing. The FBI is here, we are doing our job, and we want to hear from you.”
“Mass Save is all about providing consumers, who qualify in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, with low or no-cost energy-efficiency projects for their homes,” said Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston. “The fact that a member of law enforcement who pledged an oath to protect the community allegedly abused this program as a get-rich scheme is particularly reprehensible. Today’s indictment begins the path to ensuring integrity in this program and should serve as a clear warning to those who are attempting to defraud it.”
Massachusetts law requires utility companies to collect an energy efficiency surcharge on all Massachusetts energy consumers. These funds, which amount to hundreds of millions of dollars each year, are to be disbursed by the utility companies to fund energy efficiency programs and initiatives in Massachusetts. Mass Save is a Massachusetts public-private partnership sponsored by various gas and electric utility companies that disburses these energy efficiency funds by funding energy conservation projects for consumers. Under the Mass Save program, utility companies select lead vendors to approve and select contractors to perform energy improvement work for residential customers. This contracting work – performed at no-cost or reduced cost to the customer – is then paid for by the lead vendors with Mass Save funds.
The charges of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, FBI SAC Bonavolonta and IRS SAC Simpson made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elysa Wan and Dustin Chao of Rollins’ Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Slidell Resident Sentenced to 120 Months for Conspiring to Distribute Five Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 280 Grams or More of Crack, and 1.5 Kilograms or More of HeroinRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that on April 28, 2022 U.S. District Court Judge Wendy B. Vitter sentenced KENDRICK DEMOURELLE, age 40, a resident of Slidell, Louisiana, to 120 months of imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and $300 in mandatory special assessment fees for conspiring to distribute cocaine, crack, and heroin, and for the illegal use of phones in furtherance of drug trafficking, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B), 843(b), and 846. DEMOURELLE plead guilty on November 2, 2021.
According to court records, the United States is seeking to forfeit approximately $120,308.00, two vehicles, and two properties acquired by DEMOURELLE with suspected drug proceeds which have been seized in connection with the investigation. DEMOURELLE and four others, Joseph Brown, Lionel Cooley, Kevin Gray, and Blake Monroe, conspired to sell illegal narcotics in New Orleans, including using a broken-down yellow school bus in the ‘Goose’ neighborhood in New Orleans East as a stash house. All five were indicted in February 2020. A seized GMC Sierra pickup truck used by Lionel Cooley contained nearly two kilograms of cocaine and 430 grams of crack.
As part of his guilty plea, DEMOURELLE agreed that he was responsible for at least 5 kilograms of cocaine, at least 280 grams of crack, and at least 1.5 kilograms of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, through his own conduct and the reasonably foreseeable conduct of his co-conspirators.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Hammond Police Department, New Orleans Police Department, and Slidell Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney David Howard Sinkman is in charge of the prosecution.
Shoreline Business Owner Admits Failure to Pay TaxesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that CHRISTOPHER JARDINE, 55, of Guilford, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a federal tax offense stemming from his failure to pay business and personal taxes.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Jardine is a part owner of D&A Construction Management, Inc. (“D&A”), a Branford-based company in the construction business. Jardine was responsible for D&A’s financial affairs, and for collecting and paying over certain federal taxes from D&A’s employees, namely federal income taxes and Federal Insurance Contribution Act (“FICA”) taxes, which include Medicare and social security taxes. He was also responsible for ensuring that D&A, as an employer, paid its own share of FICA taxes.
An investigation revealed that, although Jardine and D&A withheld employees’ federal income and FICA taxes over multiple tax periods between 2016 and 2019 and reported those withholdings to the IRS, they failed to pay over the withheld amounts, totaling approximately $868,000. Jardine also represented to the IRS that D&A lacked the ability to pay, but he used millions of dollars in company funds to pay personal expenses, including purchases of a 52-foot cigarette boat, a Range Rover, high-end clothing, and auto parts, and to make payments on behalf of Straight Jacket USA, LLC, a Guilford business controlled by Jardine.
Jardine pleaded guilty to one count of willful failure to pay over withholding taxes. In pleading guilty, Jardine admitted that he evaded payment of the withheld employee taxes, as well as D&A’s share of FICA taxes, for multiple quarters during the 2016 through 2019 tax years, and he also acknowledged that he evaded the payment of personal income tax liabilities for multiple tax years between 2007 and 2015. Jardine has agreed to pay approximately $2,070,000 in restitution to the IRS, an amount that includes interest and penalties.
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for July 28, at which time Jardine faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
To date, Jardine has paid approximately $1,197,600 of his restitution obligation.
Jardine is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Conor M. Reardon.
Rochester Man Arrested on Multiple Child Pornography Charges, Including ProductionRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Nathan Follett, 35, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production, possession, receipt, and distribution of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in August 2021, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office received a report that Follett was in possession of sexual images of 17 and 14-year-old minors and that Follett also admitted to having sex with a minor without her consent. Subsequent investigation determined that Follett communicated on social media, including Snapchat, with multiple minor girls. Between 2016 and December 2021, Follett is suspected of coercing a total of 11 victims to send naked images to him.
On December 16, 2021, a search warrant was executed at Follett’s residence and several digital devices were seized, including two cell phones and two computers. A bag of suspected cocaine was also seized. A forensic review of the electronic devices recovered approximately 106 images and 47 videos of child pornography.
Follett made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson and was detained.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Barry Chase.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Rochester Cocaine Dealer Going to PrisonRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Ernest Gamble, 20, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and crack cocaine, was sentenced to serve 63 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. McGrath, who handled the case, stated that Gamble was a member of a drug trafficking organization that distributed large quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine out of a drug house on Glenwood Avenue in Rochester. On May 19, 2021, a search warrant was executed at the Glenwood Avenue residence, during which investigators seized cocaine, drug paraphernalia and counter surveillance devices. Gamble was present during the search, and it appeared that he and others were in the process of flushing narcotics down the toilet after law enforcement made entry into the residence. Gamble was taken into custody with over $5,000 in cash in his pockets.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Interim Police Chief David Smith, the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
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Rhode Island Man Arrested for Allegedly Calling in Bomb Threat to Yale New Haven HospitalRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that ALEXANDER BRADLEY, 42, most recently residing in Cranston, Rhode Island, was arrested yesterday on a federal criminal complaint charging him with threatening to bomb the Yale New Haven Hospital.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on May 9, 2021, Bradley called the Yale University Health Clinic, spoke to a nurse and asked if had reached the Yale New Haven Hospital. When informed that he had not, Bradley, who refused to give his name, complained that he had been denied care at the Yale New Haven Hospital and stated that he was going to bomb the hospital. Approximately 30 minutes later, Bradley anonymously called the Yale New Haven Hospital and stated that he had placed a pressure cooker containing a bomb outside of the building.
It is further alleged that the bomb threat disrupted hospital operations and required a significant response from the New Haven Police Department, Yale Police Department and Yale New Haven Protective Service. Investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force subsequently determined that the phone number used to make the threats was linked to Bradley. The investigation revealed that, less than three weeks after he made the bomb threat to Yale New Haven Hospital, he contacted a CVS pharmacy in Cranston, Rhode Island, and said that he was going to “shoot up” and “blow up” a hospital.
Bradley appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and was released on an $25,000 bond into the custody of a third-party custodian. As conditions of his release, Bradley is subject to location monitoring and must attend drug and mental health treatment.
The complaint charges Bradley with conveying false information about explosives, and false information and hoaxes. If convicted of the offenses, Bradley faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.
U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force – WMD and Bomb Squad. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Donovan and Reed Durham.
Raleigh Gang Member Sentenced to 22 Years for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh man was sentenced today to 264 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base (crack) and 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and distribution of crack.
Gregory Warren Daniels, 32, was a member of the Nine Trey Gangster Bloods, a violent street gang that engages in distribution of controlled substances. According to court documents and other information presented in court, Daniels conspired with others to distribute large amounts of crack and cocaine over a two-year period in the Raleigh area. On five separate occasions, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of crack from Daniels. The Court also received evidence regarding violent assaults by Daniels at the direction of other gang members. On February 24, 2021, Daniels plead guilty to the charges.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Federal Bureau of Investigations and Raleigh Police Department investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00355-D-1.
Prairieville Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal Prison for Distribution of HeroinRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Robert Brown, age 28, of Prairieville, Louisiana, to 60 months in federal prison following his conviction of distribution of heroin. The Court further sentenced Brown to three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions made as a part of his guilty plea, on December 1, 2017, Brown made arrangements with a confidential informant to sell the informant one-half of an ounce of heroin for $1,200 at a gas station in Livonia, Louisiana. The informant subsequently met with Brown at the gas station where he sold the heroin to the informant for $1,200 as planned.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William K. Morris.
Postal Worker Pleads Guilty to Mail TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former U.S. Postal Service employee pleaded guilty today in Worcester to stealing packages in Gardner.
Roberta Feliz, 33, of Fitchburg, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Sept. 19, 2022. Feliz was charged by an Information on Feb. 4, 2022.
Feliz was employed as Lead Sales and Services Associate with the Gardner Post Office. Between February and July 2020, Feliz stole over $90,000 in cash deposits that were mailed from a Tractor Supply Company to its bank. Feliz, who was scheduled to work on each day that a cash package was mailed, was observed on surveillance camera removing envelopes from the postal service floor into the employee locker area or the women’s restroom. In August 2020, Feliz was approached by law enforcement after she took a control package containing cash from the postal floor into an office, removed money from the envelope and hid it in an unused desk. Feliz admitted to stealing packages from the Tractor Supply Company and stated that she used the money to pay off debt and sent some to family overseas.
The charge of theft of mail by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Orlando Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Armed CarjackingsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Larry Burrows (26, Orlando) to 27 years in federal prison for carjacking and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Burrows had pleaded guilty on February 7, 2022.
According to court documents, Burrows was the leader of a carjacking crew that had carjacked four victims at gunpoint in Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties during January 2017. Other members of this crew also included Jeffery Noel, Herichie Paul, and Awetu Megersa. One victim, a fast-food delivery driver, was confronted by Burrows, Noel, Paul, and Megersa while attempting to deliver food to an apartment in Orlando. At gunpoint, the carjackers forced the victim into the apartment and removed the victim’s clothing. They took the victim’s cellphone, wallet, and the keys to the victim’s minivan. Three other victims were carjacked by Burrows and his crew at gunpoint during the course of the next week, including a woman who was carjacked while returning from work.
Noel, Paul, and Megersa were previously sentenced for their involvement in the carjackings. Noel was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, Paul was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment, and Megersa was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Orange County Man Sentenced for Cocaine ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK –James Taylor, age 34, of Orange County, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison for possessing and intending to distribute cocaine.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division
As part of his guilty plea, Taylor admitted that on March 2, 2020, he and his co-defendant possessed with the intent to distribute approximately two kilograms of cocaine.
Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a 2-year term of supervised release to follow the term of incarceration.
His co-defendant, Peter Mami, age 44, also of Orange County, also pled guilty to possessing and intending to distribute cocaine, and is pending sentencing.
This case was investigated by the DEA and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Dennis Gilman, 43, of Madison, Ohio, was sentenced this week by U.S. District Judge James A. Soto to 15 years in prison. Gilman previously pleaded guilty to Production of Child Pornography.
Gilman was arrested after an investigation by the FBI revealed he was using an X-Box gaming system to contact minors and request sexually explicit material from them. On May 9, 2018, Gilman was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of producing child pornography involving a child victim. As part of his plea agreement, Gilman also admitted to seeking and obtaining sexually explicit material from a second child victim. Upon release from prison, Gilman will be placed on lifetime supervised release with stringent conditions of supervision. He will be required to register as a sex offender and to complete a sex offender treatment program.
“This case serves as a reminder of the very real threat posed by online predators in the gaming world, a place where our children deserve to feel safe,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to prosecuting these offenders, and we encourage parents to remain vigilant and to remind children that no person should be requesting sexually explicit content from them.”
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 the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Sierra Vista office of the FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carin C. Duryee and Rebecca S. Garvey, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-00809-TUC-JAS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-056_Gilman# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Oconee County, Georgia, Resident Convicted by Federal Jury for Distributing Child Pornography in Project Safe Childhood CaseRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A Watkinsville, Georgia, man who has been the subject of a lengthy investigation for downloading and distributing child pornography, was found guilty by a federal jury for possession and distribution of child pornography.
Eric Paul Krumm, 46, was found guilty of two counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal on April 27. Krumm faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years imprisonment up to a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment on the distribution charges and a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment on the possession charge to be followed by five years to life of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine per count. In addition, Krumm will have to register as a sex offender upon his release from federal prison. There is no parole. Sentencing will occur later this year.
“Children are manipulated, molested and sexually assaulted in the production of child sexual assault material. Every person who downloads, shares and pays to view these horrific images and videos is funding the cycle of child sexual abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office will pursue federal prosecution against people caught downloading and distributing child sexual assault material.”
“The GBI will continue to work tirelessly to protect innocent victims. No child should be subject to online exploitation. As we work with our law enforcement agency partners and prosecutors, we are ensuring that predators like this defendant are held accountable,” said GBI Director Vic Reynolds.
“The exploitation of children by way of pornographic images is abhorrent and will not be tolerated in our community. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to vigorously investigate these vile crimes. ACCPD appreciates the GBI and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for investigating this crime, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia for bringing forth a successful prosecution,” ACCPD Interim Chief of Police Jerry Saulters.
In 2016, Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD) began an investigation into downloads of suspected child pornography that returned to Krumm. Following that initial finding, ACCPD obtained 204 images and two videos of child pornography linking back to Krumm’s IP
address. The child pornography depicted prepubescent girls and included sexual assault and molestation. A search warrant was executed by the GBI at Krumm’s residence on Feb. 15, 2017, and eleven electronics were seized, including laptops and hard drives. 56 images and one movie file found on Krumm’s electronics depicting child pornography and child sexual assault material were submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) for comparison to the Child Recognition and Identification System (CRIS).
Krumm, a systems administrator for a multinational corporation, downloaded and distributed child pornography via a peer-to-peer file sharing network. GBI investigators conducted an extensive forensic examination of Krumm’s electronics which led to the discovery of the evidence of his distribution and possession of child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by Athens-Clarke County Police Department and GBI, with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Criminal Chief Michael Solis is prosecuting the case.
Mexican 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 JOSE GARCIA-NUNEZ, age 33, a citizen of Mexico, 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).
JOSE GARCIA-NUNEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than five (5) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
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.
Mexican Man Charged with Illegally Using Social Security Number to Obtain EmploymentRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MARIO MATEO TOMAS JOSE, a native of Mexico, was charged today in a one-count bill of information with illegally using a social security number to qualify for employment, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
MARIO MATEO TOMAS JOSE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than five (5) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that a bill of information 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 Homeland Security Investigations in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon M. Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.
Mexican Man Charged with Illegally Using Social Security Number to Obtain EmploymentRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that LIMBER VAZQUEZ-NUNEZ, a native of Mexico, was charged on April 28, 2022 in a one-count bill of information with illegally using a social security number to qualify for employment, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
LIMBER VAZQUEZ-NUNEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than five (5) years, a fine of $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that a bill of information 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 Homeland Security Investigations in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon M. Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.
Mescalero man pleads guilty to domestic assaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Lance Cojo, 36, of Mescalero, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, pleaded guilty on April 26 in federal court to one count of assault of an intimate or dating partner resulting in substantial bodily injury and one count of assault of an intimate or dating partner by strangling. Cojo will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.
In his plea agreement, Cojo admitted that on Dec. 31, 2021, on the Mescalero Apache Reservation, in Otero County, Mexico, he assaulted a victim, identified in court records as Jane Doe, by stomping on her foot, hitting her in the head multiple times, biting her cheek, and burning her on her right shoulder with a pipe used for smoking drugs. Cojo also grabbed Jane Doe by the throat to strangle her. The following day, Cojo continued to assault Jane Doe, hitting her in the head and kicking her in the back multiple times and strangling her.
Cojo’s assault resulted in serious injuries to Jane Doe, who is also a member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe. Jane Doe was taken to a medical center for her injuries where she was treated for a collapsed lung, fractured ribs, bruising to both eyes, face, neck and ribs.
By the terms of the plea agreement, Cojo faces two years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matilda McCarthy Villalobos is prosecuting the case.
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Member of Georgia Chapter of Oath Keepers Pleads Guilty to Seditious Conspiracy and Obstruction of Congress for Efforts to Stop Transfer of Power Following 2020 Presidential ElectionRead the Press Release
A member of the Oath Keepers pleaded guilty today to seditious conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding for his actions before, during and after the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His and others’ actions disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
Brian Ulrich, 44, of Guyton, Georgia, pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy in connection with the Capitol breach. As part of the plea agreement, Ulrich has agreed to cooperate with the government’s ongoing investigation.
Ulrich is the second Oath Keepers member to plead guilty to seditious conspiracy and obstruction charges. Joshua James, 34, of Arab, Alabama, pleaded guilty on March 2, 2022.
As described in court documents, Ulrich was a member of the Georgia chapter of the Oath Keepers. The Oath Keepers are a large but loosely organized collection of individuals, some of whom are associated with militias. Though the Oath Keepers will accept anyone as a member, they explicitly focus on recruiting current and former military, law enforcement and first-responder personnel.
In his guilty plea, Ulrich admitted that, from November 2020 through January 2021, he conspired with other Oath Keepers members and affiliates to use force to prevent, hinder and delay the execution of the laws of the United States governing the transfer of presidential power. He and others used encrypted and private communications, equipped themselves with a variety of weapons, donned combat and tactical gear, and were prepared to use force to stop the transfer of power.
In the weeks leading to Jan. 6, 2021, Ulrich and others used an application called “Signal” to prepare for the actions that would take place that day. Ulrich encouraged others in a group called “Oath Keepers of Georgia” to join him in Washington. In one chat, on Dec. 5, 2020, he messaged the group, “I seriously wonder what it would take just to get ever patriot marching around the capital armed? Just to show our government how powerless they are!” On Dec. 11, 2020, Ulrich messaged the group chat that “Civil War” may be necessary if Joseph R. Biden became President of the United States, adding, “I made my peace with God before I joined.” Another individual later messaged, “Remember, it is not over until January 20th.” Ulrich responded, “And if there’s a Civil War then there’s a Civil War.”
Ulrich also purchased tactical gear and other items, including two-way radio receivers, a recon backpack, a tactical holster, a medical tourniquet, and a half skull motorcycle helmet. Ulrich was told by another co-conspirator that others would be available with firearms. On Jan. 4, he traveled with other Oath Keepers to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, staying in a downtown hotel with others.
On Jan. 6, after learning the Capitol had been breached, Ulrich and others traveled to the Capitol on golf carts, driving around multiple barricades, including marked law enforcement vehicles. Ulrich was wearing a tactical vest, radio equipment, a body-worn camera, goggles, a camouflage tactical backpack, a black neck gaiter, and an Oath Keepers hat.
He and others weaved through the restricted area in a military “stack” formation with hands on shoulders and gear. Ulrich marched in a line up the stairs on the east side of the Capitol. He entered the building at 3:22 p.m., maneuvering himself toward the entrance to the Rotunda as law enforcement officers were attempting to clear the area. After officers deployed chemical-irritant spray, Ulrich left the Capitol and gathered with other co-conspirators approximately 100 feet from the building. In the aftermath of Jan. 6, Ulrich continued to communicate with co-conspirators on Signal, including one message urging them to “stay below the radar.”
Ulrich was arrested on Aug. 9, 2021, in Guyton, Georgia. He was among 11 defendants indicted on Jan. 12, 2022, in the District of Columbia on seditious conspiracy and other charges; co-defendant Joshua James pleaded guilty, and the remaining nine defendants have pleaded not guilty, including Elmer Stewart Rhodes III, 57, the founder and leader of the Oath Keepers.
Ulrich faces up to 20 years in prison for seditious conspiracy and up to 20 years for obstruction of an official proceeding, along with potential financial penalties. No sentencing date was set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office, including its Macon, Georgia Resident Agency.
In the 15 months since Jan. 6, 2021, nearly 800 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 250 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.